In this review, we will be comparing Ultra Tower and S 809, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from SVS and Jamo. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of SVS Ultra Tower and Jamo S 809 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the SVS Ultra Tower and Jamo S 809 speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size and max power parameters:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the SVS Ultra Tower and Jamo S 809 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Ultra Tower is a 3-way design whereas the S 809 is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
Driver |
SVS Ultra Tower |
Jamo S 809 |
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
Tweeter
|
1.0-inch
|
1-inch
|
Midrange
|
2 x 6.5-inch |
- |
Woofer
|
2 x 8.0-inch
|
3 x 5-inch
|
Ultra Tower features a 1.0" aluminum Dome Tweeter , a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 8.0" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 160HZ and 2000Hz. On the other hand, the S 809 features a 1" Tweeter and 3 x 5" Aluminized Polyfiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2000Hz.
Frequency Response
Ultra Tower has a frequency range of 28-32k Hz whereas S 809 has a frequency range of 37-26k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the Ultra Tower can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the S 809's min frequency of 37Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Ultra Tower and S 809 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Ultra Tower sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the S 809's is at 90 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Jamo S 809 a more sensitive speaker compared to SVS Ultra Tower, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Ultra Tower can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas S 809 has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 180 watts less than the Ultra Tower.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Ultra Tower features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. S 809 has a Post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare SVS Ultra Tower's and Jamo S 809's external dimensions. SVS Ultra Tower has external dimensions of 1159.0 x 355.0 x 445.0mm ( 45-5/8 x 13-15/16 x 17-1/2inch) whereas Jamo S 809 has external dimensions of 1042.0 x 191.0 x 252.0mm ( 41.0 x 7.5 x 9.9inch) .
SVS Ultra Tower is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 164mm wider, 117mm taller and 193mm deeper than Jamo S 809.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of SVS Ultra Tower and Jamo S 809 in scale.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the SVS Ultra Tower is approximately 1579.8cm2 / 244.9inch2 and base area of the Jamo S 809 is approximately 481.3cm2 / 74.6inch2. The Ultra Tower requires 228% more surface area than the S 809 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The SVS Ultra Tower weighs 34.27kg / 75.4lbs and the Jamo S 809 weighs 13.60kg / 29.9lbs. This makes the Ultra Tower 152% heavier than the S 809.
Here is a comparison of how Ultra Tower and S 809's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of SVS Ultra Tower?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Ultra Tower:
Floorstanding loudspeakerCloth grille2 Metal grillesFoam port plug4 Elastomer isolation feet (pre-installed)4 Spike feet4 Nuts4 Protective discs2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)Owners ManualSVS brochureOnline Product Registration Card
What's in the Box of Jamo S 809?
Here are the items that come with the S 809:
2 Floorstanding loudspeakers2 Grilles8 Mounting feet16 ScrewsUser ManualImportant Safety InstructionsWarranty Information
Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
Woofer Size |
8.0 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
37 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
High Frequency Response |
32k Hz
vs
26k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Optional Jamo S 8 ATM Dolby Atmos upward-firing speakers
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
Height |
1042mm
vs
1159mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
Base Surface Area |
481cm2 (191x252mm)
vs
1579cm2 (355x445mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
Price per pair* |
634USD
vs
2600USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
General |
SVS Ultra Tower |
Jamo Studio S 809 |
Brand |
SVS |
Jamo |
Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
Power Range |
20-300 watts |
120 watts |
Sensitivity |
88 dB |
90 dB |
Impedance |
8 ohms |
8 ohms |
Frequency Response |
28-32k Hz |
37-26k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
Woofer Size |
8.0" |
5" |
Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Aluminized Polyfiber |
Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
Tweeter Size |
1.0" |
1" |
Tweeter Type |
Dome |
n/a |
Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
No |
Crossover Frequency |
160HZ and 2000Hz |
2000Hz |
Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
Height |
1159.0mm (45.6") |
1042.0mm (41") |
Width |
355.0mm (14") |
191.0mm (7.5") |
Depth |
445.0mm (17.5") |
252.0mm (9.9") |
Weight |
34.27kg (75.4lbs) |
13.60kg (29.9lbs) |
Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
Finish |
MDF/Oak veneer |
MDF/Vinyl |
Available Colors |
Black Oak,Piano Gloss Black,Piano Gloss White |
Walnut |
Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |