In this review, we will be comparing SS-CS8 and S 81 CEN, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Sony and Jamo.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sony SS-CS8 and Jamo S 81 CEN first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Sony SS-CS8 | Jamo S 81 CEN |
|---|
| Brand | Sony
Japan · founded 1946 | Jamo
Denmark · founded 1966 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" soft dome with an integrated waveguide |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 4" Mica Reinforced Cellular (MRC) | 2 x 4" polyfiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 55-25k Hz | 71-26k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 86 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 145 watts | up to 60 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 5.00kg / 11lbs | 5.00kg / 11lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 5.75" x 16.93" x 8.66"
146.0 x 430.0 x 220.0mm | 7-5/16" x 17-1/8" x 8-11/16"
186.0 x 435.0 x 221.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Sony SS-CS8 and Jamo S 81 CEN 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:
| Listening Environment* |
Sony SS-CS8 |
Jamo S 81 CEN |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Good |
| Small Room |
Average |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
No way |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both SS-CS8 and S 81 CEN are 2-way speakers.
Sony SS-CS8Jamo S 81 CEN
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Sony SS-CS8 |
Jamo S 81 CEN |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 4-inch
|
2 x 4-inch
|
SS-CS8 features a 1" polyester fiber Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 4" Mica Reinforced Cellular (MRC) Woofer. On the other hand, the S 81 CEN features a 1" soft dome with an integrated waveguide Tweeter and 2 x 4" polyfiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2000Hz.
Frequency Response
SS-CS8 has a frequency range of 55-25k Hz whereas S 81 CEN has a frequency range of 71-26k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 55Hz, the SS-CS8 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the S 81 CEN's min frequency of 71Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
SS-CS8 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the S 81 CEN which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
On the other hand, they have the same sensitivity of 86 dBdB.
Sensitivity
Center Channel Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
SS-CS8 can handle a max power of 145 watts RMS, whereas S 81 CEN has a max power handling value of 60 watts RMS, 85 watts less than the SS-CS8.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
SS-CS8 features Binding post type posts and S 81 CEN has a Binding post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Sony SS-CS8's Post terminals
Jamo S 81 CEN's Binding post terminals
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both SS-CS8 and S 81 CEN have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Sony SS-CS8's and Jamo S 81 CEN's external dimensions. Sony SS-CS8 has external dimensions of 146.0 x 430.0 x 220.0mm (5.75 x 16.93 x 8.66inch) whereas Jamo S 81 CEN has external dimensions of 186.0 x 435.0 x 221.0mm (7-5/16 x 17-1/8 x 8-11/16inch).
Jamo S 81 CEN is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 5mm wider, 40mm taller and 1mm deeper than Sony SS-CS8.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Sony SS-CS8 and Jamo S 81 CEN in scale.
Comparison image of Sony SS-CS8 and Jamo S 81 CEN Size and External Dimensions
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 Sony SS-CS8 is approximately 946.0cm2 / 146.6inch2 and base area of the Jamo S 81 CEN is approximately 961.4cm2 / 149.0inch2. The SS-CS8 requires 2% less surface area than the S 81 CEN which gives it a small advantage 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 Sony SS-CS8 weighs 5.00kg / 11lbs and the Jamo S 81 CEN weighs 5.00kg / 11lbs.
Here is a comparison of how SS-CS8 and S 81 CEN's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
What's in the Box of Jamo S 81 CEN?
Here are the items that come with the S 81 CEN:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- User Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
 Max Input Power |
145 watts
vs
60 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Low Frequency Response |
55 Hz
vs
71 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
146mm
vs
186mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
946cm2
vs
961cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
169USD
vs
174USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 High Frequency Response |
26k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
| General |
Sony SS-CS8 |
Jamo S 81 CEN |
| Brand |
Sony |
Jamo |
| Speaker Type |
Center Channel |
Center channel speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 145 watts |
up to 60 watts |
| Sensitivity |
86 dB |
86 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
55-25k Hz |
71-26k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
4" |
4" |
| Woofer Composition |
Mica Reinforced Cellular (MRC) |
polyfiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
n/a |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
soft dome with an integrated waveguide |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
2000Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
146.0mm (5.7") |
186.0mm (7.3") |
| Width |
430.0mm (16.9") |
435.0mm (17.1") |
| Depth |
220.0mm (8.7") |
221.0mm (8.7") |
| Weight |
5.00kg (11lbs) |
5.00kg (11lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-veneer |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black, White, Walnut |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
n/a |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
2 years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
2 years |
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Sony SS-CS8 digs deeper - 55Hz against 71Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (86dB vs 86dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | Jamo S 81 CEN is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | A | Sony SS-CS8 takes more power (145W vs 60W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Sony SS-CS8 is easier to place; Jamo S 81 CEN is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Neither adds bi-amping, a sub output or height drivers. Jamo S 81 CEN sits in a wider range (7 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($169 vs $174 a pair). |
A Sony SS-CS8 B Jamo S 81 CEN
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
Sony SS-CS8 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 71Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Sony SS-CS8 the better fit for a mid-size room and a large room, and Jamo S 81 CEN for near-field listening and a small room.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.