Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 vs Jamo S 801 Comparison

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Wharfedale Crystal 4.2

Passive Bookshelf | 60-20k Hz

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Jamo S 801

Passive Bookshelf | 76-26k Hz

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Wharfedale Crystal 4...

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Jamo S 801

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Jamo S 801

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Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 vs Jamo S 801 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing Crystal 4.2 and S 801, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Wharfedale and Jamo.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 and Jamo S 801 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 Key Specs

2-way Design

1" Soft-dome Tweeter

5" Woven Kevlar Woofer

60-20k Hz Frequency Response

88 dB Sensitivity

Impedance: 8ohms

Power Range:20-100watts

Weight:4.20kg

Dimensions (H x W x D): 266.0" x 7-1/8" x 8-5/8"( 266.0 x 181.0 x 220.0mm )

Jamo S 801 Key Specs

2-way Design

1" Soft-Dome Tweeter

4" Aluminized Polyfiber Woofer

76-26k Hz Frequency Response

85 dB Sensitivity

Impedance: 8ohms

Power Range:up to 60watts

Weight:2.70kg

Dimensions (H x W x D): 285.0" x 6.1" x 6.4"( 285.0 x 156.0 x 163.0mm )

What size room are the Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 and Jamo S 801 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*	Wharfedale Crystal 4.2	Jamo S 801
Near-field	Average	Good
Small Room	Good	Good
Mid-size Room	Average	Average
Large Room	Poor	Poor
Very Large Room	Bad	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.)

In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 and Jamo S 801 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.

**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

Drivers

Both Crystal 4.2 and S 801 are 2-way speakers.

Driver	Wharfedale Crystal 4.2	Jamo S 801
Driver Setup	2-way	2-way
Tweeter	1-inch	1-inch
Midrange	-	-
Woofer	1 x 5-inch	1 x 4-inch

Crystal 4.2 features a 1" Soft-dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Woven Kevlar Woofer . On the other hand, the S 801 features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 4" Aluminized Polyfiber Woofer .

Frequency Response

Crystal 4.2 has a frequency range of 60-20k Hz whereas S 801 has a frequency range of 76-26k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 60Hz, the Crystal 4.2 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the S 801's min frequency of 76Hz.

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 Bookshelf class in our database.

Low Frequency

Bookshelf Speakers

Crystal 4.2

S 801

Min

Average

Max

High Frequency

Bookshelf Speakers

Wharfedale Crystal 4.2

Jamo S 801

Min

Average

Max

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

Crystal 4.2 and S 801 have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Crystal 4.2 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the S 801's is at 85 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 a more sensitive speaker compared to Jamo S 801, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.

Sensitivity

Bookshelf Speakers

Crystal 4.2

S 801

Min

Average

Max

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.

Crystal 4.2 can handle a max power of 100 watts RMS from the amp the whereas S 801 has a max power handling value of 60 watts RMS, 40 watts less than the Crystal 4.2.

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

Crystal 4.2 features Post type posts and S 801 has a Post type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.

Jamo S 801's Post terminals

Cabinet Type and Port Position

Both Crystal 4.2 and S 801 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

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 Wharfedale Crystal 4.2's and Jamo S 801's external dimensions. Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 has external dimensions of 266.0 x 181.0 x 220.0mm ( 10-7/16 x 7-1/8 x 8-5/8inch) whereas Jamo S 801 has external dimensions of 285.0 x 156.0 x 163.0mm ( 11.2 x 6.1 x 6.4inch) .

Jamo S 801 is 25mm narrower and 57mm less deeper than Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 but it is also 19mm taller.

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 Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 is approximately 398.2cm² / 61.7inch² and base area of the Jamo S 801 is approximately 254.3cm² / 39.4inch². The Crystal 4.2 requires 57% more surface area than the S 801 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 Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 weighs 4.20kg / 9.2lbs and the Jamo S 801 weighs 2.70kg / 5.9lbs. This makes the Crystal 4.2 56% heavier than the S 801.

Here is a comparison of how Crystal 4.2 and S 801's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.

Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers

Wharfedale Crystal 4.2

Jamo S 801

Min

Average

Max

What's in the Box of Wharfedale Crystal 4.2?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of Crystal 4.2:

2 Bookshelf loudspeakers

2 Grilles (pre-installed)

User-feets Manual

Installation Guide

What's in the Box of Jamo S 801?

Here are the items that come with the S 801:

2 Bookshelf loudspeakers

2 Grilles

User Manual

Important Safety Instructions

Warranty Information

Reasons to choose Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 over Jamo S 801

Max Input Power	100 watts vs 60 watts	Handle more power from your amplifier
Sensitivity	88 dB vs 85 dB	Play louder with same amount of amplification power
Woofer Size	5 inches vs 4 inches	Larger woofer
Low Frequency Response	60 Hz vs 76 Hz	Generates deeper bass
Height	266mm vs 285mm	Easier to fit in smaller spaces

Reasons to choose Jamo S 801 over Wharfedale Crystal 4.2

High Frequency Response	26k Hz vs 20k Hz	Generates higher frequency
Base Surface Area	254cm² vs 398cm²	Takes less floor space

Wharfedale Crystal 4.2 vs Jamo S 801 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	Wharfedale Crystal 4.2	Jamo S 801
Brand	Wharfedale	Jamo
Speaker Type	Bookshelf speakers	Bookshelf speakers
Power Range	20-100 watts	up to 60 watts
Sensitivity	88 dB	85 dB
Impedance	8 ohms	8 ohms
Frequency Response	60-20k Hz	76-26k Hz
Drivers
Woofer Quantity	1	1
Woofer Size	5"	4"
Woofer Composition	Woven Kevlar	Aluminized Polyfiber
Woofer Surround Material	Rubber	Rubber
Tweeter Size	1"	1"
Tweeter Type	Soft-dome	Soft-Dome
Aimable Tweeter	No	No
Midrange Driver	No	No
Firing Direction	rear	rear
Physical Specs
Height	266.0mm (10.5")	285.0mm (11.2")
Width	181.0mm (7.1")	156.0mm (6.1")
Depth	220.0mm (8.7")	163.0mm (6.4")
Weight	4.20kg (9.2lbs)	2.70kg (5.9lbs)
Enclosure	Bass reflex	Bass Reflex
Finish	Wood-grain vinyl	MDF/Vinyl
Available Colors	Walnut	Walnut, Black, White
Mounting Bracket	No	No
Recommended Stand Height	24-28"	28-31"
Grille	Yes	Yes
Moisture Resistancy	No	No
Connections
Biamp Inputs	No	No
Other
Parts Warranty	5 Years	5 Years
Labor Warranty	5 Years	5 Years