Guys, I'm prepping-up a review of the Jamo C809 floorstanders.
I've had them for roughy four months now and I've had the opportunity to mate them with some nice, high quality amps and other components; then live with them for a while.
The most glorious and beautiful macthup being the McIntosh C220 Preamp, mc252 (and the mc352, too); with the Rega Saturn delivering the music.
Also had the Integra DSP 10.5 Universal Player (with DVD-Audio, SACD).
Also some DVD movies and concerts (Roger Waters- In The Flesh Live, Dixie Chicks, The Eagles and Sara Mclaughlin); through my Integra PrePro, with the Jamo C803 as the Center Channel and a pair of C803 as the rears.
If I could only say one thing about these speakers, it would have to be.....Exceptionally Musical Speakers!!!!
Fortunately, I can say more than that.
The C809 is a Three Way design.
Woofer: 2 x 7 inch Midrange: 1 x 7 inch Tweeter: 1inch Silk Dome DTT Power: (W, long/short term) 200 / 400 Sensitivity: (dB, 2.8V/1m) 89 Frequency Range: (Hz) 30 - 24,000 Impedence: (Ohm) 6
H: 45.6" x W: 9.9" x D: 16.9"
These are Big.....I mean....BIG speakers. And I'm not talking just physical specifications and stature.
They are BIG in physical size, but they have a very full, room engulfing sound.
The C809 thrive on amps with high quality power. As do all of the Jamo speakers in the Jamo C80 and Jamo C60 Series.
The better quality power you feed them, the better they reward your ears. Don't get me wrong, that doesn't mean they need a Gazillion Watts to make them sing.
They seem to perform best with at least 100 high quality watts per channel. But High Quality Power is the key, here.
They performed very well with 35 watts per channel from a ST-70 (Dynaco) Rebuild tube amp (by Will Vincent) (four 6L6, two 7199 and a rectifier tube...I think a GZ34 ).
Very musical, very pleasant and involving. Alhough, I did not push the amp too hard and only played them at moderate listening levels. Nothing ear shattering, but loud enhjough to please most people who aren't suffering from hearing loss..
The C809 are smooth, sweet, wonderfully detailed and wade casually into the slightly warm side of the pool.
As with all these Jamo C60 and C80 Series speakers, there's a wonderful timbre and tone to instruments. The bass is strong and gets you in the mood to boogie.
These speakers really do great bass. And in smaller rooms the bass will over-power the room. Not loose, flabby bass. Big, tight over-whelming bass. So these C809 are better suited for the larger mid-sized rooms at least in the 14' to 15' range or large rooms, period.
You can make them work in those mid-sized rooms. Carpets, several bookshelves, some couches or loveseats...etc.....are required.
Smaller rooms in the 10' .....11' ....12' range, will have a major tidal wave of bass; if you try to turn these babies up and crank that volume. although low volume levels work just fine.
But you can tell they are biting the bit to let it loose and breathe.
At least 15 inches to 24 inches from the back wall will deliver the best tight, musical, palpable bass. Depending on an individual's room and set up.
Cellos are stunning! I thought the C807 did cellos in an amazing manner.
The C809 takes it just a wee-bit further. Absolutely mesmerizing and three dimensional.
Well recorded piano makes you wonder who dragged the Steinway into the room.
As I said previously with the C807, thye C809 just a little better; pianos simply sound so life-like. The hammer on the strings......that sustained key note.......friggin' unbelievable!
No real wood venners, here. And I couldn't care less. These speakers (as well as the C807 and C803 of this Series) far exceed the modest, well-done, black laminate finish confines of their cabinets. I've auditioned and lived with several much higher-priced....real wood veenered speakers; that the C809 put to shame. Embarrassed, really.
Dynamics are very, very nice. They can be punchy, but not too in-your-face-......kick in the gut punchy. They do lean to a polite....I guess softer presentation. But they are in no way dull and uninvolving.
If you want the ultimate slam and liver-rattling punch; look elsewhere. These are not the speakers for you.
If you want the ultimate in so-called " transparency" .........look elsewhere. These are not for you.
If you want a hyper-detailed presentation and sterile, analytical presentation. Move right along and go find yourself another speaker; after you dissect your frog.
You want wonderfully tuneful and sweet melodies?
Want to whistle and sing your lungs out to the music, because you simply can't help from being dragged into the melody of a song?
Want to get up off your bbooty and boogie around the room, because the music pushes, moves you and inspires you?
Want to lay back and enjoy the melody of a blues guitar, or the beautiful wave of cello washing over you?
Want to get chills and goosebumps from acoustic instruments and vocal harmonies?
Then audition the Jamo C809.
I matched them up with some McIntosh gear (C220, mc252 and mc352) and my Rega Saturn. Also tried them out with several other pieces/brands of gear.
The Mac and Jamo combo is musical heaven!!!!
My buddy from Washington State, recently asked what it was about these Jamo speakers that I love so much.
Well, all of my Jamo speakers have that wonderful musical wholeness to them. It's hard to describe. They just sound so right. So musical...so melodic.
These Jamo speakers (the C60 and C80 Series ) don't really do anything that can be considered the best. You know what I mean? Dynamics, bass, detail, imaging ...etc.
Don't get me wrong, they do all that very well. But they don't do any one frequency or have an attribute in any manner that can be considered "the ultimate".
Except one thing.....they play beautiful, melodic, tuneful music. They just deliver the music so well.....as a whole package. Beautifully balanced and musical.
I don't care what anyone says about these Jamo speakers. They are very musical and very addictive to listen to.
They may not be the most expensive speakers, using the best/most expensive drivers on the planet or whatever.
But they do music....they do heart and soul emotion and melody. And as I have stated many times before, that's what matters the most to me.
I found this article on the C807 that was written in 2007. Take note of some of the descriptions of the C807.
Notice what the reviewer says about pianos. Remember how I was babbling on endlessly about the wonderfull way pianos sound through the C807?
Then there's the other descriptions of how they sound so musical, organic, sweet, smooth.....etc.
Hell, it reads like I could have written this review. Nonetheless, it's cool that this reviewer found the very same wonderful attributes, as I did. I guess I'm not just a kook, afterall
This is a nice peaceful thread.myself and somebody else posting here have been elsewhere getting a little abuse & false postings while trying to help ourselves & others.Its good to come on to a thread where the atmosphere is palpable (he,he)!Anyway if i could afford & fit the c809s they would be the ones i would go for.That c809 cinema pack looks like it would knock walls down,but for music it can be as subtle as required,i believe.SO happy c809s to every1 who got them!
The Jamo D830's I cannot get over. I used to own a pair of c607's, and when I compared the cabinet quality to the 830's, I really thought that the finish wasnt all the great on the c607's. Great speakers acoustically, but jamo's finishing has degraded a little. Just my opinion of course. Still great value for money!
The C607 (C60 Series) and the C80 Series have vinyl laminate finishes. Not real wood veneers.
Jamo Concert 8 (D830) and Jamo Concert 11 (D870) we're special speakers and they had real wood veneers.
I didn't know of Jamo till late 2008. So I never had the good fortune of owning the D830 and D870. Not until recently had I even heard them. I had a very brief listen with them. Wonderful sounding speakers.
As I have said here several times. The C607's cabinet (not refering to finish) is not what I would call cheap or garbage. It's a solid cabinet. Only in comparison to the D830 and D870 are they less quality. But let's not ignore the drastic price differences between the D830/D870 and the C607.
This is not an apples to apples comparison. A bit unfair to compare the C607 to those speakers. The D830 and D870 were much more expensive in their time.
But as you yourself stated, gthe C607 are a wonderful sounding speaker. Great speakers, acoustically.
The finish is what it is. It's not cheaply done. It is a high quality, good looking vinyl wrap and the cabinet is quite solid and well done.
If the aesthetic presence of real wood veneers is a high priority, then, the Jamo C607 won't be in that race.
But they sound great. So if sound is a higher priority over the aesthetics of real wood veneer; the C607 are a tremendous value. I audtioned many, many real wood veneered speakers, from several manufactors. In the C607's price range and many of a much higer price tag. The C607 despite it's vinyl laminate/wrap, sounded much better.
If you check out the Jamo C803, C807 and C809. You'll also find high quality vinyl wraps. But you'll also find their cabinets are like a tank. Big, solid, well built, wonderfully sounding speakers. If you ever have the opportunity to listen to some of the C80 series.
You'll find that sonically, they compete very well with the D830 and D870. The D830 and D870 don't have anything over the C80 series speakers I mentioned.
And don't underestimate the drivers in the C60 and C80 series. They are excellent drivers and perform very, very well.
I'll take that any day, over a snazzy-looking real wood veneer speaker, that pales sonically, in comparison; but costs two or three times the price.
bring a few of your fav CDS & DVDS/BLURAY,then try decide what rattles your cage the most!Also at this pricepoint you can try a few more models that have come on the scene of late,but good luck you lucky so & so
I reckon the finishes on all the c-series from JAMO would adorn any living space proudly;Esp the c-800 series.Its a sign of the current financial climate also,i would say:Good finishes with the same reliable sound!
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