Jamo C 97 II Review

Three-way speakers have become the senior model in the updated Jamo Concert 9 Series II series. This time the Danes took care of the unity of form and content, adding a spectacular and Scandinavian laconic design to the high-quality sound.

It is believed that the term WAF (Wife Acceptance Factor) first appeared in 1983 in the American magazine Stereophile. And this notorious factor still invades the plans of a whole army of music lovers, forcing them to convince the family half that the appearance of audio components will not affect the comfort of home.

The second generation of the Concert Series, according to the manufacturer, is capable of reconciling the aesthetic feelings of the family (it has a stylish appearance) with the musical expectations of the main music lover (it sounds good). The slightly rounded shape of the front panel made of MDF gives the graceful contours of the speakers a bit of solidity against the backdrop of their “thin” counterparts. The body is offered in two colors: black ash and white oak.

On the rear wall there is a large bass reflex bell, the material and design of which are designed to minimize the influence of vibrations on the body. Below are the terminals for bi-amping/bi-wiring connections. The columns rest on cross-shaped “studded” legs.

The front panel is covered by a grille made of rough tweed fabric, but unless you have curious children or nasty pets, I recommend leaving the speakers for everyone to see, since they account for a fair share of the effect of the design intent. The metal surround of the one-inch tweeter and three 152.4 mm drivers (MF x 1 and LF x 2) is in harmony with the blunt-nosed aluminum bullets, which simultaneously neutralize phase distortion and remove heat from the coils.

The developers placed the silk tweeters in a proprietary anti-diffraction waveguide ADW, and the tweeters are protected from unwanted external vibrations by the TDR (Tweeter Distortion Reduction) damping element.

The diffusers of the midrange and low-frequency speakers are made of composite material HCCC (Hard Composition Conical Cone), which includes a load-bearing cellular structure that allows you to combine lightness and low inertia of the material with high rigidity. And finally, another proprietary abbreviation: LDS (Long Displacement Surround) - that is, elastic suspensions that give special mobility to the diffusers.

The Jamo C 97 II speaker set is capable of working as part of a home theater - fortunately, the Concert 9 Series II includes rear and center speakers, and the company's line includes suitable subwoofers - but still its main role is seen in working with stereo components.

Direct conversation

The stylish Scandinavian design of the speakers makes you want to start listening with some conceptual Norwegian jazz, but I won’t be original and first find out how the Jamo C 97 II relates to rock classics.

First of all, I listened to the song “Thunderstruck” by AC/DC, which was found on the vinyl album “Iron Man 2”, compiled from the soundtrack to the film of the same name. And this sound turned out to be medicine for the ears and balm for the soul. The same “good old” rock that makes you want to shake the rest of your hair and play with an air guitar.

Low frequencies softly filled the entire room, instruments and vocals sounded clear, balanced and detailed, with a slight vintage flair. In my purely personal opinion, this is one of the best home setups, where the Australians appear to be the most advantageous. And the speakers worked honestly and dispassionately - they say that what they ordered was what they received

However, let’s give digital the opportunity to prove itself with high-quality recording and take a two-layer SACD/CD-audio disc “JS Bach. Oboenwerke. Alexei Utkin. Hermitage Chamber Orchestra", which is known as the 100th anniversary supplement to the Stereo&Video magazine. Baroque classics usually become a difficult test for acoustics, but now the Jamo C 97 II set worked flawlessly. The instruments sounded extremely natural, and not like a “retelling from the speakers.” I was pleasantly pleased with the construction of an imaginary stage, when the speakers managed to convey the location of the musicians in a three-dimensional and believable manner.

I listened to this disc on “other good acoustics” and then could not get rid of the feeling that the performers were locked in a space limited by the stereo base. True, now the sound might seem a little rich and embellished, but in this case I am inclined to attribute this to the handwriting of the CD player itself. I will only add that, given a rather neutral attitude towards the work of the titan of baroque polyphony, it was difficult for me to force myself to tear myself away from the recording and return to further testing. I am sure that aesthetes will definitely be impressed by this sound.

The instrumental composition “Hallelujah” on vinyl, interpreted by the Thomas Siffling Trio, sounded soft and natural. Thomas' lyrical and delicate trumpet line is accompanied by a distinct pulsating bass guitar and a detailed drum kit in the background. For comparison, Randy Brecker's trumpet from the "Groove Is King" album by the American jazz-funk group Rock Candy Funk Party appeared bright and piercing, and the clearly defined bass guitar was complemented by round, well-articulated drums. In other words, this vinyl setup and, most importantly, the Jamo C 97 II speakers allow you to distinguish the entire range of subtle nuances both in the style of the performers themselves and in the quality of the recordings