The Jamo Studio 7 range marks the return of the Danish manufacturer to the passive speaker market. These new releases have a typically Scandinavian minimalist design. They feature specific drivers and rigorously selected components to provide an energetic and detailed sound without distortion. The manufacturer has also worked on the phasing of the drivers by tilting the cabinet back by 7°, hence the name of the series. We were able to test the Jamo S17B bookshelf speakers (€549), the Jamo S27F floorstanding speakers (€949) and the Jamo S43C center speaker (€329).
Can Jamo reach previous heights of success with this promising speaker range?
- Discover the Jamo Studio 7 range
Jamo Studio 7: packaging & accessories
The Jamo S27F speakers come with a set of adjustable spikes and a set of rubber feet. The latter are also included with the Jamo S17B and Jamo S43C speakers.
Jamo Studio 7 Series: presentation
The new Jamo Studio 7 range includes six models. There are two pairs of bookshelf speakers (Jamo S15B and Jamo S17B) and two pairs of floorstanding speakers (Jamo S25F and Jamo S27F). These speakers are suitable for both music and home theater. They are accompanied by two center speakers (Jamo S25C and Jamo S43C), which are ideal for home theater use.
The manufacturer therefore offers two home theater speaker systems: the Jamo S17HCS pack (€1,299) and the Jamo S25HCS pack (€1,499). Naturally, it is also possible to create your own custom 5.0 or 7.0 channel system with the different speakers in the range.
The range comes in two different colors: cobalt blue (the version we tested) and light gray.
Bulky yet appealing
The Jamo Studio 7 speakers are quite massive, as their width and depth are quite significant in relation to their height. The 6.7” midbass drivers of the Jamo S17B and Jamo S27F reinforce this bulky appearance. The embossed pattern on the cones also accentuates the feeling of power emanating from these speakers.
Despite this, the speakers are still very appealing. The rounded vertical edges soften their silhouettes. The silver color of the base, the baffle and the rings around the drivers provides an elegant contrast with the cabinet. The light gray and cobalt blue finishes are finely textured and seem robust. The construction is rigorous, the details are meticulous.
7° tilt
The Jamo Studio 7 speakers get their name from their cabinet, which is tilted back to a 7° angle. This optimizes the phasing of the bookshelf and floorstanding speakers’ drivers. As a result, the time alignment of the various frequencies is improved to provide a more coherent soundstage.
Moreover, the speakers’ angled base houses the various elements of the crossover. Carefully selected to provide a precise and clear sound, the inductors and electrolytic capacitors are placed far away from the driver magnets. Isolated from any interference, they can reproduce the tiniest details in recordings.
Embossed paper cone midbass driver
All of the speakers in the Jamo Studio 7 range have a two-way bass-reflex design. They feature one or several midbass drivers with an embossed paper cone. Each cone has an embossed “T” pattern that improves rigidity. It effectively reduces the risk of cone deformation, resulting in less distortion, even at high volume. The transient response is also improved. All of these factors ensure tight, energetic bass.
Tweeter and waveguide
The Jamo Studio 7 speakers are equipped with a 1” soft fabric dome tweeter. This tweeter unit uses a copper faraday ring to increase sensitivity and decrease distortion. It is also mounted at the center of a small waveguide to ensure uniform high frequency distribution. Thanks to the latter, directivity is reduced and the sound remains balanced, even outside of the speaker’s axis. Lastly, the rounded edges of the cabinet reduce sound wave diffraction. This design limits the baffle effect and the resulting coloration of the sound.
Jamo Studio 7 Series: key specifications
Jamo S27F
- 2-way bass-reflex floorstanding speaker
- 1 x 1” tweeter with waveguide
- 2 x 6.7” embossed paper midbass drivers
- Frequency response (+/-3 dB): 67Hz to 21kHz
- Max. SPL: 107.8 dB
- Impedance: 4 ohms
- Dimensions (WxHxD): 230 x 855 x 380mm
- Weight: 17.9kg
Jamo S17B
- 2-way bass-reflex bookshelf speaker
- 1 x 1” tweeter with waveguide
- 1 x 6.7” embossed paper midbass drivers
- Frequency response (+/-3 dB): 64Hz to 22kHz
- Max. SPL: 104.2 dB
- Impedance: 4 ohms
- Dimensions (WxHxD): 230 x 365 x 380mm
- Weight: 8.37kg
Jamo S43C
- 2-way bass-reflex center speaker
- 1 x 1” tweeter with waveguide
- 4 x 3” embossed paper midbass drivers
- Frequency response (+/-3 dB): 123Hz to 21kHz
- Max. SPL: 108.2 dB
- Impedance: 4 ohms
- Dimensions (WxHxD): 600 x 125 x 171mm
- Weight: 6.32kg
Jamo Studio 7 Series: listening conditions
For our review of the Jamo Studio 7 Series speakers, the manufacturer sent us a Jamo S43C center speaker, a pair of Jamo S17B bookshelf speakers and a pair of Jamo S27F floorstanding speakers.
We used them with a Denon A/V receiver to enjoy Qobuz in high resolution via the Roon playback software. The TCL 65C825 mini LED TV and Pioneer UDP-LX500 4K UHD Blu-ray player also allowed us to watch a few movies and series.
Jamo Studio 7 Series: our impressions
During stereo music sessions, the Jamo Studio 7 speakers displayed impact and energy. The level of details wasn’t the highest and the outlines weren’t the clearest, but the soundstage was pretty wide and the depth was satisfactory. The speakers were respectful of the original recordings: the vocals and instruments were realistic and quite nuanced. However, precision was sometimes lacking with more rapid and complex tracks. The power handling was good, and there was no saturation or coloration at high volume. We enjoyed a pleasant sound at moderate volume.
With the Jamo S17B bookshelf speakers, the lows had a good foundation and were energetic and tight. They weren’t terribly deep, but we didn’t find this particularly frustrating. The mids were expressed with conviction. The vocals were correctly positioned and realistically embodied in front of the listener. The high frequencies were somewhat in the background. We would have liked them to have been a little more incisive and smooth.
Naturally, the Jamo S27F floorstanders offered lows with more presence. The latter were ample, responsive and punchy. However, they weren’t much deeper than with the bookshelf speaker. Given its size, we expected more from this model! Compared to the S17B, the mids were more withdrawn and weren’t as expressive. Overall, we found the Jamo S17B bookshelf speaker to be more balanced.
In a home theater setup, the Jamo Studio 7 speakers were in their element. They offered good energy and excellent responsiveness. On the soundtracks of both The Rings of Power and Saving Private Ryan, they really immersed us in the different atmospheres. The Jamo S43C center channel speaker had no trouble asserting itself next to the Jamo S27F floorstanding speakers. Dialogues were rich and perfectly clear. From both the front and the back, effects were distributed with assurance and coherence throughout the room. The bass was powerful and well controlled. The addition of a subwoofer, however, will provide more immersion.
Jamo Studio 7 Series: compared to…
Elipson Prestige Facet HCM 14F System 5.0
The speakers in the Elipson Prestige Facet HCM 14F System 5.0 pack are a little more precise and detailed than the Jamo models. They also offer more nuance across the different frequency ranges. Moreover, they deliver more extensive bass with (just like the Jamos) a lot of energy. Design-wise, we preferred the Jamo Studio 7 speakers.
B&W 603 S2 25th Anniversary Edition HC 5.0
Sold for over €2000, the speakers of the B&W 603 S2 25th Anniversary Edition HC 5.0 pack inherit technologies from more premium ranges. The double aluminum dome tweeter of the British speakers delivers a transparency that the Jamos can’t match. As for the Continuum cone, it offers more substantial and nuanced mids than the Scandi speakers’ paper cone, even though the latter provides great presence in this frequency range.
Monitor Audio Bronze 200 HCM 5.0.2
The Monitor Audio Bronze 200 HCM 5.0.2 speakers’ C-CAM tweeter provides more clarity and accuracy than the Jamo pack. However, the highs delivered by the Studio 7 speakers are smoother and more velvety. In addition, their 6.7” drivers offer more extensive and energetic lows.
Jamo Studio 7 Series: who are they for?
The speakers in the Jamo Studio 7 range will appeal to those who enjoy an energetic and lively sound. Music lovers and home theater enthusiasts alike will enjoy the expressive mids and punchy, albeit not very deep, bass. They will also be impressed by the beautiful design and elegant finish of these speakers.
Jamo Studio 7 Series: conclusion
The Danish manufacturer has achieved its goal with the elegant and impressive speakers in the Jamo Studio 7 Series. They offer great energy and can withstand listening sessions at high volumes without creating any coloration or saturation, in both music and home theater setups. They are not the most detailed in their price range, but they exhibit a nice overall balance and remarkable coherence. They may lack bass depth, but this can easily be compensated for by adding a subwoofer. Models like the Dali Sub E-9 F or the GoldenEar ForceField 3 are ideal.
We liked
- The design and finish
- The energy and impact in the lows
- The expressive mids
We would have liked
- More precision
- For the lows to have been deeper
