Bookshelf speakers have enjoyed a high position in the landscape ever since the days when stereo music was the pinnacle of sound. These speakers provide the best audio performance for their size, making them ideal for those who either don’t have space for something bigger or simply don’t want the speaker to become the center attraction of the room.
Jamo bookshelf speakers are designed with performance and look in mind. They offer a huge variety of options from compact designs to huge units, allowing everybody to find the perfect speaker for their environment. Whether you want a high-quality dual-channel system or looking to build a home theatre system, these bookshelf speakers deliver the design and quality you would expect for the ultimate listening experience.
In this post, we take a look at the Jamo C103 bookshelf speaker and discuss in detail its features and offerings to understand whether it suits your needs.
Table of Contents
Jamo C103 Review – UPDATED 2021
The Jamo C103 is a bass-reflex (2-way) bookshelf speaker which uses a 7″ woofer and 1″ decoupled tweeter to deliver an accurate sound tailored to its compact size.
History
It was in 1966 in a small fishing village in Denmark that a carpenter named Preben Jacobsen produced speakers using his exquisite craftsmanship. These handmade units were quite popular among residents who would order from him. Later, he took assistance from his brother-in-law Julius Mortensen who used to sell fish.
Jacobsen and Mortensen came together and named their business Jamo using the two letters of their last names. Jamo was founded in 1968 and started booming quickly. It expanded and captured the love and attention of millions of Europeans. The market share of the company kept growing, reaching its peak in the 90s to become the most prominent speaker manufacturing company in Europe.
Design
Jamo’s flagship Concert Series was launched in 2014 as the highest-end product of the time and was visually appealing with minimalist design. The design comes from world-renowned industrial designer Kieron Dunk. Beautiful exteriors contain high-performance drivers tuned to provide music playback in a warm and natural sound.
The C10 series looks aesthetically elegant with a hand-polished gloss finish, satin aluminum trim rings, stabilizer feet, center plugs, and a polished chrome logo. The C103 is available in three finish options – high gloss black, walnut veneer, and high gloss white and features satin-painted MDF battles for a premium look.
Check Price at Amazon – Jamo C103 Bookshelf Speakers
Most speakers boast a square-shaped design but the C103 has no sharp corner or angle. Each of the turning points is rounded. The aluminum components are polished nicely without any rough texture. Even the plastic used on the driver is hand-made and does not feel cheap. The artistry and appearance are eye-catching.
Though it is a bookshelf speaker, the Jamo C103 is not tiny and has a height of 42cm. The mid-bass uses a 7-inch composite diaphragm monomer that looks powerful. Jamo has an HCCC (Hybrid Composition Conical Cones) diaphragm. A honeycomb pattern is visible under the glass fiber layer that enhances the diaphragm rigidity.
The Jamo C103 also has a strong cabinet structure that you can feel by touching. It also has a bright silver metal ring around the mid-bass and tweeter. The aluminum metal frame embedded in the speaker locks the driver unit, thus reducing the resonance between the cabinet and the unit.
Sound Performance
The Jamo C103, when integrated into a music system, sounds hard with an open sound. The reproduction is tall and wide, with a uniform approach to different frequencies. The top is as assertive as it should be but it takes some care to make sure it doesn’t overdo the treble. The mid-range is detailed though it lacks some substance and the lower frequencies are varied and speedy.
The C103 delivers decent timing and adequate dynamic range. When bi-wired, the Jamo improves greatly with greater substance to lower frequencies, a more confident character, and more positivity about the midrange. The tonal balance does not change and remains neutral but the speaker is overall more pleasing to listen to.
Pros
- Smooth finish
- Pleasant look
- Wide, detailed sound
- Suits bi-wiring
Cons
- Doesn’t exhibit the authority suggested by the look
- Top-end requires consideration when system-matching
Jamo C103 Specs & Features
The Jamo C103 bookshelf speaker is packed with some powerful features and specifications.
Specs
Power handling – 150/300W
System type – two-way bass reflex
Woofer – 177.8mm/7in
Tweeter – 25mm/1in
Frequency response – 45Hz – 27kHz +/-3dB
Impedance – 6ohm
Sensitivity – 88dB
Dimensions – 16.5 x 8.8 x 11.7 inches
Weight – 25lbs
Features
Hybrid Composition Conical Cone (HCCC) – Imparts the speaker the strength and stiffness of titanium or aluminum with the smoothness of the wood.
Anti-Diffraction Waveguide (ADW) – Delivers improved off-axis response with a highly uniform high-frequency extension.
Long Displacement Surround (LDS) – Gives tight, deep, clean bass.
Tweeter Distortion Reduction (TDR) – Results in smooth high end, low distortion, and better high-frequency extension.
Dual 5-Way Binding Posts – Facilitates bi-wiring with multiple connection options using wire up to 12 gauge.
Aluminum Centre Plug – Avoids cone breakup to deliver better vocal clarity. Extra voice-coil cooling reduces power compression.
Jamo C103 Vs C93 – How They Compare?
The Jamo C93 from the ‘Concert 9’ series of the brand is a flagship bookshelf speaker that resembles the C103 in several ways. These speakers are ‘premium, furniture grade’ pieces designed to blend into modern home décor. The C103 stands tall at 42cm height and is equipped with an 18 cm mid/bass driver. On the other hand, the C93 bookshelf speaker is short at 35cm with a 15.25cm mid/bass driver and 25mm tweeter.
More Details at Amazon – Jamo C 93 II
The Jamo C103 comes in three design options with MDF baffles whereas the C93 features a high-quality woodgrain vinyl finish and a removable magnetic tweed grille. Apart from these differences, the two speakers deliver similar performance as their technical specifications match each other. When used for medium-sized listening rooms, both the speakers deliver the quality expected from the Concert series models from Jamo.
Both the Jamo C103 and C93 house a 1-inch silk dome tweeter and HCCC woofer (6-inch for C93 and 7-inch for C103). These bookshelf speakers can be wall-mounted with the keyhole slot on the rear or placed on a shelf, stand, or tabletop with the included accessories. These powerful speakers can be used as the front or rear channels in a home theatre system or used standalone in a 2-channel stereo system.
Jamo C103 Test
When integrated directly into the reference system, the Jamo C103 sounds diffused and hard. Any speaker benefits from an extended running time and Jamo, after 72 hours of undisturbed playing, the speaker finally started playing in its authentic sound.
The initial impression is that of an open, large-scale sound. When given a WAV file to handle, the reproduction is tall and wide, showing an even approach to the frequency range from the top to bottom. The top end of the frequency range is assertive as expected but it needs careful system matching to make sure it doesn’t overplay.
The midrange of the frequencies is quite detailed though lacking a bit of substance and the lower frequencies are tonally varied and speedy. However, they are not so punchy as expected seeing the Jamos for the first time. The C103 is altogether polite and reasonable. Dynamic range is more than sufficient and timing is on-point.
When taken closer to the rear wall of the listening room and given another WAV file, a hip-hop track, the C103 showed a considerable increase in the character, midrange, and low-frequency assertion. Bi-wiring the speaker improves it to a great extent making it sound more convincing than before.
Listening to classical music with the Jamo, you can expect some benefit from the large mid-bass unit size and body that affects its ability to express the thickness of sound. When playing the music, the orchestra sounds full of density with a low bass drum, in the beginning, followed by a bass. The scale and thickness of the string showed by C103 are rare for a bookshelf speaker.
When playing orchestral music, the speaker also considers the ability to reproduce the sound field, expressing the depth of stage and instrument positions clearly with a sense of space and richness. The simpler the music, the easier it is to notice the quality of instrumental performance. The piano played through this Jamo is gentle and mellow, the bass is controlled and the trumpet is bright. The violin also sounds smooth though not so soothing.
Conclusion
There are some strong bookshelf speakers at affordable prices in the market but the Jamo C103 is a perfectly appealing option. The look and finish justify the price and it is subtle, detailed, and energetic to listen to. The sound has a bit of warmth and thickness but maintains a decent resolution. With an overall substance to the sound, this speaker is really versatile and suits a variety of environments and applications.
