Jamo's Concert Series of loudspeakers are designed "to recreate the perfect concert experience." The C 803 speakers are the top bookshelf models in the Concert line, and we found them to be an excellent choice if you are willing to pay a premium for top-notch sound and style.

The C 803 speakers are simply gorgeous. These large, two-way bass-reflex bookshelf speakers have a curved, sculpted design that will turn heads before you even hook them up. The top of the speaker is slightly rounded and capped with a black high-gloss, form-fitted plate that blends well with the cabinet. Our review samples were finished in Black Ash, and Jamo also offers them in Dark Apple.

Removing the handsome black fabric grill reveals the 7-inch woofer that incorporates Jamo's Hard Conical Cone technology, which is supposed to allow the unit to create detailed and distortion-free sound even at higher volumes. Replacing the traditional dust cap on the woofer cone is Jamo's Centre-Plug, a silver plug that helps to cool the voice coil and increases power handling. The 1-inch soft-dome tweeter uses Decoupled Tweeter Technology, a special mounting system that isolates the tweeter to reduce misfiring caused by cabinet vibrations.

The C 803 speakers can be single- or bi-wired, and they can also be bi-amplified. They are fitted with two sets of very sturdy five-way binding posts. The rear panel is also home to a convex, tapered vent designed to eliminate port noise. Keep in mind that these are 6-ohm speakers, so they may need a bit more power from your amp to drive them.

The sonic quality that results from all of this technology is nothing short of excellent. Across every category of music we threw at them, the C 803 speakers sounded amazing. Throughout our listening tests, they produced a balanced, rich and musical sound that surpassed all other bookshelves we have auditioned. In fact, the C 803 speakers' big sound and performance rivaled many tower speakers. Tight, punchy bass coupled with crisp highs and a smooth midrange characterized the Jamos throughout our review period.

The C 803 speakers displayed pleasing and musical tonal qualities at both high and low volumes. They were able to accurately reproduce a wide range of audio elements, including rich vocal textures, pounding bass drums, delicate percussion and beefy 12-string guitars. In fact, these are some of the most exciting speakers we have heard in quite some time, highlighted by a wide stage with detailed highs and deep, extended bass.

Quality usually comes at a price, and in this case we can say that it is well worth every penny. The C 803 speakers will fill a small to medium-size room without any problem, and they could easily be used as the main left and right speakers in a multichannel setup. If you desire excellent design and style matched with uncompromising performance in a large bookshelf speaker, we highly recommend the Jamo C 803, and award it our Best Buy rating.


Pros: The best-sounding and best-looking speakers we have seen in this category, almost unheard-of warranty length
Cons: Expensive (although worth it!)

Warranty
7 years