Jamo S 801 PM powered monitors (white)

Description

Product highlights
compact stereo speakers with built-in amplifier
built-in Bluetooth for wireless music streaming
each speaker features:
1" soft dome tweeter with an integrated waveguide for focused high frequencies
4" polyfiber woofer for punchy midrange and bass
bass-reflex (ported) enclosure
50 watts total amplification
gold-plated binding post speaker terminals (6' speaker wire included to connect left and right speaker together)
optical digital audio input
offers up to 24-bit/96kHz resolution (2-channel PCM only)
RCA stereo analog audio input
USB Type B input for connecting your Mac® or PC (cable included)
compatible with music files up to 24-bit/96kHz resolution
RCA mono output for optional powered subwoofer
clean, attractive design with wood accent
removable magnetic grille covered in woven linen cloth
remote included
AC power connection required (power cable included)
frequency response: 76-26,000 Hz (±3dB)
speaker dimensions: 5-9/16"W x 11-5/16"H x 6-7/16"D
warranty: 2 years
What's in the box
Powered speaker (right)
Passive speaker (left)
2 Grilles
AC power adapter (attached 56" DC cord)
AC plug insert
Remote control
2 "AAA" batteries
6.5' Length of 18AWG speaker wire (bare tinned wire on each end)
6' USB-A to USB-B cable
Instruction Booklet
Important Safety Instructions
About this item
Written by Crutchfield's Jeff Miller
Nice looks, nice sound, less fuss
I had a chance to audition a pair of the Jamo S 801 PM powered speakers recently. It was easy to get them set up and playing music in my home office in just a few minutes. This is the powered version of Jamo's passive S 801 speakers. So it features the same attractive look and expansive sound that earned high marks from Crutchfield customers. But in this case, no extra amp or receiver is necessary.
I simply pulled them out of the box, connected the left and right speaker with the included speaker wire, and plugged them into an AC outlet. From there, I was able play music wirelessly from my phone via Bluetooth. Then it was just all about positioning them the right distance from the wall, so that the rear-firing port gave me the preferred amount of bass.
The Jamo S 801 PM powered speakers feature a number of wired inputs to go along with the built-in Bluetooth — plus a subwoofer output.
Designed to complement your decór
These compact, monitor-style speakers sport an interesting "wedge" shape —  the front panel is slightly narrower than the back. They come with a removable magnetic grille covered in a linen tweed fabric, which I could definitely see fitting in nicely with certain furniture. I personally preferred the "grilles off" look, since the striking wood accents helped punctuate my office's earth tone color scheme.
Convenient connections for your music sources — and more bass!
Along with Bluetooth, Jamo offers a variety of wired inputs on the back of the right-hand speaker. An optical digital input gives you the option to use the speakers to bolster TV sound. There's a USB port for connecting to your computer, and analog RCA inputs for making a direct wired connection with another music source.
When positioned correctly, I found these speakers deliver some nice bass punch for their size. But when you want to go even deeper, there's a mono RCA output on the back, so you can add a powered subwoofer and really hear some thump.
My listening impressions
I don't have many choices for where I can place audio gear in my small office. So fortunately, these speakers fit on either side of a short bookcase without making things feel too cramped. My work desk is about five or six feet away, and that felt like the sweet spot for these speakers.
From that distance, the soundstage felt much larger — taller and wider — than the speakers themselves. And the imaging sounded on point, with vocals emanating from the center, and instruments coming from all directions. I really liked the overall sound presentation. If pressed I'd say that the upper mids and highs were particularly strong. Brandi Carlisle's haunting, echo-y vocals on "The Joke" sounded extra powerful.
But like I mentioned earlier, these speakers produce bigger bass than you might expect. I listened to Freddie Gibbs and Madlib's hip-hop album
Bandana
, and heard a satisfying amount of sub-bass that gave it a cohesive feel — not detached, like that dreaded "rapping over a backing track" sound you get from speakers with weaker low end.
One track that really played to the Jamo S 801 PM speakers' strength was "Creole Moon" by the late, great Dr. John. It features a hypnotic sax-fueled intro that gives way to a bouncy piano groove with snappy percussion. When the vocals came in, they were clear and distinct, but nicely blended into the mix.
I was taken out of that whole "analytical" headspace, and sucked into the vibe of the song. And believe me, when you're evaluating audio gear, that's the place you want to be!