Jamo widens Reference Dipolar loudspeaker line with smaller R 907 model and R 900 CEN Centre speaker

Back in 2006 Jamo redefined the state of the art in loudspeaker design with the launch of the breathtaking R 909 open-baffle stereo loudspeaker. This groundbreaking model delivered an extraordinary level of sonic replay, good enough to win plaudits the world over including Stereophile magazine’s coveted Golden Ear Award ’07.

Well, 2008 sees the launch of the next instalment in the Reference series success story. If there was one problem with the R 909 it was that not all audiophiles have a listening room large enough to accommodate and do justice to  the demands imposed by the unique, open construction design of this dipolar giant. The new Jamo R 907 conclusively addresses that issue.

The Jamo development team’s brief for the R 907 was simple. To port the design and the acoustic characteristics of the R 909 into a new, less space-consuming speaker system. The result is a speaker that’s usefully smaller than its big brother but no less jaw-dropping in what it does.

Exhibiting the same sonic authority as the R 909, the R 907’s sound quality is incredibly open and dynamic, with extremely low distortion throughout the entire range. A highly-detailed midrange, with optimal voice reproduction, is combined with a firm, powerful and punchy bass unmatched by any other manufacturer’s mass-produced dipolar speaker.

Why is a speaker without a cabinet a good thing? Because boxed speakers suffer inherent compromises. While they allow deep bass to be generated boxes also resonate, something that affects dynamics and precision.

Room modes and reflections also place further restrictions on where you can place a loudspeaker but getting rid of the box enclosure should, in theory, allow you to create an ideal loudspeaker. The R 907 suggests, as the R 909 did, that there’s an awful lot of truth in that

The R 907... in detail

Fitted with two 305mm/12in woofers, a 140mm/5½in midrange and a customised 25mm/1in DTT (Decoupled Tweeter Technology) tweeter, the three-way R 907 employs a 43mm/1.7in thick baffle with a complex 7-layer lacquered multi-ply construction, a testament to this Danish company’s immense experience with traditional woodworking skills.

The 52.4kg/115.5lb speaker stands 119cm/46.8in high (the R 909 is 128cm/50.2in high) and is anchored by a substantial 23kg/50.7lb cast-iron plinth with double 5x60mm/0.19x2.4in braces to give additional stability.

The large bass drivers employ high quality open magnesium baskets plus lightweight paper cones with a polyurethane suspension. Paper cones may not be fashionable in some circles but they start/stop moving incredibly quickly and can reach very deep, as proven by the 380mm/15in versions in the R 909.

The midrange driver of the R 907 is build around the same type of Hard Conical Cone (HCC) with virtually flat frequency response well beyond the cross-over-frequency, which allows for a smooth and unobtrusive integration.
Although the magnet-system does not reach the same kind of sophistication it is nevertheless one of the lowest distortion drivers in this high-end-class.

Beyond those frequencies responsibility falls to an enhanced version of Jamo’s DTT (Decoupled Tweeter Technology) tweeter. DTT, a signature Jamo technology, prevents unwanted cabinet resonances reaching the tweeter by placing it in its very own suspension system push the tweeter surround and it flexes under your fingers.

This hi-tech unit features a textile dome that’s coated several times, augmented with Jamo’s WaveGuide to dramatically reduce distortion. A double-damped chamber behind the magnet system is equipped with an anti-resonator plug to all but eliminate turbulence.

Last, but not least, a relatively simple crossover (1st and 2nd order) employing ClarityCap foil capacitors and air-coil inductors separates incoming audio signals and directs them to the appropriate drive units.

With such attention to detail and craftsmanship it’s no surprise that the result sounds amazing. Bass is firm and deep, the midrange crystal-clear and high-frequency detail precise and unmuddied. Coloration and reverberation are conspicuous by their absence.
 
As with the R 907 our intention was simple: to give owners the most direct access possible to an enriching musical experience that’s as close as possible to the ‘live’ event, but in a more room-friendly package than before. We think our new ‘baby’ achieves exactly that.

Speech, speech...
With high quality multi-channel audio now widely available it seemed logical to develop a centre-channel speaker that would partner the R 907 and R 909. However, with a loudspeaker system as unique as this there’s simply no way that a conventional speaker would ever work. So we’ve made a dipole centre-speaker to match the R 900 CEN.

Created with exactly the same engineering/design philosophy as the R 907, the R 900 CEN is a symmetrically laid out, floorstanding centre-channel speaker. It uses a three-way configuration based around a pair of 305mm/12in woofers flanking the same mid and treble drivers used in the R 907.

From a timbre point of view, therefore, it’s an ideal sonic match for its colleague and allows owners to assemble a 3 or 5-channel music/movies system that will sound like absolutely no other on earth.

About Jamo
Since its founding in 1968 Jamo has become a leading global supplier of individual sound solutions. Headquartered in Denmark, the company currently operates in more than 80 countries through subsidiaries and distributors.

The company employs the very principles of Danish design tradition when developing products. Simplicity, functionality and honesty are the cornerstones of every Jamo product.

Jamo is a wholly owned subsidiary of Klipsch Audio Inc, a leading global manufacturer of high performance loudspeakers and other entertainment products for consumer and professional markets.