Jamo Floorstanding Speaker D870 cherry loudspeaker

Jamo Floorstanding Speaker D870 Jamo has certainly done its bit to help make Denmark synonymous with stylish industrial design. That said, the company is probably better known for rather more striking looking speakers than this sober looking floorstander, which is big brother to the classy little D830 standmount that HFC reviewed in February 2001.

Once you've summoned enough energy to unpack its considerable 32.5kg, you can appreciate the good quality real wood finish, the nicely post-formed vertical edges, the separate fitted plinth and the awesome solidity. The extra-thick front panel is made from Jamo's patented NCC (Non Coloration Compound) material, and internal bracing further enhances the structural integrity.

One might fairly accuse this Jamo of being conservatively styled, but that in no way implies criticism of an attractively solid looking speaker, with rather classy looking drive units. There are three drivers operating as a two-and-a-half-way, and a neat touch is the way the 165mm main driver's 120mm metal cone matches the tweeter's faceplate cosmetically. Said main driver has a solid cast chassis, and a pointy copper phase plug which protrudes from the middle of the cone, to avoid the need for a dust cap and assist in cooling the voice coil. The extra, lower 165mm bass-only unit is a rather more prosaic looking plastic-cone affair, loaded by a front port tuned to a low 30Hz.

Decent quality spikes ensure good floor coupling, while three separate terminal pairs allow full flexibility in multi-wiring or amping options. In-room measurement shows a good, though not particularly smooth, overall balance. The low port tuning ensures fine ultimate extension, but the traces unequivocally indicate that this speaker should be sited well clear of walls.

This is also a beautifully balanced speaker sonically. The simplicity of two-and-a-half-way operation might not advance its ultimate loudness capability, but it does ensure good top-to-bottom time coherence alongside a lively and informative disposition.

The bass alignment worked very well indeed, keeping the speaker free from undesirable mid-bass 'thickening' and 'thump', while also supplying the righteous sense of scale that only a generously proportioned speaker can deliver. This was particularly obvious when tuning in to the BBC's Prom concerts from the Royal Albert Hall, whereupon the Jamos did a good job of recreating and conveying that magnificently large acoustic space, and rich ambience.

The upper bass is perhaps a little too dry, leaving the sound a touch lacking in warmth and texture in the cello registers, and robbing bass guitars of some of their bite, drive and punch. This is compounded because the upper midband is a bit too forward, a characteristic that initially impresses because of the way fine detail is emphasised and projected, but which can become wearing over the longer haul.

Ultimately, the sound here is just a bit 'cold' and 'shiny'. This is good for voice articulation and intelligibility, and also helps highlight transient details, such as the way a string is plucked or picked, for example. The D870 is always easy to listen to, and a good basic communicator, even when playing the system at a low level, though it could do with a fuller, richer balance in the lower registers.