Jamo SB 40
A SOLID MID-RANGER WITH A NICHE AESTHETIC.
UNLESS YOUR WHOLE home entertainment system is currently decked out in grey, the Jamo SB-40 doesn’t give a great first impression. Because, yes, it is grey, and chances are if you’re forking out for home cinema goods, you’re a bit of a stickler for perfection. But there is some charm to this staunchly European setup, not least its retro flair. You may not be familiar with the Jamo brand, but it originates in Denmark and is enduringly popular in Europe. It was acquired by Klipsch in 2005.
But how does the SB-40 sound? It’s a relatively inexpensive 2.1 channel affair, but it pumps out a decently crisp sound at 120w (shared between the soundbar and the subwoofer), and boasts all the support you’d ever need (HDMI, optical and Bluetooth). At only 40 inches wide (that’s just over a metre), it’d look great beneath modestly sized TVs. The wireless subwoofer, while as stylish (or otherwise, depending on your tastes) as the soundbar, is sleek and minimal. At this price range, you’re hardly getting sound that will impress or enrage your neighbours, but in the realm of mid-range budget speakers — and yes, this is ‘mid range’ budget by today’s standards — we were impressed by how cinematic the experience was, with the virtual surround sound working overtime to emulate a fully-fledged cinema experience. Music, even thickly textured bass-oriented techno, sounded satisfactory through it, too. Still quite niche, especially with competitors like the Sony HT-NT5. If given the choice between the two, aesthetic preferences would almost certainly be the deciding factor.