Transcript:
Hey, everybody, welcome back. My name is Andrew Robinson. I am recovering audiophile. And if this is your first time to my channel. Welcome, welcome to the place where we talk about Hi-fi music, art and design. But if you’re one of the new members of this channel or one of our existing subscribers, you already knew that so welcome back, and how are you? Today we have a brand new review for you. A floor-standing loudspeaker review at that, which we don’t do a lot of those if you’ve watched this channel for any length of time. And today is something special because we are going to be looking at Yah. Mo’s c 97 mark 2 floor-standing loudspeaker. Today, let’s get into it. The C 97 mark 2 is yah. Mo’s flagship tower speaker and it is part of their concert 9 series and in that series you will find floor-standing loudspeaker’s, bookshelves center surround channels as well as subwoofers and the concert 9 series sits above the studio series in the studio series is a Moe’s entry level line. Now I have always liked the studio series or have been attracted to that series based almost entirely on its design aesthetic because it wasn’t until recently. Did I actually get a chance to listen to them because we use them in our how to set up a home theater guide which you can check out in the description below, But it was the concert 9 series that Christie was attracted to when she saw them on Instagram and because of what she saw on Instagram. That is why we are discussing them here today because we originally wanted to use the concert 9 series, specifically the C 97 mark 2 here as part of an educational video between floor-standing loudspeakers and bookshelf loudspeakers, But upon getting the C 97 S In this house, we discovered that they are remarkable sounding, and so we thought they deserve their very own review. And so that is what we are talking about today now. If you’re a fan of this channel, you know, we don’t do a lot of deep dives into specifications. Because you don’t listen to specs. You listen to music, but I do understand. Specs are important and many of you want to know the specifications of any product that we review and loudspeakers are no different, so for those of you that want to know the ins and outs of the C 97 Mark 2 here are their specifications. [MUSIC] Let’s face it a lot of loud speakers, especially budget, loud speakers, The ones that the llamo C 97 mark 2 would compete against our drab For the most part they are lifeless, soulless black boxes sure they may sound good, but they lack that visual character, and I have got to tell you the entire concert 9 series, just like this studio series under them loses character because while they are not necessarily made of unobtainium or from X material that you may find in higher-end loudspeakers, they’re made from the right materials where it counts and the result is a very, very beautiful package. That happens to also sound fantastic. Let’s talk about how the C 97 mark two’s sound. They sound surprisingly good, and I say the word surprisingly, because I didn’t have a lot of prior knowledge to Yah Mo’s, kind of house sound or signature sound. If you will, so I am basing my experience with the C 97 mark twos not so much on the Yamas that came before them, but just how they compare to other loudspeakers in their category and I have to say this is a loudspeaker that punches well above its weight class and especially now that they are discounted. The C 97 S are borderline if not the epitome of giant killers, and they are not neutral loudspeakers, but they are incredibly engaging and fun loudspeakers and they do appear to be loud speakers that are not picky about the type of associated equipment that you choose to use them with. For instance, they sound as good with say a Marantz receiver as they do with a Class D amplifier from the likes of XTZ, but they also pair very nicely with some vintage stuff, and they also do play nice with some very high-end stuff, For instance, like the name unity atom, which is four or five times the C 97 mark two’s asking price for a loudspeaker that may not run in higher-end circles. This is a loudspeaker that can and does sound good with higher-end gear but also sounds equally impressive with entry-level wares, and that is one of the C 97 marked. Ou’s strengths. They are not picky, and you know me. I like a loudspeaker that just kind of gets on with getting on and and I don’t like a loudspeaker that requires a lot of fuss because frankly, I think there are a number of consumers out there, and maybe even some of you watching this channel that while you may be into the Hobby, you don’t want to necessarily fall down a rabbit hole every single time in order to ring the most from any particular product in the Llamó C 97 Mark Twos are not like that. They are not neutral loudspeakers. I do want to point that out. They are not linear in their frequency response. There is definitely a little bit of an enhancement in the bass as well as in the high frequencies. Now, the mid-range in comparison will then seem neutral or cool because the high frequencies have just a little bit of a tip up there and the bass itself. Also just a little bit tipped up and this is fine. This is a common sort of practice among budget loudspeakers and so it’s not. I don’t fault the llamo C 97 mark 2 for it. And in all honesty, it results in a very engaging sound experience, But lets let’s break it down into its individual elements. In terms of bass. The C 97 mark 2 does rely on dual six inch woofers as well as a rear firing port in order to obtain its lowest reaches of its frequency response and for what it is for what it possesses, it is very good at the farthest reaches of its capability. It does become a little bit. Onenote. So if you want to flesh out, say, the bottom octaves with a little bit more texture in speed, you’re gonna want to do two things you’re gonna either want to bring a little bit more power to the party, or you’re gonna want to cross these over with a subwoofer that enables them to go all the way down into the basement because where they kind of hit their limit, it’s a bit of like a shelf, so they’ll be tracking along and then when they hit their limit there, it’s their limit, it’s not clipping, but it just it has nothing more to give and again This isn’t necessarily unique to the llamo. This isn’t necessarily a fault, It’s just it is what it is. But the base, The C 97 mark 2 does have from its limits on up to the mid range is very articulate, dynamic and wholly enjoyable. Now, like I said earlier. The mid range itself is probably the more neutral aspect of this loudspeaker, but because it’s it’s in the middle of a slightly ripened bass and a slightly tipped up treble. It might seem a little bit lean in comparison, but all that said the presence that the C 97 Mark 2’s mid-range possesses is awesome, awesome and infectious, and I, it’s my favorite part of this loudspeaker because the in room presence, the front of stage presence that the C 97 mark 2 exhibits is intoxicating and it really doesn’t matter. What type of music you choose to listen to? Obviously, if you listen to music or movies with heavy vocals or dialogue tracks it, it makes you almost feel like a. Center Speaker is present when there isn’t one. That’s how strong the center imaging and the dispersion of this loudspeaker is, but it just it has a presence and that presence is aided no doubt by the grounding brought by the base. But it just has a sort of not in your face. It’s not shouty, it’s not, you know, it’s not forward, but it’s just it’s there, it’s there, it’s palpable it’s dimensional, and I absolutely am here for it and love it now. The high frequencies again like the bass or a little bit tipped up, so they are a little sweeter. They have a little bit more extension, a little bit more presence than maybe some tweeters in this class, but for what the C 97 Mark II has from its soft dome tweeter. It is supremely enjoyable and very, very natural in its presentation up and to a point that point being at extremely high volumes, the high frequencies can become a little bit grainy and exhibit a bit more of siblings So while I have just described the individual kind of elements in its frequency response. I do want to make it abundantly clear that the C 97 mark 2 is an incredibly coherent loudspeaker from top to bottom so while not neutral, there aren’t any overt gaps between the base and mid-range mid-range and treble. So you do get a seamless sonic presentation and speaking of seamless sonic presentations, the soundstage, the C 97 mark 2 has at its disposal Is awesome, Awesome, awesome, awesome! I about a month ago or maybe even a little. Over a month ago, we reviewed the folk out Kora 806 and in that particular review. I mentioned that the 806 had a lateral dispersion that rivaled some of the best that I have ever encountered well. I am pleased to announce that the C 97 Mark 2 is up to that same standard. In fact, I would even go so far as to say that the C 97 mark 2 has a better lateral dispersion than even the kora, making it on par with some of the best that I have ever heard now. The sound stage laterally from right to left, is very, very wide, provided the recording you are choosing to listen to has it to give the depth isn’t as impressive. It’s still there. There is notable depth here and it is very satisfying, but it by no means matches the width of the soundstage. The C 97 S are capable of producing the C 97 mark Two’s arguably have the best center image that I’ve heard at or near this price point and probably even several ticks above so to sum it all up. The C 97 Mark 2 are just they’re great speakers they are, they are speakers that you can take seriously, but they don’t demand that they have to be taken seriously, and that makes them great for music and movies because they are coherent from top to bottom. They are engaging through and through. Yes, so they’re not the most neutral sounding loudspeaker. They’re a little bit forward of neutral, but that gives them a presence that gives them a sound that makes you want to listen because it grabs you. It grabs you, and it says, have a seat and enjoy the show, and that makes them very fun and I at the end of the day like there are speakers that are very serious, capable tools, you know, but then there, speakers that are just fun, and you listen to track after track after track or you watch movie after movie after movie the C 97 Mark 2 are there that speaker, that’s what they’re for, they’re for the person that wants to sit down and just enjoy themselves, and while they’re enjoying themselves, they’re treated to a performance that, frankly, is better than their asking price or their makeup would. Have you believe so with all that said what don’t? I like about them. For starters, they are a budget loudspeaker and that’s not a dig. There are plenty of budget. Loudspeakers on the market today and Llamó has chosen to spend their money wisely that is in the drivers and the components that actually are going to produce the sound that you value all that said they have cut a few corners in the construction elsewhere on this particular loudspeaker, chiefly in kind of the QC or the fit and finish. This is a this is a vinyl wrap speaker. It is not a veneer and so it is on the cheaper side. And when I talk about QC, I’m not talking about QC in terms of the electronics or the crossover inside, but more rather kind of the assembly, there are some gaps present here and they are noticeable, specifically, the front baffle and how it attaches to the cabinet itself. There is a noticeable gap. Here it does not seem to affect the sound like. I said the sound of the C. 97 Mark 2 is fantastic, but all that said, it’s present, you can see it. It’s even in Yama’s own press photos, let alone in this video, and it kind of bugs me. If you order these in black or cherry. The gaps between the front baffle and the cabinet itself likely won’t be as noticeable, but on the white model, There’s no getting away from it. It’s present and like. I said this is a vinyl wrap and for a vinyl wrap, It’s not bad It is worth noting that the white wood vinyl wrap on these particular loudspeakers still would look good in a variety of living situations. Specifically, if you’re into kind of that shabby chic rustic modern country have more of a beachy vibe. This may be the finish that you are looking for and for everyone else. There are the standard black and cherry vinyl wraps as well, but I do. I did want to point out that because of its white on white finish little things like panel gaps become a little bit more noticeable again. These gaps don’t appear to affect the sound of the C 97 mark 2 In any way. It’s just kind of a cosmetic thing that both Christi and I noticed straight away like I said earlier in my descriptions of their sound when pushed hard, the high frequencies can exhibit a little bit of grain and excess sibilants. When I say, pushed hard, I mean, volumes in excess of a hundred to 105 decibels, and for those of you that are like, Oh, I listen at that volume. All the time understand that that’s actually probably not the best thing for your hearing, and so I refer to anything over a hundred decibels as high volumes because honestly, we don’t want to listen for sustained periods of time at those levels because we could be causing damage to our hearing, but at those levels, the Tweeter does exhibit a little bit of grain in a little bit of excess sibilance, but this isn’t uncommon of a lot of loudspeakers at this price point and, conversely, down low in the Bass Department. Yes, at the extreme. The bass can become a little bit one note. You can help this a little bit with your speaker placement, but honestly. I recommend adding a outboard subwoofer to the C 97 Mark twos if you want to plunge the lowest octaves with the most finesse, go ahead and cross them over somewhere between 50 and 80 Hertz. It’s your call, But by doing so, you will free up the lower octaves to be far more articulate than what the C 97 Mark 2 can do on its own, but outside of those few caveats. That’s really all that I found to fault with the C. 97 Mark 2 Because on a whole, especially at this price point, they are hugely hugely enjoyable and fantastic loudspeakers through and through as for the types of loudspeakers. The C 97 Mark 2 compares or competes favorably with I know earlier in this review. I did mention the faux Calc Aura 806 and I know those are two way shelf loudspeakers, but those at around $900 of pair have a lot more in common sonically with the C 97 Mark 2S. Then I likely would have originally thought the C 97 mark to play more full range than the focal Korra’s obviously we’re talking about floor-standing versus bookshelf here. But in terms of the sonic attributes, the dispersion that Center image that strengths that presence that the core has had you will find it here. Also, in terms of how the C 97 Mark twos compared to other comparable floor-standing loudspeakers, I kind of had to go back in my notes and look at some reviews of floor-standing loudspeakers that I had done a little while ago because honestly, like I said, we don’t review a lot of floor-standing loudspeakers on this channel in the last tower loudspeaker that we had was the L 800 from pulk audio and frankly, these are not that, and I’m not even going to mince words and say that the C 97 mark 2 is the same as that multi-thousand dollar loudspeaker Now personally, I prefer the sound of the C 97 mark 2 to that of the L 800 but the L 800 is capable of doing things that the C 97 Mark 2 simply cannot so for more apples-to-apples comparison. I actually would pit the C. 97 mark 2 S up against Monitor Audio’s new silver series in there 2 or 300 models now. I reviewed those way back in 2019 not on this channel, but for another publication, while the Monitor Audio Silver Series 2 or 300 model may cost two or three times, the C 97 mark two’s asking price. That is the loudspeaker that I would compare the llamo to, but I think you can get a sense by now that I’m a huge fan of the Llamo C 97 Mark 2 because they are, they’re just very likeable, allowed speakers, and in this day and age, I gravitate more towards those types of speakers because I want a speaker that just gets out of its own way, and I want a speaker that just sounds as good with music as it does with movies or vice versa, depending on what you prefer and the C 97 Mark 2 does that, and this is why I think. Since they’ve arrived, they have actually not rotated out of our main room, but for maybe an afternoon because both Christi and I are completely and utterly in love with the things. And so I no doubt think that you likely would feel the same. Which is why I give them my highest recommendation. If you are looking for a floor standing, loud speaker added around this price point that can do music and movies with equal fervor. That’s it, guys. That is my review of yah. Mos C 97 mark to floor standing, loud speaker. What did you guys think? Is this one that you’ve had on your radar and what other floor-standing loudspeakers should? I keep my eye on and hopefully review on this channel in 2020 Let me know down in the comments below. If you’d like to become a member of this channel, go ahead and click join next to the subscribe button and speaking of subscribe. If you liked this video, please give it a thumbs up like and subscribe. It really does matter. Because last week we surpassed 50,000 subs, so thank you for that. Be sure to follow me on Instagram, recovering audio file. And I think that’s it, so let’s wrap it up. Remember the only person that has to like the sound of your system? Is you so thank you so much for watching be well? Everyone and we’ll see you on the next video bye. Hey, welcome, my name is. Andrew, I mean, I don’t know how. I don’t have like a muzzle and I’m not gonna do that because I’m not that person, and I don’t know what I’ve said anymore, so I have to. I know, but that wasn’t. I don’t know, I know it did. I know this is my problem. I don’t, I can’t actually hear the words coming out of my mouth.