Would you accessorize an Armani suit with an Old Navy polo? Of course not. But most people commit a similar faux pas when they acquire a flat-screen plasma TV. They combine their sleek new set with a tiny, underperforming sound system because they cannot bear the blight of big, boxy speakers. Some speakers designed to complement plasma TVs sound OK, but none achieve the no-holds-barred performance that matches the great look of today’s best flat-screens.

None save one, that is: Jamo’s D 7ATX speaker system. At 6.5 inches deep, the D 7ATX front speakers protrude from a given mounting surface only an inch farther than do most large plasma TVs. Yet their performance is sufficient to earn them THX Ultra2 certification, which means they are competitive with practically any home theater speaker system available. Ultra2 is a new set of stringent performance standards developed by THX, Ltd., a company founded by Star Wars creator George Lucas. Judging from the three Ultra2 systems I have tested, any speaker system that meets Ultra2 standards is, at minimum, excellent.

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Left to right, the D 7LCR, the D 7SUB and the D 7SUR (D 7LCR and D 7SUR shown without grilles). (Click image to enlarge) 

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I am shocked when I first fire up the D 7s. With three of the D 7LCR speakers beneath my video projection screen, two of the even smaller D 7SUR surround speakers at my sides and a D 7SUB subwoofer to handle the bass, the system is barely noticeable in my listening room. Yet it conveys the same sense of effortless power I hear from the large Atlantic Technology THX Ultra2 system I just finished reviewing. Volume levels I usually dare attempt with only the most massive speaker systems are easily attainable with the D 7s. Besides the fact that the system looks so great in my listening room, it holds an unusual aesthetic appeal for the movie enthusiast. With speakers proportioned like size-16 shoe boxes, my home theater experience becomes more about the DVD and less about the speakers.

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Driver:
A phase plug—the conical aluminum piece in the center of the woofer—prevents reflections of sound in the woofer cone and improves sonic clarity.

Knob:
The level knob mounted atop the subwoofer has a piece of clear plastic that illuminates when the knob is in its center position, making it easy to boost or cut the bass, then return to your previous bass level.

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Visually, only the D 7SUB makes its presence felt. It is not particularly large for a 15-inch subwoofer, but it cannot disappear into the decor the way the D 7LCR and D 7SUR can. With luck, you will have space in a corner to conceal the D 7SUB behind a leafy plant. One element of the subwoofer’s design does please—the top-mounted volume control, which has an indicator that illuminates as you spin it into the “reference” position. The indicator makes it easy to return the level if you decide to boost the bass temporarily.

Fortunately, the D 7SUB will draw more attention from your ears than from your eyes. Despite the sub’s relatively modest size, it is powerful enough to fill a large room with clean, well-defined bass. Even in my spacious listening room, no movie soundtrack overwhelms the D 7SUB. It works well for music, too, although when I play my CDs and DVD-Audio discs, I notice it gives a bit less precision—less sense of “growl” on electric bass notes—than a smaller subwoofer might. Technically, you need two D 7SUBs to meet Ultra2 standards, but I never feel the need for more than one.

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The D 7LCR mounts on a wall, and delivers full THX Ultra2 performance from a surprisingly tiny enclosure.

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The D 7LCR and D 7SUR impress me even more. Voices and dialogue exhibit practically no dullness, unnatural emphasis or other sonic coloration. The speakers have a “warm” sound, with a slightly soft treble that pleases my ear no matter what movies I choose. Music also sounds great; the speakers’ mellow character soothes my soul when I sit down to an afternoon of jazz CDs. I do not hear the ambience and sense of envelopment that my CDs produce from a conventional set of speakers positioned away from the walls, but such is the nature of an on-wall speaker.

In a way, it is unfair to compare the D 7ATX with other Ultra2 systems because it can achieve Ultra2 performance only when the speakers are mounted on walls. Such a position reinforces the volume, quadrupling the acoustic power of the speaker. The upside to this configuration is that the system fits the aesthetics of an average living room, which cannot be said of other Ultra2 systems. The downside is that positioning speakers against a wall does not sound as good with music.

Your installer can place the D 7LCR on a stand; a jumper on the speaker’s back tunes its sound to compensate for the different mounting. However, the speaker does not sound as good on a stand as it does against a wall.

For use with a plasma TV, this is the best THX Ultra2 speaker system available. It also works well with video projectors, in situations where you do not wish to build speakers into the wall. This system is as 2004 as it could be, blending world-class home theater sound with beautiful aesthetics. The D 7ATX system proves that fantastic sound can fit into any living room.

DESCRIPTION
Home theater speaker system. Includes three front speakers, two or four surround speakers, and one or two subwoofers.

COMPONENTS
D 7LCR: Two 51⁄2-inch aluminum-cone woofers, two 21⁄2-inch aluminum-cone midrange drivers, 1-inch dual concentric dome tweeter. D 7SUR: Same as above, but one woofer, four midranges, one tweeter. D 7SUB: 15-inch aluminum-cone woofer, 400-watt amplifier.

CONNECTIONS
D 7LCR: Five-way metal binding posts (posts accept bare wire, pins, spade lugs, banana plugs) with jumpers to set speaker characteristics for freestanding use.
D 7SUR: Five-way metal binding posts.
D 7SUB: Two line-level inputs (one with boundary compensation) and two line-level outputs.

DIMENSIONS
D 7LCR: 10.7 x 23.3 x 6.8 inches (hwd).
D 7SUR: 10.4 x 20 x 4.9 inches (hwd).
D 7SUB: 19.4 x 23.3 x 17.5 inches (hwd).

PRICE/CONTACT
PRICE: $6,399 for 5.1 system; $7,999 for 7.1 system.
CONTACT: 847.465.0005
www.jamospeakers.com