Made by Damson Audio, a Yorkshire-based company in the UK, the Damson Jet (RRP £150) are claimed to be “the first wireless real stereo set of Bluetoooth speakers available as a pair”.
The concept behind the Jet is that when used within a 10m radius, each of the 20-watt speakers is able to ‘talk’ to each other to create stereo sound.
Aside from that, the other talking point about these speakers is Damson’s ‘Incisor Diffusion Technology’, which basically allows the Jet to use the surface it’s played on as a loudspeaker.
Design & Build Quality
Holding them in your hands, it’s impossible not to appreciate the high quality construction and design of the Damson Jet speakers. Wrapped around their dense glossy white panels is a soft rubbery texture that combined with their substantial weight, gives the speakers a very premium look & feel.
The compact dimensions of just 75mm in height and 58mm in diameter make them comfortable to hold in the hand, but don’t let their modest size deceive you – they’re easily amongst the loudest speakers I’ve heard in this size range.
On the speakers themselves, Damson have opted to keep things simple with one power and one call button, which paired with the Jet’s microphone makes it convenient for making & receiving phone calls.
CONNECTIVITY
As well as Bluetooth connectivity, the Damson Jet also support NFC enabled devices. If you happen to prefer physical connectivity though, you can always hook up your devices using the 3.5mm input/output ports on the back of the Jet (you can also use these ports for daisy chaining).
On the back you’ll also find micro USB ports to charge the speakers, and Damson very conveniently include a Y-cable USB too, meaning you can charge both speakers simultaneously.
Damson also throw in a couple of good looking neoprene sleeves to prevent the Jet’s soft textured surface from attracting unwanted dust, or potential knocks.
Performance
As soon as you start playing a song on the Jet, it’s impressive how Damson’s Incisor Diffusion Technology is able to produce such loud and powerful sound.
As admirable as the power from these speakers is, Damson’s technology comes with one major caveat, the Jet’s performance becomes entirely reliant on an ideal surface.
Damson suggests using the Jet on “any surface that will allow for resonance: plastics, metals, glass and wood (the hollower the better)“, but having tested them on everyday surfaces at home like kitchen counters, desks and even bedside tables – my main concern has been the inconsistency in sound quality across those different surfaces.
These are speakers that are likely to be used in a number of locations, and their dependency on a certain type of surface – ideally a hollow one – requires a lot of experimentation to find their ‘sweet spot’ – a task that quickly becomes tiring.
It was using Damson’s mounting bracket (which sticks to glass or glossy surfaces), or held up against the wall that I found the Jet duo at their best, producing the vibrant, deep & rich sound they’re truly capable of. I could play at much louder volumes than on any other surface I tried, all without a hint of distortion or loss of quality.
HEARING YOU LOUD, BUT NOT SO CLEAR
Audio clarity isn’t the Jet’s forte by any means and especially at higher volumes, vocals in songs can become undefined.
Even after fiddling with equaliser settings and playing different music genres, it was clear that the Jet speakers are a best suited for bass-junkies who want loud and emphatic sound – rather than those wanting clear-cut definition & clarity.
IMPRESSIVE STEREO OUTPUT
What did impress me a lot was the quality of audio separation. Even at opposite sides of the room, the Jet comfortably played stereo sound without any connection hiccups or loss in quality.
BATTERY LIFE
Built using a lithium-ion battery, Damson suggests that you can get approximately 4 hours of wireless playback time from a pair of fully charged Jet speakers, and 9 hours if you’re using a wired connection.
The Bottom Line
My main concern with the Damson Jet is that they’re reliant on a certain type of surface to sound good, and that ‘ideal setting’ may not always be available in a normal household. There’s also the price. At £150, the Jet speakers enter the territory of full-sized alternatives like the Sonos Play:1 (£169), which may give you more value for money.
Having said that, these speakers do deliver on their promise with truly powerful sound, so they’ll be a good (albeit expensive) choice if you’re a bass junkie who values portability.
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