NEAT ACOUSTICS MOMENTUM J-S LOUDSPEAKERS REVIEW
Neat Acoustics Momentum J-S Loudspeakers are one of the latest models from this well-loved British brand. Oscar Stewart takes a listen for HiFi PiG.
Neat is a British speaker brand with over 20 years of experience, from the compact Iota II to the Ultimatum XL10; their range covers a wide range of sizes and use cases. The Momentum J-S is one of their newer models, having been released in 2024. This is a stand-mount model featuring their signature iso-baric bass loading system and an AMT tweeter, designed to easily fit in smaller spaces whilst filling larger rooms equally well.
I first heard these speakers last year at the North West Audio Show and have since wanted to give them a proper test. Whilst not the cheapest Neat model, coming in at £5k, they are far from “expensive” in relative terms.
BUILD QUALITY AND FEATURES OF THE NAME OF THE NEAT MOMENTUM J-S
This pair came in a white finish, which is smooth and well-finished; the baffle remains black and is isolated from the main cabinet via a polyethylene membrane. There is a single pair of binding posts on the back of the speakers (you can ask for 4 when ordering), along with a smallish bass port opening. These are designed in a way that allows them to be positioned fairly close to a rear wall (Neat recommends around 30cm) due to their internal acoustic filtering.
The front is largely dominated by the 6” Ultimatum series mid-bass driver; internally, there is another 6” driver behind this one in a sealed compartment acting in iso-baric configuration. The tweeter is an ELAC Jet AMT model which is designed to improve the high-frequency response. They also have a point-to-point wired crossover using high-quality parts to limit the impact on the signal path, and are a very well put together pair of speakers. The use of dual 6” drivers does make this a stand mount model that has slightly larger cabinets than some more compact speakers; they are quite a bit bigger than my usual Alchris TX-1, for example (which are quite small).
As mentioned, Neat recommends these to be placed at least 30cm from the rear wall; however, you can move them closer to tune the bass response. These have a frequency response of 25Hz – 45kHz (-6dB) so these go deep for a stand-mount model. They are also rated at 86dB sensitivity, so they do require a fairly good amp to bring out their best. Impedance-wise wise they are rated at 8 Ohms, dipping to 5 Ohms, making them a fairly easy load to drive. Neat also recommends a slight toe-in, but not directly on axis. I followed this advice and it was easy to get them positioned with an accurate centre image and wide soundstage.
These speakers were placed on my SolidSteel SS-6 stands and used with my main reference system, which includes an iFi Audio NEO Stream, NEO iDSD 2 DAC, Keces S4 pre-amp, Keces S300+ power amp, Rega Planar 3 Anniversary (with Audio Technica VMx745ML cartridge), Hegel V10 phono stage, and Tellurium Q cabling.
SOUND QUALITY
I’ve been listening to these for a couple of weeks now, and the main impression I got out of the box, which remains, is that these sound big for their size and footprint. The Iso-baric bass system gives you impressive extension and control from a smaller cabinet, with an effortless sense of weight and body.
Beginning with “Damned and Doomed” by Creeper, the bass beat gives the sound a solid foundation, whilst the gentle female vocals come in with realism and air. The cymbal taps crash around with great accuracy whilst the snares are tight and snappy. The bass is articulate, and whilst there is no lack of body in my room, it never becomes overly prominent or off-putting. There are strings in this recording along with piano, and they are well placed within the soundstage; the layering is superb, whilst overall cohesion is never lacking. In my room, these have a slightly warm tilt, yet that AMT tweeter has such clarity that it prevents the speakers from sounding overly dark.
Lights is one of my favourite female vocalists, and her song Real Thing (dED version) has quite a thunderous bass line throughout, which they handle with ease. The in-room response allows them to dig a little deeper than their paper spec,s and I never felt like a sub was required to get good levels of sub-bass out of these. Of course, a sub does more than just depth; however, the amount of bass on show was more than enough for my tastes. Luckily, even though there is a slight wall of bass in this song, her vocals still cut through with excellent texture and timbre – and these speakers never lost sight of the whole track and its intricacies.
Asja by Heilung is a true aural experience with these speakers; you are transported to a Nordic ceremony with bass that hits with authority (you feel it as well as hear it), with chanting and small details sprinkled around the soundstage. These speakers paint an accurate sound stage with excellent depth and pinpoint accuracy when it comes to instrument placement. There is a mix of both male and female vocals which are well separated, and you can hear every breath they take whilst chanting, each drum hit, each bow stroke across the strings – a truly room-filling moment and a wonderful track.
I’m Not Ready To Go by Hazlett has popped up a couple of times when listening, and it stands out for its echoey vocal effects and deep bass with acoustic guitar layered over the top. Once again, the Momentum J-S is showing off its impressive bass depth, whilst maintaining that great articulation – this is not simple “one note” bass here. I’m well aware that my room isn’t perfect; however, it does represent something a little more typical of modern British living spaces. And, whilst I could use a little dampening in places, these speakers sounded right at home here. They gave me a full range of sound with great detail retrieval for their price, and they easily give bigger floor standers a run for their money.
On that point, yes, some larger speakers will give you more scale and a slightly deeper sound on occasion; however, they are often too big for many living spaces. These speakers are large enough to fill a medium to large room and not struggle, yet they also give you a huge sound in a smaller space. The imaging you get from a good 2-way stand mount (often due to a simpler crossover) is something that is also worth highlighting. Whilst having nice big floor-standing speakers may appeal to many, as it feels like you are getting more for your money, I would honestly give speakers like these a try, as they may well surprise you.
Warning Call by CHVRCHES is quite synth-poppy, and the treble here is brilliant; there is a crisp and clear top end that never comes across as harsh or overly pronounced. These are far from dull, and the treble gives the sound a ton of air and clarity, whilst Lauren’s vocals cut through with authority, and demand your attention (her vocal range is brilliant). The layered bass beat is well-presented, with the pulsating sub beat and a punchy mid-bass section both handled with exceptional weight and control – an engaging listen.
Billy / To Love Someone by Primal Scream (from Give Out But Don’t Give Up – The Original Memphis recordings) is a brilliant song as it is recorded in one room and you can hear all the little details within the track. Bobby Gillispie’s vocals sound raw and natural; there is an impressive amount of detail on show without these speakers drawing too much attention to it. They are clearly tuned to give you fantastic insight into the recording without coming across as boring – whether it be tracking drums across the stage or the placement of the piano within the room, these really do paint an aural picture of the music you are listening to in a beautiful way.
I have also been using these for TV use, and have been watching Stranger Things recently – the Neats give you huge scale for shows like this. Much like they do with music, they manage to accurately place everything within their perceived space. The bass is huge when called for, yet the vocals never get drowned out, and there is plenty of detail, too. These sound absolutely stunning for movies/TV use.
QUIBBLES
The bass may overpower a small room, so it’s worth thinking about placement and room size.
CONCLUSION
From first listen at the North West Audio Show last year, to having these playing in my setup for the last few weeks, I had a feeling I was going to enjoy these speakers. It didn’t seem to matter what I played though them, they managed to handle it with ease and composure. These never lacked body; the iso-baric bass does a brilliant job at offering plenty of punch and deep bass without lacking control. The Elac AMT tweeter is crystal clear yet never harsh or brash; it has excellent resolution, effortless extension, and has been perfectly implemented to blend with the Neat Ultimatum drivers for a cohesive and natural sound.
These are such a fun speaker to listen to, and work well in a multi-use setup such as mine, that I will be sad to see these leave. I think it is the sheer size and depth of sound you get from these that surprised me; they really will give a lot of floor standers a run for their money.
As always, if you think these might be to your taste, get yourself down to a store and try to demo them if possible.
AT A GLANCE
Build Quality And Features:
Solid cabinets, single pair of high-quality binding posts – all you need in a HiFi speaker
Iso-baric bass loading for deep, controlled bass
Point-to-point wiring is a nice little detail
Sound Quality:
Full, punchy, and spacious
Bass digs deep, and they go low in most rooms
Excellent detail from the Elac AMT tweeter
Value For Money:
You get a lot of sound for your money here, £5k isn’t pocket change, yet you could do far worse than these for a similar price
We Loved:
The sheer engagement and depth of sound from these stand mounts
We Didn’t Love So Much:
The bass may overpower smaller rooms
Elevator Pitch Review: If you are looking for big sound that digs deep in a stand-mount package, these really do offer a lot for the money. The AMT tweeter is effortlessly clean, and the bass is hugely articulate whilst digging deep when called for. The midrange does exactly what it should, never getting lost in the mix and helping tie everything together in a cohesive way. There are some clever design elements here that all add up to deliver a hugely enjoyable sound that is happy to play whatever genre you throw at them; they also double up as excellent speakers for TV and movie use.
Price: £4995
Oscar Stewart
SUPPLIED SPECIFICATION
- ENCLOSURE TYPE 2-way, iso-baric bass reflex
- DIMENSIONS (h/w/d) 370/220/270mm
- WEIGHT 11Kg each (SHIPPING WEIGHT: 28Kg. per pair.)
- SENSITIVITY (2.83v/1m) 86dB/1 watt
- FREQUENCY RESPONSE 25Hz – 45kHz (AIRR, -6dB)
- RECOMMENDED AMPLIFIER POWER 25 to 200 watts
- IMPEDANCE 8 ohms nominal: 5 Ohms minimum
