In this review, we will be comparing Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer and A120P, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Aperion and JBL. Being Powered subwoofers, they both have built-in amplifiers so you don't need an external power amp or an integrated amp to power them. Let's have a brief look at the main features of Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer and JBL Stage A120P first before getting into our more detailed comparison.
The sections below take each area in turn: driver and amplifier, frequency response, physical size and connectivity.
Drivers
The efficiency of a subwoofer is directly proportional to the total radiating are squared hence the woofer quantity and diameter.Both Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwooferand JBL Stage A120P have a single woofer setup however the Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer's woofer is 15-inch whereas the JBL Stage A120P features a 12-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer has a frequency range of 18-195 Hz whereas A120P has a frequency range of 32-150 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 18Hz, the Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the A120P's min frequency of 32Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Subwoofer class in our database.
Low Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer
High Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer
Cabinet Type
The Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer has a Bass Reflex type cabinet. Bass Reflex type subwoofers (aka Ported, Vented or Reflex Port) have enclosures that uses a port, hole or vent cut into the cabinet. Ported designs are generally more efficient than the Sealed designs. On the other hand the JBL Stage A120P have Bass reflex type enclosure.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer's and JBL Stage A120P's external dimensions. Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer has external dimensions of 569.0 x 469.9 x 551.2mm (22.4 x 18.5 x 21.7inch) whereas JBL Stage A120P has external dimensions of 415.0 x 393.0 x 475.0mm (16-5/16 x 15-7/16 x 18-11/16inch).
Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 76.9mm wider, 154mm taller and 76.2mm deeper than JBL Stage A120P.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer needs about 39% more floor or shelf area. Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer is 76mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer is 154mm taller.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer is approximately 2590.1cm2 / 401.5inch2 and base area of the JBL Stage A120P is approximately 1866.8cm2 / 289.4inch2. The Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer requires 39% more surface area than the A120P which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a subwoofer may become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often to find the optimal positioning, also known as 'Subwoofer Crawling'. The Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer weighs 35.38kg / 77.8lbs and the JBL Stage A120P weighs 18.68kg / 41.1lbs. This makes the Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer 89% heavier than the A120P.
Here is a comparison of how Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer and A120P's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer
 Woofer Size |
15 inches
vs
12 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
18 Hz
vs
32 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
195 Hz
vs
150 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
415mm
vs
569mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1866cm2
vs
2590cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
300USD
vs
1199USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
Size, drawn to scale
Both subwoofers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same floor and pushed back to the same wall, so the bigger one visibly takes more of the room.
Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer needs about 39% more floor area. Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer stands 76mm further into the room. Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer is 154mm taller.
| General |
Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer |
JBL Stage A120P |
| Brand |
Aperion |
JBL |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
550 watts |
250 watts |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
18-195 Hz |
32-150 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
550-watt RMS |
250-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
n/a |
500-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
15" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
Polycellulose |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
569.0mm (22.4") |
415.0mm (16.3") |
| Width |
469.9mm (18.5") |
393.0mm (15.5") |
| Depth |
551.2mm (21.7") |
475.0mm (18.7") |
| Weight |
35.38kg (77.8lbs) |
18.68kg (41.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
1 Year |
| Labor Warranty |
|
1 Year |
Different price classes - Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer costs roughly 4x what JBL Stage A120P does. Before paying it, read the note below about two smaller subwoofers.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | A | Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer goes deeper - 18Hz against 32Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | A | Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer has the bigger amplifier - 550W against 250W RMS, about 3.4dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | A | Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer moves more air: 15" against 12" is 1.56x the cone area, not the 1.25x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | evenly matched | Both are ported designs, so they roll off in much the same way. |
| Cabinet size | depends | JBL Stage A120P is about 47% smaller by volume. In a subwoofer that is a real trade rather than a preference: box volume is how you get output low down without a bigger amplifier. |
| Price | B | JBL Stage A120P costs less - $300 against $1,199, about 75% less. |
A Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer B JBL Stage A120P
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both subwoofers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
The usual trade-off: Aperion Daedalus DS15 Class D 15" Powered Subwoofer measures better, JBL Stage A120P costs about 75% less. In a normal room, placement will make a bigger difference than the gap between these two. Two small subwoofers beat one big one in most rooms - a pair evens out the room modes in a way no single box can, whatever its specs. At $300 each, two JBL Stage A120P cost about $600 against $1,199 for one of the other, which is worth a thought. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - JBL Stage A120P is the one that will actually go there, and a well-placed small subwoofer beats a badly-placed big one every time.
One thing outweighs everything above: where the subwoofer stands. Room modes can add or remove 10dB or more at a given seat, which is far larger than any difference on this page. Before spending more, try the sub in two or three positions - the crawl test, where you put it in the listening seat and crawl the room to find where the bass sounds best, costs nothing and usually beats an upgrade.