In this review, we will be comparing DS153 and A120P, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from ELAC 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 ELAC DS153 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 ELAC DS153and JBL Stage A120P have a single woofer setup however the ELAC DS153's woofer is 15-inch whereas the JBL Stage A120P features a 12-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
DS153 has a frequency range of 20-150 Hz whereas A120P has a frequency range of 32-150 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 20Hz, the DS153 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
High Frequency
Subwoofer Speakers
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 ELAC DS153's and JBL Stage A120P's external dimensions. ELAC DS153 has external dimensions of 485.8 x 469.9 x 552.5mm () 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).
ELAC DS153 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 76.9mm wider, 70.8mm taller and 77.5mm deeper than JBL Stage A120P.
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 ELAC DS153 is approximately 2596.2cm2 / 402.4inch2 and base area of the JBL Stage A120P is approximately 1866.8cm2 / 289.4inch2. The DS153 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 ELAC DS153 weighs 25.10kg / 55.2lbs and the JBL Stage A120P weighs 18.68kg / 41.1lbs. This makes the DS153 34% heavier than the A120P.
Here is a comparison of how DS153 and A120P's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Woofer Size |
15 inches
vs
12 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
20 Hz
vs
32 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
415mm
vs
485mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1866cm2
vs
2596cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
300USD
vs
949USD
|
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.
ELAC DS153 needs about 39% more floor area. ELAC DS153 stands 78mm further into the room. ELAC DS153 is 71mm taller.
| General |
ELAC DS153 |
JBL Stage A120P |
| Brand |
ELAC |
JBL |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Frequency Response |
20-150 Hz |
32-150 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
300-watt RMS |
250-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
600-watt RMS |
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 |
485.8mm (19.1") |
415.0mm (16.3") |
| Width |
469.9mm (18.5") |
393.0mm (15.5") |
| Depth |
552.5mm (21.8") |
475.0mm (18.7") |
| Weight |
25.10kg (55.2lbs) |
18.68kg (41.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
|
Bass reflex |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
1 Year |
1 Year |
| Labor Warranty |
1 Year |
1 Year |
A sealed subwoofer against a ported one. That is the most consequential line on this page: it decides how the bass rolls off, how it behaves in a small room, and how much output you get for the size of the box.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | A | ELAC DS153 goes deeper - 20Hz against 32Hz. Under 20Hz is felt more than heard - the bottom of a pipe organ and the bottom of a film mix. |
| Amplifier power | evenly matched | Much the same amplifier (300W vs 250W RMS) - under 1dB apart. |
| Driver area | A | ELAC DS153 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 | depends | ELAC DS153 is sealed - a sealed box rolls off gently and is usually the easier one to integrate in a small or awkward room; JBL Stage A120P is ported - a ported box gives more output low down for its size, at the cost of a steeper roll-off below tuning. Neither is better in the abstract; ported tends to suit films and sealed tends to suit music, and both generalisations have exceptions. |
| Cabinet size | depends | JBL Stage A120P is about 39% 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 $949, about 68% less. |
A ELAC DS153 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: ELAC DS153 measures better, JBL Stage A120P costs about 68% less. In a normal room, placement will make a bigger difference than the gap between these two. Films or music? If this is mainly a home cinema, JBL Stage A120P will hit harder for the money; if it is mainly for music in a normal-sized room, ELAC DS153 is usually the easier one to make sound right. 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 $949 for one of the other, which is worth a thought.
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.