In this review, we will be comparing Varro RS500-SB 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 Varro RS500-SB 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 Varro RS500-SBand JBL Stage A120P have a single woofer setup however the ELAC Varro RS500-SB's woofer is 10-inch whereas the JBL Stage A120P features a 12-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Varro RS500-SB has a frequency range of 18-150 Hz whereas A120P has a frequency range of 32-150 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 18Hz, the Varro RS500-SB 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
Cabinet Type
The ELAC Varro RS500-SB has a Acoustic Suspension type cabinet. Acoustic Suspension aka Sealed type subwoofers have enclosures that are sealed hence no ports or holes exists on the cabinet. Sealed designs helps to provide more accurate and tight bass responses compared to ported 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 ELAC Varro RS500-SB's and JBL Stage A120P's external dimensions. ELAC Varro RS500-SB has external dimensions of 381.0 x 361.0 x 388.0mm (15inch x 14-3/16inch x 15-1/4inch) 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).
JBL Stage A120P is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 32mm wider, 34mm taller and 87mm deeper than ELAC Varro RS500-SB.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of ELAC Varro RS500-SB and JBL Stage A120P in scale.
Comparison image of ELAC Varro RS500-SB and JBL Stage A120P Size and External Dimensions
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 Varro RS500-SB is approximately 1400.7cm2 / 217.1inch2 and base area of the JBL Stage A120P is approximately 1866.8cm2 / 289.4inch2. The Varro RS500-SB requires 25% less surface area than the A120P which gives it a small advantage 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 Varro RS500-SB weighs 20.85kg / 45.9lbs and the JBL Stage A120P weighs 18.68kg / 41.1lbs. This makes the Varro RS500-SB 12% heavier than the A120P.
Here is a comparison of how Varro RS500-SB and A120P's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
What's in the Box of ELAC Varro RS500-SB?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Varro RS500-SB:
- Grill
- Power Cord
- 4 Spikes
What's in the Box of JBL Stage A120P?
Here are the items that come with the A120P:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 6-feet AC power cord
- 4 Spike feet
- Owners Manual
- Warranty Card
- Important Safety Instructions
 Low Frequency Response |
18 Hz
vs
32 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 App-Based Control |
iOS,Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Height |
381mm
vs
415mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1400cm2
vs
1866cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Ethernet Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
High quality streaming over Ethernet |
 Wireless Operation |
Optional
vs
No
|
Connect your subwoofer to your system wireless |
| Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Price per pair* |
300USD
vs
1299USD
|
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.
JBL Stage A120P needs about 33% more floor area. JBL Stage A120P stands 87mm further into the room. JBL Stage A120P is 34mm taller.
| General |
ELAC Varro RS500-SB |
JBL Stage A120P |
| Brand |
ELAC |
JBL |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
500 watts |
250 watts |
| Frequency Response |
18-150 Hz |
32-150 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
500-watt RMS |
250-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
1000-watt RMS |
500-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
Aluminum |
Polycellulose |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
bottom |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
381.0mm (15") |
415.0mm (16.3") |
| Width |
361.0mm (14.2") |
393.0mm (15.5") |
| Depth |
388.0mm (15.3") |
475.0mm (18.7") |
| Weight |
20.85kg (45.9lbs) |
18.68kg (41.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Bass reflex |
| Finish |
MDF |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black |
n/a |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| USB Port |
USB-A port for firmware updates |
n/a |
| Ethernet Port |
Yes |
n/a |
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 Varro RS500-SB 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 | ELAC Varro RS500-SB has the bigger amplifier - 500W against 250W RMS, about 3dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | B | JBL Stage A120P moves more air: 12" against 10" is 1.44x the cone area, not the 1.2x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | depends | ELAC Varro RS500-SB 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. |
| Speaker-level inputs | A | ELAC Varro RS500-SB takes a speaker-level connection as well as line level. That is what lets it work with an integrated amplifier or a vintage receiver that has no subwoofer output at all. |
| Wireless option | depends | Only ELAC Varro RS500-SB offers a wireless link (as a paid option). It decides where the sub can go if you cannot run a cable, and is worth nothing if you can. |
| Driver placement | depends | ELAC Varro RS500-SB fires down and JBL Stage A120P fires front. A down-firing driver is more forgiving of a grille-less look and of a hard floor; a front-firing one is the safer choice on a thick carpet or a suspended timber floor. |
| Cabinet size | depends | ELAC Varro RS500-SB is about 31% 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 $1,299, about 77% less. |
A ELAC Varro RS500-SB 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 Varro RS500-SB measures better, JBL Stage A120P costs about 77% 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 Varro RS500-SB is usually the easier one to make sound right. Check your amplifier first: if it has no subwoofer or preamp output, ELAC Varro RS500-SB is the only one of these two you can connect at all.
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.