In this review, we will be comparing A120P and Muro SUB2020, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from JBL and ELAC. 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 JBL Stage A120P and ELAC Muro SUB2020 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 JBL Stage A120Pand ELAC Muro SUB2020 have a single woofer setup however the JBL Stage A120P's woofer is 12-inch whereas the ELAC Muro SUB2020 features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
A120P has a frequency range of 32-150 Hz whereas Muro SUB2020 has a frequency range of 28-200 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the Muro SUB2020 can go slightly deeper then 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 JBL Stage A120P has a Bass reflex type cabinet. On the other hand the ELAC Muro SUB2020 have Acoustic Suspension type enclosure. 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.
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 JBL Stage A120P's and ELAC Muro SUB2020's external dimensions. 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) whereas ELAC Muro SUB2020 has external dimensions of 399.0 x 185.0 x 515.0mm (15-11/16 x 7-1/4 x 20-1/4inch).
ELAC Muro SUB2020 is 208mm narrower and 16mm shorter than JBL Stage A120P but it is also 40mm deeper.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of JBL Stage A120P and ELAC Muro SUB2020 in scale.
Comparison image of JBL Stage A120P and ELAC Muro SUB2020 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 JBL Stage A120P is approximately 1866.8cm2 / 289.4inch2 and base area of the ELAC Muro SUB2020 is approximately 952.8cm2 / 147.7inch2. The A120P requires 96% more surface area than the Muro SUB2020 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 JBL Stage A120P weighs 18.68kg / 41.1lbs and the ELAC Muro SUB2020 weighs 12.73kg / 28lbs. This makes the A120P 47% heavier than the Muro SUB2020.
Here is a comparison of how A120P and Muro SUB2020's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
What's in the Box of JBL Stage A120P?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of A120P:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 6-feet AC power cord
- 4 Spike feet
- Owners Manual
- Warranty Card
- Important Safety Instructions
What's in the Box of ELAC Muro SUB2020?
Here are the items that come with the Muro SUB2020:
- Powered subwoofer
- 8-feet AC power cord
- 4 Cone feet
- 2 Brackets
- 2 Machine screws
- 2 Wood screws
- 2 Washers
- 2 Wall anchors
- Operating Instructions
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Price per pair* |
300USD
vs
1000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
32 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
200 Hz
vs
150 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 App-Based Control |
iOS,Android
vs
None
|
Control the speaker via an app |
 Height |
399mm
vs
415mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
952cm2
vs
1866cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Wireless Operation |
Optional
vs
No
|
Connect your subwoofer to your system wireless |
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 96% more floor area. ELAC Muro SUB2020 stands 40mm further into the room. JBL Stage A120P is 16mm taller.
| General |
JBL Stage A120P |
ELAC Muro SUB2020 |
| Brand |
JBL |
ELAC |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
250 watts |
200 watts |
| Frequency Response |
32-150 Hz |
28-200 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
250-watt RMS |
200-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
500-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polycellulose |
Woven Cellulose Fiber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front |
side or bottom |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
415.0mm (16.3") |
399.0mm (15.7") |
| Width |
393.0mm (15.5") |
185.0mm (7.3") |
| Depth |
475.0mm (18.7") |
515.0mm (20.3") |
| Weight |
18.68kg (41.1lbs) |
12.73kg (28lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass reflex |
Acoustic Suspension |
| Grille |
Yes |
n/a |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
1 Year |
1 Year |
| Labor Warranty |
1 Year |
1 Year |
A ported subwoofer against a sealed 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 | B | ELAC Muro SUB2020 goes deeper - 28Hz against 32Hz. A real difference, though most music has little content below 32Hz. |
| Amplifier power | A | JBL Stage A120P has the bigger amplifier - 250W against 200W RMS, about 1dB more on tap. In a large room that is headroom before the DSP starts limiting. |
| Driver area | A | 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 | 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; ELAC Muro SUB2020 is sealed - a sealed box rolls off gently and is usually the easier one to integrate in a small or awkward room. Neither is better in the abstract; ported tends to suit films and sealed tends to suit music, and both generalisations have exceptions. |
| Wireless option | depends | Only ELAC Muro SUB2020 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 | JBL Stage A120P fires front and ELAC Muro SUB2020 fires side or down. 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 Muro SUB2020 is about 51% 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 | A | JBL Stage A120P costs less - $300 against $1,000, about 70% less. |
A JBL Stage A120P B ELAC Muro SUB2020
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?
JBL Stage A120P has the edge on paper, though not by much. The "depends" rows are more likely to decide this than the score is. 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 Muro SUB2020 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 $1,000 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.