In this review, we will be comparing A120P and S 810 SUB, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from JBL and Jamo. 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 Jamo S 810 SUB 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 Jamo S 810 SUB have a single woofer setup however the JBL Stage A120P's woofer is 12-inch whereas the Jamo S 810 SUB features a 10-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
A120P has a frequency range of 32-150 Hz whereas S 810 SUB has a frequency range of 36-180 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the A120P can go slightly deeper then the S 810 SUB's min frequency of 36Hz.
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 Jamo S 810 SUB have Bass Reflex type enclosure. 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.
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 Jamo S 810 SUB'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 Jamo S 810 SUB has external dimensions of 508.0 x 228.0 x 405.0mm (20 x 8-15/16 x 15-15/16inch).
Jamo S 810 SUB is 165mm narrower and 70mm less deeper than JBL Stage A120P but it is also 93mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of JBL Stage A120P and Jamo S 810 SUB in scale.
Comparison image of JBL Stage A120P and Jamo S 810 SUB 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 Jamo S 810 SUB is approximately 923.4cm2 / 143.1inch2. The A120P requires 102% more surface area than the S 810 SUB 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 Jamo S 810 SUB weighs 11.82kg / 26lbs. This makes the A120P 58% heavier than the S 810 SUB.
Here is a comparison of how A120P and S 810 SUB'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 Jamo S 810 SUB?
Here are the items that come with the S 810 SUB:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille
- 5-feet AC power cord
- 6.5-feet Mono-RCA cable
- 4 Rubber feet
- User Manual
- Important Safety Instructions
- Warranty Information
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
36 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
415mm
vs
508mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 High Frequency Response |
180 Hz
vs
150 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Base Surface Area |
923cm2
vs
1866cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
199USD
vs
300USD
|
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 102% more floor area. JBL Stage A120P stands 70mm further into the room. Jamo S 810 SUB is 93mm taller.
| General |
JBL Stage A120P |
Jamo S 810 SUB |
| Brand |
JBL |
Jamo |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
250 watts |
75 watts |
| Frequency Response |
32-150 Hz |
36-180 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
250-watt RMS |
75-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
500-watt RMS |
n/a |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polycellulose |
Polyfiber |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front |
Side |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
415.0mm (16.3") |
508.0mm (20") |
| Width |
393.0mm (15.5") |
228.0mm (9") |
| Depth |
475.0mm (18.7") |
405.0mm (15.9") |
| Weight |
18.68kg (41.1lbs) |
11.82kg (26lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
1 Year |
2 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
1 Year |
2 Years |
No single best subwoofer here. Your room, where the box can physically go, and whether this is mainly for films or mainly for music will settle it long before the specs do.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass depth | A | JBL Stage A120P goes deeper - 32Hz against 36Hz. A real difference, though most music has little content below 36Hz. |
| Amplifier power | A | JBL Stage A120P has the bigger amplifier - 250W against 75W RMS, about 5.2dB 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 | evenly matched | Both are ported designs, so they roll off in much the same way. |
| Driver placement | depends | JBL Stage A120P fires front and Jamo S 810 SUB fires side. 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 | Jamo S 810 SUB 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. |
| Warranty | B | Jamo S 810 SUB carries 2 years on parts against 1 years. A subwoofer amplifier works harder than anything else in the system, so this is not a throwaway line. |
| Price | B | Jamo S 810 SUB costs less - $199 against $300, about 34% less. |
A JBL Stage A120P B Jamo S 810 SUB
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: JBL Stage A120P measures better, Jamo S 810 SUB costs about 34% less. In a normal room, placement will make a bigger difference than the gap between these two. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - Jamo S 810 SUB 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.