In this review, we will be comparing CW8 and A120P, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Monitor Audio 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 Monitor Audio CW8 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 Monitor Audio CW8and JBL Stage A120P have a single woofer setup however the Monitor Audio CW8's woofer is 8-inch whereas the JBL Stage A120P features a 12-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
CW8 has a frequency range of 35-135 Hz whereas A120P has a frequency range of 32-150 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the A120P can go slightly deeper then the CW8's min frequency of 35Hz.
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 Monitor Audio CW8 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 Monitor Audio CW8's and JBL Stage A120P's external dimensions. Monitor Audio CW8 has external dimensions of 274.0 x 262.0 x 326.0mm (10-3/4 x 10-5/16 x 12-13/16inch) 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 131mm wider, 141mm taller and 149mm deeper than Monitor Audio CW8.
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 Monitor Audio CW8 is approximately 854.1cm2 / 132.4inch2 and base area of the JBL Stage A120P is approximately 1866.8cm2 / 289.4inch2. The CW8 requires 54% 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 Monitor Audio CW8 weighs 9.55kg / 21lbs and the JBL Stage A120P weighs 18.68kg / 41.1lbs. This makes the A120P 96% heavier than the CW8.
Here is a comparison of how CW8 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 Monitor Audio CW8?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of CW8:
- Powered subwoofer
- Grille (pre-installed)
- 4 Rubber feet (pre-installed)
- 6-feet AC power cord
- 10-feet Mono-minijack cable
- Owners Manual
- Warranty Card
- Safety Instructions
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
 Height |
274mm
vs
415mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
854cm2
vs
1866cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
35 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
150 Hz
vs
135 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
300USD
vs
450USD
|
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 119% more floor area. JBL Stage A120P stands 149mm further into the room. JBL Stage A120P is 141mm taller.
| General |
Monitor Audio CW8 |
JBL Stage A120P |
| Brand |
Monitor Audio |
JBL |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
350 watts |
250 watts |
| Frequency Response |
35-135 Hz |
32-150 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
350-watt RMS |
250-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
n/a |
500-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
C-CAM |
Polycellulose |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
274.0mm (10.8") |
415.0mm (16.3") |
| Width |
262.0mm (10.3") |
393.0mm (15.5") |
| Depth |
326.0mm (12.8") |
475.0mm (18.7") |
| Weight |
9.55kg (21lbs) |
18.68kg (41.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Bass reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
1 Year |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
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 | B | JBL Stage A120P goes deeper - 32Hz against 35Hz. A real difference, though most music has little content below 35Hz. |
| Amplifier power | A | Monitor Audio CW8 has the bigger amplifier - 350W against 250W RMS, about 1.5dB 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 8" is 2.25x the cone area, not the 1.5x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | depends | Monitor Audio CW8 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 | Monitor Audio CW8 is about 70% 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 | A | Monitor Audio CW8 carries 5 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 | JBL Stage A120P costs less - $300 against $450, about 33% less. |
A Monitor Audio CW8 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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let your room size and where the box can actually stand settle it. 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, Monitor Audio CW8 is usually the easier one to make sound right. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - Monitor Audio CW8 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.