In this review, we will be comparing Foundry F12 and A120P, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from PS 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 PS Audio Foundry F12 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.
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Drivers
The efficiency of a subwoofer is directly proportional to the total radiating are squared hence the woofer quantity and diameter.PS Audio Foundry F12and JBL Stage A120P have the same driver set up: Both subwoofers have 1 x 12" drivers.
Frequency Response
Foundry F12 has a frequency range of 20-500 Hz whereas A120P has a frequency range of 32-150 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 20Hz, the Foundry F12 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 PS Audio Foundry F12 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 PS Audio Foundry F12's and JBL Stage A120P's external dimensions. PS Audio Foundry F12 has external dimensions of 425.0 x 375.0 x 444.0mm (16-3/4 x 14-3/4 x 17-1/2inch) 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).
PS Audio Foundry F12 is 18mm narrower and 31mm less deeper than JBL Stage A120P but it is also 10mm taller.
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 PS Audio Foundry F12 is approximately 1665.0cm2 / 258.1inch2 and base area of the JBL Stage A120P is approximately 1866.8cm2 / 289.4inch2. The Foundry F12 requires 11% 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 PS Audio Foundry F12 weighs 35.00kg / 77lbs and the JBL Stage A120P weighs 18.68kg / 41.1lbs. This makes the Foundry F12 87% heavier than the A120P.
Here is a comparison of how Foundry F12 and A120P's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 Low Frequency Response |
20 Hz
vs
32 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
500k Hz
vs
150k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Passive Radiator |
RCA
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Base Surface Area |
1665cm2
vs
1866cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Height |
415mm
vs
425mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Price per pair* |
300USD
vs
2749USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
PS Audio Foundry F12 |
JBL Stage A120P |
| Brand |
PS Audio |
JBL |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
1000 watts |
250 watts |
| Frequency Response |
20-500 Hz |
32-150 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
1000-watt RMS |
250-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
n/a |
500-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
12" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
Composite |
Polycellulose |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
425.0mm (16.7") |
415.0mm (16.3") |
| Width |
375.0mm (14.8") |
393.0mm (15.5") |
| Depth |
444.0mm (17.5") |
475.0mm (18.7") |
| Weight |
35.00kg (77lbs) |
18.68kg (41.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Bass reflex |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
1 Year |
| Labor Warranty |
|
1 Year |