In this review, we will be comparing SubSeries 150 and A120P, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from PSB 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 PSB SubSeries 150 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 PSB SubSeries 150and JBL Stage A120P have a single woofer setup however the PSB SubSeries 150's woofer is 6.5-inch whereas the JBL Stage A120P features a 12-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
SubSeries 150 has a frequency range of 26-150 Hz whereas A120P has a frequency range of 32-150 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 26Hz, the SubSeries 150 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 PSB SubSeries 150 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 PSB SubSeries 150's and JBL Stage A120P's external dimensions. PSB SubSeries 150 has external dimensions of 280.0 x 447.0 x 143.0mm (11 x 17-9/16 x 5-5/8inch) 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).
PSB SubSeries 150 is 135mm shorter and 332mm less deeper than JBL Stage A120P but it is also 54mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of PSB SubSeries 150 and JBL Stage A120P in scale.
Comparison image of PSB SubSeries 150 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 PSB SubSeries 150 is approximately 639.2cm2 / 99.1inch2 and base area of the JBL Stage A120P is approximately 1866.8cm2 / 289.4inch2. The SubSeries 150 requires 66% 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 PSB SubSeries 150 weighs 6.05kg / 13.3lbs and the JBL Stage A120P weighs 18.68kg / 41.1lbs. This makes the A120P 209% heavier than the SubSeries 150.
Here is a comparison of how SubSeries 150 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 PSB SubSeries 150?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of SubSeries 150:
- Powered subwoofer
- 6-feet AC power cord
- 2 Mounting feet
- Wall-mount bracket
- Quick Start Subwoofer Guide
- Limited Warranty sheet
- Important 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
 Low Frequency Response |
26 Hz
vs
32 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
280mm
vs
415mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
639cm2
vs
1866cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Price per pair* |
300USD
vs
499USD
|
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 192% more floor area. JBL Stage A120P stands 332mm further into the room. JBL Stage A120P is 135mm taller.
| General |
PSB SubSeries 150 |
JBL Stage A120P |
| Brand |
PSB |
JBL |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
100 watts |
250 watts |
| Frequency Response |
26-150 Hz |
32-150 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
100-watt RMS |
250-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
n/a |
500-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
Polycellulose |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
280.0mm (11") |
415.0mm (16.3") |
| Width |
447.0mm (17.6") |
393.0mm (15.5") |
| Depth |
143.0mm (5.6") |
475.0mm (18.7") |
| Weight |
6.05kg (13.3lbs) |
18.68kg (41.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Acoustic Suspension |
Bass reflex |
| Grille |
n/a |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
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 | PSB SubSeries 150 goes deeper - 26Hz against 32Hz. A real difference, though most music has little content below 32Hz. |
| Amplifier power | B | JBL Stage A120P has the bigger amplifier - 250W against 100W RMS, about 4dB 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 6.5" is 3.41x the cone area, not the 1.85x the diameters suggest. More area means the same output with less excursion, and less distortion with it. |
| Enclosure | depends | PSB SubSeries 150 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 | PSB SubSeries 150 is about 77% 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 $499, about 40% less. |
A PSB SubSeries 150 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?
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, PSB SubSeries 150 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 $499 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.