In this review, we will be comparing 3060S and A120P, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Q Acoustics 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 Q Acoustics 3060S 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 Q Acoustics 3060Sand JBL Stage A120P have a single woofer setup however the Q Acoustics 3060S's woofer is 8-inch whereas the JBL Stage A120P features a 12-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
3060S has a frequency range of 35-250 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 3060S'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 Q Acoustics 3060S has a Infinite Baffle type cabinet. 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 Q Acoustics 3060S's and JBL Stage A120P's external dimensions. Q Acoustics 3060S has external dimensions of 324.0 x 480.0 x 155.0mm (12-3/4 x 18-7/8 x 6-1/8inch) 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).
Q Acoustics 3060S is 91mm shorter and 320mm less deeper than JBL Stage A120P but it is also 87mm wider.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers 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 surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
JBL Stage A120P needs about 151% more floor or shelf area. JBL Stage A120P is 320mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. JBL Stage A120P is 91mm 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 Q Acoustics 3060S is approximately 744.0cm2 / 115.3inch2 and base area of the JBL Stage A120P is approximately 1866.8cm2 / 289.4inch2. The 3060S requires 60% 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 Q Acoustics 3060S weighs 8.50kg / 18.7lbs and the JBL Stage A120P weighs 18.68kg / 41.1lbs. This makes the A120P 120% heavier than the 3060S.
Here is a comparison of how 3060S and A120P's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Subwoofer class.
Weight
All Subwoofer Speakers
 High Frequency Response |
250 Hz
vs
150 Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
324mm
vs
415mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
744cm2
vs
1866cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
299USD
vs
300USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
8 inches
|
Larger woofer |
| Low Frequency Response |
32 Hz
vs
35 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
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 151% more floor area. JBL Stage A120P stands 320mm further into the room. JBL Stage A120P is 91mm taller.
| General |
Q Acoustics 3060S |
JBL Stage A120P |
| Brand |
Q Acoustics |
JBL |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
150 watts |
250 watts |
| Frequency Response |
35-250 Hz |
32-150 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
150-watt RMS |
250-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
n/a |
500-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper composite |
Polycellulose |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
324.0mm (12.8") |
415.0mm (16.3") |
| Width |
480.0mm (18.9") |
393.0mm (15.5") |
| Depth |
155.0mm (6.1") |
475.0mm (18.7") |
| Weight |
8.50kg (18.7lbs) |
18.68kg (41.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Infinite Baffle |
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 | B | JBL Stage A120P has the bigger amplifier - 250W against 150W RMS, about 2.2dB 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 | Q Acoustics 3060S 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 | Q Acoustics 3060S is about 69% 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 | Q Acoustics 3060S 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 | evenly matched | Priced within a few per cent of each other. |
A Q Acoustics 3060S 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, Q Acoustics 3060S is usually the easier one to make sound right. If placement is the constraint - a corner, behind a sofa, under a desk - Q Acoustics 3060S 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.