In this review, we will be comparing Nova 10 and A120P, two Powered Subwoofer speakers from Wharfedale 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 Wharfedale Nova 10 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 Wharfedale Nova 10and JBL Stage A120P have a single woofer setup however the Wharfedale Nova 10's woofer is 10-inch whereas the JBL Stage A120P features a 12-inch woofer.
Frequency Response
Nova 10 has a frequency range of 29 Hz (-6dB) whereas A120P has a frequency range of 32-150 Hz. With a minimum frequency of 29Hz, the Nova 10 can go slightly deeper then 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 Wharfedale Nova 10 has a Passive Radiator type cabinet. Passive Radiator type subwoofers sports a non-powered cone that moves in response to the main woofer to move air out in order to generate stronger bass in a smaller body compared to ported or sealed 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 Wharfedale Nova 10's and JBL Stage A120P's external dimensions. Wharfedale Nova 10 has external dimensions of 391.0 x 363.0 x 408.0mm (15.39inch x 14.29inch x 16.06inch) 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 30mm wider, 24mm taller and 67mm deeper than Wharfedale Nova 10.
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 26% more floor or shelf area. JBL Stage A120P is 67mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. JBL Stage A120P is 24mm 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 Wharfedale Nova 10 is approximately 1481.0cm2 / 229.6inch2 and base area of the JBL Stage A120P is approximately 1866.8cm2 / 289.4inch2. The Nova 10 requires 21% 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 Wharfedale Nova 10 weighs 22.20kg / 48.8lbs and the JBL Stage A120P weighs 18.68kg / 41.1lbs. This makes the Nova 10 19% heavier than the A120P.
Here is a comparison of how Nova 10 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 Wharfedale Nova 10?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Nova 10:
- Subwoofer
- Power cord
- Manual
- Rubber feet pads
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 |
29 Hz
vs
32 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Passive Radiator |
1 x 10-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Height |
391mm
vs
415mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1481cm2
vs
1866cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| Woofer Size |
12 inches
vs
10 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
150 Hz
vs
Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
300USD
vs
1299USD
|
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 26% more floor area. JBL Stage A120P stands 67mm further into the room. JBL Stage A120P is 24mm taller.
| General |
Wharfedale Nova 10 |
JBL Stage A120P |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
JBL |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Subwoofer |
Powered Subwoofer |
| Max Amplifier Output |
230 watts |
250 watts |
| Frequency Response |
29 Hz (-6dB) |
32-150 Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
230-watt RMS |
250-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
500-watt RMS |
500-watt RMS |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
10" |
12" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper |
Polycellulose |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
- |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
391.0mm (15.4") |
415.0mm (16.3") |
| Width |
363.0mm (14.3") |
393.0mm (15.5") |
| Depth |
408.0mm (16.1") |
475.0mm (18.7") |
| Weight |
22.20kg (48.8lbs) |
18.68kg (41.1lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Bass reflex |
| Finish |
Matte Black |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Black |
n/a |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| USB Port |
USB port for firmware updates |
n/a |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
1 Year |
| Labor Warranty |
|
1 Year |
A passive radiator 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 | Wharfedale Nova 10 goes deeper - 29Hz against 32Hz. A real difference, though most music has little content below 32Hz. |
| Amplifier power | evenly matched | Much the same amplifier (230W vs 250W RMS) - under 1dB apart. |
| Driver area | B | 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 | depends | Wharfedale Nova 10 is passive radiator - a passive radiator behaves like a port without the pipe noise, and suits a slim cabinet; 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. |
| Speaker-level inputs | A | Wharfedale Nova 10 takes a speaker-level connection as well as line level. That is what lets it work with an integrated amplifier or a vintage receiver that has no subwoofer output at all. |
| Cabinet size | depends | Wharfedale Nova 10 is about 25% 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 $1,299, about 77% less. |
A Wharfedale Nova 10 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?
Wharfedale Nova 10 is ahead, but on only 1 of the measured areas, and it costs about 4.3x the price. JBL Stage A120P is the sensible buy unless your room is large enough to need the extra. Check your amplifier first: if it has no subwoofer or preamp output, Wharfedale Nova 10 is the only one of these two you can connect at all. 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 $1,299 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.