In this review, we will be comparing Phantom H-60 and Stage 280W, two Passive In-wall speakers from DALI and JBL. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of DALI Phantom H-60 and JBL Stage 280W first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
DALI Phantom H-60 Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1.1" Soft-Dome Tweeter
- 6.5" Wood Fiber Woofer
- 51-25kHz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 6ohms
- Power Range:30-150watts
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 266.0" x 10.4375" x 3.6875"( 266.0 x 266.0 x 94.0mm )
JBL Stage 280W Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1" Horn-Loaded Tweeter
- 8" Polycellulose Woofer
- 42-25kHz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:20-120watts
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 374.0" x 9.3750" x 3.8750"( 374.0 x 239.0 x 99.0mm )
What size room are the DALI Phantom H-60 and JBL Stage 280W speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
DALI Phantom H-60 |
JBL Stage 280W |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2, Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: > 400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening position, speaker locations, etc.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the DALI Phantom H-60 and JBL Stage 280W compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
Both Phantom H-60 and Stage 280W are 2-way speakers.
| Driver |
DALI Phantom H-60 |
JBL Stage 280W |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 8-inch
|
Phantom H-60 features a 1.1" Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Wood Fiber Woofer . On the other hand, the Stage 280W features a 1" Horn-Loaded Tweeter and 1 x 8" Polycellulose Woofer .
Frequency Response
Phantom H-60 has a frequency range of 51-25kHz whereas Stage 280W has a frequency range of 42-25kHz. With a minimum frequency of 42Hz, the Stage 280W can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Phantom H-60's min frequency of 51Hz.
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 In-wall class in our database.
Low Frequency
In-wall Speakers
High Frequency
In-wall Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Phantom H-60 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Stage 280W which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Phantom H-60 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the Stage 280W's is rated at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the JBL Stage 280W a more sensitive speaker compared to DALI Phantom H-60, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
In-wall Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Phantom H-60 can handle a max power of 150 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Stage 280W has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 30 watts less than the Phantom H-60.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Phantom H-60 features Spring clip type posts and Stage 280W has a Spring clip type posts. None of these speakers feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare DALI Phantom H-60's and JBL Stage 280W's external dimensions. DALI Phantom H-60 has external dimensions of 266.0 x 266.0 x 94.0mm ( 10.4375-inch x 10.4375-inch x 3.6875-inch) whereas JBL Stage 280W has external dimensions of 374.0 x 239.0 x 99.0mm ( 14.6875-inch x 9.3750-inch x 3.8750-inch) .
DALI Phantom H-60 is 108mm shorter and 5mm less deeper than JBL Stage 280W but it is also 27mm wider.
What's in the Box of DALI Phantom H-60?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Phantom H-60:
2 loudspeakers2 Grilles2 Logo badges2 Foam blocks (pre-installed)Allen-keyManualCutout Template
What's in the Box of JBL Stage 280W?
Here are the items that come with the Stage 280W:
In-wall loudspeakerGrilleCut-Out TemplateQuick Start Guide
Max Input Power 
Height 
Sensitivity 
Nominal Impedance 
Woofer Size 
Base Surface Area 
Price per pair*