In this review, we will be comparing Stage 250WL and Stage 280W, two Passive In-wall speakers by JBL.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of JBL Stage 250WL and JBL Stage 280W first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | JBL Stage 250WL | JBL Stage 280W |
|---|
| Brand | JBL
United States · founded 1946 | JBL
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Horn-Loaded | 1" Horn-Loaded |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.25" Polycellulose | 8" Polycellulose |
|---|
| Frequency response | 52-25kHz | 42-25kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-120 watts | 20-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 3.49kg / 7.7lbs | — |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 18.1250" x 6.3750" x 3.8125"
461.0 x 162.0 x 97.0mm | 14.6875" x 9.3750" x 3.8750"
374.0 x 239.0 x 99.0mm |
|---|
Stage 250WL and Stage 280W are members of JBL's Stage series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
What size room are the JBL Stage 250WL 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* |
JBL Stage 250WL |
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.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Stage 250WL and Stage 280W are 2-way speakers.
JBL Stage 250WLJBL Stage 280W
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
JBL Stage 250WL |
JBL Stage 280W |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
1 x 8-inch
|
Stage 250WL features a 1" Horn-Loaded Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Polycellulose Woofer. On the other hand, the Stage 280W features a 1" Horn-Loaded Tweeter and 1 x 8" Polycellulose Woofer.
Frequency Response
Stage 250WL has a frequency range of 52-25kHz 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 Stage 250WL's min frequency of 52Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the In-wall class in our database.
Low Frequency
In-wall Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Stage 250WL and Stage 280W have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 90 dB.
Sensitivity
In-wall Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Stage 250WL and Stage 280W have the same power range of 20-120 watts.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier - change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Stage 250WL 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
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 JBL Stage 250WL's and JBL Stage 280W's external dimensions. JBL Stage 250WL has external dimensions of 461.0 x 162.0 x 97.0mm (18.1250-inch x 6.3750-inch x 3.8125-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).
JBL Stage 250WL is 77mm narrower and 2mm less deeper than JBL Stage 280W but it is also 87mm taller.
What's in the Box of JBL Stage 250WL?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Stage 250WL:
- In-wall loudspeaker
- Grille
- Cut-Out Template
- Quick Start Guide
What's in the Box of JBL Stage 280W?
Here are the items that come with the Stage 280W:
- In-wall loudspeaker
- Grille
- Cut-Out Template
- Quick Start Guide