In this review, we will be comparing Stage 260W and Stage 250WL, two Passive In-wall speakers by JBL.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of JBL Stage 260W and JBL Stage 250WL first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | JBL Stage 260W | JBL Stage 250WL |
|---|
| Brand | JBL
United States · founded 1946 | JBL
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Horn-Loaded | 1" Horn-Loaded |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Polycellulose | 2 x 5.25" Polycellulose |
|---|
| Frequency response | 50-25kHz | 52-25kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-100 watts | 20-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | — | 3.49kg / 7.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 12.2500" x 7.2500" x 3.5625"
312.0 x 185.0 x 91.0mm | 18.1250" x 6.3750" x 3.8125"
461.0 x 162.0 x 97.0mm |
|---|
Stage 260W and Stage 250WL 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 260W and JBL Stage 250WL 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 260W |
JBL Stage 250WL |
| Near-field |
Average |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
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.
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Drivers
Both Stage 260W and Stage 250WL are 2-way speakers.
JBL Stage 260WJBL Stage 250WL
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 260W |
JBL Stage 250WL |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
Stage 260W features a 1" Horn-Loaded Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Polycellulose Woofer. On the other hand, the Stage 250WL features a 1" Horn-Loaded Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Polycellulose Woofer.
Frequency Response
Stage 260W has a frequency range of 50-25kHz whereas Stage 250WL has a frequency range of 52-25kHz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the Stage 260W can go slightly deeper then 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 260W and Stage 250WL have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Stage 260W sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the Stage 250WL's is at 90 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the JBL Stage 250WL a more sensitive speaker compared to JBL Stage 260W, 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Stage 250WL can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS, whereas Stage 260W has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the Stage 250WL.
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 260W features Spring post type posts and Stage 250WL has a Spring post 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 260W's and JBL Stage 250WL's external dimensions. JBL Stage 260W has external dimensions of 312.0 x 185.0 x 91.0mm (12.2500-inch x 7.2500-inch x 3.5625-inch) whereas 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).
JBL Stage 260W is 149mm shorter and 6mm less deeper than JBL Stage 250WL but it is also 23mm wider.
What's in the Box of JBL Stage 260W?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Stage 260W:
- In-wall loudspeaker
- Grille
- Cut-Out Template
- Quick Start Guide
What's in the Box of JBL Stage 250WL?
Here are the items that come with the Stage 250WL:
- In-wall loudspeaker
- Grille
- Cut-Out Template
- Quick Start Guide