In this review, we will be comparing Stage 280F and A190, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by JBL.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of JBL Stage 280F and JBL Stage A190 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | JBL Stage 280F | JBL Stage A190 |
|---|
| Brand | JBL
United States · founded 1946 | JBL
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" HDI (High Definition Imaging) waveguide |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8" Polycellulose | 2 x 8" Polycellulose |
|---|
| Frequency response | 39-25k Hz | 36-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 91 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-225 watts | 20-225 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 25.09kg / 55.2lbs | 22.61kg / 49.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 43-13/16" x 14-1/8" x 16-1/2"
1113.0 x 359.0 x 420.0mm | 43-15/16" x 13-1/4" x 17-1/2"
1117.0 x 337.0 x 445.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the JBL Stage 280F and JBL Stage A190 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 280F |
JBL Stage A190 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Average |
(* 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Stage 280F is a 3-way design whereas the A190 is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
JBL Stage 280FJBL Stage A190
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 280F |
JBL Stage A190 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Stage 280F features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 8" Polycellulose Woofer. On the other hand, the A190 features a 1" aluminum HDI (High Definition Imaging) waveguide Tweeter and 2 x 8" Polycellulose Woofer.
Frequency Response
Stage 280F has a frequency range of 39-25k Hz whereas A190 has a frequency range of 36-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 36Hz, the A190 can go slightly deeper then the Stage 280F's min frequency of 39Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing 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 280F and A190 have the same Impedance of 6 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 91 dB.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing 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 280F and A190 have the same power range of 20-225 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
A190 features 5-Way post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Stage 280F has a 5-Way post which doesn't 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 280F's and JBL Stage A190's external dimensions. JBL Stage 280F has external dimensions of 1113.0 x 359.0 x 420.0mm (43-13/16inch x 14-1/8inch x 16-1/2inch) whereas JBL Stage A190 has external dimensions of 1117.0 x 337.0 x 445.0mm (43-15/16 x 13-1/4 x 17-1/2inch).
JBL Stage 280F is 4mm shorter and 25mm less deeper than JBL Stage A190 but it is also 22mm wider.
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 JBL Stage 280F is approximately 1507.8cm2 / 233.7inch2 and base area of the JBL Stage A190 is approximately 1499.7cm2 / 232.5inch2. The Stage 280F requires 1% more surface area than the A190 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The JBL Stage 280F weighs 25.09kg / 55.2lbs and the JBL Stage A190 weighs 22.61kg / 49.7lbs. This makes the Stage 280F 11% heavier than the A190.
Here is a comparison of how Stage 280F and A190's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of JBL Stage 280F?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Stage 280F:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker Grille Plinth 4 Spikes 4 Screws Hex-key Quick Start Guide Important Safety Instructions
What's in the Box of JBL Stage A190?
Here are the items that come with the A190:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Outriggers
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spikes
- 8 Screws
- 2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)
- Owners Manual
- Warranty Card
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Dolby Atmos Drivers |
Optional
vs
No
|
Dolby Atmos Compatibility |
 Height |
1113mm
vs
1117mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Low Frequency Response |
36 Hz
vs
39 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Base Surface Area |
1499cm2
vs
1507cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1000USD
vs
1199USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
JBL Stage 280F |
JBL Stage A190 |
| Brand |
JBL |
JBL |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-225 watts |
20-225 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
91 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
39-25k Hz |
36-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polycellulose |
Polycellulose |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Hard-Dome |
HDI (High Definition Imaging) waveguide |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1113.0mm (43.8") |
1117.0mm (44") |
| Width |
359.0mm (14.1") |
337.0mm (13.3") |
| Depth |
420.0mm (16.5") |
445.0mm (17.5") |
| Weight |
25.09kg (55.2lbs) |
22.61kg (49.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF, Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Espresso,Latte |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: JBL Stage 280F is the newer design, against a 2018 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | JBL Stage A190 digs deeper - 36Hz against 39Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (91dB vs 91dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (225W vs 225W). |
| Size | depends | Similar cabinet size - neither is easier to fit. |
| Expandability | depends | JBL Stage 280F: Atmos drivers; JBL Stage A190: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | JBL Stage A190 is cheaper - $1,000 against $1,199, about 17% less. |
A JBL Stage 280F B JBL Stage A190
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 speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
JBL Stage A190 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.