In this review, we will be comparing A170 and A190, two Passive Floor-standing speakers by JBL.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of JBL Stage A170 and JBL Stage A190 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | JBL Stage A170 | JBL Stage A190 |
|---|
| Brand | JBL
United States · founded 1946 | JBL
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" HDI (High Definition Imaging) waveguide | 1" HDI (High Definition Imaging) waveguide |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.25" Polycellulose | 2 x 8" Polycellulose |
|---|
| Frequency response | 44-40k Hz | 36-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 91 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-200 watts | 20-225 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 14.37kg / 31.6lbs | 22.61kg / 49.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 38-7/16" x 10-1/2" x 13"
977.0 x 267.0 x 331.0mm | 43-15/16" x 13-1/4" x 17-1/2"
1117.0 x 337.0 x 445.0mm |
|---|
A170 and A190 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 A170 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 A170 |
JBL Stage A190 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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
Both A170 and A190 are 2-way speakers.
JBL Stage A170JBL 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 A170 |
JBL Stage A190 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
A170 features a 1" aluminum HDI (High Definition Imaging) waveguide Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" 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
A170 has a frequency range of 44-40k Hz whereas A190 has a frequency range of 36-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 36Hz, the A190 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the A170's min frequency of 44Hz.
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
A170 and A190 have the same Impedance of 6 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. A170 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the A190's is at 91 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the JBL Stage A190 a more sensitive speaker compared to JBL Stage A170, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
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.
A190 can handle a max power of 225 watts RMS, whereas A170 has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 25 watts less than the A190.
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
Both A170 and A190 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or 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 A170's and JBL Stage A190's external dimensions. JBL Stage A170 has external dimensions of 977.0 x 267.0 x 331.0mm (38-7/16 x 10-1/2 x 13inch) 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 A190 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 70mm wider, 140mm taller and 114mm deeper than JBL Stage A170.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of JBL Stage A170 and JBL Stage A190 in scale.
Comparison image of JBL Stage A170 and JBL Stage A190 Size and External Dimensions
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 A170 is approximately 883.8cm2 / 137.0inch2 and base area of the JBL Stage A190 is approximately 1499.7cm2 / 232.5inch2. The A170 requires 41% less surface area than the A190 which gives it a small advantage 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 A170 weighs 14.37kg / 31.6lbs and the JBL Stage A190 weighs 22.61kg / 49.7lbs. This makes the A190 57% heavier than the A170.
Here is a comparison of how A170 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 A170?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of A170:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Outriggers
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spikes
- 8 Screws
- 2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)
- Owners Manual
- Warranty Card
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
 Height |
977mm
vs
1117mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
883cm2
vs
1499cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
600USD
vs
1000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
225 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
36 Hz
vs
44 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
| General |
JBL Stage A170 |
JBL Stage A190 |
| Brand |
JBL |
JBL |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-200 watts |
20-225 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
91 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
44-40k Hz |
36-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.25" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polycellulose |
Polycellulose |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
HDI (High Definition Imaging) waveguide |
HDI (High Definition Imaging) waveguide |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
977.0mm (38.5") |
1117.0mm (44") |
| Width |
267.0mm (10.5") |
337.0mm (13.3") |
| Depth |
331.0mm (13") |
445.0mm (17.5") |
| Weight |
14.37kg (31.6lbs) |
22.61kg (49.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF, Vinyl |
MDF, Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
Siblings in JBL's Stage series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | JBL Stage A190 digs deeper - 36Hz against 44Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | JBL Stage A190 is more sensitive (91dB vs 89dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (200W vs 225W). |
| Size | depends | JBL Stage A170 is easier to place; JBL Stage A190 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | JBL Stage A170: bi-amping; JBL Stage A190: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | JBL Stage A170 is cheaper - $600 against $1,000, about 40% less; arguably a different class. |
A JBL Stage A170 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?
The usual trade-off: JBL Stage A190 measures better, JBL Stage A170 costs about about 67% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 44Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper JBL Stage A170 much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate JBL Stage A170 the better fit for a mid-size room, and JBL Stage A190 for a very large room.
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.