In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by JBL. JBL Stage A190 is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the Stage 250WL is a In-wall speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of JBL Stage A190 and JBL Stage 250WL first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | JBL Stage A190 | JBL Stage 250WL |
|---|
| Brand | JBL
United States · founded 1946 | JBL
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" HDI (High Definition Imaging) waveguide | 1" Horn-Loaded |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8" Polycellulose | 2 x 5.25" Polycellulose |
|---|
| Frequency response | 36-40k Hz | 52-25kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-225 watts | 20-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 22.61kg / 49.7lbs | 3.49kg / 7.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 43-15/16" x 13-1/4" x 17-1/2"
1117.0 x 337.0 x 445.0mm | 18.1250" x 6.3750" x 3.8125"
461.0 x 162.0 x 97.0mm |
|---|
A190 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 A190 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 A190 |
JBL Stage 250WL |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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 A190 and Stage 250WL are 2-way speakers.
JBL Stage A190JBL 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 A190 |
JBL Stage 250WL |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
A190 features a 1" aluminum HDI (High Definition Imaging) waveguide Tweeter and 2 x 8" Polycellulose Woofer. On the other hand, the Stage 250WL features a 1" Horn-Loaded Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Polycellulose Woofer.
Frequency Response
A190 has a frequency range of 36-40k Hz whereas Stage 250WL has a frequency range of 52-25kHz. With a minimum frequency of 36Hz, the A190 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 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
A190 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Stage 250WL which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. A190 sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Stage 250WL's is rated at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the JBL Stage A190 a more sensitive speaker compared to JBL Stage 250WL, 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 Stage 250WL has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 105 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
A190 features 5-Way post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Stage 250WL has a Spring 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 A190's and JBL Stage 250WL's external dimensions. 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) 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 A190 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 175mm wider, 656mm taller and 348mm deeper than JBL Stage 250WL.
What's in the Box of JBL Stage A190?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of A190:
- 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 250WL?
Here are the items that come with the Stage 250WL:
- In-wall loudspeaker
- Grille
- Cut-Out Template
- Quick Start Guide