In this review, we will be comparing A190 and RTi A5, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from JBL and Polk Audio.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of JBL Stage A190 and Polk RTi A5 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | JBL Stage A190 | Polk RTi A5 |
|---|
| Brand | JBL
United States · founded 1946 | Polk Audio
United States · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" HDI (High Definition Imaging) waveguide | 1" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8" Polycellulose | 2 x 6.5" Polymer composite |
|---|
| Frequency response | 36-40k Hz | 40-26k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-225 watts | 20-250 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 22.61kg / 49.7lbs | 18.18kg / 40lbs |
|---|
| 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 | 39-5/8" x 10-9/16" x 15-7/8"
1007.0 x 269.0 x 404.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the JBL Stage A190 and Polk RTi A5 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 |
Polk RTi A5 |
| 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
Both A190 and RTi A5 are 2-way speakers.
JBL Stage A190Polk RTi A5
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 |
Polk RTi A5 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
A190 features a 1" aluminum HDI (High Definition Imaging) waveguide Tweeter and 2 x 8" Polycellulose Woofer. On the other hand, the RTi A5 features a 1" Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Polymer composite Woofer.
Frequency Response
A190 has a frequency range of 36-40k Hz whereas RTi A5 has a frequency range of 40-26k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 36Hz, the A190 can go slightly deeper then the RTi A5's min frequency of 40Hz.
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 RTi A5 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 RTi A5's is rated at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the JBL Stage A190 a more sensitive speaker compared to Polk RTi A5, 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.
RTi A5 can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS, whereas A190 has a max power handling value of 225 watts RMS, 25 watts less than the RTi A5.
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 A190 and RTi A5 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 A190's and Polk RTi A5'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 Polk RTi A5 has external dimensions of 1007.0 x 269.0 x 404.0mm (39-5/8 x 10-9/16 x 15-7/8inch).
JBL Stage A190 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 68mm wider, 110mm taller and 41mm deeper than Polk RTi A5.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of JBL Stage A190 and Polk RTi A5 in scale.
Comparison image of JBL Stage A190 and Polk RTi A5 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 A190 is approximately 1499.7cm2 / 232.5inch2 and base area of the Polk RTi A5 is approximately 1086.8cm2 / 168.5inch2. The A190 requires 38% more surface area than the RTi A5 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 A190 weighs 22.61kg / 49.7lbs and the Polk RTi A5 weighs 18.18kg / 40lbs. This makes the A190 24% heavier than the RTi A5.
Here is a comparison of how A190 and RTi A5'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 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 Polk RTi A5?
Here are the items that come with the RTi A5:
- Cherry floor-standing speaker
- Detachable black cloth grille
- 4 Screw-on spike feet
- Owners Manual
- Online registration sheet
- Polk Audio product brochure
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
36 Hz
vs
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
26k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
225 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Height |
1007mm
vs
1117mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
1086cm2
vs
1499cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
798USD
vs
1000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
JBL Stage A190 |
Polk Audio RTi A5 |
| Brand |
JBL |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-225 watts |
20-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
91 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
36-40k Hz |
40-26k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polycellulose |
Polymer composite |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Butyl Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
HDI (High Definition Imaging) waveguide |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1117.0mm (44") |
1007.0mm (39.6") |
| Width |
337.0mm (13.3") |
269.0mm (10.6") |
| Depth |
445.0mm (17.5") |
404.0mm (15.9") |
| Weight |
22.61kg (49.7lbs) |
18.18kg (40lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF, Vinyl |
Real wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Cherry |
| 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 |
A generation apart: JBL Stage A190 is the newer design, against a 2008 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | JBL Stage A190 digs deeper - 36Hz against 40Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (91dB vs 90dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | B | Polk RTi A5 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (225W vs 250W). |
| Size | depends | Polk RTi A5 is easier to place; JBL Stage A190 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | JBL Stage A190: bi-amping; Polk RTi A5: bi-amping. JBL Stage A190 sits in a wider range (10 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | Polk RTi A5 is cheaper - $798 against $1,000, about 20% less. |
A JBL Stage A190 B Polk RTi A5
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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. In a large or open-plan room, JBL Stage A190 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Polk RTi A5 is the easier speaker to get right.
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.