In this review, we will be comparing Concord and A190, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from KLH and JBL.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of KLH Concord and JBL Stage A190 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | KLH Concord | JBL Stage A190 |
|---|
| Brand | KLH
United States · founded 1957 | JBL
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" | 1" HDI (High Definition Imaging) waveguide |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Kevlar | 2 x 8" Polycellulose |
|---|
| Frequency response | 28-23k Hz | 36-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 94 dB | 91 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 225 watts | 20-225 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 20.45kg / 45lbs | 22.61kg / 49.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 40-3/8" x 8-5/16" x 14-15/16"
1026.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm | 43-15/16" x 13-1/4" x 17-1/2"
1117.0 x 337.0 x 445.0mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Concord and A190 are 2-way speakers.
KLH ConcordJBL 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 |
KLH Concord |
JBL Stage A190 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
Concord features a 1" anodized aluminum Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Kevlar 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
Concord has a frequency range of 28-23k Hz whereas A190 has a frequency range of 36-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the Concord can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the A190's min frequency of 36Hz.
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
Concord is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the A190 which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Concord sensitivity is rated at 94 dB and the A190's is rated at 91 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the KLH Concord a more sensitive speaker compared to JBL Stage A190, 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.
Both handle the same maximum of 225 watts RMS, though Concord is rated up to 225 watts and A190 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. Concord has a 5-Way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
KLH Concord's 5-Way post terminals
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 KLH Concord's and JBL Stage A190's external dimensions. KLH Concord has external dimensions of 1026.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm (40-3/8 x 8-5/16 x 14-15/16inch) 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 125mm wider, 91mm taller and 65mm deeper than KLH Concord.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of KLH Concord and JBL Stage A190 in scale.
Comparison image of KLH Concord 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 KLH Concord is approximately 805.6cm2 / 124.9inch2 and base area of the JBL Stage A190 is approximately 1499.7cm2 / 232.5inch2. The Concord requires 46% 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 KLH Concord weighs 20.45kg / 45lbs and the JBL Stage A190 weighs 22.61kg / 49.7lbs. This makes the A190 11% heavier than the Concord.
Here is a comparison of how Concord 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 KLH Concord?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Concord:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Spike feet (w/ locking nut attached)
- 4 Protective discs
- 4 Rubber feet
- Port plug
- Manual
- ATTENTION! note
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
 Sensitivity |
94 dB
vs
91 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
36 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1026mm
vs
1117mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
805cm2
vs
1499cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
|
Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
| General |
KLH Concord |
JBL Stage A190 |
| Brand |
KLH |
JBL |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 225 watts |
20-225 watts |
| Sensitivity |
94 dB |
91 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
28-23k Hz |
36-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Kevlar |
Polycellulose |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Butyl Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
HDI (High Definition Imaging) waveguide |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1026.0mm (40.4") |
1117.0mm (44") |
| Width |
212.0mm (8.3") |
337.0mm (13.3") |
| Depth |
380.0mm (15") |
445.0mm (17.5") |
| Weight |
20.45kg (45lbs) |
22.61kg (49.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
MDF, Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Black |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
10 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
10 Years |
5 Years |
A generation apart: KLH Concord 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 | A | KLH Concord digs deeper - 28Hz against 36Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | A | KLH Concord is more sensitive (94dB vs 91dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | A | KLH Concord is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (225W vs 225W). |
| Size | depends | KLH Concord is easier to place; JBL Stage A190 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | JBL Stage A190: bi-amping. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($1,000 vs $1,000 a pair). |
A KLH Concord 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?
KLH Concord has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 36Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. 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, KLH Concord 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.