In this review, we will be comparing LX-4 MKII and A170, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Mission and JBL.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Mission LX-4 MKII and JBL Stage A170 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Mission LX-4 MKII | JBL Stage A170 |
|---|
| Brand | Mission
United Kingdom · founded 1977 | JBL
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" HDI (High Definition Imaging) waveguide |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5" Composite fibre | 2 x 5.25" Polycellulose |
|---|
| Frequency response | 45-20k Hz | 44-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-120 watts | 20-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 15.50kg / 34.1lbs | 14.37kg / 31.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 36-1/4" x 7-7/8" x 10-3/4"
920.0 x 200.0 x 273.0mm | 38-7/16" x 10-1/2" x 13"
977.0 x 267.0 x 331.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Mission LX-4 MKII and JBL Stage A170 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* |
Mission LX-4 MKII |
JBL Stage A170 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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 LX-4 MKII and A170 are 2-way speakers.
Mission LX-4 MKIIJBL Stage A170
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Mission LX-4 MKII |
JBL Stage A170 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
LX-4 MKII features a 1" Microfibre Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5" Composite fibre Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3.0kHz. On the other hand, the A170 features a 1" aluminum HDI (High Definition Imaging) waveguide Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Polycellulose Woofer.
Frequency Response
LX-4 MKII has a frequency range of 45-20k Hz whereas A170 has a frequency range of 44-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 44Hz, the A170 can go slightly deeper then the LX-4 MKII's min frequency of 45Hz.
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
LX-4 MKII is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the A170 which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.
On the other hand, they have the same sensitivity of 89 dBdB.
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.
A170 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas LX-4 MKII has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 80 watts less than the A170.
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 LX-4 MKII and A170 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 Mission LX-4 MKII's and JBL Stage A170's external dimensions. Mission LX-4 MKII has external dimensions of 920.0 x 200.0 x 273.0mm (36-1/4 x 7-7/8 x 10-3/4inch) whereas JBL Stage A170 has external dimensions of 977.0 x 267.0 x 331.0mm (38-7/16 x 10-1/2 x 13inch).
JBL Stage A170 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 67mm wider, 57mm taller and 58mm deeper than Mission LX-4 MKII.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
JBL Stage A170 needs about 62% more floor or shelf area. JBL Stage A170 is 58mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. JBL Stage A170 is 57mm taller.
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 Mission LX-4 MKII is approximately 546.0cm2 / 84.6inch2 and base area of the JBL Stage A170 is approximately 883.8cm2 / 137.0inch2. The LX-4 MKII requires 38% less surface area than the A170 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 Mission LX-4 MKII weighs 15.50kg / 34.1lbs and the JBL Stage A170 weighs 14.37kg / 31.6lbs. This makes the LX-4 MKII 8% heavier than the A170.
Here is a comparison of how LX-4 MKII and A170'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 come with the A170:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Outriggers
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spikes
- 8 Screws
- 2 Terminal jumpers (pre-installed)
- Owners Manual
- Warranty Card
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Height |
920mm
vs
977mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
546cm2
vs
883cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
599USD
vs
600USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
5.25 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
44 Hz
vs
45 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
| General |
Mission LX-4 MKII |
JBL Stage A170 |
| Brand |
Mission |
JBL |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
30-120 watts |
20-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Impedance |
4.3 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
45-20k Hz |
44-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Composite fibre |
Polycellulose |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
HDI (High Definition Imaging) waveguide |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
3.0kHz |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
920.0mm (36.2") |
977.0mm (38.5") |
| Width |
200.0mm (7.9") |
267.0mm (10.5") |
| Depth |
273.0mm (10.7") |
331.0mm (13") |
| Weight |
15.50kg (34.1lbs) |
14.37kg (31.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF, Vinyl |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (45Hz vs 44Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (89dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | A | Mission LX-4 MKII is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | B | JBL Stage A170 takes more power (200W vs 120W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Mission LX-4 MKII is easier to place; JBL Stage A170 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Mission LX-4 MKII: bi-amping; JBL Stage A170: bi-amping. |
| Price | evenly matched | Much the same money ($599 vs $600 a pair). |
A Mission LX-4 MKII B JBL Stage A170
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. Match it to your room: we rate Mission LX-4 MKII the better fit for a small room, and JBL Stage A170 for a large room. In a large or open-plan room, JBL Stage A170 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Mission LX-4 MKII 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.