In this review, we will be comparing W165 and Stage 280W, two Passive In-wall speakers from Monitor Audio and JBL.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Monitor Audio W165 and JBL Stage 280W first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Monitor Audio W165 | JBL Stage 280W |
|---|
| Brand | Monitor Audio
United Kingdom · founded 1972 | JBL
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Hard-Dome | 1" Horn-Loaded |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Metal Matrix Polymer | 8" Polycellulose |
|---|
| Frequency response | 60-25kHz | 42-25kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88.5 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-65 watts | 20-120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 2.22kg / 4.9lbs | — |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 13.0625" x 8.3750" x 3.6250"
332.0 x 213.0 x 93.0mm | 14.6875" x 9.3750" x 3.8750"
374.0 x 239.0 x 99.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Monitor Audio W165 and JBL Stage 280W 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* |
Monitor Audio W165 |
JBL Stage 280W |
| Near-field |
Good |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
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 W165 and Stage 280W are 2-way speakers.
Monitor Audio W165JBL Stage 280W
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Monitor Audio W165 |
JBL Stage 280W |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 8-inch
|
W165 features a 1" Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Metal Matrix Polymer Woofer. On the other hand, the Stage 280W features a 1" Horn-Loaded Tweeter and 1 x 8" Polycellulose Woofer.
Frequency Response
W165 has a frequency range of 60-25kHz whereas Stage 280W has a frequency range of 42-25kHz. With a minimum frequency of 42Hz, the Stage 280W can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the W165's min frequency of 60Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the In-wall class in our database.
Low Frequency
In-wall 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
W165 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Stage 280W which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. W165 sensitivity is rated at 88.5 dB and the Stage 280W's is rated at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the JBL Stage 280W a more sensitive speaker compared to Monitor Audio W165, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
In-wall 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.
Stage 280W can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS, whereas W165 has a max power handling value of 65 watts RMS, 55 watts less than the Stage 280W.
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
W165 features Spring clip type posts and Stage 280W has a Spring clip type posts. None of these speakers 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 Monitor Audio W165's and JBL Stage 280W's external dimensions. Monitor Audio W165 has external dimensions of 332.0 x 213.0 x 93.0mm (13.0625-inch x 8.3750-inch x 3.6250-inch) whereas JBL Stage 280W has external dimensions of 374.0 x 239.0 x 99.0mm (14.6875-inch x 9.3750-inch x 3.8750-inch).
JBL Stage 280W is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 26mm wider, 42mm taller and 6mm deeper than Monitor Audio W165.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of Monitor Audio W165 and JBL Stage 280W in scale.
Comparison image of Monitor Audio W165 and JBL Stage 280W Size and External Dimensions
What's in the Box of Monitor Audio W165?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of W165:
- In-wall speaker
- Grille
- Paint skim
- Installation Guide
- Important Safety Instructions
- Cutout Template
What's in the Box of JBL Stage 280W?
Here are the items that come with the Stage 280W:
- In-wall loudspeaker
- Grille
- Cut-Out Template
- Quick Start Guide