In this review, we will be comparing Crystal 4.3 and A170, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Wharfedale and JBL.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wharfedale Crystal 4.3 and JBL Stage A170 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wharfedale Crystal 4.3 | JBL Stage A170 |
|---|
| Brand | Wharfedale
United Kingdom · founded 1932 | JBL
United States · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 1" HDI (High Definition Imaging) waveguide |
|---|
| Midrange | 5" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" Polypropylene | 2 x 5.25" Polycellulose |
|---|
| Frequency response | 50-20k Hz | 44-40k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25-120 watts | 20-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 14.50kg / 31.9lbs | 14.37kg / 31.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 36-5/16" x 8-1/16" x 10-1/16"
922.0 x 205.0 x 255.0mm | 38-7/16" x 10-1/2" x 13"
977.0 x 267.0 x 331.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Wharfedale Crystal 4.3 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* |
Wharfedale Crystal 4.3 |
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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Crystal 4.3 is a 3-way design whereas the A170 is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
Wharfedale Crystal 4.3JBL Stage A170
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Wharfedale Crystal 4.3 |
JBL Stage A170 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
Crystal 4.3 features a 1" Soft-Dome Tweeter, a 5" Midrange and 1 x 6.5" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 500Hz and 2000Hz. 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
Crystal 4.3 has a frequency range of 50-20k Hz whereas A170 has a frequency range of 44-40k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 44Hz, the A170 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Crystal 4.3's min frequency of 50Hz.
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
Crystal 4.3 is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the A170 which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Crystal 4.3 sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the A170's is rated at 89 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the JBL Stage A170 a more sensitive speaker compared to Wharfedale Crystal 4.3, 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.
A170 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas Crystal 4.3 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 Crystal 4.3 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 Wharfedale Crystal 4.3's and JBL Stage A170's external dimensions. Wharfedale Crystal 4.3 has external dimensions of 922.0 x 205.0 x 255.0mm (36-5/16 x 8-1/16 x 10-1/16inch) 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 62mm wider, 55mm taller and 76mm deeper than Wharfedale Crystal 4.3.
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 69% more floor or shelf area. JBL Stage A170 is 76mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. JBL Stage A170 is 55mm 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 Wharfedale Crystal 4.3 is approximately 522.8cm2 / 81.0inch2 and base area of the JBL Stage A170 is approximately 883.8cm2 / 137.0inch2. The Crystal 4.3 requires 41% 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 Wharfedale Crystal 4.3 weighs 14.50kg / 31.9lbs and the JBL Stage A170 weighs 14.37kg / 31.6lbs. This makes the Crystal 4.3 1% heavier than the A170.
Here is a comparison of how Crystal 4.3 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
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.25 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Height |
922mm
vs
977mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
522cm2
vs
883cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
120 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
88 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
44 Hz
vs
50 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
600USD
vs
699USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Wharfedale Crystal 4.3 |
JBL Stage A170 |
| Brand |
Wharfedale |
JBL |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
25-120 watts |
20-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Impedance |
3.7 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
50-20k Hz |
44-40k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
5.25" |
| Woofer Composition |
Polypropylene |
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 |
5" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
500Hz and 2000Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
922.0mm (36.3") |
977.0mm (38.5") |
| Width |
205.0mm (8.1") |
267.0mm (10.5") |
| Depth |
255.0mm (10") |
331.0mm (13") |
| Weight |
14.50kg (31.9lbs) |
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 |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
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 | B | JBL Stage A170 digs deeper - 44Hz against 50Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (88dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Amplifier match | A | Wharfedale Crystal 4.3 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 | Wharfedale Crystal 4.3 is easier to place; JBL Stage A170 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Wharfedale Crystal 4.3: bi-amping; JBL Stage A170: bi-amping. JBL Stage A170 sits in a wider range (10 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | B | JBL Stage A170 is cheaper - $600 against $699, about 14% less. |
A Wharfedale Crystal 4.3 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?
JBL Stage A170 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 50Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Wharfedale Crystal 4.3 the better fit for a small room, and JBL Stage A170 for a large room.
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.