JBL Stage A130 Review
JBL can do more than just fun Bluetooth speakers. The new Stage series showcases the old audiophile values of the Americans. Cleverly slimmed down in outward appearance, but with great presence at a vanishingly small price.
By Andreas Günther
JBL will probably live forever. James Bullough Lansing founded the speaker manufacturer in 1946, shortly after World War II – a bold venture. The company really grew big after being acquired by Sidney Harman – also a long time ago. Today, the Samsung group determines its fortunes.
And there is a balancing act: Do we want the ultimate, gigantic high-end? Or rather the small Bluetooth speakers for the mass market? We have just received a press release stating that JBL is launching a large family of classic speakers, created for stereo, but in deeper logic with centers and subwoofers also for multi-channel and home theater. “Stage” is the name of the series that above all wants to be one thing: affordable.
We ordered a pair of the larger compact speakers for our listening room – the Stage A130, for an astonishingly low $300 per pair. That can’t be any good? Wait, one shouldn’t fall into prejudices so quickly. The low price is not explained by saving on sound, but through global networking. The large-volume production of the chassis is one factor, the manufacturing of the cabinets in the Far East is another. All competitors think this way and offer the cabinet optionally in black or black. JBL also follows this logic, but deviates – there is also a very elegant combination in dark red wood design with a head in anthracite. Here the designers showcase the brand core of the two chassis, namely below a cube for the woofer/midrange driver, above a cabinet for the tweeter.
Leading the development was the headquarters of engineers in Northridge, California. Below, a 13-centimeter diaphragm made of polycellulose swings, that is, a defined paper mix – in bright white, reminiscent of legendary studio monitors. At the top, there is a 25-millimeter aluminum dome, which lies in a recess with a horn attachment. The impression of the workmanship is good; here, as mentioned, vinyl foil dominates, cleanly executed, plus a spartan single-wiring terminal at the back. One could kindly call it “straight”.
Does this little one change our audiophile lifestyle? Wrong question – that’s not what it’s aiming for. It wants to be fair and bring joy of playing mostly to small rooms. It succeeds brilliantly, even with small, affordable amplifiers.
Laboratory Measurements
Compact two-way bass reflex speaker with waveguide tweeter playing from 3.2 kHz. Frequency response: smooth curve with slightly emphasized bass (+4 dB/110 Hz) and midrange (+2 dB/1.4 kHz). Lower cutoff frequency: 54/50 Hz (–3/–6 dB). Very homogeneous sound dispersion, 30 degrees sideways, almost no bundling of highs measurable (blue). Distortion: increased from 95 dBSPL, up to 98 dBSPL in bass. Temporal behavior: very fast decay in highs, slight resonance at 2 kHz. Maximum power requirement 45 W. AUDIO Score 6.9
Specs
Manufacturer: JBL
Model: STAGE A130
Distributor: Harman Deutschland GmbH
Website: jbl.com
Retail Price: €275
Warranty Period: 2 years
Dimensions (W x H x D): 19 x 32.1 x 23 cm
Weight: 5.4 kg
Finish: Black, Wood
Design Principles: 2-way, bass reflex
Audiogram Characteristics:
- Honest, linear sound with emphasis in the listening area and wide imaging.
- Neutrality: 70
- Detail Retention: 70
- Locatability: 75
- Spatiality: 75
- Microdynamics: 70
- Maximal Sound Pressure Level: 60
- Bass Quality: 70
- Bass Depth: 60
- Build Quality: Very good
Audio Rating:
- Sound Score: 69 points
- Price/Performance: Outstanding
Conclusion
The Stage A130 is designed for presence and speed. Above all, the tweeter in its small horn brings the sound image far forward towards the listening position. This can turn into harshness with bright electronics and at high levels. Here, experimenting with the angle to the listening position is worthwhile. But it brings insight – astonishing playfulness, plus wide, dynamic imaging. My goodness, if only this speaker had been around in my youth in the student dorm.
Founded in July 2014, 7Review is a free audio resource for beginners, and we're dedicated to helping you create the ultimate movie-watching experience right at home. We pull insights from top audio magazines and trusted industry sources to bring you well-researched, reliable reviews and tips. Whether you're a home cinema pro or just starting out, we aim to give you the info you need to make the best choices for your setup.
