JBL Stage A130 Review (speaker)

[witchdoctor]

The Studio 230 are pretty bright sounding and people where complaining that they get a little hard on the ears when they listen louder.
https://www.soundandvision.com/content/jbl-studio-2-speaker-system
I would prefer the Stage A130 or even the JBL Arena series

You are welcome to your opinion but I think they sound amazing and here is an unbiased review for you:

 

[Ralferator]

You are welcome to your opinion but I think they sound amazing and here is an unbiased review for you:

I don't want to put your speakers down. I heard them myself and i thought they sounded awesome. I did not turn them up too much though, so i can't say myself how loud it has to get until it might be a problem. It could even be an advantage for lower listening levels. That same guy reviewed the Arena 130 too and was especially mentioning that their tweeters don't get on the ears when turning them up. He was complaining that his Studio 530s (which he loves) get hard on the ears too when turning them up.

But of course most people don't turn up the music so loud anyways.

So my guess is - if you like a lot of details in the highs and don't listen extremely loud - JBL Studio 230. If you can live with a little more tamed high frequency response but like to turn up loud - JBL Arena 130.

If you want a smaller speaker that sounds lovely and is in between the two mentioned before (but maybe better than both) - JBL Stage A130.

If you want a speaker as neutral as possible, use a Subwoofer anyways and will crossover at about 100hz (toole recommends higher than 80hz) the JBL Arena 120 might be right for you.

But that's only my guess from my research.

 

[VipinS]

I don't want to put your speakers down. I heard them myself and i thought they sounded awesome. I did not turn them up too much though, so i can't say myself how loud it has to get until it might be a problem. It could even be an advantage for lower listening levels. That same guy reviewed the Arena 130 too and was especially mentioning that their tweeters don't get on the ears when turning them up. He was complaining that his Studio 530s (which he loves) get hard on the ears too when turning them up.

But of course most people don't turn up the music so loud anyways.

So my guess is - if you like a lot of details in the highs and don't listen extremely loud - JBL Studio 230. If you can live with a little more tamed high frequency response but like to turn up loud - JBL Arena 130.

If you want a smaller speaker that sounds lovely and is in between the two mentioned before (but maybe better than both) - JBL Stage A130.

But that's only my guess from my research.

That’s good to hear about the bookshelves I have decided on .

 

[Ralferator]

That’s good to hear about the bookshelves I have decided on .

But that's the Arena 130, not the Stage A130. Do you think you will get the Arena 130 now?
(You need to know that this Z Reviews guy is getting exited pretty easily. If he would test the Stage A130 he would probably also go crazy about them. I don't want to play it down - i think they are great - but you need to know that.)

 

[VipinS]

But that's the Arena 130, not the Stage A130. Do you think you will get the Arena 130 now?
(You need to know that this Z Reviews guy is getting exited pretty easily. If he would test the Stage A130 he would probably also go crazy about them. I don't want to play it down - i think they are great - but you need to know that.)

“If you want a smaller speaker that sounds lovely and is in between the two mentioned before (but maybe better than both) - JBL Stage A130.”
was talking about this bro .

 

[Ralferator]

“If you want a smaller speaker that sounds lovely and is in between the two mentioned before (but maybe better than both) - JBL Stage A130.”
was talking about this bro .

I am sure you will love them. Even Amir was talking about getting goosebumps and he is very critical with speakers. If they weren't sold out here i would have got them too. I might even buy them when they appear here again and go for sale and then see which speakers go in which room. It would be great to hear how you like them when you got them.

 

[theyellowspecial]

The Stage series replaces the Arena series, so logically the Stage series should be a slight improvement. However, I'd wager they measure similarly.

 

[Ralferator]

The Stage series replaces the Arena series, so logically the Stage series should be a slight improvement. However, I'd wager they measure similarly.

From looking at measurements (only available for the Arena 120 though and not the Arena 130), listening to several youtube videos and reading a lot of comments about them (also compare listening to them with the crutchfield speaker comparison tool - i know i can only hear tendencies with that), i got the impression that the Arena 130 don't have those peaks in the mid frequencies (at least i could not hear peaks) that the JBL Stage A130 have, go slightly deeper in the bass, don't have that high frequency peak (softdome) but might be more uneven in the mids and highs otherwise.

The Arena 120 measure very flat in the mids though.

But it seems like because of a similar waveguide, they both have very good off axis frequency response, but the A130 seems to be even better here than the Arena 120. I guess the a130 should have an even bigger advantage over the Arena A130 because of the smaller woofer. Also it seems like the bass of the A130 is more precise. I would love to see the Arena A130 measured and tested by Amir.

 

[VipinS]

I am sure you will love them. Even Amir was talking about getting goosebumps and he is very critical with speakers. If they weren't sold out here i would have got them too. I might even buy them when they appear here again and go for sale and then see which speakers go in which room. It would be great to hear how you like them when you got them.

Goosebumps to an audiophile is quite a statement .
I definitely owe to leave my impressions here when I get them .
Just need to decide my sub and rear .

 

[ROOSKIE]

I wish I still had the Arena here but I do not.
From memory only, no way it is as clean as the A130.
Nor was it as goosebumpy FOR ME, quite frankly so far the A130 has me very excited.
I need to get them full dialed in with the bass handled by bigger woofers and some EQ and Room Correction.
Once fully measured and integrated. My GF are going to spend a day comparing them with the 530's and the RC263's. A little Harman budget showdown.

 

[VipinS]

I wish I still had the Arena here but I do not.
From memory only, no way it is as clean as the A130.
Nor was it as goosebumpy FOR ME, quite frankly so far the A130 has me very excited.
I need to get them full dialed in with the bass handled by bigger woofers and some EQ and Room Correction.
Once fully measured and integrated. My GF are going to spend a day comparing them with the 530's and the RC263's. A little Harman budget showdown.

Soon gonna purchase those puppies stage a130 . Very excited . Gonna be my first quality speaker setup.

 

[Ralferator]

I wish I still had the Arena here but I do not.
From memory only, no way it is as clean as the A130.
Nor was it as goosebumpy FOR ME, quite frankly so far the A130 has me very excited.
I need to get them full dialed in with the bass handled by bigger woofers and some EQ and Room Correction.
Once fully measured and integrated. My GF are going to spend a day comparing them with the 530's and the RC263's. A little Harman budget showdown.

How did you like the Arena 130 (from memory)? Mine didn't arrive yet and even though they seem to be not as good as the Stage A130, i hope i won't regret that i ordered them instead. (Plan B would be to get the Stage A130 too if they will be available here again and put the Arenas in the band practice room)

 

[VipinS]

You seem

How did you like the Arena 130 (from memory)? Mine didn't arrive yet and even though they seem to be not as good as the Stage A130, i hope i won't regret that i ordered them instead. (Plan B would be to get the Stage A130 too if they will be available here again and put the Arenas in the band practice room)

you seems to be a hardcore Jbl fan lol

 

[Ralferator]

You seem

you seems to be a hardcore Jbl fan lol

My first speakers where in fact JBLs. I got away from JBL and tried other brands but came back to JBL when i heard their new Studio Monitors JBL LSR 305. They got it right with the waveguides! It seems to me like recently they produce speakers better than ever before for really good prices. They also sound very dynamic usually, which i like.

 

[Jmudrick]

I wish I still had the Arena here but I do not.
From memory only, no way it is as clean as the A130.
Nor was it as goosebumpy FOR ME, quite frankly so far the A130 has me very excited.
I need to get them full dialed in with the bass handled by bigger woofers and some EQ and Room Correction.
Once fully measured and integrated. My GF are going to spend a day comparing them with the 530's and the RC263's. A little Harman budget showdown.

Not looking forward to your review at all. Probably will have to dig in my pockets again.

 

[ROOSKIE]

How did you like the Arena 130 (from memory)? Mine didn't arrive yet and even though they seem to be not as good as the Stage A130, i hope i won't regret that i ordered them instead. (Plan B would be to get the Stage A130 too if they will be available here again and put the Arenas in the band practice room)

I picked them (the arean pair)up on clearance for only $50USD new.
Very nice smooth sound with a little grain in the trebble and fatter bass than A130.
Essentially I remember initially thinking I'd keep them but never really fell in love with them.
Bear in mind I try a lot of speakers and design them as a hobby so I often don't keep them even if most people would be more than happy.
I'd say give them a chance. My opinion is that they sounded worth recommending people try them.
At that time I was also running the Polk Lsim703 and the NHT C3, so much pricier gear.
I kept the polks for about 1 year (very rich sounding speakers)and the C3's (very detailed speakers, perhaps edgy)for a couple months. Both of those speakers lost to the JBL 530's which I will never sell.

 

[Ralferator]

I picked them (the arean pair)up on clearance for only $50USD new.
Very nice smooth sound with a little grain in the trebble and fatter bass than A130.
Essentially I remember initially thinking I'd keep them but never really fell in love with them.
Bear in mind I try a lot of speakers and design them as a hobby so I often don't keep them even if most people would be more than happy.
I'd say give them a chance. My opinion is that they sounded worth recommending people try them.
At that time I was also running the Polk Lsim703 and the NHT C3, so much pricier gear.
I kept the polks for about 1 year (very rich sounding speakers)and the C3's (very detailed speakers, perhaps edgy)for a couple months. Both of those speakers lost to the JBL 530's which I will never sell.

Thank you for your feedback. I might like the JBL A130, because i like a smooth sound. Also i will listen to a lot of Mp3s and also rather bad recordings, so i don't need to hear all the details and a smooth speaker will sound better with bad recordings than a detailed, rather edgy speaker. I expect them to sound rather unspectacular but hopefully good for the long run.

It's interesting to read that you love the JBL 530s because Amir doesn't seem to like them too much which also shows that tastes are different. I listened to youtube-videos of the 530s and it seemed to me like the mids and treble are almost perfect, open, clear and natural - not so much like listening to speakers but music (i know a youtube video can not really show the sound). But they are not available here. Here i can find JBL Studio 620s though but it's impossible to find out how they sound like and here i would have to order to listen to them.

 

[Jmudrick]

Thank you for your feedback. I might like the JBL A130, because i like a smooth sound. Also i will listen to a lot of Mp3s and also rather bad recordings, so i don't need to hear all the details and a smooth speaker will sound better with bad recordings than a detailed, rather edgy speaker.

It's interesting to read that you love the JBL 530s because Amir doesn't seem to like them too much which also shows that tastes are different. I listened to youtube-videos of the 530s and it seemed to me like the mids and treble are almost perfect, open, clear and natural - not so much like listening to speakers but music (i know a youtube video can not really show the sound). But they are not available here. Here i can find JBL Studio 620s though but it's impossible to find out how they sound like and here i would have to order to listen to them.

Being a huge fan of the 530s I have to remind myself that our host typically listens to a single speaker in a cold garage at 96db in near field which is not how I listen to my my 530s.

 

[Ralferator]

Being a huge fan of the 530s I have to remind myself that our host typically listens to a single speaker in a cold garage at 96db in near field which is not how I listen to my my 530s.

haha - true

 

[amirm]

Being a huge fan of the 530s I have to remind myself that our host typically listens to a single speaker in a cold garage at 96db in near field which is not how I listen to my my 530s.

I never listen to any speaker in the garage, cold or otherwise. The measurement gear is in the garage and it removes the effect of the garage so it is not even material there. All listening tests are performed where I listen to my systems: my 2-channel far field and 2-channel near-field. It is an open space requiring lots of SPL to fill it. But it is no garage. And it is at normal living temperature.