Speakers,speakers, speakers!
- Keith Cooper
- Mar 20
- 2 min read
Or the difficulty in attempting to form really solid opinions between multiple very fine sounding and measuring loudspeakers.
In recent weeks the loudspeaker models AsciLab promised in their initial 'road map' of future releases have arrived and they are all magnificent.
I have here with me now AsciLab's A6B, a two-way compact featuring a 6.5 Purifi aluminium woofer, twin Purifi 6.5" passive radiators and SB Acoustics aluminium-ceramic tweeter.
Phil Ward's review of the A6B for SoundonSound magazine has just been published it is a phenomenal recommendation for the pursuit of excellence in engineering which typifies AsciLab's entire ethos.
The review can be found here,
Just days later their S6B arrived the ultimate Purifi implementation, featuring the same 6.5" Purifi aluminium woofer but with Purifi's new PTT tweeter and twin 8"passive radiators.
In the very same delivery were the first C8C units,
The C8C is an active cardioid design, featuring SB Acoustics, ceramic-aluminium tweeter, twin 6'5"aluminium-ceramic mid-range units and twin 8" aluminium woofers.
Its built in Hypex amplification includes the ability to add EQ through a 9 band parametric equaliser, adjust master volume ( input sensitivity ) and choose between digital AES/SBU or analogue input and the speaker comes with presets for minimum phase, linear phase and for the C8C's dedicated sub module the BX8C.
Minimum phase has a latency of only 1.8ms.
The C8C's cardioid radiation suppresses rearward propagation, reducing the effect of room modes and of bass pooling near the front wall ( the wall behind the speakers).
All three speaker's measurements are as you would expect from AsciLab class leading.
The C8C has lower, much lower distortion than its two active cardioid rivals the Kii THREE and D&D's 8C, yet a pair of C8Cs are less than a third of their price!
So how do they sound, in a word sublime read Phil Ward's review for him the A6Bs have re-written how a monitor should sound, completely lacking the colouration other designs exhibit.
Which is the best?
All three models are superb, the more pertinent question should be which most closely fits my application.
If you don't have the space for larger speakers yet still require almost full-range reproduction them the A6Bs could be perfect.
If you have the space and perhaps have a eye to later add the C8C's BX8C sub module, which not only extends the bass reproduction down to the low 20Hz but also extends the cardioid radiation to 40Hz and also improves the directivity of the C8C into the bargain then perhaps the C8C .
For my part at the moment I just can't decide which I prefer, the A6B/S6B are magnificent the C8C with its cardioid radiation slightly divides itself from the room, sounding incredibly clear and clean.
We have both set-up side by side level matched so you can decide for yourself!
AsciLab ( Acoustic Science Laboratory ) class leading engineering at reasonable cost.
A6B £3k per pair including vat
S6B £5k per pair including vat
C8C £5k per pair including vat
BX8C sub module £5.5k inc vat
Purité Audio have all three models in stock and available for audition now!
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