STOP Wasting Money on Bad Speakers – AsciLab C6B Review

Summary

In this detailed review, the Asylab C6B passive bookshelf speakers are praised for offering exceptional value at $1,135 per pair, outperforming speakers that cost significantly more. With a neutral tonal balance, impressive soundstage width, and consistent vertical and horizontal radiation, these speakers provide a premium listening experience. Despite lacking in mid-bass output, they excel in midrange clarity and high-frequency airiness. The review compares the Asylab to other brands, such as Audio First and KEF, highlighting its superior performance in most areas. Overall, the Asylab C6B stands out as a game-changer in affordable audiophile-grade speakers.

Takeaways

• 😀 The Asylab C6B passive bookshelf speaker is priced at $935 USD, with shipping costs raising the total to around $1,135 per pair.
• 😀 Despite its price, the Asylab C6B is considered one of the best speakers available, outperforming competitors priced up to five times higher.
• 😀 This speaker features a 1-inch aluminum ceramic dome tweeter with a large waveguide and a 6-inch aluminum ceramic cone woofer.
• 😀 The speaker has a 2-way bookshelf design and includes a passive radiator on the back, with a crossover frequency of 1.1 kHz.
• 😀 The Asylab C6B has a very neutral sound profile, excelling across genres like jazz, rock, rap, and pop, with no major tonal issues.
• 😀 The speaker's soundstage is particularly wide and consistently accurate, with excellent imaging and depth, outperforming many other speakers in this regard.
• 😀 Its vertical and horizontal radiation patterns are wide, ensuring that sound quality remains intact even when standing or moving around.
• 😀 The C6B speaker does have limitations in bass output, rolling off around 50 Hz, meaning a subwoofer is recommended for deep bass performance.
• 😀 In side-by-side comparisons with other speakers, the Asylab C6B showed some minor differences, such as slightly less lower mid-range meat and a bit more air in high frequencies.
• 😀 The speaker offers excellent value for the price, with impressive harmonic and multi-tone distortion figures and good overall performance for both low and high frequencies.
• 😀 Despite its amazing performance, the speaker requires a capable amplifier that can handle a 4-ohm load, especially with more demanding music at higher volumes.

Q & A

What is the price of the Asylab C6B passive bookshelf speaker, and are there any additional costs?

The Asylab C6B passive bookshelf speaker costs about $935 USD, with an additional $200 for shipping, bringing the total to around $1,135 per pair.

How does the Asylab C6B compare to other speakers in its price range?

The Asylab C6B is considered by the reviewer to be the best value in its price range, outperforming speakers priced up to five times higher in terms of sound quality and overall performance.

What are the key features and specifications of the Asylab C6B?

The Asylab C6B features a 2-way bookshelf design with a 1-inch aluminum ceramic dome tweeter, a 6-inch aluminum ceramic cone woofer, and a passive radiator. The crossover frequency is 1.1 kHz, with a sensitivity of 85 dB and a nominal impedance of 4 ohms. It weighs 8.4 kg per speaker.

How does the soundstage of the Asylab C6B perform?

The Asylab C6B offers a wide soundstage with impressive horizontal and vertical radiation patterns. The speaker provides precise imaging, even when towed outwards, while maintaining a wide soundstage. It also excels at depth layering in the soundstage.

What are the limitations of the Asylab C6B speaker?

The main limitations are its SPL output capability and the need for a subwoofer to handle deep bass frequencies, as the speaker rolls off around 50 Hz in-room. It is also limited in mid-bass output and may not provide enough low-frequency response without additional support.

What makes the Asylab C6B unique compared to other bookshelf speakers?

The Asylab C6B is unique in its consistent and wide horizontal and vertical radiation patterns, which allow for precise imaging and a natural, expansive soundstage. Its higher frequency expansion in radiation is particularly unusual and contributes to its broad soundstage.

What is the recommended amplifier for the Asylab C6B speaker?

The Asylab C6B requires an amplifier capable of driving a 4-ohm load, with at least 100 watts of power. A weak amplifier may struggle with its minimum impedance of 2.6 ohms and a minimum EPDR of 1.2 ohms.

How does the Asylab C6B compare to the Audio First Fidelia kit and KEF Conerto Q Meta?

The Asylab C6B is similar to the Audio First Fidelia kit in terms of sound quality, but the latter has slightly more emphasis on the lower mid-range. The KEF Conerto Q Meta is considered darker than the Asylab C6B, with a less detailed, more reserved high-frequency response.

What is the impact of the Asylab C6B's design on vertical listening positions?

The Asylab C6B maintains good vertical radiation, meaning that standing up or changing vertical positions won't significantly affect the clarity or dynamic response of the sound, which is a common issue in other two-way bookshelf designs.

How does the Asylab C6B perform in terms of harmonic distortion and multi-tone distortion?

The Asylab C6B exhibits low harmonic distortion, particularly in the mid-range and tweeter. However, it has a noticeable increase in low-frequency harmonic distortion when played at high volumes. Multi-tone distortion is generally within acceptable limits for most listening levels, but becomes noticeable above 96 dB.

What type of frequency response does the Asylab C6B have?

The Asylab C6B has a smooth frequency response, with an F3 at 54 Hz and an F10 at 35 Hz. The speaker rolls off around 50 Hz in-room, but this is expected for a bookshelf speaker. Its frequency response is intentionally designed to accommodate its unique high-frequency radiation.