Short answer: the Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower on measured sound quality, the Q Acoustics 5040 on price. The Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower ranks #6 of 71 floorstanding speakers at $5698. The Q Acoustics 5040 ranks #33 at $1236.49, $4461.51 cheaper.
What the Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower offers: A RAAL 70-20xram ribbon tweeter and dual SEAS Excel aluminum woofers in a 3-way, 4-driver bamboo tower measure a genuine 38.7Hz extension point with a nearly flat on axis slope of 0.05dB per octave, among the best measured towers in this batch. The bass alignment Q of 0.62 keeps the low end well damped rather than peaky. Backed by a 7 year parts and labor warranty and hand assembled in Orange County, California, with each pair matched within +/-1.5dB. Watch for: Listening window smoothness measures a moderate 0.40 and on axis deviation runs 0.286dB average, both trailing the tighter figures posted by some of the passive AsciLab and Ascend bookshelf models in this same batch. At $5,698/pair it is Ascend’s most expensive tower, well above the Titan dome tweeter version of the same cabinet. The manufacturer’s own claimed sensitivity (87.5dB) runs nearly 1.5dB higher than the independently measured average (86.1dB), worth accounting for when matching an amplifier.
What the Q Acoustics 5040 offers: C3 (Continuous Curved Cone) driver profile technology provides smooth midrange integration, controlled cone breakup, and improved bass damping. High voltage sensitivity (91.5dB SPL at 2.83V/1m) allows loud listening with low-to-moderate amplifier wattage. Cabinet features Point-to-Point (P2P) internal bracing and Helmholtz Pressure Equalizer (HPE) tubes to suppress internal standing waves and panel vibrations. Watch for: Free-field frequency response exhibits a noticeable mid-bass scoop around 200Hz (~6dB lower than mean SPL), causing an F3 of 70Hz (F10 of 39Hz) in open space and requiring boundary placement (11-22 inches from front wall) to reinforce upper bass output. Measurements indicate an enclosure resonance near 300Hz visible in sound power data. Minimum impedance drops to 3.0 ohms, demanding a stable 4-ohm rated amplifier despite high sensitivity.
Buy the Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower when sound quality outweighs the price for you, and the Q Acoustics 5040 when the price outweighs sound quality instead.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Passive Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower | Q Acoustics 5040 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $5,698 per pair | $1,236.49 per pair |
| Ranked | #6 of 71 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #33 of 71 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Enclosure | ported | - |
| Drivers | RAAL 70-20xram ribbon tweeter, 6" SEAS Excel Curv midrange (sealed sub-chamber), 2x 6" SEAS Excel aluminum woofers | 0.88 in. decoupled dome tweeter, twin 5.0 in. C3 Continuous Curved Cone woofers |
| Dimensions | 43"H x 7.5"W x 10.5"D (1092 x 190 x 267 mm) | 38.1"H x 11.5"W x 14.2"D (967 x 293 x 361 mm) |
| Weight | 56 lbs (25.4 kg) each | 39.7 lbs (18.0 kg) each |
| Sensitivity | 87.5dB @ 2.83V/1m anechoic (manufacturer) | 91.5dB (measured average, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal | 6 ohms nominal (3.0 ohms minimum, measured by Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Power Handling | 400W continuous, 600W peak | - |
| Frequency Response | 36-27,000Hz +/-3dB anechoic (manufacturer) | - |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 38.7Hz (measured, spinorama.org vendor data) | 70Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 28.5Hz (measured, spinorama.org vendor data) | 39Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Warranty | 7 years parts and labor | - |
| Country | United States | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 6.36 | 2.90 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.81 | 5.52 |
| Woofer Cabinet | - | ported, rear |
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How Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower compares with other leading options:
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- MoFi SourcePoint V10 Master Edition vs Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower
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Prices on this page were last checked September 16, 2026 at 12:41 AM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower: $5,698 per pair Ascend Acoustics eBay
Pros: A RAAL 70-20xram ribbon tweeter and dual SEAS Excel aluminum woofers in a 3-way, 4-driver bamboo tower measure a genuine 38.7Hz extension point with a nearly flat on axis slope of 0.05dB per octave, among the best measured towers in this batch. The bass alignment Q of 0.62 keeps the low end well damped rather than peaky. Backed by a 7 year parts and labor warranty and hand assembled in Orange County, California, with each pair matched within +/-1.5dB. Measured bass extension of 38.7Hz (-3dB).
Cons: Listening window smoothness measures a moderate 0.40 and on axis deviation runs 0.286dB average, both trailing the tighter figures posted by some of the passive AsciLab and Ascend bookshelf models in this same batch. At $5,698/pair it is Ascend’s most expensive tower, well above the Titan dome tweeter version of the same cabinet. The manufacturer’s own claimed sensitivity (87.5dB) runs nearly 1.5dB higher than the independently measured average (86.1dB), worth accounting for when matching an amplifier.
Full Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 28.5Hz (measured, spinorama.org vendor data) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 38.7Hz (measured, spinorama.org vendor data) |
| Country | United States |
| Dimensions | 43"H x 7.5"W x 10.5"D (1092 x 190 x 267 mm) |
| Drivers | RAAL 70-20xram ribbon tweeter, 6" SEAS Excel Curv midrange (sealed sub-chamber), 2x 6" SEAS Excel aluminum woofers |
| Enclosure | ported |
| Frequency Response | 36-27,000Hz +/-3dB anechoic (manufacturer) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal |
| Power Handling | 400W continuous, 600W peak |
| Sensitivity | 87.5dB @ 2.83V/1m anechoic (manufacturer) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 6.36 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.81 |
| Warranty | 7 years parts and labor |
| Weight | 56 lbs (25.4 kg) each |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower vs JBL HDI-3800
- Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower vs Radiant Acoustics Clarity 66
- Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower vs MoFi SourcePoint 888
- Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower vs Revel F328Be
- Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower vs MoFi SourcePoint V10 Master Edition
- Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower vs KEF Blade Two Meta
- Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower vs Revel F226Be
- Ascend Acoustics ELX Ribbon Tower vs JBL 4367
- See all 24 comparisons
Q Acoustics 5040: $1,236.49 per pair Amazon eBay
Pros: C3 (Continuous Curved Cone) driver profile technology provides smooth midrange integration, controlled cone breakup, and improved bass damping. High voltage sensitivity (91.5dB SPL at 2.83V/1m) allows loud listening with low-to-moderate amplifier wattage. Cabinet features Point-to-Point (P2P) internal bracing and Helmholtz Pressure Equalizer (HPE) tubes to suppress internal standing waves and panel vibrations. Measured bass extension of 70Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 91.5dB.
Cons: Free-field frequency response exhibits a noticeable mid-bass scoop around 200Hz (~6dB lower than mean SPL), causing an F3 of 70Hz (F10 of 39Hz) in open space and requiring boundary placement (11-22 inches from front wall) to reinforce upper bass output. Measurements indicate an enclosure resonance near 300Hz visible in sound power data. Minimum impedance drops to 3.0 ohms, demanding a stable 4-ohm rated amplifier despite high sensitivity.
Full Q Acoustics 5040 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 39Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 70Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 38.1"H x 11.5"W x 14.2"D (967 x 293 x 361 mm) |
| Drivers | 0.88 in. decoupled dome tweeter, twin 5.0 in. C3 Continuous Curved Cone woofers |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal (3.0 ohms minimum, measured by Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 91.5dB (measured average, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 2.90 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 5.52 |
| Weight | 39.7 lbs (18.0 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Q Acoustics 5040 vs Polk Audio Reserve R700
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