Short answer: the MoFi SourcePoint 10 for better sound quality, the Ascend CBM-170 SE2 for the lower price. The MoFi SourcePoint 10 ranks #26 of 130 bookshelf speakers at $3795. The Ascend CBM-170 SE2 ranks #66 at $468, $3327 cheaper.
What the Ascend CBM-170 SE2 offers: On-axis response is impressively flat from about 100Hz to 2kHz, staying within roughly ±1dB, with a clean, gradual bass rolloff below that. The directivity index rises smoothly and predictably through the crossover region, and the estimated in-room response shows a smooth, consistent downward tilt from 100Hz to 10kHz with no major discontinuities - close to the ideal in-room target shape. Measured sensitivity of 86.8dB nearly matches Ascend’s 87dB spec. The manufacturer’s own preference-score modeling comes out to 5.81 unequalized (rising to 8.17 with an ideal subwoofer, or 6.33/8.41 with EQ applied) - a strong result for a compact 2-way, and a clear step up from the original CBM-170 SE this replaces. Watch for: A narrow dip in the on-axis and listening-window response appears in the 3-5kHz range (down to about -2.7dB), mirrored by a matching dip in the directivity index at the same frequencies - likely a brief widening of dispersion right at the tweeter/woofer crossover. High-frequency directivity narrows substantially above 10kHz, typical for a small dome tweeter, so the top octave will sound more reserved off-axis than on-axis. Bass rolls off as expected for a compact 2-way monitor: -3dB around 70Hz and -10dB around 50Hz, so a subwoofer is needed for full-range use. This data comes from the manufacturer’s own Klippel measurements rather than an independent third-party review, so there’s no outside verification of channel matching, distortion, or unit-to-unit consistency.
What the MoFi SourcePoint 10 offers: Andrew Jones-designed concentric/coincident driver delivers best-in-class sound power and early-reflections directivity in the reviewer’s testing - a genuine “point source” design. Vertical and horizontal radiation patterns closely match each other (about ±50° horizontal, ±30-40° vertical), a hallmark benefit of a well-executed concentric driver. Distortion stays low - under 1% above 100Hz at 86dB, and under 3% up to 100Hz even at 96dB, better than the reviewer expected from a low-excursion waveguide-loaded woofer. Surprisingly strong dynamic capability with little audible compression at both low and high volume. Widely spaced (about 11 feet apart) with roughly 15° of toe-out produced a huge, expansive soundstage without significant loss of imaging precision. Solidly built cabinet (about 40 lbs, heavily braced) minimizes cabinet resonance. Watch for: Like virtually all coincident designs, sounds notably bright pointed directly on-axis due to a deliberate treble lift (meant to compensate for the 28mm tweeter’s earlier beaming versus a typical 25mm/1” tweeter) combined with a diffraction dip/peak from the waveguide edge; needs about 15° of toe-out to sound neutral, and even then benefits from an extra 1-2dB of treble EQ. Toeing out further (to 30°) flattens the treble further but introduces a dip in the midrange-to-tweeter crossover region - there’s no single toe-out angle that fixes everything at once. F3 of 56Hz and F10 of 38Hz (about 40Hz in-room) mean genuine deep bass is limited; the reviewer would pair it with a sealed 10” or 12” subwoofer for regular daily listening. Bass extension and cabinet placement trade off against midrange cleanliness: placing it close to a wall for more bass risks a wall-bounce suckout in the midrange (roughly 200-500Hz depending on distance). Not perfectly time-aligned between tweeter and woofer (about 0.4ms delta), an inherent limitation of passive coincident drivers versus actively time-corrected designs. Some resonances appear in measurements, likely port-related. Minimum impedance around 6.4 ohms with EPDR near 3 ohms, so the reviewer recommends sticking with a 4-ohm-rated amplifier to be safe.
Buy the Ascend CBM-170 SE2 when the price outweighs sound quality for you, and the MoFi SourcePoint 10 when sound quality outweighs the price instead.
Want more options? Browse the full Passive Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Ascend CBM-170 SE2 | MoFi SourcePoint 10 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $468 per pair | $3795 per pair |
| Ranked | #66 of 130 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #26 of 130 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 70Hz (measured, manufacturer spinorama data) | 56Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50Hz (measured, manufacturer spinorama data) | 38Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 86.8dB (2.83V/1m, measured, manufacturer spinorama data; 87dB manufacturer specified) | 88.2dB (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | 27mm custom SEAS soft dome tweeter, 6.5" proprietary composite polygel cone woofer | 10" Paper-pulp Cone woofer, 1.25-inch soft-dome tweeter |
| Dimensions | 12H x 9W x 9.5D in | 22.5"H x 14.5"W x 16.6"D (571.5 x 368.3 x 421.6 mm) |
| Weight | 15 lbs (6.8 kg) each | 46.3 lbs (21.0 kg) each |
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms nominal, 6.4 ohms minimum (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Power Handling | 200W continuous, 400W peak | - |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported, rear |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.81 | 3.25 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 8.17 | 5.27 |
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The Two Speakers In Full
Ascend CBM-170 SE2: $468 per pair Ascend Acoustics eBay
Pros: On-axis response is impressively flat from about 100Hz to 2kHz, staying within roughly ±1dB, with a clean, gradual bass rolloff below that. The directivity index rises smoothly and predictably through the crossover region, and the estimated in-room response shows a smooth, consistent downward tilt from 100Hz to 10kHz with no major discontinuities - close to the ideal in-room target shape. Measured sensitivity of 86.8dB nearly matches Ascend’s 87dB spec. The manufacturer’s own preference-score modeling comes out to 5.81 unequalized (rising to 8.17 with an ideal subwoofer, or 6.33/8.41 with EQ applied) - a strong result for a compact 2-way, and a clear step up from the original CBM-170 SE this replaces. Measured sensitivity of 86.8dB.
Cons: A narrow dip in the on-axis and listening-window response appears in the 3-5kHz range (down to about -2.7dB), mirrored by a matching dip in the directivity index at the same frequencies - likely a brief widening of dispersion right at the tweeter/woofer crossover. High-frequency directivity narrows substantially above 10kHz, typical for a small dome tweeter, so the top octave will sound more reserved off-axis than on-axis. Bass rolls off as expected for a compact 2-way monitor: -3dB around 70Hz and -10dB around 50Hz, so a subwoofer is needed for full-range use. This data comes from the manufacturer’s own Klippel measurements rather than an independent third-party review, so there’s no outside verification of channel matching, distortion, or unit-to-unit consistency.
Full Ascend CBM-170 SE2 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50Hz (measured, manufacturer spinorama data) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 70Hz (measured, manufacturer spinorama data) |
| Dimensions | 12H x 9W x 9.5D in |
| Drivers | 27mm custom SEAS soft dome tweeter, 6.5" proprietary composite polygel cone woofer |
| Impedance | 8 ohms |
| Power Handling | 200W continuous, 400W peak |
| Sensitivity | 86.8dB (2.83V/1m, measured, manufacturer spinorama data; 87dB manufacturer specified) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.81 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 8.17 |
| Weight | 15 lbs (6.8 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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MoFi SourcePoint 10: $3795 per pair Crutchfield eBay
Pros: Andrew Jones-designed concentric/coincident driver delivers best-in-class sound power and early-reflections directivity in the reviewer’s testing - a genuine “point source” design. Vertical and horizontal radiation patterns closely match each other (about ±50° horizontal, ±30-40° vertical), a hallmark benefit of a well-executed concentric driver. Distortion stays low - under 1% above 100Hz at 86dB, and under 3% up to 100Hz even at 96dB, better than the reviewer expected from a low-excursion waveguide-loaded woofer. Surprisingly strong dynamic capability with little audible compression at both low and high volume. Widely spaced (about 11 feet apart) with roughly 15° of toe-out produced a huge, expansive soundstage without significant loss of imaging precision. Solidly built cabinet (about 40 lbs, heavily braced) minimizes cabinet resonance. Measured bass extension of 56Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 88.2dB.
Cons: Like virtually all coincident designs, sounds notably bright pointed directly on-axis due to a deliberate treble lift (meant to compensate for the 28mm tweeter’s earlier beaming versus a typical 25mm/1” tweeter) combined with a diffraction dip/peak from the waveguide edge; needs about 15° of toe-out to sound neutral, and even then benefits from an extra 1-2dB of treble EQ. Toeing out further (to 30°) flattens the treble further but introduces a dip in the midrange-to-tweeter crossover region - there’s no single toe-out angle that fixes everything at once. F3 of 56Hz and F10 of 38Hz (about 40Hz in-room) mean genuine deep bass is limited; the reviewer would pair it with a sealed 10” or 12” subwoofer for regular daily listening. Bass extension and cabinet placement trade off against midrange cleanliness: placing it close to a wall for more bass risks a wall-bounce suckout in the midrange (roughly 200-500Hz depending on distance). Not perfectly time-aligned between tweeter and woofer (about 0.4ms delta), an inherent limitation of passive coincident drivers versus actively time-corrected designs. Some resonances appear in measurements, likely port-related. Minimum impedance around 6.4 ohms with EPDR near 3 ohms, so the reviewer recommends sticking with a 4-ohm-rated amplifier to be safe.
Full MoFi SourcePoint 10 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 56Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 22.5"H x 14.5"W x 16.6"D (571.5 x 368.3 x 421.6 mm) |
| Drivers | 10" Paper-pulp Cone woofer, 1.25-inch soft-dome tweeter |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal, 6.4 ohms minimum (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 88.2dB (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.25 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 5.27 |
| Weight | 46.3 lbs (21.0 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- MoFi SourcePoint 10 vs Radiant Acoustics Clarity 6.2
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