Short answer: the AsciLab A6B Passive for better sound quality, the Epos ES14N for the lower price. The AsciLab A6B Passive ranks #18 of 105 bookshelf speakers at $3790. The Epos ES14N ranks #19 at $3750, $40 cheaper.
The case for the AsciLab A6B Passive: A Purifi 6.5 inch aluminum cone woofer works with two side mounted passive radiators and a Klippel NFS optimized crossover to reach a measured 41.0Hz extension point with an on axis slope of just -0.10dB per octave, essentially flat. Watch for: 4 ohm nominal impedance and 82dB sensitivity call for a robust amplifier.
On the Epos ES14N side: A revival of Epos’s classic 1980s ES-14, re-engineered by Karl-Heinz Fink’s FinkTeam with a chamfered, backward sloping baffle to time align a 28mm ceramic coated dome tweeter with a 7 inch mica filled polypropylene woofer. The catch: The sound power directivity index has the widest standard deviation of any speaker added to this catalog from spinorama.org’s current measurement set, 5.18, meaning off axis energy tracks the on axis response less consistently than the rest of this batch as frequency rises.
Buy the AsciLab A6B Passive if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Epos ES14N if the price matters more than sound quality.
Specifications Side By Side
| AsciLab A6B Passive | Epos ES14N | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | 3790 EUR/pair | 3750-4400 GBP/pair |
| Ranked | #18 of 105 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #19 of 105 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Enclosure | sealed with passive radiators | ported |
| Drivers | 1" dome tweeter, 6.5" Purifi aluminum cone woofer, 2x 6.5" Purifi passive radiators | 28mm aluminum/ceramic compound dome tweeter, 7" mica filled polypropylene cone woofer |
| Dimensions | 15.9"H x 8.7"W x 11.8"D (405 x 220 x 300 mm) (15.9 x 8.7 x 11.8 in) | 19.3"H x 9.8"W x 15.2"D (491 x 250 x 385 mm) (19.3 x 9.8 x 15.2 in) |
| Weight | 27.1 lbs / 12.3 kg (27 lbs) each | 35.3 lbs / 16 kg (35.3 lbs) each |
| Sensitivity | 82dB @ 2.83V/1m | 87dB @ 2.823V/1m |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal | 6 ohms nominal, 4.3 ohms minimum |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 41.0Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 51.2Hz (measured, spinorama.org data) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 34.7Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 35.3Hz (measured, spinorama.org data) |
| Max SPL | 102dB full bandwidth, 106dB above 100Hz | - |
| Crossover Points | 1kHz | 2.7kHz |
| Warranty | 2 years | - |
| Country | South Korea | Germany |
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- MoFi SourcePoint 8 vs Radiant Acoustics Clarity 6.2
- MoFi SourcePoint 8 vs March Audio Sointuva AWG
- MoFi SourcePoint 8 vs Dynaudio Special Forty
- Epos ES14N vs MoFi SourcePoint 8
- AsciLab F6Bs vs Epos ES14N
The Two Speakers In Full
AsciLab A6B Passive: 3790 EUR/pair Audiophonics
Pros: A Purifi 6.5 inch aluminum cone woofer works with two side mounted passive radiators and a Klippel NFS optimized crossover to reach a measured 41.0Hz extension point with an on axis slope of just -0.10dB per octave, essentially flat. On axis deviation measures 0.071dB average, the tightest figure of any speaker added to this catalog from spinorama.org’s current measurement set. Listening window smoothness (0.60) sits in line with AsciLab’s other highly rated bookshelf models already in this catalog.
Cons: 4 ohm nominal impedance and 82dB sensitivity call for a robust amplifier. AsciLab and its resellers frequently list the A6B as sold out or preorder only, and reported prices vary widely by source and region, from roughly $2,900 to over $3,900 per pair, so confirm the current listing before buying. Tweeter material is described inconsistently between sources (alumina ceramic dome versus an SB Acoustics unit), worth verifying directly with a reseller if that detail matters to you.
Full AsciLab A6B Passive review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 34.7Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 41.0Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Country | South Korea |
| Crossover Points | 1kHz |
| Dimensions | 15.9"H x 8.7"W x 11.8"D (405 x 220 x 300 mm) (15.9 x 8.7 x 11.8 in) |
| Drivers | 1" dome tweeter, 6.5" Purifi aluminum cone woofer, 2x 6.5" Purifi passive radiators |
| Enclosure | sealed with passive radiators |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal |
| Max SPL | 102dB full bandwidth, 106dB above 100Hz |
| Sensitivity | 82dB @ 2.83V/1m |
| Warranty | 2 years |
| Weight | 27.1 lbs / 12.3 kg (27 lbs) each |
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Epos ES14N: 3750-4400 GBP/pair Audio Venue (UK)
Pros: A revival of Epos’s classic 1980s ES-14, re-engineered by Karl-Heinz Fink’s FinkTeam with a chamfered, backward sloping baffle to time align a 28mm ceramic coated dome tweeter with a 7 inch mica filled polypropylene woofer. On axis deviation measures a clean 0.216dB average and listening window smoothness reaches 0.53, both among the better figures in this batch, and the larger woofer reaches a measured 51.2Hz at -3dB with a low 0.2% THD at 1W.
Cons: The sound power directivity index has the widest standard deviation of any speaker added to this catalog from spinorama.org’s current measurement set, 5.18, meaning off axis energy tracks the on axis response less consistently than the rest of this batch as frequency rises. The bass alignment also measures a higher Q of 1.10, hinting at a mild bump near the port tuning frequency. At £3,750 to £4,400/pair depending on finish it is a serious investment, and dealer availability is limited outside the UK and Canada.
Full Epos ES14N review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35.3Hz (measured, spinorama.org data) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 51.2Hz (measured, spinorama.org data) |
| Country | Germany |
| Crossover Points | 2.7kHz |
| Dimensions | 19.3"H x 9.8"W x 15.2"D (491 x 250 x 385 mm) (19.3 x 9.8 x 15.2 in) |
| Drivers | 28mm aluminum/ceramic compound dome tweeter, 7" mica filled polypropylene cone woofer |
| Enclosure | ported |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal, 4.3 ohms minimum |
| Sensitivity | 87dB @ 2.823V/1m |
| Weight | 35.3 lbs / 16 kg (35.3 lbs) each |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons