Short answer: the AsciLab C6B. It ranks #6 of 222 bookshelf speakers by sound quality, rated 4.7/5, at $1,145; the Arendal 1528 Monitor 8 ranks #23, rated 4.4/5, and costs $6,000, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
The AsciLab C6B is the more accurate pick. Bookshelf speakers with very accurate sound and an unusually wide, stable soundstage, for any seating position. Its measured preference score, a predictor of how neutral it sounds, is 6.33 against 5.59 for the Arendal 1528 Monitor 8. The catch: Bass rolls off around 50Hz in-room (F3 54Hz, F10 35Hz), so a subwoofer is needed for real extension below that.
The Arendal 1528 Monitor 8 is the deeper-bass option. A big three way monitor with dual 8 inch woofers, bass deep enough to skip a subwoofer, and extremely low distortion at high volume. Its bass reaches about 41Hz before falling 3dB, against 54Hz for the AsciLab C6B. The catch: A dip in the midbase around 100Hz noticeably reduces the “chestiness” of male vocals compared to the reviewer’s reference speaker.
Buy the AsciLab C6B. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Arendal 1528 Monitor 8 and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
Still deciding? The full Passive Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Bookshelf speakers with very accurate sound and an unusually wide, stable soundstage, for any seating position.
A big three way monitor with dual 8 inch woofers, bass deep enough to skip a subwoofer, and extremely low distortion at high volume.
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Specifications Side By Side
| AsciLab C6B | Arendal 1528 Monitor 8 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1145 per pair | $6000 per pair |
| Ranked | #6 of 222 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #23 of 222 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 26Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 54Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 41Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 15.7”H x 8”W x 10.4”D (398.8 x 203.2 x 264.2 mm) | 31.8”H x 11.4”W x 17.6”D (807.7 x 289.6 x 447 mm) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 2.6 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 4 ohms nominal, 3.8 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 85.6dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 84.4dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | 6” Aluminium Ceramic Cone with cast Aluminium Chassis woofer, 1” Aluminium Ceramic Dome tweeter | Dual 8” woofers, 5” midrange, 28mm tweeter |
| Weight | 18.5 lbs (8.4 kg) each | 103.6 lbs (47 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | passive radiator | ported |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 6.33 | 5.59 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 8.28 | 7.04 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
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