Short answer: the AsciLab C6B. It ranks #4 of 47 bookshelf speakers at $1145; the GR-Research X-LS Encore ranks #28 and costs $1300, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the AsciLab C6B gets right: Two-way design pairing a 1” aluminum ceramic dome tweeter on a large waveguide with a 6” aluminum ceramic cone woofer. The catch: Bass rolls off around 50Hz in-room (F3 54Hz, F10 35Hz), so a subwoofer is needed for real extension below that.
On the GR-Research X-LS Encore side: An amazing value, especially if you managed to snag one of these built by AV123 in the early 2000s for $200-300. CEA2034 spinorama shows. The tradeoff: A slight depression in the upper bass and some peaking in the lower bass shows up on-axis.
Buy the AsciLab C6B if the ranking matters more than the price. Buy the GR-Research X-LS Encore if the price matters more than the ranking.
Specifications Side By Side
| AsciLab C6B | GR-Research X-LS Encore | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1145 | $1300 |
| Ranked | #4 of 47 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #28 of 47 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz | 44Hz |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 54Hz | 64Hz |
| Dimensions | 15.7"H x 8"W x 10.4"D (398.8 x 203.2 x 264.2 mm) | 13.5"H x 8.5"W x 12.125"D (342.9 x 215.9 x 308 mm) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 8 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 85dB | 87dB |
| Drivers | 6" Aluminium Ceramic Cone with cast Aluminium Chassis woofer, 1" Aluminium Ceramic Dome tweeter | 6.5" Peerless M-165 paper composite cone, non-resonant polymer frame woofer, 1" Peerless India T26SG tweeter |
| Weight | 18.5 lbs / 8.4 kg each | 17 lbs / 7.7 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | - | Ported |
The Two Speakers In Full
AsciLab C6B: $1145 Ascilab
Pros: Two-way design pairing a 1” aluminum ceramic dome tweeter on a large waveguide with a 6” aluminum ceramic cone woofer, crossed over at 1.1kHz, plus a rear passive radiator. Unusual trait: horizontal radiation actually widens at higher frequencies instead of narrowing like most two-way designs, which keeps image focus and soundstage depth consistent whether you toe the speakers in or out (5-10° off-axis was the sweet spot in testing). Vertical radiation also stays wide straight through the 2kHz crossover region, so the sound doesn’t collapse when standing up - unusual at this price. CA2034 measurements show strong on-axis linearity, listening window, early reflections, and directivity. Midrange and tweeter distortion stay very low even at 96dB, holding up against a $5,900 Arendal speaker in that regard despite roughly a 5x price gap. At $935 (about $1,135 shipped to the US), the reviewer calls it the best-value bookshelf speaker he’s tested, rivaling speakers 2-5x the price.
Cons: Bass rolls off around 50Hz in-room (F3 54Hz, F10 35Hz), so a subwoofer is needed for real extension below that. Low-frequency harmonic distortion increases substantially at 96dB versus 86dB, though it’s second-order and less audible than it looks on paper. Minimum impedance dips to 2.6 ohms (EPDR as low as 1.2 ohms), so it wants an amplifier comfortable driving 4-ohm loads, ideally 100W or more. At 102dB, compression noticeably eats into midrange, bass, and some treble output. Shipping to the US adds roughly $200 on top of the $935 price. Against the reviewer’s reference Audiofirst Fidelia at a similar price, has slightly less lower-midrange body (about 1dB difference) and a smaller perceived soundstage size.
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 54Hz |
| Dimensions | 15.7"H x 8"W x 10.4"D (398.8 x 203.2 x 264.2 mm) |
| Drivers | 6" Aluminium Ceramic Cone with cast Aluminium Chassis woofer, 1" Aluminium Ceramic Dome tweeter |
| Impedance | 4 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 85dB |
| Weight | 18.5 lbs / 8.4 kg each |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- AsciLab C6B vs GR-Research NX-Bravo
- AsciLab C6B vs March Audio Sointuva AWG
- AsciLab C6B vs KEF R3 Meta
- AsciLab C6B vs KEF Reference 1 Meta
- AsciLab C6B vs GR-Research NX-Studio
- AsciLab C6B vs MoFi SourcePoint 10
- AsciLab C6B vs HiVi Swans 3.1A Sehlin Sound Solutions mod
- AsciLab C6B vs ELAC DB63
- See all 12 comparisons
- Links
GR-Research X-LS Encore: $1300 Gr-research
Pros: An amazing value, especially if you managed to snag one of these built by AV123 in the early 2000s for $200-300. CEA2034 spinorama shows a generally flat on-axis response, especially in the listening window. Predicted in-room response is generally smooth and on-target. Distortion at 86dB SPL/1m is pretty clean above 200Hz.
Cons: A slight depression in the upper bass and some peaking in the lower bass shows up on-axis, along with directivity error in the crossover region. Vertical directivity requires staying within about 20 degrees of the tweeter axis. At 96dB SPL/1m distortion becomes “rather unhappy,” with bass distortion, a possible woofer issue around 2kHz, and a tweeter problem above 7kHz. As a DIY kit, it requires building the cabinet and crossover yourself.
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 44Hz |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 64Hz |
| Dimensions | 13.5"H x 8.5"W x 12.125"D (342.9 x 215.9 x 308 mm) |
| Drivers | 6.5" Peerless M-165 paper composite cone, non-resonant polymer frame woofer, 1" Peerless India T26SG tweeter |
| Impedance | 8 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 87dB |
| Weight | 17 lbs / 7.7 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | Ported |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- GR-Research X-LS Encore vs ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2
- GR-Research X-LS Encore vs Polk Monitor XT20
- GR-Research X-LS Encore vs ELAC DB63
- GR-Research X-LS Encore vs HiVi Swans 3.1A Sehlin Sound Solutions mod
- GR-Research X-LS Encore vs Zu Audio Method
- GR-Research X-LS Encore vs MoFi SourcePoint 10
- GR-Research X-LS Encore vs GR-Research NX-Studio
- Links
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Product prices and availability were last checked August 9, 2026 at 6:57 AM UTC 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.