Short answer: the HiVi Swans 3.1A mod for budget DIY, the AsciLab C6B for a finished waveguide design. The Swans mod is a DIY three-way kit whose CEA2034 spinorama shows a mostly smooth on-axis response, with some directivity error around 2.1kHz. The C6B’s 1” aluminum ceramic dome on a large waveguide and 6” ceramic cone woofer roll off around 50Hz in-room (F3 54Hz, F10 35Hz), so it too wants a subwoofer.
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 tradeoff: Bass rolls off around 50Hz in-room (F3 54Hz, F10 35Hz), so a subwoofer is needed for real extension below that.
On the HiVi Swans 3.1A Sehlin Sound Solutions mod side: CEA2034 spinorama shows a mostly smooth on-axis response for a DIY three-way kit. Set against that: Some directivity error appears around 2.1kHz on-axis.
Buy the AsciLab C6B when sound quality outweighs the price for you, and the HiVi Swans 3.1A Sehlin Sound Solutions mod when the price outweighs sound quality instead.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Passive Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| AsciLab C6B | HiVi Swans 3.1A Sehlin Sound Solutions mod | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1145 per pair | $364.99 per pair for the kit (assembly required) |
| Ranked | #7 of 130 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #61 of 130 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) | 38Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 54Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) | 60Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 15.7"H x 8"W x 10.4"D (398.8 x 203.2 x 264.2 mm) | 16.5"H x 8.5"W x 13"D (420.0 x 215.0 x 330.0 mm) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 2.6 ohms minimum (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) | 4 ohms nominal, 3.8 ohms minimum (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Sensitivity | 85.6dB (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) | 86.5dB (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Drivers | 6" Aluminium Ceramic Cone with cast Aluminium Chassis woofer, 1" Aluminium Ceramic Dome tweeter | 6.5" Kevlar woofer, 2" Dome midrange, 1" Soft Dome tweeter |
| Weight | 18.5 lbs (8.4 kg) each | 13.7 lbs (6.2 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | passive radiator | ported, rear |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.66 | 5.8 (derived from ASR thread measurement data) |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.60 | 7.6 (derived from ASR thread measurement data) |
| DIY Kit | No | Yes |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How AsciLab C6B compares with other leading options:
- AsciLab C6B vs Perlisten S4b
- AsciLab C6B vs KEF Reference 1 Meta
- AsciLab C6B vs GR-Research NX-Studio
- AsciLab C6B vs March Audio Sointuva AWG
- AsciLab C6B vs Audio First Cadentia 3
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The Two Speakers In Full
AsciLab C6B: $1145 per pair Ascilab eBay
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. Measured bass extension of 54Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 85.6dB.
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.
Full AsciLab C6B review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 54Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| 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 nominal, 2.6 ohms minimum (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 85.6dB (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.66 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.60 |
| Weight | 18.5 lbs (8.4 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | passive radiator |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
HiVi Swans 3.1A Sehlin Sound Solutions mod: $364.99 per pair for the kit (assembly required) Amazon eBay
Pros: CEA2034 spinorama shows a mostly smooth on-axis response for a DIY three-way kit. Horizontal beamwidth of about ±70 degrees is wide and consistent. Distortion stays under control down to 40Hz at 96dB SPL/1m, a strong result for a 6.5” woofer in this class. Measured bass extension of 60Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 86.5dB.
Cons: Some directivity error appears around 2.1kHz on-axis. Predicted in-room response needs about 1-2dB of correction to fit an ideal target curve. Vertical directivity is just okay, so listening height matters more than with a coincident design. Minimum impedance dips to 3.8 ohms with several peaks, a moderately demanding load. Requires DIY assembly (kit only), with additional Sehlin-mod parts and labor beyond the base kit price.
Full HiVi Swans 3.1A Sehlin Sound Solutions mod review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 60Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| DIY Kit | Yes |
| Dimensions | 16.5"H x 8.5"W x 13"D (420.0 x 215.0 x 330.0 mm) |
| Drivers | 6.5" Kevlar woofer, 2" Dome midrange, 1" Soft Dome tweeter |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 3.8 ohms minimum (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Sensitivity | 86.5dB (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.8 (derived from ASR thread measurement data) |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.6 (derived from ASR thread measurement data) |
| Weight | 13.7 lbs (6.2 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- HiVi Swans 3.1A Sehlin Sound Solutions mod vs Klipsch RP-600M II
- HiVi Swans 3.1A Sehlin Sound Solutions mod vs ELAC Debut 3.0 DB63
- HiVi Swans 3.1A Sehlin Sound Solutions mod vs GR-Research X-LS Encore
- HiVi Swans 3.1A Sehlin Sound Solutions mod vs ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2
- HiVi Swans 3.1A Sehlin Sound Solutions mod vs Polk Monitor XT20
- HiVi Swans 3.1A Sehlin Sound Solutions mod vs MoFi SourcePoint 10
- HiVi Swans 3.1A Sehlin Sound Solutions mod vs KEF Q Concerto Meta
- HiVi Swans 3.1A Sehlin Sound Solutions mod vs KEF R3 Meta
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