Short answer: the AsciLab C6B. It ranks #7 of 130 bookshelf speakers by sound quality at $1145; the Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator ranks #106 and costs $2000, so there is little reason to consider the other one.
What the AsciLab C6B offers: 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. Watch for: 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.
What the Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator offers: Solid bass extension for a bookshelf (F3 63Hz, F10 43Hz), reaching about 50Hz in-room. Decent sensitivity and wide, consistent horizontal dispersion (~60-70 degrees) - better directivity than expected for a two-way design. Gorgeous, luxury-grade cabinet design. Watch for: Very bright treble, running 3-6dB above the midrange depending on measurement angle - independently corroborated by other owners online, not just one reviewer’s opinion. Causes audible sibilance and a forward, grainy character. Notably the brightest of three Sonus Faber models Erin’s Audio Corner has tested, even brighter than the brand’s own Sonetto II G2. A mechanical resonance/ringing artifact shows up around 1kHz in measurements. Needs a subwoofer for anything below about 50Hz.
Buy the AsciLab C6B. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip the Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator. It ranks near the bottom of the 130 bookshelf speakers, so look higher up the list instead.
Still deciding? The full Passive Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| AsciLab C6B | Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1145 per pair | $2000 per pair |
| Ranked | #7 of 130 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #106 of 130 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) | 43Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 54Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) | 63Hz (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) | 12" x 7.1" x 10.4" (304 x 180 x 263 mm) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 2.6 ohms minimum (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) | 4 ohms nominal, 3.9 ohms minimum (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 85.6dB (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) | 86.9dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | 6" Aluminium Ceramic Cone with cast Aluminium Chassis woofer, 1" Aluminium Ceramic Dome tweeter | 1.14" DAD (Damped Apex Dome) tweeter, 5.9" paper cone woofer |
| Weight | 18.5 lbs (8.4 kg) each | 12.8 lbs (5.8 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | passive radiator | Bass reflex, ported |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.66 | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.60 | - |
| Frequency Response | - | 55Hz - 24kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Crossover Frequency | - | 2600Hz |
| Recommended Power | - | 30W - 150W |
| Country | - | Italy (Vicenza) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for AsciLab C6B:
- 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
Prices on this page were last checked September 16, 2026 at 12:41 AM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time 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.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
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) |
| 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
Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator: $2000 per pair Crutchfield eBay
Pros: Solid bass extension for a bookshelf (F3 63Hz, F10 43Hz), reaching about 50Hz in-room. Decent sensitivity and wide, consistent horizontal dispersion (~60-70 degrees) - better directivity than expected for a two-way design. Gorgeous, luxury-grade cabinet design. Measured bass extension of 63Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 86.9dB.
Cons: Very bright treble, running 3-6dB above the midrange depending on measurement angle - independently corroborated by other owners online, not just one reviewer’s opinion. Causes audible sibilance and a forward, grainy character. Notably the brightest of three Sonus Faber models Erin’s Audio Corner has tested, even brighter than the brand’s own Sonetto II G2. A mechanical resonance/ringing artifact shows up around 1kHz in measurements. Needs a subwoofer for anything below about 50Hz.
Full Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 43Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 63Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Country | Italy (Vicenza) |
| Crossover Frequency | 2600Hz |
| Dimensions | 12" x 7.1" x 10.4" (304 x 180 x 263 mm) |
| Drivers | 1.14" DAD (Damped Apex Dome) tweeter, 5.9" paper cone woofer |
| Frequency Response | 55Hz - 24kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 3.9 ohms minimum (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Recommended Power | 30W - 150W |
| Sensitivity | 86.9dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 12.8 lbs (5.8 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | Bass reflex, ported |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator vs KEF Q350
- Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator vs Klipsch RP-600M
- Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator vs Pylon Jasper Monitor 18
- Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator vs Wharfedale Diamond 9.1
- Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator vs Sonus Faber Sonetto II G2
- Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator vs Triangle Borea BR03
- Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator vs B&W 805S
- Sonus Faber Lumina II Amator vs Emotiva Airmotiv B2+
- See all 57 comparisons