Short answer: the AsciLab C6B. It ranks #6 of 222 bookshelf speakers by sound quality, rated 4.7/5, at $1,145; the Technics SB-C700 ranks #83, rated 4.0/5, and costs $1,699, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
The AsciLab C6B is the more accurate, deeper-bass choice. 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. Its measured preference score, a predictor of how neutral it sounds, is 6.33 against 5.11 for the Technics SB-C700. Its bass reaches about 54Hz before falling 3dB, against 85Hz for the Technics SB-C700. The tradeoff: Bass rolls off around 50Hz in-room (F3 54Hz, F10 35Hz), so a subwoofer is needed for real extension below that.
The case for the Technics SB-C700: Distinctive coincident “Phase Precision Driver”: a 1.9cm dome tweeter mounted at the exact acoustic center of a 16cm flat-diaphragm carbon-fiber/honeycomb-sandwich woofer, giving true point-source geometry. The tradeoff: 85dB sensitivity paired with a 4-ohm nominal impedance wants a fairly capable amplifier.
Buy the AsciLab C6B. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Technics SB-C700 and costs less, so only choose the other one for a particular feature it does better.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Passive Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| AsciLab C6B | Technics SB-C700 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1145 per pair | $1,699.00 per pair |
| Ranked | #6 of 222 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #83 of 222 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 40.5Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 54Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 85.0Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Dimensions | 15.7”H x 8”W x 10.4”D (398.8 x 203.2 x 264.2 mm) | 8.7” x 13.2” x 11.3” (220 x 336 x 286 mm) each |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 2.6 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 4 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 85.6dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 85dB (2.83V/1m) |
| Drivers | 6” Aluminium Ceramic Cone with cast Aluminium Chassis woofer, 1” Aluminium Ceramic Dome tweeter | Coaxial “Phase Precision Driver”: 1.9cm dome tweeter + 16cm flat-diaphragm woofer |
| Weight | 18.5 lbs (8.4 kg) each | 18.7 lbs (8.5 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | passive radiator | Bass reflex |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 6.33 | 5.11 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 8.28 | 7.25 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
Frequency Response Compared
Both speakers’ spinorama measurements, overlaid. A flatter line is more neutral: peaks sound forward or harsh, dips sound recessed. Each curve is shifted so its average from 300 Hz to 3 kHz sits at 0 dB, so loudness differences between the two are removed and only the shape is compared. The two were measured by different sources, so small differences, especially in the bass, can come from the measurement setup rather than the speakers.
Measurement data: AsciLab C6B (measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) and Technics SB-C700 (measured by Audio Science Review), via spinorama.org.
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The Two Speakers In Full
AsciLab C6B: $1145 per pair Ascilab $1145 eBay
Same family: the AsciLab C5B (smaller bookshelf, rated 4.2/5).
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 $1145 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 AsciLab’s list 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 | 6.33 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 8.28 |
| Weight | 18.5 lbs (8.4 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | passive radiator |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Technics SB-C700: $1,699.00 per pair Value Electronics $1,699.00 USA Tube Audio $1,699.99 eBay
Pros: Distinctive coincident “Phase Precision Driver”: a 1.9cm dome tweeter mounted at the exact acoustic center of a 16cm flat-diaphragm carbon-fiber/honeycomb-sandwich woofer, giving true point-source geometry. Directivity is unusually symmetric front-to-back and top-to-bottom (both horizontal and vertical average exactly 60°) and off axis sound tracks the on axis response unusually consistently for a large bookshelf speaker. Die-cast aluminum chassis and a high-gloss convex “Entasis form” cabinet with side panels up to 42mm thick for extra rigidity. Measured bass extension of 85.0Hz (-3dB).
Cons: 85dB sensitivity paired with a 4-ohm nominal impedance wants a fairly capable amplifier. Bass extension is shallow relative to its 6.5”-class woofer at -3dB (85.0Hz), though it reaches a more usable 40.5Hz at -10dB: a fairly steep low-end rolloff shape once past the reference band. At $1699/pair, some in the ASR community have questioned the value proposition against similarly-measuring alternatives at lower prices.
Full Technics SB-C700 review and specifications →
| Released | Oct 2014 (12 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 40.5Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 85.0Hz (measured, spinorama.org) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 8.7” x 13.2” x 11.3” (220 x 336 x 286 mm) each |
| Drivers | Coaxial “Phase Precision Driver”: 1.9cm dome tweeter + 16cm flat-diaphragm woofer |
| Impedance | 4 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 85dB (2.83V/1m) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.11 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.25 |
| Weight | 18.7 lbs (8.5 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | Bass reflex |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
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