Short answer: the AsciLab F6B. It ranks #12 of 130 bookshelf speakers by sound quality at $980; the Sonus Faber Lumina II ranks #91 and costs $1600, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
What the AsciLab F6B offers: Called by the reviewer the best sub-$1000 pair of speakers he’s come across to date. Watch for: A mild sibilance-inducing lift around 6-8kHz, most noticeable on female vocals, paired with a shallow dip in the upper midrange - correctable with a simple 3-band EQ the reviewer provided.
What the Sonus Faber Lumina II offers: Handmade in Italy with a gloss-finished front baffle and black leather-wrapped cabinet - genuinely nice-looking speaker with real brand cachet. Watch for: Not a neutral speaker - has a persistent high-frequency boost/lift that makes it sound forward and bright, present whether pointed directly at the listener or toed out.
Buy the AsciLab F6B. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Sonus Faber Lumina II and costs less, which settles it without a real tradeoff to make.
Specifications Side By Side
| AsciLab F6B | Sonus Faber Lumina II | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $980 per pair | $1,600 per pair |
| Ranked | #12 of 130 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #91 of 130 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 41Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 56Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 60Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 15.7" x 8" x 10.4" (400 x 203 x 265 mm) | 12" x 7.1" x 10.4" (304 x 180 x 263 mm) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (3.5 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) | 4 ohms nominal, 4.1 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 85dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) | 86dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner; matches manufacturer spec) |
| Drivers | 1" aluminum dome tweeter, 6" fiber cone woofer | 29mm DAD dome tweeter, 150mm paper cone mid-woofer |
| Weight | 16.5 lbs / 7.5 kg each | 12.5 lbs / 5.65 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | Passive radiator loaded | - |
| Crossover Frequency | 1000Hz | 1800Hz |
| Recommended Power | up to 125W | 30W - 150W |
| Frequency Response | - | 55Hz - 24kHz (manufacturer specified) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How AsciLab F6B compares with other leading options:
- AsciLab F6B vs DIYSG HTM-12 v2
- ELAC Debut 3.0 DB63 vs AsciLab F6B
- AsciLab F6B vs JBL Studio 630
- Sonus Faber Lumina II vs Chesky LC1
- Dynaudio Emit 20 vs Sonus Faber Lumina II
Prices on this page were last checked September 11, 2026 at 8:40 PM 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.
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The Two Speakers In Full
AsciLab F6B: $980 per pair Ascilab eBay
Pros: Called by the reviewer the best sub-$1000 pair of speakers he’s come across to date. Very good on-axis linearity and directivity for the price, with a large waveguide-loaded 1” aluminum dome tweeter that keeps a two-way design well-behaved through the crossover. Nice midbass punch from a slightly undersized enclosure alignment that gives kick drums extra impact. Solid, unfussy tonal balance overall.
Cons: A mild sibilance-inducing lift around 6-8kHz, most noticeable on female vocals, paired with a shallow dip in the upper midrange - correctable with a simple 3-band EQ the reviewer provided. In-room bass extension is only about 50-60Hz despite a 6” woofer, trading some low-end reach for that extra midbass punch. Compression and graininess creep in at higher volumes (upper 80s to low 90s dB at 10ft), and directivity (~50-60 degrees horizontal) is narrower than the reviewer’s other current favorite, the Audio First Cadentia 3.
Full AsciLab F6B review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 38Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 56Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Crossover Frequency | 1000Hz |
| Dimensions | 15.7" x 8" x 10.4" (400 x 203 x 265 mm) |
| Drivers | 1" aluminum dome tweeter, 6" fiber cone woofer |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (3.5 ohms minimum above 80Hz, measured by Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Recommended Power | up to 125W |
| Sensitivity | 85dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 16.5 lbs / 7.5 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | Passive radiator loaded |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Sonus Faber Lumina II: $1,600 per pair Crutchfield eBay
Pros: Handmade in Italy with a gloss-finished front baffle and black leather-wrapped cabinet - genuinely nice-looking speaker with real brand cachet. Bass extension is competitive for the size, reaching about 50 Hz in-room with mild compression and good distortion figures, so higher output levels and greater listening distances aren’t a problem down to that point. About 20 dB of dynamic range at typical listening levels (73 dB at 4m), which comfortably covers most music without the tonal balance shifting as instruments and vocals peak. Off-axis behavior is consistent - toeing the speakers 20-30 degrees out doesn’t meaningfully change the in-room high-frequency character, so placement flexibility is good once you’ve dialed in the tonal balance.
Cons: Not a neutral speaker - has a persistent high-frequency boost/lift that makes it sound forward and bright, present whether pointed directly at the listener or toed out. A slightly nasal quality traced to a resonance around 1 kHz that EQ can address. The reviewer needed to trim treble by about 4 dB on his preamp to get the tonal balance he wanted, meaning most listeners will want equalization available to fully enjoy this speaker. At roughly the same $1,000ish price point, alternatives like the Ascend Acoustics Sierra 1 V2 measure more linear (with a tradeoff in distortion and crossover-region directivity), and the Dynaudio Emit 20 offers deeper bass extension and lower compression at the cost of a more deliberately colored tonal signature.
Full Sonus Faber Lumina II review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 41Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 60Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Crossover Frequency | 1800Hz |
| Dimensions | 12" x 7.1" x 10.4" (304 x 180 x 263 mm) |
| Drivers | 29mm DAD dome tweeter, 150mm paper cone mid-woofer |
| Frequency Response | 55Hz - 24kHz (manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 4.1 ohms minimum (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Recommended Power | 30W - 150W |
| Sensitivity | 86dB (measured average, Erin's Audio Corner; matches manufacturer spec) |
| Weight | 12.5 lbs / 5.65 kg each |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Sonus Faber Lumina II vs Polk Monitor XT20
- Sonus Faber Lumina II vs Focal Aria 906
- Sonus Faber Lumina II vs KEF Q3 Meta
- Sonus Faber Lumina II vs Revel Performa M22
- Sonus Faber Lumina II vs SVS Prime Bookshelf
- Sonus Faber Lumina II vs ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2
- Sonus Faber Lumina II vs Dynaudio Special Forty
- Sonus Faber Lumina II vs Polk R200
- See all 27 comparisons