Short answer: the Epos ES14N for better sound quality, the AsciLab F6Bs for the lower price. The Epos ES14N ranks #19 of 105 bookshelf speakers at $3750. The AsciLab F6Bs ranks #20 at $799, $2951 cheaper.
What the AsciLab F6Bs gets right: A slimmer, sealed, VESA 100 wall mountable variant of AsciLab’s F6B, trading the F6B’s passive radiator for a shallower 15.4cm deep cabinet that can go straight on a wall bracket. Watch for: AsciLab’s own site shows the F6Bs sold out, though it remains in stock through resellers like Audiophonics and Tested Audio.
On the Epos ES14N side: A revival of Epos’s classic 1980s ES-14, re-engineered by Karl-Heinz Fink’s FinkTeam with a chamfered, backward sloping baffle to time align a 28mm ceramic coated dome tweeter with a 7 inch mica filled polypropylene woofer. Set against that: The sound power directivity index has the widest standard deviation of any speaker added to this catalog from spinorama.org’s current measurement set, 5.18, meaning off axis energy tracks the on axis response less consistently than the rest of this batch as frequency rises.
Buy the AsciLab F6Bs if the price matters more than sound quality. Buy the Epos ES14N if sound quality matters more than the price.
Specifications Side By Side
| AsciLab F6Bs | Epos ES14N | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | 799 EUR/pair | 3750-4400 GBP/pair |
| Ranked | #20 of 105 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #19 of 105 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Enclosure | sealed | ported |
| Drivers | 1" aluminum dome tweeter with waveguide and phase plug, 6" fiber cone woofer | 28mm aluminum/ceramic compound dome tweeter, 7" mica filled polypropylene cone woofer |
| Dimensions | 14.5"H x 8"W x 6.1"D (368 x 203 x 154 mm) (14.5 x 8.0 x 6.1 in) | 19.3"H x 9.8"W x 15.2"D (491 x 250 x 385 mm) (19.3 x 9.8 x 15.2 in) |
| Weight | 12.3 lbs / 5.6 kg (12.3 lbs) each | 35.3 lbs / 16 kg (35.3 lbs) each |
| Sensitivity | 85.2dB @ 2.83V/1m (measured, Audio Science Review) | 87dB @ 2.823V/1m |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 3.7 ohms minimum | 6 ohms nominal, 4.3 ohms minimum |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 82.0Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 51.2Hz (measured, spinorama.org data) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50.1Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 35.3Hz (measured, spinorama.org data) |
| Max SPL | 100dB full bandwidth, 102dB above 100Hz | - |
| Crossover Points | 1kHz | 2.7kHz |
| Mounting | VESA 100 wall mount compatible | - |
| Warranty | 2 years | - |
| Country | South Korea | Germany |
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- Epos ES14N vs MoFi SourcePoint 8
- AsciLab A6B Passive vs Epos ES14N
The Two Speakers In Full
AsciLab F6Bs: 799 EUR/pair Audiophonics
Pros: A slimmer, sealed, VESA 100 wall mountable variant of AsciLab’s F6B, trading the F6B’s passive radiator for a shallower 15.4cm deep cabinet that can go straight on a wall bracket. The sound power directivity index has the tightest standard deviation, 3.32, of anything in this batch of new additions, meaning off axis energy tracks the on axis response unusually consistently for a sealed 2-way this size, and on axis deviation measures a clean 0.25dB average.
Cons: AsciLab’s own site shows the F6Bs sold out, though it remains in stock through resellers like Audiophonics and Tested Audio. Bass extension is measured at 82.0Hz at -3dB, noticeably less than the passive radiator equipped F6B, and listening window smoothness measures only a moderate 0.39. The 4 ohm nominal impedance calls for a reasonably capable amplifier.
Full AsciLab F6Bs review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50.1Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 82.0Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Country | South Korea |
| Crossover Points | 1kHz |
| Dimensions | 14.5"H x 8"W x 6.1"D (368 x 203 x 154 mm) (14.5 x 8.0 x 6.1 in) |
| Drivers | 1" aluminum dome tweeter with waveguide and phase plug, 6" fiber cone woofer |
| Enclosure | sealed |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal, 3.7 ohms minimum |
| Max SPL | 100dB full bandwidth, 102dB above 100Hz |
| Mounting | VESA 100 wall mount compatible |
| Sensitivity | 85.2dB @ 2.83V/1m (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Warranty | 2 years |
| Weight | 12.3 lbs / 5.6 kg (12.3 lbs) each |
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Epos ES14N: 3750-4400 GBP/pair Audio Venue (UK)
Pros: A revival of Epos’s classic 1980s ES-14, re-engineered by Karl-Heinz Fink’s FinkTeam with a chamfered, backward sloping baffle to time align a 28mm ceramic coated dome tweeter with a 7 inch mica filled polypropylene woofer. On axis deviation measures a clean 0.216dB average and listening window smoothness reaches 0.53, both among the better figures in this batch, and the larger woofer reaches a measured 51.2Hz at -3dB with a low 0.2% THD at 1W.
Cons: The sound power directivity index has the widest standard deviation of any speaker added to this catalog from spinorama.org’s current measurement set, 5.18, meaning off axis energy tracks the on axis response less consistently than the rest of this batch as frequency rises. The bass alignment also measures a higher Q of 1.10, hinting at a mild bump near the port tuning frequency. At £3,750 to £4,400/pair depending on finish it is a serious investment, and dealer availability is limited outside the UK and Canada.
Full Epos ES14N review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 35.3Hz (measured, spinorama.org data) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 51.2Hz (measured, spinorama.org data) |
| Country | Germany |
| Crossover Points | 2.7kHz |
| Dimensions | 19.3"H x 9.8"W x 15.2"D (491 x 250 x 385 mm) (19.3 x 9.8 x 15.2 in) |
| Drivers | 28mm aluminum/ceramic compound dome tweeter, 7" mica filled polypropylene cone woofer |
| Enclosure | ported |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal, 4.3 ohms minimum |
| Sensitivity | 87dB @ 2.823V/1m |
| Weight | 35.3 lbs / 16 kg (35.3 lbs) each |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
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- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons