Short answer: the Atlantic Technology 8600iLR, if you are buying new. The Atlantic Technology 8600eLR ranks higher than the Børresen X3 (#203 vs #206 of 226 floorstanding speakers) but is discontinued; its replacement, the Atlantic Technology 8600iLR, is rated 3.2/5 at $6,000 and is still sold new.
The case for the Atlantic Technology 8600eLR: A sealed high-output flagship tower with four 8-inch woofers, dual 5.25-inch midranges, 91dB sensitivity and boundary/HF adjustment controls. The tradeoff: The raw preference score is only 2.65, making a subwoofer and correction essential despite the massive cabinet.
The Børresen X3 is the deeper-bass option. Its bass reaches about 50Hz before falling 3dB, against 68.8Hz for the Atlantic Technology 8600eLR. The tradeoff: A significant midrange suckout centered around 200-300Hz measures 8-11dB below the mean SPL, creating an audible hole in the mid-range that multiple independent listeners also flagged unprompted.
Buy the Atlantic Technology 8600iLR, the replacement for the discontinued Atlantic Technology 8600eLR; it is rated higher for sound quality than the Børresen X3.
Still deciding? The full Passive Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Atlantic Technology 8600eLR | Børresen X3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $5,700 per pair Discontinued | $11,000 per pair |
| Ranked | #203 of 226 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #206 of 226 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | about 47.6Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 25Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Enclosure | Sealed 3-way floorstander | - |
| Drivers | 1-inch aluminum-magnesium tweeter, dual 5.25-inch midranges, four 8-inch woofers | Planar ribbon tweeter, 4.5” mid-range driver, dual 4.5” bass drivers |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz-25kHz +/-2dB | 35Hz - 50kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Sensitivity | 91dB | 88dB |
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 4 ohms |
| Dimensions | 51.7H x 10.9W x 11.4D in | 50.8”H x 13.6”W x 23.9”D (1290.0 x 345.0 x 607.0 mm) |
| Weight | 93.3 lbs (42.3 kg) each | 121.3 lbs (55 kg) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 2.65 | 2.38 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 5.26 | 3.50 |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 68.8Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner via spinorama.org) | 50Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
| Recommended Power | - | 50W minimum |
| Country | - | Denmark |
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.
Measurement data: Atlantic Technology 8600eLR (measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) and Børresen X3 (measured by Erin’s Audio Corner), via spinorama.org.
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Atlantic Technology 8600eLR compares with other leading options:
- Klipsch Forte IV vs Atlantic Technology 8600eLR
- Focal Aria Evo X N°2 vs Atlantic Technology 8600eLR
- Atlantic Technology 8600eLR vs DALI Rubikore 6
- Atlantic Technology 8600eLR vs Klipsch Heresy IV
- Focal Aria Evo X N°2 vs Børresen X3
Prices on this page were last checked October 12, 2026 at 4:13 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
Atlantic Technology 8600eLR: $5,700 per pair Discontinued Atlantic Technology $5,700 eBay
Newer model: the Atlantic Technology 8600iLR, ranked higher, estimated 3.2/5, released Mar 2024. See every Atlantic Technology 8600 generation.
Same family: the Atlantic Technology 8600eC (center, rated 3.3/5).
Pros: A sealed high-output flagship tower with four 8-inch woofers, dual 5.25-inch midranges, 91dB sensitivity and boundary/HF adjustment controls. The local snapshot measures 58Hz extension and scores 5.26 with a subwoofer. Measured bass extension of 68.8Hz (-3dB).
Cons: The raw preference score is only 2.65, making a subwoofer and correction essential despite the massive cabinet. Each tower weighs over 90 pounds, and value is weak if two-channel neutrality is the main goal. Discontinued.
Full Atlantic Technology 8600eLR review and specifications →
| Released | Apr 2021 (5 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | about 47.6Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 68.8Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner via spinorama.org) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 51.7H x 10.9W x 11.4D in |
| Drivers | 1-inch aluminum-magnesium tweeter, dual 5.25-inch midranges, four 8-inch woofers |
| Enclosure | Sealed 3-way floorstander |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz-25kHz +/-2dB |
| Impedance | 6 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 91dB |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 2.65 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 5.26 |
| Weight | 93.3 lbs (42.3 kg) each |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
Børresen X3: $11,000 per pair eBay
Same family: the Børresen X6 (larger floorstanding, ranked higher, estimated 3.1/5).
Pros: A 2.5-way tower built around a planar ribbon tweeter, a 4.5” mid-range driver, and dual 4.5” bass drivers, spec’d at 88dB/1W sensitivity into a 4-ohm nominal load (measured minimum impedance stays a friendly 6.1 ohms above 80Hz, so it doesn’t actually need much power despite the sub-90dB rating). Very wide, remarkably consistent horizontal directivity around ±70° gives an expansive, enveloping soundstage, helped by the reviewer’s pair measuring essentially identically to each other for tight image precision. A pronounced high-Q bass shelf centered around 80Hz (roughly 8dB above the mean level) delivers a punchy, attention-grabbing low-end thump at moderate volumes. Harmonic distortion is clean through the midrange at 86dB, and multitone distortion stays under about 3% even though the low end is handled by relatively small 4.5” drivers rather than something larger. Detailed, extended high frequencies when seated on the tweeter’s intended axis. Measured bass extension of 50Hz (-3dB).
Cons: A significant midrange suckout centered around 200-300Hz measures 8-11dB below the mean SPL, creating an audible hole in the mid-range that multiple independent listeners also flagged unprompted. The 80Hz bass shelf comes with the worst low-frequency ringing the reviewer says he has measured to date on a waterfall plot: it lingers well after the surrounding frequencies have decayed, giving kick drum and bass notes a boomy, one-note quality. Significant dynamic compression sets in as volume rises: bass output near 90Hz drops only about 1.5dB at 86dB SPL, but the loss grows substantially by 96dB and 102dB (around 26dB of total dynamic range), so the appealing bass punch measurably fades at higher listening levels. The upper-midrange and lower treble (2-4kHz) read soft and recessed unless the listener sits almost exactly on the tweeter’s reference axis, within about 15°: the manufacturer’s recommended setup (tweeter aimed above ear height, per their design intent) makes this worse rather than better for a seated listener at normal height. A crossover-related directivity kink between the tweeter and mid-range driver, visible in the vertical response, trades some pinpoint image precision for a more diffuse sense of envelopment compared to smaller two-way designs. Resonances appear in the impedance curve near 300Hz and 2kHz, coinciding with the measured midrange dip.
Full Børresen X3 review and specifications →
| Released | 2023 (3 years ago) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 25Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 50Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Country | Denmark |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 50.8”H x 13.6”W x 23.9”D (1290.0 x 345.0 x 607.0 mm) |
| Drivers | Planar ribbon tweeter, 4.5” mid-range driver, dual 4.5” bass drivers |
| Frequency Response | 35Hz - 50kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms |
| Recommended Power | 50W minimum |
| Sensitivity | 88dB |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 2.38 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 3.50 |
| Weight | 121.3 lbs (55 kg) |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons