Short answer: the Audio First Cadentia 3 for better sound quality, the GR-Research X-LS Encore for the lower price. The Audio First Cadentia 3 ranks #8 of 130 bookshelf speakers at $7199. The GR-Research X-LS Encore ranks #83 at $1300, $5899 cheaper.
What the Audio First Cadentia 3 offers: Near-textbook measurements - excellent on-axis linearity, listening window, and directivity, with only minor deviations. Extremely low distortion and compression, holding steady even at 102dB with barely any loss. Very wide, consistent horizontal dispersion (~70 degrees) gives a big, enveloping soundstage with strong image specificity outside the speaker boundaries. Strong bass extension for a bookshelf (F3 43Hz, F10 26Hz) with a punchy, guttural mid-bass. Watch for: A mild scoop through the upper midrange/lower treble slightly softens the attack of snares, hand claps, and sibilants - fixable with a single-band EQ (2.5kHz, +1dB, Q~1). High-frequency dispersion narrows quickly above about 4kHz, so off-axis listeners lose some air and detail. Very high asking price for a bookshelf-class speaker, and the complete (finished) version has a long lead time; the loaner kit version ships as an unfinished cabinet you assemble and finish yourself.
What the GR-Research X-LS Encore offers: An amazing value, especially if you managed to snag one of these built by AV123 in the early 2000s for $200-300. CEA2034 spinorama shows a generally flat on-axis response, especially in the listening window. Predicted in-room response is generally smooth and on-target. Distortion at 86dB SPL/1m is pretty clean above 200Hz. Watch for: A slight depression in the upper bass and some peaking in the lower bass shows up on-axis, along with directivity error in the crossover region. Vertical directivity requires staying within about 20 degrees of the tweeter axis. At 96dB SPL/1m distortion becomes “rather unhappy,” with bass distortion, a possible woofer issue around 2kHz, and a tweeter problem above 7kHz. As a DIY kit, it requires building the cabinet and crossover yourself.
Buy the Audio First Cadentia 3 when sound quality outweighs the price for you, and the GR-Research X-LS Encore when the price outweighs sound quality instead.
Still deciding? The full Passive Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Audio First Cadentia 3 | GR-Research X-LS Encore | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $7199 per pair | $1300 per pair |
| Ranked | #8 of 130 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #83 of 130 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 26Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) | 44Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 43Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) | 64Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 23.2" x 11.8" x 17" (590 x 300 x 433 mm) | 13.5"H x 8.5"W x 12.1"D (342.9 x 215.9 x 308 mm) |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (3.1 ohms minimum, measured by Erin's Audio Corner) | 8 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 86.4dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Erin's Audio Corner) | 84.4dB (measured by Audio Science Review; 87dB manufacturer specified) |
| Drivers | 1.1" tweeter, 4.5" midrange, 9" woofer | 6.5" Peerless M-165 paper composite cone, non-resonant polymer frame woofer, 1" Peerless India T26SG tweeter |
| Weight | 45.9 lbs (20.8 kg) each | 17 lbs (7.7 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | 3-way, bass reflex | ported |
| Country | United Kingdom (Cambridge) | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 7.38 | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 8.74 | - |
Related Speaker Comparisons
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- Perlisten S4b vs Audio First Cadentia 3
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- 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.
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The Two Speakers In Full
Audio First Cadentia 3: $7199 per pair Audio First Designs eBay
Pros: Near-textbook measurements - excellent on-axis linearity, listening window, and directivity, with only minor deviations. Extremely low distortion and compression, holding steady even at 102dB with barely any loss. Very wide, consistent horizontal dispersion (~70 degrees) gives a big, enveloping soundstage with strong image specificity outside the speaker boundaries. Strong bass extension for a bookshelf (F3 43Hz, F10 26Hz) with a punchy, guttural mid-bass. Measured bass extension of 43Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 86.4dB.
Cons: A mild scoop through the upper midrange/lower treble slightly softens the attack of snares, hand claps, and sibilants - fixable with a single-band EQ (2.5kHz, +1dB, Q~1). High-frequency dispersion narrows quickly above about 4kHz, so off-axis listeners lose some air and detail. Very high asking price for a bookshelf-class speaker, and the complete (finished) version has a long lead time; the loaner kit version ships as an unfinished cabinet you assemble and finish yourself.
Full Audio First Cadentia 3 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 26Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 43Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Country | United Kingdom (Cambridge) |
| Dimensions | 23.2" x 11.8" x 17" (590 x 300 x 433 mm) |
| Drivers | 1.1" tweeter, 4.5" midrange, 9" woofer |
| Impedance | 4 ohms nominal (3.1 ohms minimum, measured by Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 86.4dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 7.38 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 8.74 |
| Weight | 45.9 lbs (20.8 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | 3-way, bass reflex |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Audio First Cadentia 3 vs AsciLab C6B
- Audio First Cadentia 3 vs March Audio Sointuva
- Audio First Cadentia 3 vs KEF R3 Meta
- Audio First Cadentia 3 vs KEF Q Concerto Meta
- Audio First Cadentia 3 vs GR-Research NX-Studio
- Audio First Cadentia 3 vs Wharfedale Aura 2
- Audio First Cadentia 3 vs KEF Reference 1 Meta
- Audio First Cadentia 3 vs Perlisten S4b
- See all 45 comparisons
GR-Research X-LS Encore: $1300 per pair Gr-research eBay
Pros: An amazing value, especially if you managed to snag one of these built by AV123 in the early 2000s for $200-300. CEA2034 spinorama shows a generally flat on-axis response, especially in the listening window. Predicted in-room response is generally smooth and on-target. Distortion at 86dB SPL/1m is pretty clean above 200Hz. Measured bass extension of 64Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 84.4dB.
Cons: A slight depression in the upper bass and some peaking in the lower bass shows up on-axis, along with directivity error in the crossover region. Vertical directivity requires staying within about 20 degrees of the tweeter axis. At 96dB SPL/1m distortion becomes “rather unhappy,” with bass distortion, a possible woofer issue around 2kHz, and a tweeter problem above 7kHz. As a DIY kit, it requires building the cabinet and crossover yourself.
Full GR-Research X-LS Encore review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 44Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 64Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 13.5"H x 8.5"W x 12.1"D (342.9 x 215.9 x 308 mm) |
| Drivers | 6.5" Peerless M-165 paper composite cone, non-resonant polymer frame woofer, 1" Peerless India T26SG tweeter |
| Impedance | 8 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 84.4dB (measured by Audio Science Review; 87dB manufacturer specified) |
| Weight | 17 lbs (7.7 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- GR-Research X-LS Encore vs Dynaudio Special Forty
- GR-Research X-LS Encore vs Mission LX-3 MKII
- GR-Research X-LS Encore vs ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2
- GR-Research X-LS Encore vs SVS Prime Bookshelf
- GR-Research X-LS Encore vs KEF Q3 Meta
- GR-Research X-LS Encore vs Polk Monitor XT20
- GR-Research X-LS Encore vs Philharmonic BMR Monitor
- GR-Research X-LS Encore vs Sonus Faber Lumina II
- See all 47 comparisons