Short answer: the DAS Audio ARTEC 526A. It ranks #1 of 39 compact 5 to 6.5-inch pa speakers by sound quality, rated 4.1/5, at $2,700. The L-Acoustics X6i ranks #4, rated 3.9/5, at $1,695, $1,005 cheaper, which does not close the gap in sound quality.
What the DAS Audio ARTEC 526A does well: A powered compact PA speaker with twin 6 inch woofers and highly accurate, evenly spread sound. Watch for: Bass reaches only about 85Hz (-3dB), with 60Hz at -10dB, so a subwoofer is needed for music.
Why pick the L-Acoustics X6i: A small weatherproof coaxial speaker with accurate, even sound and plenty of output for outdoor installs and near field monitoring. The tradeoff: A passive cabinet that needs an L-Acoustics amplified controller such as the LA2Xi, LA4X or LA7.16i.
Buy the DAS Audio ARTEC 526A. It is rated higher for sound quality, and saving $1,005 with the L-Acoustics X6i does not make up for the sound-quality gap.
Still deciding? The full PA & Live Sound rankings cover every ranked option.
Prices on this page were last checked November 7, 2026 at 7:34 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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Specifications Side By Side
| DAS Audio ARTEC 526A | L-Acoustics X6i | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2,700 | $1,695 Passive |
| Ranked | #1 of 39 in Compact 5 to 6.5-Inch PA Speakers | #4 of 39 in Compact 5 to 6.5-Inch PA Speakers |
| Passive | No | Yes |
| Configuration | Active 2-way full-range PA speaker | Passive 2-way coaxial PA speaker |
| Drivers | Dual 6” woofers, M-34 compression driver on BC-88 80° x 80° horn | 6.5” low-frequency driver, 1.5” compression driver (coaxial) |
| Frequency Response | 60Hz - 20kHz (-10dB, manufacturer specified) | 69Hz - 20kHz (manufacturer specified) |
| Dimensions | 21.7”H x 7.7”W x 10.2”D (550 x 195 x 260 mm) | 14.3”H x 7.4”W x 6.7”D (362 x 187 x 170 mm) |
| Inputs | Balanced XLR input, Speakon NL4 connector | 2-point terminal block input and link |
| Amplifier Power | 500W (Class D) | Passive speaker; requires an L-Acoustics amplified controller (LA2Xi, LA4X or LA7.16i) |
| Cabinet Material | Birch plywood | Baltic beech and birch plywood |
| Rigging | M10 flying points, AXW-1 and AXU-AR526 bracket compatible | - |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 85Hz (measured, vendor Spinorama data) | 90Hz (measured, vendor Spinorama data) |
| Coverage | 80° x 80° | 90° axisymmetric |
| Maximum SPL | 125dB (manufacturer specified) | 123dB (manufacturer specified) |
| DSP | Yes | No (passive; processing and protection come from the amplified controller) |
| Weight | 24.3 lbs (11.0 kg) | 13.9 lbs (6.3 kg) |
| Sensitivity | 93dB | - |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.57 | 4.20 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.70 | 7.34 |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| XLR Input | Yes | No |
| RCA Input | No | No |
| TRS Input | No | No |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | No |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Aux Input | No | No |
| Microphone Input | No | No |
| Guitar Input | No | No |
| IP Rating | - | IP55 |
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