Short answer: the GR-Research NX-Bravo for wide vertical dispersion, the March Audio Sointuva AWG for low distortion. The NX-Bravo’s tonal matching holds from about 50° above the tweeter axis to 20° below, though on-axis it carries a deliberate ~5dB high-frequency bump. The Sointuva’s Purifi drivers deliver midrange distortion the reviewer calls world class, but the correct listening axis sits about 7° above the tweeter line.
On the GR-Research NX-Bravo side: Vertical dispersion is unusually wide for a two-way bookshelf: tonal matching holds from about 50° above the tweeter axis down to 20° below. The tradeoff: Pointed straight on-axis there’s a deliberate ~5dB high-frequency bump meant to compensate for narrowing dispersion off-axis.
The case for the March Audio Sointuva AWG: Purifi drivers deliver exceptionally low midrange distortion - the reviewer calls them “world class” - paired with bass extension unusually. The tradeoff: Correct listening axis sits about 7° above the tweeter line.
Buy the GR-Research NX-Bravo if the price is the priority over sound quality, or the March Audio Sointuva AWG if sound quality is the priority over the price.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Passive Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| GR-Research NX-Bravo | March Audio Sointuva AWG | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $1540 per pair kit with finished cabinets (assembly required) | $4150 per pair |
| Ranked | #25 of 130 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #5 of 130 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 45Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) | 30Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 77Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) | 40Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 14"H x 7.5"W x 11.5"D (355.6 x 190.5 x 292.1 mm) | 17.7"H x 9.4"W x 8.7"D (449.6 x 238.8 x 221 mm) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal, 5 ohms minimum (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) | 6 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 84.8dB (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) | 82.4dB (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | GR-Research M165 6.5" paper cone, non-resonant polymer frame woofer, GR-Research Neo3 Planar Magnetic Ribbon deep rear cup tweeter | 6.5" Purifi PTT-OEM Midwoofer, Satori TW29BNWG-4 Beryllium Dome Tweeter with Waveguide |
| Weight | 16.1 lbs (7.3 kg) each | 11 lbs (5 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported | passive radiator |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.33 | 6.50 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.67 | 7.99 |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More worthwhile head-to-heads for March Audio Sointuva AWG:
- KEF Reference 1 Meta vs March Audio Sointuva AWG
- GR-Research NX-Studio vs March Audio Sointuva AWG
- AsciLab C6B vs March Audio Sointuva AWG
- KEF R3 Meta vs March Audio Sointuva AWG
- KEF Q Concerto Meta vs March Audio Sointuva AWG
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The Two Speakers In Full
GR-Research NX-Bravo: $1540 per pair kit with finished cabinets (assembly required) Gr-research eBay
Pros: Vertical dispersion is unusually wide for a two-way bookshelf: tonal matching holds from about 50° above the tweeter axis down to 20° below it, well beyond the roughly ±10-20° typical of most two-ways. Horizontal dispersion is also wide at about ±70° through the midrange, widening further when toed out, so sidewall acoustic treatment isn’t really necessary. Burst decay is extremely clean with essentially no ringing - the reviewer compared it favorably to a $13,000/pair speaker that showed significant ringing at 120Hz and 500Hz. A deliberate dip around 7kHz reduces sibilance while the 1-4kHz upper-midrange stays neutral, so the sound doesn’t come across as laid-back or recessed. Easy to drive electrically, with a 5-ohm minimum impedance and 2.5-ohm minimum EPDR. Available from $700 as a kit up to about $2,500 fully finished, with the option of the designer’s flush-mount tube/banana-plug terminals for a cleaner look. Measured bass extension of 77Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 84.8dB.
Cons: Pointed straight on-axis there’s a deliberate ~5dB high-frequency bump meant to compensate for narrowing dispersion off-axis; it needs about 15° of toe-out (aimed to cross behind the listener) to sound balanced, which won’t suit every room layout. Higher-than-normal high-frequency distortion becomes audible in sine-sweep testing at higher output, and multitone distortion crosses the reviewer’s 3% threshold around 96dB, making roughly 88dB the safer output ceiling. SPL-limited by the manufacturer’s own admission - not intended for loud, full-range playback and best paired with a subwoofer, as with most two-way bookshelf designs. F3 of 77Hz and F10 of 45Hz mean bass only reaches about 50-60Hz in-room. A minor enclosure or port resonance shows up in the frequency response (though not in burst decay), likely a non-issue but visible in measurements. Adding a subwoofer reduces midrange distortion but doesn’t address the elevated high-frequency distortion.
Full GR-Research NX-Bravo review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 45Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 77Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 14"H x 7.5"W x 11.5"D (355.6 x 190.5 x 292.1 mm) |
| Drivers | GR-Research M165 6.5" paper cone, non-resonant polymer frame woofer, GR-Research Neo3 Planar Magnetic Ribbon deep rear cup tweeter |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal, 5 ohms minimum (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 84.8dB (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.33 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.67 |
| Weight | 16.1 lbs (7.3 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
March Audio Sointuva AWG: $4150 per pair Marchaudio eBay
Pros: Purifi drivers deliver exceptionally low midrange distortion - the reviewer calls them “world class” - paired with bass extension unusually deep for a bookshelf (F3 40Hz, F10 30Hz), reaching down to about 30Hz in-room with some boundary reinforcement. Sensitivity tolerance band measured extremely tight at 1.6-1.73dB, indicating excellent build consistency. Estimated in-room response is exceptionally smooth and neutral - one of the flattest the reviewer has measured, with none of the usual coloration descriptors (bright, boomy, nasal, shouty) needed to describe it. Distortion stays so low even at loud volumes that there’s no audible warning cue before you’re playing dangerously loud - a backhanded compliment to how clean it sounds. At $4150/pair, ranked among the reviewer’s top three bookshelf speakers in that price range. Measured bass extension of 40Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 82.4dB.
Cons: Correct listening axis sits about 7° above the tweeter line, which means shorter stands (around 24”) than typical bookshelf stands are sold at - get the height wrong and the sound scoops out in the mid/high frequencies. Moderate-low sensitivity (~82dB) is roughly 3dB below a typical bookshelf speaker, meaning close to double the amplifier power is needed for the same output; low impedance also calls for a 4-ohm capable amp. Horizontal radiation holds a wide ±60° only up to about 3kHz before narrowing - tighter top-end dispersion than the reviewer’s preferred ±60-70° through the treble, and the reason he left the previous generation off his all-time top-five list. Multitone distortion rises above the reviewer’s personal 3% threshold in the 1-2kHz region, though it wasn’t audible in his listening. Not intended to be crossed over with a subwoofer at 80Hz - designed to play full-range down to 40-50Hz, so pairing it with a sub and cutting it off early wastes its bass capability. Best positioned about 3 feet from the rear wall, requiring more floor space than many bookshelf speakers.
Full March Audio Sointuva AWG review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 30Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 40Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 17.7"H x 9.4"W x 8.7"D (449.6 x 238.8 x 221 mm) |
| Drivers | 6.5" Purifi PTT-OEM Midwoofer, Satori TW29BNWG-4 Beryllium Dome Tweeter with Waveguide |
| Impedance | 6 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 82.4dB (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 6.50 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.99 |
| Weight | 11 lbs (5 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | passive radiator |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- March Audio Sointuva AWG vs GR-Research NX-Studio
- March Audio Sointuva AWG vs AsciLab C6B
- March Audio Sointuva AWG vs KEF Reference 1 Meta
- March Audio Sointuva AWG vs KEF R3 Meta
- March Audio Sointuva AWG vs KEF Q Concerto Meta
- March Audio Sointuva AWG vs Wharfedale Aura 2
- March Audio Sointuva AWG vs MoFi SourcePoint 8
- March Audio Sointuva AWG vs Wharfedale Linton 85
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