Short answer: the Ascend Acoustics CBM-170 SE2, if you are buying new. The Revel Concerta2 M16 ranks higher than it (#62 vs #113 of 222 bookshelf speakers, 4.1/5 vs 3.8/5) but is discontinued, so only consider it used; the Ascend Acoustics CBM-170 SE2 is still sold new at $468.
The Revel Concerta2 M16 is the deeper-bass choice. An affordable bookshelf speaker with essentially flat mids, a pleasing in-room balance with extra bass, and low distortion. Its bass reaches about 60.1Hz before falling 3dB, against 70Hz for the Ascend Acoustics CBM-170 SE2. The catch: Harmonic distortion shows a notable peak around 80Hz and a sharp spike around 350Hz, plus the woofer appears to get a bit unhappy right before handing off to the tweeter.
The Ascend Acoustics CBM-170 SE2 is the more accurate option. Compact two-way bookshelf speakers with a SEAS tweeter, a very flat midrange and smooth sound that suits most rooms. Its measured preference score, a predictor of how neutral it sounds, is 6.30 against 5.06 for the Revel Concerta2 M16. The tradeoff: A narrow dip in the on-axis and listening-window response appears in the 3-5kHz range (down to about -2.7dB), mirrored by a matching dip in the directivity index at the same frequencies: likely a brief widening of dispersion right at the tweeter/woofer crossover.
Buy the Ascend Acoustics CBM-170 SE2 new; the Revel Concerta2 M16 is no longer sold new, so it only makes sense as a used find.
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Specifications Side By Side
| Revel Concerta2 M16 | Ascend Acoustics CBM-170 SE2 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $600 per pair used (about), Discontinued | $468 per pair |
| Ranked | #62 of 222 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers | #113 of 222 in Large Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Drivers | 25mm tweeter + 165mm woofer | 27mm custom SEAS soft dome tweeter, 6.5” proprietary composite polygel cone woofer |
| Weight | 32 lbs (14.5 kg) | 15 lbs (6.8 kg) each |
| Sensitivity | 86dB | 86.8dB (2.83V/1m, measured, manufacturer spinorama data; 87dB manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
| Dimensions | 14.8”H x 8.6”W x 10.8”D (374.7 x 218.4 x 273.3 mm) | 12H x 9W x 9.5D in |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported, rear |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 60.1Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 70Hz (measured, manufacturer spinorama data) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 41.6Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 50Hz (measured, manufacturer spinorama data) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.06 | 6.30 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.28 | 8.66 |
| DIY Kit | No | No |
| Power Handling | - | 200W continuous, 400W peak |
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