Short answer: the Yamaha HS8. It ranks #15 of 66 powered bookshelf speakers by sound quality at $678.28; the AsciLab C8C ranks #32 and costs $5799, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
What the Yamaha HS8 offers: ASR’s Klippel measurements show a notably neutral predicted in-room response, smooth horizontal directivity, and strong bass extension for a studio monitor: about 44Hz at -3dB and 35Hz at -10dB. Its Spinorama preference score rises from 4.95 full-range to 6.68 with a subwoofer, and the rear room-control switches provide some placement adjustment. Watch for: There is still some midrange unevenness and the vertical listening window is much narrower than the horizontal one, so ear height matters. The rear port and cabinet depth complicate close-wall placement, there is no DSP or automatic room correction, and the price is per speaker rather than per pair.
What the AsciLab C8C offers: Dual opposed 8 inch side firing subwoofers deliver true cardioid bass control and the deepest low frequency extension of any speaker in this batch, measured to just 23.4Hz at -6dB with a listening window smoothness score of 0.75, both near the top of everything on spinorama.org. On axis deviation measures a remarkably tight 0.108dB average, the flattest of anything added to this catalog from spinorama.org’s current measurement set. The alumina ceramic 3 way design offers switchable minimum phase or linear phase DSP modes for either low latency tracking or maximum time domain accuracy. Watch for: The measured Q of the bass alignment (2.13) is on the peaky side, suggesting some boominess near the port tuning frequency without EQ correction. AsciLab has repeatedly sold out of the C8C direct from the manufacturer, so buyers often pay a premium through resellers like Audiophonics or Tested Audio and may face a long wait. At 27.5kg (60 lbs) per cabinet it is heavy for a stand mount monitor.
Buy the Yamaha HS8. It ranks higher for sound quality than the AsciLab C8C and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Specifications Side By Side
| Yamaha HS8 | AsciLab C8C | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $678.28 | 5799 EUR/pair |
| Ranked | #15 of 66 in Large Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #32 of 66 in Large Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Dimensions | 15.4"H x 9.8"W x 13.1"D (391.2 x 248.9 x 332.7 mm) | 22"H x 10"W x 13.8"D (560 x 254 x 350 mm) (22.05 x 10.0 x 13.78 in) |
| Frequency Response | 47Hz - 24kHz (-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 43.9Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 30.8Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 34.7Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 20.5Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Inputs | XLR | - |
| Weight | 22.5 lbs / 10.2 kg | 60.6 lbs / 27.5 kg (60.6 lbs) each |
| Drivers | 8" woofer, 1" dome tweeter | 1" alumina ceramic dome tweeter with waveguide, 2x 6" alumina ceramic midrange/woofers, 2x 8" side mounted opposed cardioid subwoofers |
| App | No | - |
| Bluetooth | No | - |
| EQ | Yes (Room adjustment) | - |
| DSP | No | - |
| Output Power | 120w Per Speaker | - |
| Enclosure | - | sealed |
| Power Output (Watts) | - | 600W total (100W tweeter, 250W midrange, 250W subwoofer) |
| Bass Extension (-6dB) | - | 23.4Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Crossover Points | - | 150Hz, 1.2kHz |
| Warranty | - | 2 years |
| Country | - | South Korea |
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Prices on this page were last checked August 25, 2026 at 6:19 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
Yamaha HS8: $678.28 Amazon eBay
Pros: ASR’s Klippel measurements show a notably neutral predicted in-room response, smooth horizontal directivity, and strong bass extension for a studio monitor: about 44Hz at -3dB and 35Hz at -10dB. Its Spinorama preference score rises from 4.95 full-range to 6.68 with a subwoofer, and the rear room-control switches provide some placement adjustment.
Cons: There is still some midrange unevenness and the vertical listening window is much narrower than the horizontal one, so ear height matters. The rear port and cabinet depth complicate close-wall placement, there is no DSP or automatic room correction, and the price is per speaker rather than per pair.
Full Yamaha HS8 review and specifications →
| App | No |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 34.7Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 43.9Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bluetooth | No |
| DSP | No |
| Dimensions | 15.4"H x 9.8"W x 13.1"D (391.2 x 248.9 x 332.7 mm) |
| Drivers | 8" woofer, 1" dome tweeter |
| EQ | Yes (Room adjustment) |
| Frequency Response | 47Hz - 24kHz (-3dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | XLR |
| Output Power | 120w Per Speaker |
| Weight | 22.5 lbs / 10.2 kg |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Audio Science Review: Yamaha HS8 Studio Monitor Review More from Audio Science Review →
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- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review Edifier R2850DB vs Yamaha HS8 sound.DEMO More from DSAUDIOreview →
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review Adam Audio A7X vs Yamaha HS8 sound.DEMO
- DSAUDIO.review: Yamaha HS7 vs Yamaha HS8 Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: Yamaha HS8 vs Yamaha HS5 Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: Genelec 8020D vs Yamaha HS8 Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review APS Klasik 2020 vs Yamaha HS8 sound.DEMO
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- DSAUDIO.review: Yamaha HS8 vs PreSonus Eris E8 XT Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
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- DSAUDIO.review: KRK Rokit 8 G4 RP8G4 vs Yamaha HS8 Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
- DSAUDIO.review: Neumann KH80 DSP vs Yamaha HS8 Sound & Frequency Response Comparison
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- Audio Science Review Measurements (spinorama.org)
- Reddit Search for Yamaha HS8 Review
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
AsciLab C8C: 5799 EUR/pair Audiophonics eBay
Pros: Dual opposed 8 inch side firing subwoofers deliver true cardioid bass control and the deepest low frequency extension of any speaker in this batch, measured to just 23.4Hz at -6dB with a listening window smoothness score of 0.75, both near the top of everything on spinorama.org. On axis deviation measures a remarkably tight 0.108dB average, the flattest of anything added to this catalog from spinorama.org’s current measurement set. The alumina ceramic 3 way design offers switchable minimum phase or linear phase DSP modes for either low latency tracking or maximum time domain accuracy.
Cons: The measured Q of the bass alignment (2.13) is on the peaky side, suggesting some boominess near the port tuning frequency without EQ correction. AsciLab has repeatedly sold out of the C8C direct from the manufacturer, so buyers often pay a premium through resellers like Audiophonics or Tested Audio and may face a long wait. At 27.5kg (60 lbs) per cabinet it is heavy for a stand mount monitor.
Full AsciLab C8C review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 20.5Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 30.8Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-6dB) | 23.4Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Country | South Korea |
| Crossover Points | 150Hz, 1.2kHz |
| Dimensions | 22"H x 10"W x 13.8"D (560 x 254 x 350 mm) (22.05 x 10.0 x 13.78 in) |
| Drivers | 1" alumina ceramic dome tweeter with waveguide, 2x 6" alumina ceramic midrange/woofers, 2x 8" side mounted opposed cardioid subwoofers |
| Enclosure | sealed |
| Power Output (Watts) | 600W total (100W tweeter, 250W midrange, 250W subwoofer) |
| Warranty | 2 years |
| Weight | 60.6 lbs / 27.5 kg (60.6 lbs) each |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons