The Audio First Cadentia 3 ranks #5 out of 56 total Large Size Bookshelf Speakers for sound quality. See Top Recommended Speakers By Attribute for all the top speaker suggestions.
#5 Audio First Cadentia 3: $7199 Audio First Designs
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.
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.
How it compares: Just above it: AsciLab C6B - $6054 cheaper, 1.4Hz lower bass extension (-3dB). Just below it: GR-Research NX-Bravo - $5659 cheaper, 1.4Hz lower bass extension (-3dB).
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 26Hz |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 43Hz |
| 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) |
| Sensitivity | 86.4dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 45.9 lbs / 20.8 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | 3-way, bass reflex |
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Product prices and availability were last checked August 12, 2026 at 5:33 PM UTC 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.