AsciLab C5B Review.

[dfuller]

View attachment 409706
Seriously now, an EPDR lower than 2 Ohm between 80 and 800 Hz isn't really an easy load for many middle class amps.

Especially because there's a fair amount of energy in most program material in that region. That could get dicey without a surprisingly beefy amp.

Thanks. Begs the question : What about class G and H then?

Most are rail switching/tracking AB, so I'm going to guess it still has some relevance.

 

[Jim Taylor]

So you think between 2 similar wattage amps driving the Wilson Alexia's which has a .9ohm low bass loading.
Fosi V3 and the Gryphon Antilleon, your going to be hard pressed to pick the differences between them even at medium listening level, good luck with that.
These C5B's have quite an nasty load, -phase angle & impedance between 80hz to 400hz
Cheers George

This thread may be of benefit:

Stereophile has started calculating EPDR.

https://www.stereophile.com/content/goldenear-brx-bookshelf-reference-x-loudspeaker-measurements And he is going back to previous reviews and adding this in. EPDR (Equivalent Peak Dissipation Resistance) takes the impedance and phase data and computes a new impedance that shows what equivalent...

www.audiosciencereview.com

I believe page 3 delves into the applicability to Class D.

 

[thewas]

Especially because there's a fair amount of energy in most program material in that region. That could get dicey without a surprisingly beefy amp.

Exactly, if it would be above 800 Hz I wouldn't be as worried.

 

[Purité Audio]

Not generally a fan of passive designs but obviously you have to consider speakers and power amp as ‘one’.
Keith

 

[Chr1]

So is it really the case that a quality, high/over powered class A/B, H would not be sufficient to power these.
These are pretty small speakers.
Seems weird.

 

[dfuller]

So is it really the case that a quality, high/over powered class A/B, H would not be sufficient to power these.
These are pretty small speakers.
Seems weird.

Enough power should be OK. It may just be well in excess of what you think you'd need.

 

[Chr1]

Surely this is always the case with difficult speakers tho?
Judicious use of the volume control being the order of the day. Consequent SINAD will doubtless be a consideration then too presumably.
Given Watts are cheap, these seem like very good speakers to me. I am now curious as to what, and therefore how much it costs to drive them properly...
Bring on the testing!
(Controlled obviously.)

 

[Matt_Holland]

View attachment 409706
Seriously now, an EPDR lower than 2 Ohm between 80 and 800 Hz isn't really an easy load for many middle class amps.

I know a really good website for finding amplifiers that are not middle class…

 

[Chr1]

(Cue: Vintage Monty Python sketch adapted to amplifiers)

 

[Matt_Holland]

(Cue: Vintage Monty Python sketch adapted to amplifiers)

This amplifier is DEAD.

 

[Matt_Holland]

(Cue: Vintage Monty Python sketch adapted to amplifiers)

If an amp can’t drive the new Ascilab it must have been designed by the ministry of silly amplifiers…

[I’m here all week]

 

[Chr1]

Indeed. Tho thinking of the one where they are lined up according to "class" and hence pecking order.

Question is : is it the same with amps tho?

All good. Got a mixture of A, A/B, H and D here, so quite happy to kick back and observe and learn from the ongoing awkward passive speaker amp class wars.
Splendid.

 

[DanielT]

These nice helpful sales people may be able to help with the type of amplifier that is suitable.

The bit about amps starts 1:01 into the video:

 

[AdamG]

These nice helpful sales people may be able to help with the type of amplifier that is suitable.

The bit about amps starts 1:01 into the video:

The reason this is so funny is because it’s bloody accurate and true.

 

[Mnyb]

Congrats very well made speakers it seems . Very curious about the rest of the lineup now

To small for me but seems appropriate for a small room at somewhat close distance at reasonable volumes . They would be perfect.

Will probably IMO don’t have any issue's amps related or otherwise in the intended use case .

People here seems to forget that speakers are a set of thousands of compromises and can’t be all things for all people all the time.
Given the very small bass driver I can’t foresee for example that the tweeter xover is problematic, what gives up first ? They probably juggled all parameters and reached this design .

This set of compromises sure has it’s market good luck to AsciLab on thier future ventures .

Btw the tread is sidelined enough with the tired old discussion about amp classes?

 

[kemmler3D]

Great review and very nice results as expected. Will be very interested to compare performance of the Purifi woofer in a similar design...

 

[kemmler3D]

I agree with the last sentence.
They’ll need to spend a small fortune on marketing in order to take any meaningful slice of the global pie

There's some hope that forums like this one can provide a significant boost in sales.

The opinions that lead to word-of-mouth recommendations among peers start with the nerds and wonks like us.

If you become known as "the best" among the nerds and wonks they start telling their cousins and friends about it.

Case in point - I already told my buddy to hold out for these instead of buying Buchardt, based on the initial thread. He didn't, but I tried.

Once word starts going around, the other mainstream reviewers might publish reviews, at which point 70% of your marketing is done.

The more expensive and arduous thing is to establish favorable distribution agreements around the world. I would say it's easier to get Erin, Amir, Darko or even Stereophile to review your speaker (if your speaker is interesting like this one) than it is to get the buyer at Best Buy to take your call.

 

[Mnyb]

If they have initial successes at thier local market. It might sustain AsciLab long enough to be established.The international market may come later ?

 

[Matt_Holland]

The more expensive and arduous thing is to establish favorable distribution agreements around the world. I would say it's easier to get Erin, Amir, Darko or even Stereophile to review your speaker (if your speaker is interesting like this one) than it is to get the buyer at Best Buy to take your call.

You make an excellent point.

What I really like about the direct to consumer model is that it simply doesn’t suit the typical BS audiophile marketing ploys. Consumers want reassurance when buying at distance that the product is properly and well engineered and only high quality measurement data can provide this.

Of the big boys, KEF seem to have embraced this idea. I think we’ll know the tide has really turned when another big one like B&W joins in.

 

[totti1965]

I think that's just the woofer bleeding into the tweeter data.

Yes, but why not vice versa?