Ascilab C8C Active Speaker Review

[kharan]

im not saying one shouldnt ignore the problems but considering the fact that we're all on this site, fomo is gonna hit sooner or later and people are gonna switch far earlier than their product would fail, in general at least.

Maybe I just notice all the bad stuff but it seems people have a hard time holding onto things and not having FOMO in this hobby.\

But yeah, I wish active speakers had easily replaceable amps, idk why no one does it.

Second hand buyers matter too.

Even third hand buyers.

Proper out of warranty support is essential.

To be fair, the amps in the C8C are as easy to replace as can be reasonably expected, the main difficulty is having the proper crossover file to load.

 

[Det15]

What do you mean? Both Amir and AsciLab use Klippel NFS, which AFAIK perform anechoic measurements in non-anechoic rooms by gating the signal. Both should be comparable.

NFS collects Spinorama data, not distortion data. Klippel distortion measurements are not collected via a NFS scan. As @AsciLab has already pointed out, that's a separate module, which can include room correction, or not.

Amir often points out himself that his distortion measurements are not anechoic. For example, you can see this remarked in the title of his harmonic distortion graphs for the A6B:

 

[Jiraya369]

Second hand buyers matter too.

oh yeah i forgot about that but still, i think what's most important is what you as a consumer yourself go through and thinking about second hand buyers is just something that's good to think about and not entirely useful, unless you're the company designing the product. Idk man. It feels like you're stretching things. I'm not saying they dont matter, just that I don't think when there are so many variables already, that i should think about the one that would matter least to me overall.

main difficulty is having the proper crossover file to load

sorry im new to this, what does this mean? If the amps are easy to replace then cant i just plop in random amps?

 

[Chromatischism]

sorry im new to this, what does this mean? If the amps are easy to replace then cant i just plop in random amps?

Active speakers use an active crossover file to achieve timing, frequency response, etc.

 

[Aldo]

To conclude this discussion on the obsolescence of this product, let's ask @AsciLab ...
if the Hypex FusionAMP FA253 module used on the C8C is no longer manufactured in the event of a future failure and if the monitor is no longer under warranty:
-> are you able to provide software support to configure the DSP to make the C8C functional with another Hypex FusionAMP model ?
-> Will this change be feasible for a novice ?

If so, we will face the same problems as with a pair of passive speakers and separate electronic components.

 

[staticV3]

sorry im new to this, what does this mean? If the amps are easy to replace then cant i just plop in random amps?

The plate Amp installed in the rear of the C8C is also the crossover.

Remove it and you are left with ten bare + - driver connections and no plan how to restore factory performance.

I hope @AsciLab will upload the HFD config somewhere, that way people can replace the Amp themselves if necessary.

Manufacturer dependence isn't cool.

 

[kharan]

oh yeah i forgot about that but still, i think what's most important is what you as a consumer yourself go through and thinking about second hand buyers is just something that's good to think about and not entirely useful, unless you're the company designing the product. Idk man. It feels like you're stretching things. I'm not saying they dont matter, just that I don't think when there are so many variables already, that i should think about the one that would matter least to me overall.

It's not about second hand buyers, it's about the life expectancy of a product. I believe that any product should last a duration proportionate to its cost, the effort put towards its manufacturing and its use case. That comes with the ability to repair a product should it fail.

I could expend on the evils of planned obsolescence, on the need of right repair and sustainable consumption, but that would be very off-topic.

sorry im new to this, what does this mean? If the amps are easy to replace then cant i just plop in random amps?

The plate amp which includes the DSP is a part that you can purchase as an individual, so if you're handy or have access to a repair shop, you will be able to replace the amp should it fail. The configuration file for the DSP however is another story.

 

[Matias]

IMO we should ask the same for other active speaker brands. Do Genelec, Neumann, Yamaha, Dynaudio, Focal, D&D and Kii offer the same out of warranty replacement parts? How many years down the road will they supply parts? This is not exclusive to AsciLab.

 

[soundwave76]

Ok, these look REALLY good... maybe even my Genelec replacing good?

 

[kharan]

IMO we should ask the same for other active speaker brands. Do Genelec, Neumann, Yamaha, Dynaudio, Focal, D&D and Kii offer the same out of warranty replacement parts? How many years down the road will they supply parts? This is not exclusive to AsciLab.

Genelec has a reputation for supporting their speakers for decades, Dynaudio claims to have drivers for the majority of their speakers of the last 25 years, Neumann still repairs microphones from 1947. Kii and D&D don't have that long of a history, but I'm almost certain still repair the first speakers they launched since they are technically in production. No idea for the others.

 

[AsciLab]

To conclude this discussion on the obsolescence of this product, let's ask @AsciLab ...
if the Hypex FusionAMP FA253 module used on the C8C is no longer manufactured in the event of a future failure and if the monitor is no longer under warranty:
-> are you able to provide software support to configure the DSP to make the C8C functional with another Hypex FusionAMP model ?
-> Will this change be feasible for a novice ?

If so, we will face the same problems as with a pair of passive speakers and separate electronic components.

We can support remote PC sharing if we have to set the DSP setting again by any kind of errors or for update.

 

[Sokel]

Actives like Neumann KH 420 (I still smile by Amir's reaction to them) who still use analog el. crossovers are dead easy to replace, for example we already know they use 24dB/oct at 570Hz and 2kHz (and possibly an RC stuck in there for BSC) .

Genelecs also publishes crossover points, etc, the Ones would be possibly a pain but their mains monitors are mostly analog so not hard as well.

What matters are the available data by each company.

 

[Aldo]

We can support remote PC sharing if we have to set the DSP setting again by any kind of errors or for update.

perfect !!
and for any FusionAmp model in the future ?

 

[AsciLab]

perfect !!
and for any FusionAmp model in the future ?

Of course.

 

[Jiraya369]

the life expectancy of a product

yeah i do too, maybe im just disillusioned with all stuff not lasting so i've just become used to accepting short lived products, but then again is it proven that these will not last long?

I could expend on the evils of planned obsolescence, on the need of right repair and sustainable consumption, but that would be very off-topic.

dw mate, i completely agree with you on that and these are the sole reasons why im just completely out of the tech enthusiast scene, used to be quite interested in all things tech but it's all just bad now. Depressing times. At least speakers and headphones/iems are better than ever, at lower prices than ever.

The plate amp which includes the DSP is a part that you can purchase as an individual, so if you're handy or have access to a repair shop, you will be able to replace the amp should it fail. The configuration file for the DSP however is another story.

yeah that seems like a massive pain sadly

 

[goat76]

Genelec has a reputation for supporting their speakers for decades, Dynaudio claims to have drivers for the majority of their speakers of the last 25 years, Neumann still repairs microphones from 1947. Kii and D&D don't have that long of a history, but I'm almost certain still repair the first speakers they launched since they are technically in production. No idea for the others.

Don't forget ATC among manufacturers that support amp replacement for their speakers. They will probably do so as long as they exist, since they make all their amplifiers in-house.

 

[Gomdor]

perfect !!
and for any FusionAmp model in the future ?

Some people in Korea have already had remote support sessions. You should reach out to AsciLab if you're having trouble.

 

[daniboun]

The plate Amp installed in the rear of the C8C is also the crossover.

Remove it and you are left with ten bare + - driver connections and no plan how to restore factory performance.

I hope @AsciLab will upload the HFD config somewhere, that way people can replace the Amp themselves if necessary.

Manufacturer dependence isn't cool.

Indeed, the FusionAmp FA253 module handles the crossover.
Upon closer inspection, one can almost say that the FA253 is composed of an NC252MP module + NC100HF module dedicated for the Tweeter + DSP ADAU1452 DCC AK4454 192kHz module.

The good thing is that the FusionAmp is easily replaceable in case of failure.

 

[Matias]

Agreed, if something goes wrong, most like it will be an amp board, which is easy to swap for a new one if needed.

 

[pat355]

I just set up my C8C. My chain is WiiM Ultra (Tidal) → RME ADI-2 Pro FS R → AES into the C8C. No EQ yet.

I’m honestly ecstatic. I lived with the Kii Three for about seven years and was very happy with them, but I wanted deeper bass extension without going down a crazy-expensive rabbit hole. The C8C + BX8C felt like a natural upgrade for me, and the BX8C should arrive in a few weeks.
First impressions: I couldn’t be happier. I’m not a die-hard audiophile and I don’t plan to endlessly tweak things, but I have to say I’m a bit blown away by what I’m hearing.
There are two reference tracks I’ve probably listened to a thousand times on the Kii Three over the years. This obviously isn’t an A/B comparison, but hearing those same tracks on the C8C brought them to an entirely new level of enjoyment. I can’t fully explain why, but even my wife noticed it immediately — something special is going on here.
If I had to put a word on it, maybe it’s clarity?

I’ve been drinking (mostly good) wine for about three decades. If you pour me a Cos d’Estournel, I’ll recognize it almost instantly. Same with Clos Rougeard — no introduction needed. After enough exposure, certain sensory signatures just stick with you.
That’s the closest comparison I can make here. I’ve lived with those tracks on the Kii Three for years, so I know them very well. And hearing them now on the C8C, I can only say that I’m extremely happy with this acquisition - I do feel it's a step up and so does my wife.