Ascilab C8C V1.1 Measurement Update

[amirm]

I recently reviewed the Ascilab C8C active speaker:

I found the performance excellent but noticed a slight boost from 4 to 5 kHz which I easily corrected with EQ. Members also noticed that the directivity was not as constant in some area.

Company was quick to revise the equalization and crossover to better optimize both factors. Company will be able to update already sold speakers using remote access and Hypex FHD software so anyone wanting the upgrade, can easily get it.

Let's see the difference starting with our spinorama frequency response:

Given how good the response was before, the difference is hard to see so let me overlay the two on axis responses:

Ignoring the slight level shift due to different placement on Klippel NFS, we see that the small boost in 4 to 5 kHz is essentially gone (black).

Differences are harder to see in beam width but here it is:

It is more visible to my eye in the contour plot:

Notice how there is better matching below 1 kHz which has the nice bonus of having wider dispersion. This should improve spatial effects a bit.

Vertical response has not changed:

I was pleasantly surprised by the effect on predicted in-room response

Now has a perfect slope.

Since this was such a minor variation, I did not try to run the rest of the tests.

I have enclosed the spinorama measurements and would be curious what impact it has on preference score.

Conclusions
Beauty of an active speaker shows up here in how easy it is to refine the response of the speaker. Ascilab is to be commended for jumping quickly to optimize these two small variations. The combination of the two changes makes the C8C even more perfect than it was before.

NOTE: My company, testedaudio.com, is the exclusive distributor for Ascilab products in North America. While objective tests remain the same as for any other speaker, subjective remarks may have business bias.
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As always, questions, comments, recommendations, etc. are welcome.

Any donations are much appreciated using: https://www.audiosciencereview.com/forum/index.php?threads/how-to-support-audio-science-review.8150/

 

[pat355]

thanks @amirm ! how does one get the update, should we contact @AsciLab's support?

 

[amirm]

Yes. They will give you instructions and set up time to login into your computer to perform the update.

 

[Maiky76]

Original EQ/Score:

Ascilab C8C Active Speaker Review

The room is about 11x17 with an 8' ceiling, one side with a double doorway one side solid wall, two sides double windows. Everything was quick and dirty using the WiiM defaults and an iPhone17. (I just looked and now see why the >4K is so wacky.) RoomFit params - Target Curve: B&K. EQ Freq...

www.audiosciencereview.com

For reference
Score no EQ: 7.3
With Sub: 8.1

Score EQ LW: 7.1
with sub: 7.8

Score EQ Score: 7.7
with sub: 8.5

Here is my take on the EQ of the new Tuning/FW.
Please report your findings, positive or negative!
For the score rational your journey starts here

Explanation for the sub score
The following EQs are “anechoic” EQs to get the speaker right before room integration.
If you able to implement these EQs you must add EQ at LF for room integration, that is usually not optional… see hints there.

The raw data with corrected ER and PIR:

Score no EQ: 7.7
With Sub: 8.4

Spinorama with no EQ: same comments as before

• SOTA
• Waveguide ON/LW discrepancy?

Directivity:
Better stay at tweeter height
Horizontally, better toe-in the speakers by 10/15deg and have the axis crossing in front of the listening location, might help dosing the upper range. explanation here

EQ design (Spoiler: doesn't beed one):

I have generated two EQs. The APO config files are attached.

• The first one, labelled, LW is targeted at making the LW flat
• The second, labelled Score, starts with the first one and adds the score as an optimization variable (here).
• The EQs are designed in the context of regular stereo use i.e. domestic environment, no warranty is provided for a near field use in a studio environment although the LW might be better suited for this purpose.
• One can model the EQ with Vituixcad by using the DSP "Generic" setting with 96000Hz sampling rate.

Previous Score EQ:
Score EQ Score: 7.7
with sub: 8.5

Score no EQ: 7.7
With Sub: 8.4

Score EQ LW: 7.1
with sub: 8.0

Score EQ Score: 7.8
with sub: 8.6

Ascilab C8C v1.1 APO LW EQ 96000Hz
March232026-160842

Preamp: -1.70 dB

Filter 1: ON PK Fc 2112.4 Hz Gain 0.86 dB Q 1.02
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 1514.1 Hz Gain -0.58 dB Q 6.00
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 9022.5 Hz Gain -0.66 dB Q 6.00
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 12529.7 Hz Gain 1.64 dB Q 0.39

Ascilab C8C v1.1 APO Score EQ 96000Hz
March232026-160842

Preamp: -0.60 dB

Filter 1: ON PK Fc 1582.7 Hz Gain 1.99 dB Q 3.60
Filter 2: ON PK Fc 1543.2 Hz Gain -2.48 dB Q 6.00
Filter 3: ON PK Fc 9245.3 Hz Gain -1.00 dB Q 5.91
Filter 4: ON PK Fc 9656.0 Hz Gain 0.68 dB Q 2.48

Spinorama EQ LW

Spinorama EQ Score

Zoom PIR-LW-ON

Regression - Tonal

Radar no EQ vs EQ score
No improvements...

 

[AsciLab]

To make the update process easier and faster, we are preparing firmware files so that users can update the system themselves. We kindly ask for your patience until we share further details.

Thanks for testing again @amirm.

 

[pat355]

To make the update process easier and faster, we are preparing firmware files so that users can update the system themselves. We kindly ask for your patience until we share further details.

Thanks for testing again @amirm.

sounds good - thanks

 

[pavuol]

 

[AudioJester]

Awesome, thanks Amir!

So the ultimate question - do you hear a difference?

 

[amirm]

So the ultimate question - do you hear a difference?

I was not foolish enough to think I could remember the sound before this revision! So no, I didn't try to listen again.

 

[Mort]

Wow that's pretty cool.

 

[delta76]

Exciting how the company embraces feedback and act on it. You know that is the right way to success, long term.
Kudos to @amirm and @AsciLab on this colab

 

[Blockader]

Now they are Genelec killers.

 

[delta76]

Now they are Genelec killers.

why do people always want this or that killer? Both (and Neumann etc.) can co-exist. healthy competition is only good for consumers

 

[Blockader]

why do people always want this or that killer? Both (and Neumann etc.) can co-exist. healthy competition is only good for consumers

Cheapest Genelec cardioid setup costs 27000-30000 euros. Yes, Genelec's are better and have higher max SPL potential, however for most people Ascilabs delivers a better performance/price ratio. Based on the numbers alone, that's simply hard to argue against right now. This is not an opinion, a simple numerical fact. Also note that I am a 8361 + W371 owner. If I were in the market for cardioid speakers today, I'd go with Ascilabs

 

[delta76]

Cheapest Genelec cardioid setup costs 27000-30000 euros. Yes, Genelec's are better and have higher max SPL potential, however for most people Ascilabs delivers a better performance/price ratio. Based on the numbers alone, that's simply hard to argue against right now. This is not an opinion, a simple numerical fact. Also note that I am a 8361 + W371 owner. If I were in the market for cardioid speakers today, I'd go with Ascilabs

yes, but that is not enough to kill Genelec, nor it should. As I said, Ascilab has made a(nother) great speaker, which is a great achievement in and of itself . Genelec/Neumann etc. will have to respond with some new designs. A healthy competition will only be good for everyone - customers will get access to better speakers at more reasonable price, with better availability.

If Genelec has been in a monopoly that extort money from customers, sure, we want them to be hurt/challenged. It is not the case here.

 

[Tovarich007]

I definetely agree with you, Delta.
Of course, Ascilab is a super new good brand, but it's not killing anything else.

First, I hate this kind of expression (kill, killer... ). We're not a war ! It's only audio tech.
Second, there are several ways of designing very good speakers, a large wave guide with a tweeter cut low is a good option when it's well done, but not the only one.
Third, there are different needs and tastes too.

At present, Genelec and Neumann keep an advantage in SPL, integration, and client service (especially in european markets). All this, and particularly the client service, is very important.
And, IMHO, the Genelec coax which starts at around 500 hz can handle more power and provide a rather larger sweet spot than the Ascilab tweeter which starts at 1000 hz, which is super low for a tweeter, as good as it can be.

If I search for a brand new pair of speaker around 1000/1500€, i would choose Ascilab, but if I were for a 4000/5000€ pair, I would go for Genelec or Neumann.

 

[Matt_Holland]

Wow! Is this the finest measuring speaker you've had on the NFS, @amirm ?
Great work by Ascilab.
@Purité Audio have you got Sound On Sound lined up to review these?

 

[Tovarich007]

P.S. : I add that this trend for cardioïd designs is not always the best solution.
It depends on the room, the listening distance, the taste (some, including in the pro domain, may prefer a slightly "ambient" sound instead of a "dry" low mid sound).
Most of Ascilab and Genelec speakers are not cardioïd anyway, Neumann or PSI are not designing cardioïd spekers at all for the moment.

 

[respice finem]

...I found the performance excellent but noticed a slight boost from 4 to 5 kHz which I easily corrected with EQ. Members also noticed that the directivity was not as constant in some area.

Company was quick to revise the equalization and crossover to better optimize both factors. Company will be able to update already sold speakers using remote access and Hypex FHD software so anyone wanting the upgrade, can easily get it.

Wow, you are really making audio great again. Such cooperation is exemplary, and all sides profit from it.

 

[goat76]

@AsciLab, nice update, but with all the built-in DSP capabilities these loudspeakers have, why wasn't this addressed already from the start? Do you see a trade-off in the design, that made you leave it in the first place?