AsciLab F6Bs Speaker Review

[realign]

Hi guys,
everyone who own or has listened these speakers... can you please say do they truly sounds so much better than another speakers (for example ELAC DBR62) and their price difference (378€ in my case - almost 85% more expensive) is justified and they are worth buying?
Thank you very much for your opinion and experience

I have a pair of F6Bs. I'm very happy with them. Definitely better than my Q Acoustics 3020i I had previously. Have since got a sub woofer and even better. Have had no desire to change them or "do better".

 

[Karmacoma]

Alright, for this thread's sake let me tell you all your analogies are really bad, a better analogy would be like 8/10, 9/10 or 10/10 vision. But analogies don't mix well with measurements in the end.

 

[Jollac]

I have a pair of F6Bs. I'm very happy with them. Definitely better than my Q Acoustics 3020i I had previously. Have since got a sub woofer and even better. Have had no desire to change them or "do better".

Hi realign,
great to hear your experience and satisfaction.
Which subwoofer you use with them?
What about cabinet material? On images they have very nice design but they looks like plastic.
Can you please share detailed photo?

Thank you very much

It is not 85% better sound, if that is what you are asking.

If you have a perfect subwoofer setup, and use EQ properly, then it is about 10% better. For some people, that 10% is worth a doubling of price. For other people, the increase in price can be better spent elsewhere.

Hi nathan,
no, I don't expect 85% better sound versus ELAC DBR62.
Point is if there is noticeable audible difference in higher sound quality, and this higher quality is worth for price different.
I have no chance to compare AsciLab speakers against another, either on Youtube. So if I decide to buy AsciLab, it will be "blind purchase" (and I'm looking for some justification to do it ).

But: You are a bit comparing apples with oranges - The Ascilab FS 6 Bs is a sealed speaker. So, one or better two subwoofers are highly recommendet.
The ELAC Debut Reference DBR-62 is afaik a bassreflex construction.

• • 
    So: Better invest even a few dollars more and go for the Ascilab FS 6 B - without the "s" which stands for "sealed".
    
    Summary: In this case you get what you pay for (other thing with IEM´s or headphones, where you often find your surprisings with stuff which is much better than other stuff for 1/10 th of the price).
    The AsciLab may sound a bit better in the same room.

Hi totti,

Thanks for another point of view.
I plan to pair speakers with subwoofer and in case of AsciLab my budget is over limit so F6Bs is "price ceiling" for me

.
.
.

I'd suggest if you haven't already, get some eq and measurement mic in on your audio action, as well as subwoofer(s). I reckon those two things would make more fun difference than changing from good speakers to better speakers of similar output (again, assuming you're not after more volume, which the 6" AsciLab's probably wouldn't deliver over the DBR62).

The DBR62 were on my list of interest. They seem pretty great. and likely very great to listen to, with eq to help them meet your preferences (or adjust for your preference of certain recordings).

I still feel the F6B were/are great value for what they are. And it's nice to have a speaker that is objectively so damn good.

The Elac's likely be brighter, but otherwise look very good. That decrease in brightness might even seem like a disappointment at first if you had AsciLab, but I have grown to generally preferring that response.

TL;DR Love the sound you're with. only spend money you definitely can afford to.

Hi jEDGEc0m,
thank you for your story I really appreciate every personal experience.

I decide to buy complete new speakers as my last "temporary" cheap speakers (M-Audio) have issue with input (integrated amp?). Unfortunately "temporary" was extended to 6 years, so now is time to buy good speakers at all.

In every case even DBR62 will be huge improvement in sound quality for me ... but yes I read/hear tons of information for last few months and also this amirm's review (and Erin's review of C6B) and even if AsciLab is very over my budget and I don't make emotional and blind purchase (especially from another country) there is something why I'm thinking about AsciLab F6Bs as new solution

 

[eyke]

What about cabinet material? On images they have very nice design but they looks like plastic.

MDF, not plastic

 

[realign]

Hi realign,
great to hear your experience and satisfaction.
Which subwoofer you use with them?
What about cabinet material? On images they have very nice design but they looks like plastic.
Can you please share detailed photo?

Thank you very much



Hi nathan,
no, I don't expect 85% better sound versus ELAC DBR62.
Point is if there is noticeable audible difference in higher sound quality, and this higher quality is worth for price different.
I have no chance to compare AsciLab speakers against another, either on Youtube. So if I decide to buy AsciLab, it will be "blind purchase" (and I'm looking for some justification to do it ).



Hi totti,

Thanks for another point of view.
I plan to pair speakers with subwoofer and in case of AsciLab my budget is over limit so F6Bs is "price ceiling" for me




Hi jEDGEc0m,
thank you for your story I really appreciate every personal experience.

I decide to buy complete new speakers as my last "temporary" cheap speakers (M-Audio) have issue with input (integrated amp?). Unfortunately "temporary" was extended to 6 years, so now is time to buy good speakers at all.

In every case even DBR62 will be huge improvement in sound quality for me ... but yes I read/hear tons of information for last few months and also this amirm's review (and Erin's review of C6B) and even if AsciLab is very over my budget and I don't make emotional and blind purchase (especially from another country) there is something why I'm thinking about AsciLab F6Bs as new solution

Photo here of mine. https://www.audiosciencereview.com/...scilab-f6bs-speaker-review.63324/post-2361300

Material looks like its rubberised but it's v.solid. will be a veneer on MDF I guess.

My subwoofer is an Edifier T5.

 

[jEDGEc0m]

don't make emotional and blind purchase (especially from another country) there is something why I'm thinking about AsciLab F6Bs as new solution

My pleasure.

Considering most of us can't demo speakers in our space, opting for a speaker that has good/excellent independent spinorama (particularly the directivity) should give us our best chance for good outcome in our listening spaces.

With sub(s), the sealed F6BS have a great chance of giving you satisfaction. I opted for the passive radiator as I wanted a speaker that could still be quite satisfying if they end up being useed without subwoofer.

Not my photos, and not the sealed model, but this post by @spoutnik12 had some nice photos for the potential buyer - a more bold colour choice. I think it looks great. I am not too concerned with aesthetics in my space, but I like the look of them and think they are quality.

Ascilab C6B & F6B Launched – Ask Questions, Share Feedback

Alright, I'll go I reckon I got an order in quite promptly after it being possible again on the AsciLab store website - I'd checked on the morning of Sept 15, and it wasn't yet available to order. Then checked not too much later in the morning, it was available to order, and I did - so, one...

www.audiosciencereview.com

All that said, presumably AsciLab F6B series will be available to order "soon", but they're not available now. If you're the kind of person that can/would sell things, the Elac DBR62 might be fairly easy to sell without losing too much $. Might be tempting to get them, hopefully find them satisfying and enjoy them, and maybe sell and swap to AsciLab another time.

 

[nathan]

Point is if there is noticeable audible difference in higher sound quality, and this higher quality is worth for price different.

Yes, in a double blind test, a person with healthy hearing is likely to rank the ASCILAB ahead of the Elac in a ranked preference, almost all the time, in a bass managed system.

Whether that difference is WORTH IT TO YOU is only something you and your retirement account and financial planner can answer.

 

[a4eaudio]

Yes, in a double blind test, a person with healthy hearing is likely to rank the ASCILAB ahead of the Elac in a ranked preference, almost all the time, in a bass managed system.

COMMUNITY NOTE: this post does not include any evidence to support this statement.

 

[Purité Audio]

Elac Debut Reference DBR-62 Speaker Review

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Elac Debut Reference DBR-62 bookshelf speaker. It was kindly purchased new and drop shipped to me for testing. The DBR-62 costs US $600 a pair from multiple sources/dealers. The DBR-62 comes in black and walnut finish or the distressed Oak and...

www.audiosciencereview.com

AsciLab F6B Bookshelf Speaker Review

This is a review, listening tests and detailed measurements of the AsciLab F6B stand mount speaker. It was sent to me by the company and costs US $835 for a pair (shipping included). In black, the F6B seems formal with a very clean design. It feels solid with sense of precision. Compared to...

www.audiosciencereview.com

Keith

 

[nathan]

COMMUNITY NOTE: this post does not include any evidence to support this statement.

This community knows how to read CEA 2034 data and it is 99% predictive when controlling for bass response and the listener has healthy hearing.

 

[a4eaudio]

....and it is 99% predictive...

What is predictive? CEA 2034 is JUST and industry standard -- it is a 40+ page standard for measuring loudspeakers in a consistent way along with standardized display of data. CEA 2034 doesn't predict anything nor does it offer any subjective recommendations on speaker design.

(I guess you might mean the Preference Rating - which is not part of CEA 2034 - but avid readers of the forum surely know the pitfalls of those scores.)

 

[Ktacos]

COMMUNITY NOTE: this post does not include any evidence to support this statement.

I thought the research said people tend to like the more neutral speaker with the better dispersion? Also community note? Are you speaking for other people?

CEA 2034 doesn't predict anything

Wat dis?

 

[a4eaudio]

I thought the research said people tend to like the more neutral speaker with the better dispersion?

"Tend to like" does not equal predictive, much less 99% predictive.

Wat dis?

View attachment 490488

A poorly named mathematical formula (that is often named Estimated In-room Response since it isn't actually "predictive")

 

[staticV3]

Neither CTA2034 nor Olive/Toole's Preference model can predict listener preference with 99% confidence. That's nonsense.

Anyone who puts that much trust into preference scores is misguided.

 

[sceptical1]

The dbr62 is the more musically accurate speaker. Once specs reach a level showing competent design, how the speaker reacts with the room determines what you hear. Whatever the power response, total reflections, and eir show for the dbr62 vs the f6b is what would be the preferred sound of a speaker.
Simply stated, if Toole got his listeners together, compared the two and found an overwhelming preference for the dbr62 (total speculation-of course, few of the listeners would be sure which was which) modern speakers would be made like the dbr62 and not the f6b.
Look closely at what Amir said about listening to the dbr62 and the f6b. One was a joy he could not get enough of, the other was well behaved, warm (obvious coloration) and neutral to a fault.
In spite of what the measurements show this looks like an easy decision for me thanks only to Amir's subjective evaluation which has proved to be at least as accurate as the measurements.

 

[Purité Audio]

Quote,
‘When you include the price in the equation, I am at a loss to recommend alternatives to the F6B. It is that good!’
Keith

 

[sceptical1]

Quote,
‘When you include the price in the equation, I am at a loss to recommend alternatives to the F6B. It is that good!’
Keith

The dbr62 review was 5 yrs. ago, he needed a reminder.
In any case, let's ask him, which speaker would he choose if he had only those two choices. Wait, that won't work now that his horse is in the race.

 

[Curvature]

The preference score for the ELAC DBR6.2 is 4.97 (7.22 with sub) while the score for the Ascilab F6B is 6.52 (8.47 with sub). Sensitivity of the score is 0.7, so the roughly 1.5 points of difference is enough to say that listeners are likely to score the F6B higher in blind testing consistently, but only because bass response counts for so much. The "with sub" score is more representative of the differences in the middle and higher frequency radiation patterns, inclusive of the impacts of direct sound, and there the difference shrinks to 1.3. With EQ, the scores are 6.43 (8.38) vs. 7.04 (8.77), which means the listener is comparing the differences in directivity and far off-axis response alone, and without considering the bass, so the differences shrink to 0.6 and 0.4.

The best speakers we know of are in the range of roughly 6-8, the worst have negative scores without subs and 1-3 with subs. The score was developed to help predict blind testing results across the entire range, not to finely predict listener reactions between similar radiation patterns.

 

[nathan]

Neither CTA2034 nor Olive/Toole's Preference model can predict listener preference with 99% confidence. That's nonsense.

Anyone who puts that much trust into preference scores is misguided.

Toole himself said as much in his recent AES presentation given the caveats of healthy hearing and the same bass extension (either by design or as in a bass managed system or simply high pass filtering.). They were able to predict preference ranking with a correlation of .995 simply via the spinorama data.

 

[Jollac]

The dbr62 is the more musically accurate speaker. Once specs reach a level showing competent design, how the speaker reacts with the room determines what you hear. Whatever the power response, total reflections, and eir show for the dbr62 vs the f6b is what would be the preferred sound of a speaker.
Simply stated, if Toole got his listeners together, compared the two and found an overwhelming preference for the dbr62 (total speculation-of course, few of the listeners would be sure which was which) modern speakers would be made like the dbr62 and not the f6b.
Look closely at what Amir said about listening to the dbr62 and the f6b. One was a joy he could not get enough of, the other was well behaved, warm (obvious coloration) and neutral to a fault.
In spite of what the measurements show this looks like an easy decision for me thanks only to Amir's subjective evaluation which has proved to be at least as accurate as the measurements.

I have read both amirm's reviews few times...

@amirm what do you think?
Is DBR62 enjoyable over F6Bs during music listening?