AsciLab speakers are about to launch

[kharan]

It must be C8T you wanted to say, by the way, it’s because about sensitivity and bass alignment tuning. The subwoofer in C8C has too low sensitivity to use passive speaker. And the port should be much more long to have proper bass roll off.

So, does that mean the C8C's bass is more power limited than excursion limited?

Out of curiosity, which has more bass SPL capability (without the bass stand for C8C)?

Will there be options to get passive speakers without the crossover (I'd like to use my Minidsp digital crossover)?
Thanks!

It would be easier to ship a version with an already installed active crossover.

btw audiophonics informed me of a delay: may

Just on the website or with email?

 

[staticV3]

Out of curiosity, which has more bass SPL capability (without the bass stand for C8C)?

The T has very slightly lower bass extension, but significantly lower THD:



At 30Hz 86dB, THD goes from 28dB below Fundamental (C8C) to 44dB below Fundamental (C8T).

At 30Hz 96dB, THD goes from 16dB below Fundamental (C8C) to 36dB below Fundamental (C8T).

Though it's unclear whether the C8T was set to Max output mode for these graphs or if it was set to Cardioid or Extended Cardioid which should've cost it some THD.

 

[kharan]

The T has very slightly lower bass extension, but significantly lower THD:
View attachment 503870 View attachment 503869
View attachment 503868 View attachment 503867

At 30Hz 86dB, THD goes from 28dB below Fundamental (C8C) to 44dB below Fundamental (C8T).

At 30Hz 96dB, THD goes from 16dB below Fundamental (C8C) to 36dB below Fundamental (C8T).

Though it's unclear whether the C8T was set to Max output mode for these graphs or of it was set to Cardioid or Extended Cardioid which should've cost it some THD.

Those charts are very informative, but they don't make direct comparison easy. I would think that there is a substantial difference in the extension of the bass response.



Using the CEA2034, for the C8T, F3 is at 47 Hz using the on axis response, 35 Hz using Sound Power.
For the C8C, F3 is at 32 Hz using the on axis, and 28 Hz using Sound Power.

For F10 is at 28 Hz for C8T using the on axis response and 25 Hz using Sound Power.
For the C8C, F10 is below 20 Hz.

Alternatively, you could say that at 30 Hz, there is a 4 dB difference between the response of the C8C and the C8T.

All of this makes comparison difficult and to some extent, I don't know how relevant it is to compare specific figures between the two units. The figures don't surprise me though. The C8C probably has better power handling, but is a sealed design, and has less internal volume. The C8T is a bass reflex design with more internal volume; hence the C8T has a sharper roll-off, but the bass reflex will supplement bass volume and limit driver excursion past a certain point.

My intuition is that those charts show that the C8C will sound like it's struggling before the C8T as you raise SPL when listening to music, but that's something I'd like to read more elaboration on.

 

[Coltr@ne]

Of course, starting to sell umbrellas for cocktail in 2026 is something to think about seriously. IMHO

 

[staticV3]

Those charts are very informative, but they don't make direct comparison easy. I would think that there is a substantial difference in the extension of the bass response.

Those charts directly plot the speakers' frequency response and bass extension ("Fundamental").

Though if you'd like then I can overlay them onto the same graph as well.

 

[markstein]

btw audiophonics informed me of a delay: may

Audiophonics did not impress me so far. I requested info regarding C8C availability but was not informed by them at all. I would prefer another distributor. Maybe Hörzone in Munich, Germany? @AsciLab

 

[kharan]

Those charts directly plot the speakers' frequency response and bass extension ("Fundamental").

Though if you'd like then I can overlay them onto the same graph as well.

I can read those charts as well as anyone. I'm saying that because of the differences in design and bass response, they don't answer the question as well as you think they do.

 

[sqrl]

btw audiophonics informed me of a delay: may

Perhaps air freight would add to the cost over sea freight.

 

[NTK]

I can read those charts as well as anyone. I'm saying that because of the differences in design and bass response, they don't answer the question as well as you think they do.

The on-axis response curve is sensitive to the shift in the acoustic center. At low frequencies, the acoustic center is largely determined by the locations of the woofers and ports. For large tower speakers especially, the low frequency acoustic center will be shifted by some significant distance away from the spinorama reference center, which typically is where the tweeter axis meets the front baffle for 2-ways, or the mid-point of those for the tweeter and mid-range for 3-ways. It is a (minor) deficiency for the spinorama measurement method as it does not consider the shift acoustic center with frequency for multi-way speakers.

A further distance of the low frequency acoustic center than the spinorama origin will result in a higher distance attenuation, and therefore a lower reported SPL (than when the acoustic center and spinorama origin are well aligned). The sound power curve should be the more reliable curve for comparing low frequency outputs, as theoretically sound power should not be dependent on the locations of the spinorama origin or acoustic center.

Having said that, since low frequency response is room dependent, and measurement informed EQ is almost mandatory to maximize performance, max output is the most important performance figure. Since the standard measurement for max output is by distortions, lower distortions (at the same SPL) will usually mean a higher output capacity.

 

[TheKoC]

btw audiophonics informed me of a delay: may

I got no such info (yet). Did you order one of the BX8C? See Ascilabs post about different dates for models:

Customers who purchased the C8C and BX8C through dealers will receive their speakers according to each dealer’s individual delivery schedule.

• C8C: Shipments from AsciLab to dealers are scheduled to begin in early February.
• BX8C: Shipments from AsciLab to dealers will begin with a partial batch in early March, followed by the remaining units starting in late April.

As some dealers receive shipments by air freight while others use sea freight, please contact your dealer directly for the most accurate delivery timeline.

 

[kharan]

The on-axis response curve is sensitive to the shift in the acoustic center. At low frequencies, the acoustic center is largely determined by the locations of the woofers and ports. For large tower speakers especially, the low frequency acoustic center will be shifted by some significant distance away from the spinorama reference center, which typically is where the tweeter axis meets the front baffle for 2-ways, or the mid-point of those for the tweeter and mid-range for 3-ways. It is a (minor) deficiency for the spinorama measurement method as it does not consider the shift acoustic center with frequency for multi-way speakers.

A further distance of the low frequency acoustic center than the spinorama origin will result in a higher distance attenuation, and therefore a lower reported SPL (than when the acoustic center and spinorama origin are well aligned). The sound power curve should be the more reliable curve for comparing low frequency outputs, as theoretically sound power should not be dependent on the locations of the spinorama origin or acoustic center.

Having said that, since low frequency response is room dependent, and measurement informed EQ is almost mandatory to maximize performance, max output is the most important performance figure. Since the standard measurement for max output is by distortions, lower distortions (at the same SPL) will usually mean a higher output capacity.

Indeed, that's why I also had the figures with Sound Power.

 

[AudioJester]

Having said that, since low frequency response is room dependent, and measurement informed EQ is almost mandatory to maximize performance, max output is the most important performance figure. Since the standard measurement for max output is by distortions, lower distortions (at the same SPL) will usually mean a higher output capacity.

Thanks for the post, learned a lot!

Where does bass extension figure into the equation. In the C8T vs C8C comparison - C8T has max output advantage as you have described, but C8C has lower extension eg. F3

 

[NTK]

Thanks for the post, learned a lot!

Where does bass extension figure into the equation. In the C8T vs C8C comparison - C8T has max output advantage as you have described, but C8C has lower extension eg. F3

In the Olive score, the LFX is based on the -6 dB frequency, the lower the -6 dB frequency the better. However, in this case, it is difficult to compare, since the C8C is a DSP active speaker, most likely with EQ applied, so the low frequency roll-off may not be "natural".

 

[Times]

Audiophonics did not impress me so far. I requested info regarding C8C availability but was not informed by them at all. I would prefer another distributor. Maybe Hörzone in Munich, Germany?

I am trying my very best to become one and establish a dealership / showroom in the Stuttgart region...

 

[Morla]

I got no such info (yet). Did you order one of the BX8C? See Ascilabs post about different dates for models:

I ordered a pair of c8c and a pair of bx8c. And I Asked them about it: no response, yet.

 

[markstein]

I am trying my very best to become one and establish a dealership / showroom in the Stuttgart region...

I keep my fingers crossed!

A customer oriented pro-active distributor in Germany would be a nice move.

 

[Morla]

I ordered a pair of c8c and a pair of bx8c. And I Asked them about it: no response, yet.

The ASCILAB BX8C units will arrive in late April/early May.
The ASCILAB C8C units will arrive in early March.

 

[pat355]

The ASCILAB BX8C units will arrive in late April/early May.
The ASCILAB C8C units will arrive in early March.

I got an email saying the C8C would be shipped early-mid February, but that may be because I ordered direct

 

[Times]

I keep my fingers crossed!

Thanks, I appreciate that. Right now, I don't know how, when or even if it will work out.

In good faith and cooperation with Audiophonics, I have ordered a large selection of their speakers and hope I can make have them available in my showroom, as soon as they have been delivered:

• F6BS
• F6B
• C6B
• C8C (including BX8C)

If it doesn't work out, I am going to have a very nice new home cinema...

A customer oriented pro-active distributor in Germany would be a nice move.

That description might fit very well into my business plan

 

[markstein]

Thanks, I appreciate that. Right now, I don't know how, when or even if it will work out.

In good faith and cooperation with Audiophonics, I have ordered a large selection of their speakers and hope I can make have them available in my showroom, as soon as they have been delivered:

• F6BS
• F6B
• C6B
• C8C (including BX8C)

If it doesn't work out, I am going to have a very nice new home cinema...



That description might fit very well into my business plan

Maybe I need to visit Stuttgart again this year...