AsciLab speakers are about to launch

[617]

People never heard of Kii or D&D, or Neumann, Genelec, Revel, or Kef before they created their commercial products. So give it time. Ascilab looks very promising, but the proof will of course come when they launch their products, achieve some sales, and prove themselves able to deliver on the promise. I'm optimistic they will, and I may put my money where my mouth is sometime next year. But a lot has to happen before that, obviously. But let's be optimistic. This could be the beginning of the same kind of price and quality breakthrough we've been witnessing with amplifiers and dacs. Let's hope so.

The 'next gen' is affordable cardioids. I haven't seen anyone accomplish this yet. I'm wondering who will be first. Mesanovic might be the closest. Kali might be the one to finally do it, unfortunately their speakers are sort of cheap looking.

Ascilabs might be the ones to do it.

 

[vert]

People never heard of Kii or D&D, or Neumann, Genelec, Revel, or Kef before they created their commercial products. So give it time. Ascilab looks very promising, but the proof will of course come when they launch their products, achieve some sales, and prove themselves able to deliver on the promise. I'm optimistic they will, and I may put my money where my mouth is sometime next year. But a lot has to happen before that, obviously. But let's be optimistic. This could be the beginning of the same kind of price and quality breakthrough we've been witnessing with amplifiers and dacs. Let's hope so.

I've been a member here for a long time, almost from the beginning I believe, not because I'm knowledgeable about audio, more by chance. It's quite obvious that Amir has had an influence on the market. Which doesn't happen by chance. It's amazing to see, and a very good thing for consumers... and the beauty of music!

 

[Jasperous]

@ascilab we are so excited to see the launch of your active and passive speakers! And if possible a completely sealed monitor without passive radiators for those of us who actually have to put them on bookhelves in really tight spaces.. maybe a front port?

 

[amarsicola]

Hi @ascilab Will the active speakers support the spdf digital input and pass-through? Will you be offering the remote as well?
I am thinking of a minimalist setup with Ascilab + Wiim mini

 

[speedygonzalez]

Since the September deadline has passed, is there a timeline on availability? When will the measurements be finalized from the shootout?

 

[Richard G]

ThebC5b and the C6b will be available for sale before Christmas, while only a limited quantity of the A6b will be available before Christmas.

As availability is now only a couple of months away- can you update us on likely prices

And for customers in Australia, who will be selling them at the start - you direct/ are you represented eg in Singapore?

 

[Halbknapp]

The 'next gen' is affordable cardioids. I haven't seen anyone accomplish this yet. I'm wondering who will be first. Mesanovic might be the closest. Kali might be the one to finally do it, unfortunately their speakers are sort of cheap looking.

Ascilabs might be the ones to do it.

I would applaud this but as i recently finished my first Cardioid Speaker (See DIY Section in the Forum) i can tell you that it will never be really cheap. The Reason is simply that at the very least you need more Drivers and a much more complex Crossover, very likely also a bigger Cabinet and/or beefier Amplifiers if compensating for a small woofer cabinet. Best it is done active to drive the additional Woofers and that would add to cost again.
So as much as i think Ascilab is very competent I don't see how they could magically make a good cardioid design thats not at least double the price of the "normal" Speakers.

Propably someone like Kali Audio has a better chance to give us a cheap cardioid if manufactured with cheaper parts and higher volume electronics but it can be assumed it would not reach the technical finesse and of Ascilab.

 

[617]

I would applaud this but as i recently finished my first Cardioid Speaker (See DIY Section in the Forum) i can tell you that it will never be really cheap. The Reason is simply that at the very least you need more Drivers and a much more complex Crossover, very likely also a bigger Cabinet and/or beefier Amplifiers if compensating for a small woofer cabinet. Best it is done active to drive the additional Woofers and that would add to cost again.
So as much as i think Ascilab is very competent I don't see how they could magically make a good cardioid design thats not at least double the price of the "normal" Speakers.

Propably someone like Kali Audio has a better chance to give us a cheap cardioid if manufactured with cheaper parts and higher volume electronics but it can be assumed it would not reach the technical finesse and of Ascilab.

It's an interesting question - what is the most economical way to achieve mid frequency directivity control? Assuming for the moment that directivity control below Schroeder has no value, and I've seen a variety of opinions on that matter.

In one side you have big waveguides. These tend to want big woofers, which means big speakers. However, these speakers can have simple crossovers and can play quite loud; but, totally unsuited to near-field. Ideally woofers are at least 12", 15" is better. Shipping costs are significant, speakers are hard to move.

On the other side you can use the rear-radiation with side vents. This eats up half your excursion so you need extremely good woofers, which in turn need to be at least 7", but preferably bigger. Additionally, low bass is sacrificed so you might need a couple LF drivers, which in a small enclosure mean active woofers with a good amount of power. D+D hits the sweet spot but that isn't a small speaker - still not ideal for a desk, for example. I think Kii is a bit more portable?

Finally you can do cardiod with active side speakers, right? But this is ever more channels, power and DSP. But I think it's probably the most economical approach.

I said cardioids are the 'next gen' not because they are easy or inevitable but because I know of no other transformative audio technology. I don't see any other way to get better sound other than by imitating what Genelec is doing today and hopefully pinching some pennies here and there.

Maybe there is some ultra sophisticated room correcting head tracking phased array with full range sound bar drivers that can perform some kind of miracle.

 

[kharan]

Maybe there is some ultra sophisticated room correcting head tracking phased array with full range sound bar drivers that can perform some kind of miracle.

I heard the SMYTH Realiser A16 SE (Speaker Edition) is mind blowing, but I haven't heard it.

 

[617]

I heard the SMYTH Realiser A16 SE (Speaker Edition) is mind blowing, but I haven't heard it.

This is where I become a Luddite personally. But it is cool.

 

[Tovarich007]

@ascilab

No website yet ? When will your speakers definitely finalized and available ?
Time passes by, and no recent news...

 

[Purité Audio]

Customers in their home country have received orders, a couple have posted in this thread.
Keith

 

[AsciLab]

We are recently very busy in here to assemble and ship our first orders. Most of them are finished in this week. Soon We’ll open our website and make available to order.
Sorry for long wait.

 

[jeffaegrim]

We are recently very busy in here to assemble and ship our first orders. Most of them are finished in this week. Soon We’ll open our website and make available to order.
Sorry for long wait.

Wishing you the best of luck for the launch, you got this. Like many others, I’ve been closely following this thread for a while now and am amazed at what you were able to achieve. I am also interested in a pair of your speakers myself. Hopefully availability for European buyers is soon realised.

Please don’t worry about small setbacks or delays too much - per aspera ad astra, as they say

 

[Jumu]

View attachment 395328
I set it up temporarily and listened to it for a while to check for any initial glitches in the speaker.

My first impression of both the C5b and C6b was that they were transparent and neutral.

I've heard other speakers having great measurements like C6b and C5b that sounded as transparent as quartz glass.

Additionally, the natural reflections created by the not-so-narrow uniform directivity of these speakers are like a seasoning that really makes the sound delicious in its own right, making listening to music a real pleasure.

I'll share more in-room measurements and impressions once the 11-channel system is complete, which will be set up after the three A6Bs for the LCR channel arrive.

Are you planning to use them for home theater? I was asking myself same thing thanks to it’s high SPL capability. (I wish companies would have shared THD of at least +110db/1mt for 3-4metres listening positions)

 

[Grotti]

Are you planning to use them for home theater? I was asking myself same thing thanks to it’s high SPL capability. (I wish companies would have shared THD of at least +110db/1mt for 3-4metres listening positions)

If you want your speakers to play "at least" at 110 dB at one meter, you should be interested in much larger speakers then small bookshelf speakers. Even high pass filtered in a typical HT in the case of the Ascilabs above 1000 Hertz it's the tweeter alone beeping at play....

 

[markstein]

PEQ is pretty handy for low bass, but I don’t use it above that, with good speakers there is simply no need.
Keith

There a very good speakers around which are not cardioid, and they will require PEQ also in the 200-300Hz range in most living spaces.

 

[Purité Audio]

I am sure there are , you just have to be cautious eq ing in the non minimal phase region of the FR.
Keith

 

[markstein]

Absolutely! I am still practicing how to best EQ my setup - it is more like a journey...

 

[Jumu]

If you want your speakers to play "at least" at 110 dB at one meter, you should be interested in much larger speakers then small bookshelf speakers. Even high pass filtered in a typical HT in the case of the Ascilabs above 1000 Hertz it's the tweeter alone beeping at play....

There are many small HT speakers around like MK, ascendo, JBL, grimani etc…
So it is reasonable to expect good thd in high SPL.