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AsciLab speakers are about to launch

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I just unpacked the three A6Bs that arrived last week.
With this, I have received all the 11-channel AsciLab speakers I ordered.
 
I'm not one to judge sound quality via videos but the A6B Active certainly seems to pack a nice deep punch here:

 
Max SPL is tested by IEC 60268 multi-tone signal. You don’t have to use whole 500W beefy amp. 250W will be great too. It’s only for Max SPL above 100Hz. So we wrote it as “Up to xxxW”

Yes. 82dB sensitivity of A6B quite low. But it’s because of Purifi woofer. It has higher Mms than typical to get low Fs so its sensitivity must be low. 86.8 or 89dB sensitivity of specsheet (maybe Alu and Paper?) is for IB response. When it is mounted on small baffle there will be baffle step effect. So low frequency sensitivity typically gets -6dB down. If we do not compensate mid to high frequency to bass level, it would have too less bass.

That’s why the sensitivity is pretty low. But the driver also has enough long excursion and high power handling to be driven loud, you don’t have to worry, only needs beefy amp. And Purifi guys also prepared that too.
Hi, @ascilab .
Is it possible to provide a special version of A6B that users can crossover with their own DSP?

Difference to normal version:
1. No crossover.
2. Two binding post to treble and bass respectively.
3. A serial Cap in treble circuit to avoid DC voltage.

To the company, this version is:
1. To the pro market that the retail price can maintain same as Xovered version while saving the cost of Xover board.
2. No competitor in this particular market.

To the user:
1. Active Xover enthusiasts surely love it. You can design your own EQ for personal taste.
2. Impedance between Amp and driver is minimized to wiring and cable only. Movement of driver will be insanely controlled if you have extreme performance Amp.
 
I don’t think allowing customers to design their own loudspeaker is a great idea , and you can eq to taste anyway.
Keith
 
Hi, @ascilab .
Is it possible to provide a special version of A6B that users can crossover with their own DSP?

Difference to normal version:
1. No crossover.
2. Two binding post to treble and bass respectively.
3. A serial Cap in treble circuit to avoid DC voltage.

To the company, this version is:
1. To the pro market that the retail price can maintain same as Xovered version while saving the cost of Xover board.
2. No competitor in this particular market.

To the user:
1. Active Xover enthusiasts surely love it. You can design your own EQ for personal taste.
2. Impedance between Amp and driver is minimized to wiring and cable only. Movement of driver will be insanely controlled if you have extreme performance Amp.
Given the 'to the user' points, why not just get the active version and use the Hypex software to edit the crossover properties?
 
I´m still hoping there will be some versions with some wood decor or something similar like the kef ls50 meta (structured surface) - the optics is the only thing holding me back :(
 
Asci lab is going to be providing us with an interesting answer to the question regarding the inherent superiority of active vs passive speakers with the release of the A6b in both powered and passive versions. To me, looking at the already released graphs, they seems so close as to make the potential differences inconsequential, particularly if the passives are bought by someone able to use DSP and PEQ. It was kind of the same way with the powered vs passive versions of the LS 50 Meta as well.

Bottom line is that while passives offer a theoretical advantage, by no means is the gulf so huge as to make them the only option for audiophiles seeking a great speaker. Consider the speakers three prominent audiophiles have as their daily drivers: Amir and Floyd Toole have the Revel Salon 2's, and Kal Rubinson has Kef Blade 2's. Those are passive speakers being used by designers/reviewers who could literally take their pick of absolutely anything in the marketplace.

Not trying to downgrade the obvious performance advantages of the powered speakers. All of the cardioid designs, for example, are powered speakers, and that clearly offers a clear performance advantage. But, even so, the largest advantage of the active designs, goes first and foremost to DIYers who now have an easy way to build quality crossovers for their homemade designs. They can now use any number of software packages, specify what they want, and have the filters spat out by the software, rather than reaching into their bags of resistors, inductors and caps, putting them on breadboards, and trialing them via long listening/measuring sessions. Clearly digital crossovers are a win for those guys.

For the rest of us, depends on the use case. If you already own high quality gear, or don't wish to be wedded to the electronics used in active designs, or just don't wish to run the risk of Kef ceasing to support your LS 60's five years after their introduction, then perhaps a quality passive design makes much more sense for you.
 
I'm not one to judge sound quality via videos but the A6B Active certainly seems to pack a nice deep punch here:

Designwise I have one issue with these. Looking at the wave guide for the tweeter, it looks like an assembly inserted into a hole in the box, rather than being integrated with the cabinet, and I see a seam there. In some places it looks like it's better integrated than others, and in few places there appear to be gaps between the lip of the wave guide and the cabinet. IDK if that's strictly a cosmetic issue or if there really is an opening into the enclosure, or if, for that matter, the whole thing is an artifact of the photography.

Perhaps someone form Asci would like to address this concern.
 
The big reason to buy the A6 in active configuration is to add the bass bins later on. No need for subs and inbuilt dsp

The very cool thing from Ascilabs is the passive and active module is interchangeable!
 
The big reason to buy the A6 in active configuration is to add the bass bins later on. No need for subs and inbuilt dsp

The very cool thing from Ascilabs is the passive and active module is interchangeable!
Really, so is Ascilabs going to offer an "upgrade" path for anyone buying the passives to change to actives at a latter point in time? And will that somehow involve an upgrade to Cardioid bass?
 
Asci lab is going to be providing us with an interesting answer to the question regarding the inherent superiority of active vs passive speakers with the release of the A6b in both powered and passive versions. To me, looking at the already released graphs, they seems so close as to make the potential differences inconsequential, particularly if the passives are bought by someone able to use DSP and PEQ. It was kind of the same way with the powered vs passive versions of the LS 50 Meta as well.

Bottom line is that while passives offer a theoretical advantage, by no means is the gulf so huge as to make them the only option for audiophiles seeking a great speaker. Consider the speakers three prominent audiophiles have as their daily drivers: Amir and Floyd Toole have the Revel Salon 2's, and Kal Rubinson has Kef Blade 2's. Those are passive speakers being used by designers/reviewers who could literally take their pick of absolutely anything in the marketplace.

Not trying to downgrade the obvious performance advantages of the powered speakers. All of the cardioid designs, for example, are powered speakers, and that clearly offers a clear performance advantage. But, even so, the largest advantage of the active designs, goes first and foremost to DIYers who now have an easy way to build quality crossovers for their homemade designs. They can now use any number of software packages, specify what they want, and have the filters spat out by the software, rather than reaching into their bags of resistors, inductors and caps, putting them on breadboards, and trialing them via long listening/measuring sessions. Clearly digital crossovers are a win for those guys.

For the rest of us, depends on the use case. If you already own high quality gear, or don't wish to be wedded to the electronics used in active designs, or just don't wish to run the risk of Kef ceasing to support your LS 60's five years after their introduction, then perhaps a quality passive design makes much more sense for you.
Actives will have a linear phase version and a minimal phase version.
 
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