Buying advice - Ascilab / Audio First / Genelec

[TubeNoob]

Buying advice wanted — Ascilab C8C + contenders (tiny room, long-term purchase)

I’m planning a once-in-a-lifetime speaker buy (inheritance) and want some sanity-checking before I commit.

Room / constraints

• ~3.2 x 3.4m shared family living room
• Minimal treatment (partner veto), so controlled directivity matters
• Baby on the way → “kid-safe-ish” matters
• Has to be placed approximately as drawn..

Priorities

• Sound quality obviously
• Directivity control / cardioid (to survive the room)
• Long-term reliability /ruggedness / repairability
• Grilles / child safe-ish
• Bass (love EDM)
• Low-level listening (terraced house)
• Price (ideally <£6k, stretch towards £10k if it’s genuinely worth it)
• Looks (wood/MCM styling is preferred, but not over performance)

Speakers I’m weighing up

• Ascilab C8C
  • Front runner
  • Main concern: long-term support/reliability
  • Grilles only for mid-woofers, not the larger subwoofer cones
• Ascilab C8C + BX8C
  • Full range appeal
  • Cost pushes towards ~£10k
  • Same grille limitation; exposed large cones with a baby worries me
• Ascilab S8C (future)
  • Purifi woofers are appealing
  • Unsure the real-world benefit vs C8C; bass extension unit is out of budget
• Genelec 8361A + subs (+ GLM)
  • Strong appeal for reliability, repairability, established support
  • ugly, but arguably the safest long-term option
• Audio First Cadentia 3
  • Passive 3-way standmount (kit or finished)
  • Concern: not cardioid; unsure how forgiving it is in a tiny untreated room
  • Could maybe DIY some grilled

Other gear (not fixed)

• Subwoofers: 2× Buchardt Sub10 (open to better value alternatives)
• Dirac: NAD M66 (DLBC + multiple sub outs) vs cheaper options (nad m10, blue sound node icon) with compromises
• Power amp if needed: likely Nord (model TBD)

Questions

• Given my room, am I over-valuing cardioid, or is it the sensible “no treatment” route?
• would you rule out any immediately?
• What should I buy? Or am I missing a better option?

Any advice appreciated!

 

[TubeNoob]

I should clarify I will have “some” treatment but only on the rear wall, and not substantive (max 12cm thick GIK bass traps most likely)

 

[Purité Audio]

Pretty decent list!
Keith

 

[Chr1]

I would definitely avoid exposed drivers if you have children around. Though tweeters are more fragile, I wouldn't even want to risk pressed in dustcaps on midwoofers etc myself.

 

[TubeNoob]

I would definitely avoid exposed drivers if you have children around. Though tweeters are more fragile, I wouldn't even want to risk pressed in dustcaps on midwoofers etc myself.

Definitely a major worry, but damn do I not love the Genelec look overall! DIY-ing the AudioForst grilles looks possible, definitely impossible on the Ascilab, though without the bass module at least they could be on stands.. which I guess isn’t that high for a child anyway. Damn! Where’s the perfect cardioid, grille covered, wood veneered, full range speaker when you need it

 

[oudiaou]

With a child (or several - there will be bday parties) in the house, expect some poking, and cloth grilled won't cut it. I wouldn't spend the money if I can see a dented purify dustcap in the future.

For the small room, and if you value your hearing, your SPL needs are low, and the proposed speakers likely overkill. Also, I would prioritize space management in the small living room.

If you and your family can agree on the looks, one option would be small-ish, white, possibly wall mounted Genelecs (think 8010-8030/G1-G3) and a sub, with room correction done via a streamer (eg Wiim mini). Or a larger model without sub - all of them have metal grills, various mounting options, are unbreakable, much cheaper than what you consider, yet still deliver great sound. In a true blind listening test, this option is most likely statistically equivalent (preference) to your proposed options and is most definitely easier to live with for your whole family.

 

[ivayvr]

As above but I would change the list to 8020-8030 or G series equivalents.

 

[TubeNoob]

With a child (or several - there will be bday parties) in the house, expect some poking, and cloth grilled won't cut it. I wouldn't spend the money if I can see a dented purify dustcap in the future.

For the small room, and if you value your hearing, your SPL needs are low, and the proposed speakers likely overkill. Also, I would prioritize space management in the small living room.

If you and your family can agree on the looks, one option would be small-ish, white, possibly wall mounted Genelecs (think 8010-8030/G1-G3) and a sub, with room correction done via a streamer (eg Wiim mini). Or a larger model without sub - all of them have metal grills, various mountain options, are unbreakable, much cheaper than what you consider, yet still deliver great sound. In a true blind listening test, this option is most likely statistically equivalent (preference) to your proposed options and is most definitely easier to live with for your whole family.

I know this isn’t very ASR of me to say, and tbh I do basically believe you regarding the blind listening, but a big part of me wants a SOTA system, and aside from the looks, just know I wouldn’t be satisfied with the smaller Genelecs - despite knowing what I feel doesn’t necessarily make sense!

 

[markstein]

Neumann KH 420 with metal grille?

Should be sonically superb and child proof - unfortunately not cardioid.

 

[voodooless]

just know I wouldn’t be satisfied with the smaller Genelecs

Then get the 8050B/8350A. Plenty big, plenty loud, essentially if you add some subs.

 

[TubeNoob]

Neumann KH 420 with metal grille?

Should be sonically superb and child proof - unfortunately not cardioid.

Did consider these but WAF was far too low - she hated them/said it was a no go

 

[oudiaou]

I know this isn’t very ASR of me to say, and tbh I do basically believe you regarding the blind listening, but a big part of me wants a SOTA system, and aside from the looks, just know I wouldn’t be satisfied with the smaller Genelecs - despite knowing what I feel doesn’t necessarily make sense!

This links to the discussion in the Salon 2 thread... at some point measuring better does not mean audibly better (and as Floyd Toole has commented elsewhere, relying on a calculated preference score is simply false) - if you do not need the SPL capabilities, that is (you don't with that tiny room).
You may want to decide for yourself what you value; technical perfection, ease of living with the speaker & family life, or efficient use of space and looks... keep in mind that you will have very (!) limited opportunities for focused listening sessions...

 

[oudiaou]

Then get the 8050B/8350A. Plenty big, plenty loud, essentially if you add some subs.

I recon they would reach sufficiently low with room gain to forgo a sub for now, could be an upgrade path if OP moves to a bigger place in the future.
For my liking, they would still be too big for the given room size though.

 

[Purité Audio]

Wall mounting whichever you choose is probably a good idea.
You can teach your own children not to touch it is other’s children !
Keith

 

[EERecordist]

I am not you.

You have done your research.

But I would say the Genelcs for now have great historic resale value. Subs are always nice. Children are a priority, so how much time are you going to have for critical listening?

As others have said you need to protect your speakers, electronics, and room treatment from children.

I did not have a lot of music around the home at an early age, I could have. There is a lot of research around music at an early age relevant to families.

I would spend audio discretionary income on piano lessons rather than speakers.

 

[tifune]

Neumann is the only monitor I feel comfortable calling fully child-safe (although I did catch one of my kids trying to slide a paperclip through the grille). As far as your list goes, Don't underestimate the KH150 output. D&D 8C is also a good choice because they don't have an appearance that screams "press the big button", but the mid woofer is still exposed. Even the Ones are a bit susceptible:

 

[TubeNoob]

Neumann is the only monitor I feel comfortable calling fully child-safe (although I did catch one of my kids trying to slide a paperclip through the grille). As far as your list goes, Don't underestimate the KH150 output. D&D 8C is also a good choice because they don't have an appearance that screams "press the big button", but the mid woofer is still exposed. Even the Ones are a bit susceptible:
View attachment 498922

I feel for you, must have been a painful find!

 

[TubeNoob]

Neumann is the only monitor I feel comfortable calling fully child-safe (although I did catch one of my kids trying to slide a paperclip through the grille). As far as your list goes, Don't underestimate the KH150 output. D&D 8C is also a good choice because they don't have an appearance that screams "press the big button", but the mid woofer is still exposed. Even the Ones are a bit susceptible:
View attachment 498922

Did consider the d&d 8c but no grill on tweeter or woofer, plus the price tag, put me off

 

[MKR]

View attachment 498889Buying advice wanted — Ascilab C8C + contenders (tiny room, long-term purchase)

I’m planning a once-in-a-lifetime speaker buy (inheritance) and want some sanity-checking before I commit.

Room / constraints

• ~3.2 x 3.4m shared family living room
• Minimal treatment (partner veto), so controlled directivity matters
• Baby on the way → “kid-safe-ish” matters
• Has to be placed approximately as drawn..

Priorities

• Sound quality obviously
• Directivity control / cardioid (to survive the room)
• Long-term reliability /ruggedness / repairability
• Grilles / child safe-ish
• Bass (love EDM)
• Low-level listening (terraced house)
• Price (ideally <£6k, stretch towards £10k if it’s genuinely worth it)
• Looks (wood/MCM styling is preferred, but not over performance)

Speakers I’m weighing up

• Ascilab C8C
  • Front runner
  • Main concern: long-term support/reliability
  • Grilles only for mid-woofers, not the larger subwoofer cones
• Ascilab C8C + BX8C
  • Full range appeal
  • Cost pushes towards ~£10k
  • Same grille limitation; exposed large cones with a baby worries me
• Ascilab S8C (future)
  • Purifi woofers are appealing
  • Unsure the real-world benefit vs C8C; bass extension unit is out of budget
• Genelec 8361A + subs (+ GLM)
  • Strong appeal for reliability, repairability, established support
  • ugly, but arguably the safest long-term option
• Audio First Cadentia 3
  • Passive 3-way standmount (kit or finished)
  • Concern: not cardioid; unsure how forgiving it is in a tiny untreated room
  • Could maybe DIY some grilled

Other gear (not fixed)

• Subwoofers: 2× Buchardt Sub10 (open to better value alternatives)
• Dirac: NAD M66 (DLBC + multiple sub outs) vs cheaper options (nad m10, blue sound node icon) with compromises
• Power amp if needed: likely Nord (model TBD)

Questions

• Given my room, am I over-valuing cardioid, or is it the sensible “no treatment” route?
• would you rule out any immediately?
• What should I buy? Or am I missing a better option?

Any advice appreciated!

The new D&D 6C seems a perfect fit for your situation/application. 8C is overkill …

6c Product Page

Discover how your music can sound, when your loudspeakers work together with the acoustics of your room.

dutchdutch.com

 

[TubeNoob]

The new D&D 6C seems a perfect fit for your situation/application. 8C is overkill …

6c Product Page

Discover how your music can sound, when your loudspeakers work together with the acoustics of your room.

dutchdutch.com

Good size, but almost twice the price of the Ascilab c8c’s (which also have “some” grilles)