Recommendation for a $3-4k bookshelf speaker (upgrade from Ascilabs C6B)

[analogonly]

Fritz, Revel PerformaBe, Philharmonic.

 

[Laserjock]

Save up a bit for March Audio Sointuva AWG, Ascend Acoustics SIERRA-2EX V2 or Ascend Acoustics Sierra-LX, new Revel

 

[kharan]

To make a long story short, I'm divesting of my horn speakers and tube amp and pivoting towards a class D amp and bookshelf speakers. I have the class D amp already (which I'm happy with) and to dip my toes into the stand-mount/bookshelf speaker world, I opted for the Ascilab C6B (I was lucky to get my hands on a pair a few month ago). These are fantastic speakers for the price, but now I'm looking for a step up.

Budget is $3-4k used or new. A natural choice would be Ascilabs A6B (I would guess they have similar characteristics to the C6B, which I like, just more and better?). But what else is out there that compares favorably, especially when considering used? KEF, Sonus Faber, B&W are recommended a lot, but I'm not familiar with their 'house sound' (if they have one), to make an educated short list. I like neutral, detailed sound, but it could slightly err on the warmer side, with a good 3D sound stage (the C6B stage well in the x direction, but could be better in the y and z axis imho). Would appreciate some suggestions of what to look into. Size should be similar or not much bigger than the C6Bs. Also, I have a small sub, so bass extension is not a big concern, although I wouldn't mind getting rid of the sub either (the A6Bs seem to be quite capable in that regard).

To be frank, I don't see a straight upgrade that isn't a form of higher SPL capabilities and a directivity control that extends lower in the frequency range.

Concerning the second point, you might get some z-axis spatialisation going to a floor stander or an MTM design that reduces the impact of floor and ceiling reflections in the midrange, but that's not a given.

Other than those two points, every "upgrade" is more of a sidegrade that would involve trading one thing for another. Once you have a well controlled directivity like the CB provides, spatialisation on all axes is more a matter of positioning and handling room reflections than a speaker design issue.

 

[Penelinfi]

Sometimes, narrow dispersion can seem a bit soft or on the darker side; all the details is still there and it can still go loud. It just doesn't always give that "ear filling sound" that you may get used to from other speakers, at low volume. I'm still on the fence regarding the cleaner but less filling sound. Critical listening always gives the win to the narrow speaker because it's currently technically much better than the other speakers I'm comparing. But the others can be more fun or engaging it seems at least for a normal listening session

 

[a|F]

I tried to convey that in my original post, but probably was not clear enough about it. While the C6B is no slouch with regards to detail, a bit more of it would be welcome. In that regard, the AMT in the Clarity 6.2 could do the trick. But then I'm also a bit weary of a fatiguing top end, so that's a fine line to walk. But most importantly, I'd like to have better sound staging. Again, the C6B are good in that regard, but as described above, I feel, they stage well with regards to width, but could do better in terms of depth and height. Or is that more a function of setup and room interaction?



I have a Wiim Ultra and a small 10" sub and I utilize the room correction and sub integration features of the Wiim. The setup of the sub could certainly be improved, though, as I didn't put a lot of effort into the placement so far (also, there seem to be some resonance effects with my wood flooring).

I think the first step is to send us a picture of your current setup. This could be placement related.

 

[Matias]

+1 for A6B or Sointuva AWG, end game for me.