I know I’ve posted comparisons in the past. I’ve got RS5’s, 8xrs and the SAM’s. Quick comments. The SAM’s have a lovely tone about them that the 8’s and rs5 don’t have. The bass on the SAM’s is, for lack of a better word, kind of tubby sounding…in a good way. I think the bass on the 8’s does go just a tad bit lower, but the fatter sounding bass on the SAM will make it sound initially like it goes just as low as the 8’s.
I suspect that frequency response of the 8’s are flatter than the SAM’s, but it’s just a subjective opinion. Some will like the slightly “U” sounding curve of the SAM’s and some may prefer the 8’s. Neither one is better than the other. The 8’s to me definitely sound like a big brother to the RS5. Also, the Alnico in another cabinet will undoubtedly sound different than it does in the SAM.