and now for something totally different...

steveinaz
steveinaz Posts: 19,538
edited April 2005 in Speakers
Ok, need some opinions, thoughts, feelings and prayers on the ACI Sapphire, 25th Anniversary edition. I have a chance to try (and buy) these beauties for a mere $870 (retail is $1300):

42-20kHz +/-3dB
25-200 watts
86dB @ 1watt
8ohm nominal
35lbs ea
17" x 9.5" x 14.5"
Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
Post edited by steveinaz on
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited April 2005
    Yes, I noticed the resemblance:
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • RuSsMaN
    RuSsMaN Posts: 17,986
    edited April 2005
    Nice shelf speaker Steve, but you've got a BIG room, I don't think they are going to 'load up' in it....and you are NOT a sub guy, right?

    Don't forget, you're going to need to spend a couple Franklins on some GOOD stands too.

    Cheers,
    Russ
    Check your lips at the door woman. Shake your hips like battleships. Yeah, all the white girls trip when I sing at Sunday service.
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,734
    edited April 2005
    Going on specs alone because I haven't heard those I'd suggest you look at the NHT SB3's. They can be found online new for $400.00 a pair and have a 38Hz bottom end.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited April 2005
    The problem I have with the NHT is repeated remarks about "thick" lower midrange, and thats pretty much the whole line of current NHT's. I hate thick lower midrange. The reason I'm switching to bookshelves is to get away from that.

    BUT...I appreciate your input brotha.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited April 2005
    Originally posted by RuSsMaN
    Nice shelf speaker Steve, but you've got a BIG room, I don't think they are going to 'load up' in it....and you are NOT a sub guy, right?

    Don't forget, you're going to need to spend a couple Franklins on some GOOD stands too.

    Cheers,
    Russ

    I am concerned about the room size issue, that's why I'm gonna sleep on this purchase. 42Hz at -3dB is pretty darn respectable, I'm not worried about bass too much.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,734
    edited April 2005
    No problem, was just a suggestion. How about the Sonus Faber Concerto's, beautiful lush mids and a little light on the bass end.

    If you get the ACI's, I'd be curious to know what you think.
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • Airplay355
    Airplay355 Posts: 4,298
    edited April 2005
    hes got a point there, those sonus fabers are niiiiiiiiiice. I think the leather kinda looks weird on them but oh well.
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited April 2005
    The Sapphire III (older version) has rave reviews and this model is suppose to be an improvement on it. The model below this, the Emerald, 5 out of 5 on Audioreview.com; I figured this thing has got a very good lineage.

    I'll think on it this weekend before deciding....

    Thanks fellas for the assistance!
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,734
    edited April 2005
    As a point of reference I checked the SPL of the NHT's in my 38'x28' shop and at 2 meters they put out 94-96dB with no problem. Not too bad for a 86dB @ 1 watt rated bookshelf speaker in a huge room, eh 0!?!
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • F1nut
    F1nut Posts: 50,734
    edited April 2005
    From a review 0 did on AK dated 7/20/04.

    "Comparing the NHT-SB3 to the Audio Notes proved to be a very fun and exciting shoot-out. The SB-3 bookshelves sported greater dynamic frequency range, clearer high’s and a balanced mid-range bloom. The Sb-3s are also flat out sexier, classier, and just plain beautiful to look at. When it came to modern music (think, modern rock / pop / rap / techno), the NHT bookshelves could provide high energy impact and slam necessary to produce the music faithfully. The more power you give them, the better they sound. Unfortunately it took quite a bit of power from the small Jolida integrated to get the NHT’s to sing.

    The Ax-Two’s are not speakers for your highschool / college student who wants to impress their friends by volume capacity. The Ax-Twos are by contrast suited for an individual who cares to experience the intimacy from the music. Their forte is acoustic material, though they certainly can play everything very well. Although the Ax-Twos fell short of matching the detail and impact of the NHT SB-3’s, they regained their integrity with their ability to fill up an area with a lot of warm sound. Both speakers retained excellent accuracy in their low range, with the Audio Note falling quite short of the SB-3’s range."
    Political Correctness'.........defined

    "A doctrine fostered by a delusional, illogical minority and rabidly promoted by an unscrupulous mainstream media, which holds forth the proposition that it is entirely possible to pick up a t-u-r-d by the clean end."

    President of Club Polk

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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited April 2005
    Russman, Sean--

    You the men. I'm gonna stick it out for the Paradigm Studio 100's. I need tower speakers. It's a sickness, and I'm not afraid to admit it. I like the way my hair blows back when I'm pushing serious wattage, it's cool. I'm really 17, caught in a 43yr old body and it's ok.

    Thanks dudes for keeping me grounded. I love you man.

    :D

    here's a link if anyone wants to make an offer on this guys sapphires--it IS a hell of a deal, these are NEVER discounted: http://cgi.videogon.com/cgi-bin/cl.pl?spkrsyst&1116712143
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited April 2005
    Thanks all for your input!!
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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  • BobMcG
    BobMcG Posts: 1,585
    edited April 2005
    A friend of mine used to have the Shaphire III's and they were fantastic!!! They were however used as sats with a sub...
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  • brettw22
    brettw22 Posts: 7,623
    edited April 2005
    Steve, if you're at all interested in a pair of Polk's, I have a pair of Rt16's that I'll sell.

    They're towers, and can do bass so well you wouldn't even realize you DIDN'T have a sub.

    Just depends on if you've heard them or liked them.
    comment comment comment comment. bitchy.
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  • Aaron
    Aaron Posts: 1,853
    edited April 2005
    Sonus Faber Concerto's? No thanks. They are sexy as all get out, but there are far better speakers for the money. I almost bought a pair of those one day, but thankfully my sense of rationale returned, and I auditioned a few other speakers which easily took them to task.

    A nice bookshelf speaker will really amaze you coming from the Studio 100's. I always found the bass on those guys to be pretty light anyway, so if you find a ballsy bookshelf speaker you should be OK. My recommendations there are Dynaudio (Contour 1.3 and 1.3SE) and Revel (Performa M20 and M22). You can pick those speakers up on Audiogon for reasonable money. I also like the B&W N805 speaker, but they don't have the slam of the Dyn's or Revels.

    Aaron
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  • pjdami
    pjdami Posts: 1,894
    edited April 2005
    Having owned Paradigm in the past (Studio 40v2) I found the tweeter and treble a little too "hot" for me at higher 90+ db volumes; this was on all B&K SS gear. Wish I still had them to try out on some tube gear that I do own now. Paradigms do crank pretty loud though; just the treble I find more refined with the LSi. Midrange I thought was better with the Paradigms than the LSi 9 (not as "thick" sounding and clearer).

    Paul
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  • steveinaz
    steveinaz Posts: 19,538
    edited April 2005
    I'm gonna go with the Paradigm Studio 100 v.2 or Energy Connoisseur C-9. I've heard these in person on Rotel gear and they were outstanding. The C-9 betters the Studio 60 easily, but its head-to-head against the 100 in the midrange, with a slight nod to the Paradigm. The C-9 takes the blue ribbon in the treble. If you've ever seen a frequency plot on the C-9, you'll understand why. The Paradigm 100 is all over the place above 8kHz. The C-9 is as smooth as the Ascend bookshelf; which is to say extremely smooth. The Energy Connoisseur C-9 is a sleeper, one that I may very well take advantage of, at about $400-$500 less than a used Studio 100 v.2.
    Source: Bluesound Node 2i - Preamp/DAC: Benchmark DAC2 DX - Amp: Parasound Halo A21 - Speakers: MartinLogan Motion 60XTi - Shop Rig: Yamaha A-S501 Integrated - Shop Spkrs: Elac Debut 2.0 B5.2
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