AudioCircle
Audio/Video Gear and Systems => Owner's Circles => ACI => Topic started by: Mike Dzurko on 19 Nov 2010, 12:48 pm
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ACI- MAG XL2
For a number of years, the ACI Sapphire XL set the bar for value and performance in the category of under $2000 pair speakers. Nine rave reviews, a yearly favorite at RMAF, and a legion of ecstatic owners. Unfortunately, the story seemed to be fading with the closing of ACI in 2009.
Now, former ACI President, Mike Dzurko has teamed up with long-time audio buddy Mark Sayer of Meniscus Audio Group, Inc. MAG is bringing to market the newest and best Sapphire ever, the XL2. MAG is starting with the same core design including the legendary ScanSpeak drivers and the dead accurate XL crossover. MAG, with design input from Mike Dzurko is making three significant improvements with the release of the Sapphire XL2:
1. Sapphire XL2s are now built in the USA! U.S. built cabinet and U.S. assembly assure the highest levels of quality control.
2. New, sleeker cabinet design improves aesthetics while advancing sonic realism to an even higher level with additional mass loading and constrained layer construction.
3. With the XL2 you have the opportunity to customize to your particular taste. Countless veneer, paint, and finish options. Want us to use your own custom internal wiring? No problem. Do you have a particular type of binding post you want on your special set of XL2s? Yes, we can do that. Have us build your XL2s, just right for you.
Go to: audioc.com for all the details.
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Awesome news Mike! These are one of my favorite small speakers of all time and it sounds like they're even getting better. Very best of luck to MAG with them going forward.
Tom
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:thumb:
Great to hear this Mike. Now maybe Sue will let me off the hook for not buying a pair for her! Can't wait to hear the new ones.
Congrats and good luck on your new venture.
Bryan
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:thumb:
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You are collaborating with another good guy to make great speakers at low price.
Am I right or what? 8) But then, I learned English from the horoscope writers. :lol:
Congrats and good luck. :thumb:
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Hey, I bet that I'm still right, that Mike isn't pregnant. :green:
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Gosh, I hope i can get them in cherry to match my maestro xl....... .........
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Woodsyi, I'd like to to start predicting stocks for me . . .
Thank God that I'm not pregnant . . .
Jon, cherry is one of the planned "stock" finishes, we might need to add a bit of stain to match your Maestro XL, we can do that.
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Woodsyi, I'd like to to start predicting stocks for me . . .
Thank God that I'm not pregnant . . .
Jon, cherry is one of the planned "stock" finishes, we might need to add a bit of stain to match your Maestro XL, we can do that.
Hi Mike,
WELCOME BACK!
Do you plan on bringing any new subs to the table? Please :green: :green:.
Ryan
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So is this going to be the same as the XL2 that was introduced around 2009 and sold as pre-production models? In other words, they sound identical to the XLs, but look different.
This is great news indeed! The XLs are too good not to be made.....
Cheers,
Ajay
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Hi Mike,
WELCOME BACK!
Do you plan on bringing any new subs to the table? Please :green: :green:.
Ryan
Hi Ryan, subs have been discussed. At this point, I'd say they are likely, but we won't be spending much time looking at them until we're fully up to speed with production of the Sapphires.
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Hi Ryan, subs have been discussed. At this point, I'd say they are likely, but we won't be spending much time looking at them until we're fully up to speed with production of the Sapphires.
Thats great news! I have to hear those mag-ACI Sapphires sometime soon.
Thanks,
Ryan
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Any teases on the price? higher then.....but lower then..... :green:
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Hey Mike,
It's good to see ya posting again old man! :lol:
I kid, of course. :)
That is some good news. :thumb: I fondly recall the time that I got to spend with the Sapphire XL's. It's hard to believe that was four years ago. The funny thing is that despite going through literally around a hundred products since then, I still regard the XL's as one of the better all-around compact bookshelf speakers in their class. It's good to know that people will have access to them once again, en' new and improved form no less! :drool:
Cheers to great music, and the great gear that plays it!
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A new product announcement isn't an offical announcement w/o pictures Mike. (http://www.unrealspawnboard.com/Smileys/UNREAL/2qasnl2.jpg.gif)
Neverless, it's good to have ya back Mike. :beer:
Cheers,
Robin
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Any teases on the price? higher then.....but lower then..... :green:
We're pricing them about where the XLs were at. We're doing this even though we've made some improvements, will offer additional finish choices, AND are building them here in the U.S.
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So is this going to be the same as the XL2 that was introduced around 2009 and sold as pre-production models? In other words, they sound identical to the XLs, but look different.
This is great news indeed! The XLs are too good not to be made.....
Cheers,
Ajay
Ajay:
These are similar to the ones you are talking about, but not identical. And we've made a few upgrades that we think add up. Magnetic grill fasteners (invisible), and most importantly the improved internal constrained layer dampening. These babies sound almost identical, but with a bit more resolution, particularly in the midrange. Some folks would do the usual "these are a HUGE improvement". I'll just say I believe the improvement is subtle, but worthwhile.
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Sounds good, congrats!
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(http://www.audioc.com/MAG/Images/SapphireXL2web.jpg)
:thumb:
Cheers,
Robin
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Is this the XL2?
(http://www.audioc.com/MAG/Images/SapphireXL2web.jpg)
:thumb:
Cheers,
Robin
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Cool!
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:thumb: Congrats Mike! The New Sapphires look real nice.
Hopefully, a custom stand will also be available!
Joe
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:thumb: Congrats Mike! The New Sapphires look real nice.
Hopefully, a custom stand will also be available!
Joe
Joe, interesting you mention the stands. We've been working on the design of the perfect XL2 stands. Probably a couple of months before we've got them ready.
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Late to the party, but what great news!
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Late to the party, but what great news!
Virgil:
You're not late, it's just getting started :D
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Awesome news
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Can the Emerald XL's be too far behind??
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Can the Emerald XL's be too far behind??
Mark:
Currently the plan is to first get caught up with initial Sapphire XL2 orders. Second, design and produce the perfect stand for them. We're also considering a sub(s) in the future. Anything else, like the Emeralds will probably be quite far in the future.
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Please use Sound Anchors again. The XL1 stands were perfect!
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I'm almost speechless upon hearing the news that Mike is back! Here I am listening to Neil Diamond's Dream Album on my Sapphire XL(s) and Force XL sub, and as always I'm just blown away by the sound. Then, I put on Neil Diamond's Essential Album and it's like I'm back to the Greek on that Hot August Night. Unforgettable! I'm 62 and pray that my hearing holds up so I can enjoy these songs and the ACI speakers for a long, long time.
Mike, it's about my speaker's 1st Anniversary. With the stands and rack I got from you, I'm still in heaven. Thank You and I'm so glad to hear that your back!
Sincerely,
Jay :D
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Jay,
Thanks for the kind words. I'm sure you will be enjoying your system for many, many more years!
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What's the skinny on these. Are they on the market yet?
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Hi Eric, I trust all is well with you! The first of the new XL2s just shipped last week. We were WAY late on this, but we're feeling that we have most of the production issues conquered. Frankly, to build them in the U.S. and keep the cost in line has just proven tougher than projected. But, we can do it! The next ones will be shipping VERY soon ( a different finish). So, we haven't been talking about them much because we wanted to get the existing orders filled first. Some folks have had to wait many months, and we're sorry about that. But I am extremely excited that we're now getting to the point of being up to speed.
What's the skinny on these. Are they on the market yet?
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Awesome. So good to see you back in the saddle again, Mike
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Any user reviews on the new XL2's? How's it going?
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Any user reviews on the new XL2's? How's it going?
Or, comparisons to the original XL's
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Sorry to be so tardy here. I've just been really busy at school. Mark S. at MAG continues to build and ship the XL2s. I haven't been spending much time with the project myself. I think I've said it before, but the XL2s sound almost identical to the XLs (of which there are a LOT of reviews) the XL2s have just a smidgen more detail throughout the low to midrange. They just resolve ever so slightly better because of the improved cabinet wall damping. Frankly, the difference is so slight that most people probably wouldn't hear it.
Or, comparisons to the original XL's
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So Mike. Has Meniscus stopped building the Sapphires? I don't see them on their site anywhere...
Bryan
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Hi Bryan!
Mark actually has a production run partly completed. In a nutshell, the hold up is that as presently being done, the cabinets are too labor intensive to allow an adequate profit margin. Sure, we could just jack the price up, but we really want them to be at the very affordable price point they are now. Mark has some ideas on how this could be accomplished. He feels he should be able to finish exploring these options and have answers within the next month or so. Once we reach a solution of producing the quality we demand at a sustainable price point, we’ll once again be taking orders and scheduling deliveries.
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Hi there
I stumbled upon your website last night while researching some ScanSpeak drivers. Your SapphireXL2 seems to combine both the woofer and tweeter I have been looking to implement in a personal design since I couldn't find any speaker that has the two components excluding the Fritz Rev5. I am happy to see your speaker has the Scan Speak 9500 tweeter, this is the one with the more polite presentation am I correct? Anyways I currently own the Dynaudio Focus 110 which is a good speaker but has some artifacts around its crossover. From what I have read the Sapphire XL2 sounds like it might be a little more refined, smooth, and musical. I am really interested in purchasing a pair and I have a few questions. First what is the order fulfillment time. Second what happen to the company that use to make these, there website is still up but it's seems like they are no longer in business. Lastly do you have some of the pictures of different Finishes?
-Daniel J Werner
Sapphire XL2
Sent from my iPad