I may be the first on this
Review: ACI Emerald XL / Force XL 5.1 setup
I’ve now had this setup for a couple months. I’ve read a lot of reviews that leave me wondering just what the author is really trying to say. So, before going into the details, I’ll make my main points
> If you’re looking for a terrific 5.1 system that will absolutely kill the competition in this price range- buy this system.
> If you’re looking for small, attractive satelittes that just ooze music and can be listened to for hours on end- get the Emerald XLs.
> If you are searching for a small, great looking super music reproducing sub that goes LOW – buy the Force XL.
Specifics
Everything about working with this company is great, products, warranty, the people. My only complaint is that sometime it is hard to get through by phone. ACI could use more phone lines and more people to answer them. But, they do return calls and emails promptly.
Appearance is a lot better than the photos on the website. The proportions are just right, the cabinets are smaller than I pictured (great for WAF) and the finish is elegant. I went with the cherry with the black edges and it is super classy. This ain’t no crappy vinyl cabinet, I’ve seen mega-buck speakers that didn’t have this quality of finish. I bet the piano finish is stunning as well. These little babies just ooze quality. Even the brushed aluminum binding post plates and the gold binding posts are real high-end quality.
Looks are important in audio and potential mates, but performance is what really counts in the long haul. As fine as the ACIs look, they perform even better. I’ve always been a fan of the midrange of the various iterations of the famous Rogers and Spendor LS3 5a. Well the Emerald XL gets the mids with the same quality but to my ears sounds more neutral, like it doen’t have that BBC dip. And, has the tuneful quality and punch of the LS3 5a without that bit of low end bloat, again more neutral. Considering the significantly lower cost and better finish, the Emerald XLs are a downright bargain. The Force XL is one potent little sub. Why anyone would buy a REL or Velo if they heard this sub is beyond me. In a discussion with Mike at ACI he said that to him a subwoofer must “first do no harm” he said that left hand of a piano was far more difficult for a sub than explosions and such. He knows what he’s talking about. This sub sounds real, and it has no problems with the explosions and car crashes in the movies. I have no doubt that this would be a subwoofer that would enhance virtually any high-end system. Planars and such come to mind.
What don’t I like about this system? At anywhere near this price point, not a darn thing. These are relatively small speakers and I have no doubt that there are larger speakers that will play louder, but they won’t sound ½ as good, be nearly as accurate or be near this quality. Another thing to note, ACI has the same 5 year warranty that is pretty standard in the industry. Butt, the subs have a full 5 year warranty on the electronics as well - - I don’t know who else does that. Look at the warranty for Velo, Hsu, B&W, SVS, REL, etc. they’re all 2-3 years on the electronics. I wonder why? To me, this just underlines the quality that ACI puts into their products.
I am not easily impressed, but ACI and these speakers have greatly impressed me! 5 Stars!
