I just received a brand new pair of piano black Emerald XLs from ACI. These things are absolutely amazing! How ACI managed to design something with such great sound coming from a small speaker enclosure like this is beyond me. And this is just right out of the box. They aren't even broke in yet. They are a joy to listen to. The looks are phenomenal too. These speakers have tight bass (for their size), a wonderful natural, accurate midrange to die for, and what seems to me like more top end extension than the Sapphire IIIs. They put out a nice big soundstage too- not quite as big as the Sapphire IIIs, but still way more than adequate for a small to mid-sized room. And yes, they definitely disappear in the room. This is what home music listening is all about-enjoying the detail, emotions, and nuances of the artists? work. A big A +++. Terrific job Mike!
Next up will be the Sapphire XLs.