Customer Quotes II Archives of Discontinued Models

Multiple Grammy winner, Pianist, and Conductor  Peter Nero tells us about  his ACI speaker system . . .!

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Panoramas and Maestros

I have been using a single sub for about 10 years including a couple Velodyne models and then a year or so ago being that I love ACI speakers & company and went from the Sapphire3s to the Panorama’s, I had to purchase the big one. I sold my Velodyne HGS-15X immediately. The Maestro blew it away in all sub aspects. I have wondered what stereo Maestro’s with the Panorama’s would sound like. Then Mike said they were changing the look so I placed my order for the very last Maestro to match my other older version Maestro.  And all these years I was told bass is non-directional. It may be if it is recorded that way. I have listened to many recordings and can’t believe some of the very low bass sometimes more to one side or the other.  I have always been a fan of a big sound with a stereo system and now I really have it.

This set up with the R-DES in line and tuned the way I have it gives me extreme punch, low Hz down to 16 (that is where the test disc starts) up to around 80 and then the Panorama’s kick in and take it from there. I have lots of headroom with the 2 Maestro ICE amps which are only set a bit over ¼ volume.
The sound is very full from wall to wall and floor to ceiling. With everything dialed in so well, even my Panorama’s sound better, which is very hard to imagine? I am sure it is because with a sub on each side, I have a fuller sound coming out. Things sound more even and precise. 

I have also notice that I am not playing my system as loud as before to get the same results. A pair of Panorama’s and a pair of Maestro’s and an R-DES has brought me up to another level in my quest for my ultimate hi-fi system; of course everything else downstream must be added to the equation of why my system sound sooooo good!

I am sad to hear the ACI is discontinuing the Panorama’s. They are a very fine speaker, built like a tank, can take all I have to give and just get better sounding with age. Mike, you outdid yourself with them and the Maestro. What a setup. I am happy, happy, happy!
Michael G., Minneapolis, MN

Essence

"Just received the Essence this evening. It shipped exactly one month before my birthday! Nice coincidence :) The double box packaging was first rate and the speaker arrived in pristine condition. Wonderful service and my first impression of the speaker is that its a wonderful product as well. Thank you and I look forward to getting more products from your company."
Cheers and Regards,
Sieow H., Singapore

Panorama

After living with the Panorama for several months now, I can only say that I find these speakers to be a true delight. There's no comparison to the PSBs, which were a very good value for the money, but the ACIs are in a whole other league. I find the treble to be wonderfully detailed but not fatiguing or harsh at all, but my two favorite qualities of these speakers are the midrange and the stereo imaging. The midrange of the Panorama to me sounds very full and natural, with none of the boxy, constricted quality that in hindsght I realized bothered me about the 4T.

When reviewers would comment on the "holographic" nature of a pair of speakers, I never quite understood what that meant, until I spent time listening to the Panorama in stereo. This is a full 3-D experience for me, as instruments float in the room, perfectly arrayed in a complete, dimensional soundstage that I had never experienced before in stereo, especially in my listening room, which requires me to keep my speakers about 12 feet apart (placed on Match stands, toed in very slightly, just a couple of degrees). I'm so pleased with the stereo imaging that I've begun listening to my DVD-A discs exclusively in stereo instead of in 5.1 surround.

I do run the Panorama with a sub so obviously I don't have much to say about the bass extension of the ACIs. For movies I find the Panarama to be very loud and dynamic when needed, and a good match with the Protege (while I like the Protege, I find that it is not quite in the Panorama's class; the Essence is too big for my needs, so I may wait for the XL center when it's time to upgrade).

I am very pleased with my purchase and would recommend ACI to anyone who was in the market for a high quality speaker.
Ray G.

Essence

"Essence is clear tight sound, great build quality, great service oriented company. Excellent service, communication and action." 
Gary K., Livermore, CA

Emerald

"I've enjoyed previous purchases with you and I've had nothing but good experiences w/ y'all. Feature I like most about my cherry Emeralds are great looks, great sound & very good image."
Chad C., Minneapolis, MN

Sapphires, Essence, Emerald

"I have recently transitioned from B&W speakers to ACI. The ACI speakers have provided noticeable improvements in both music and film soundtracks (wider soundstage, more detailed vocals, deeper bass). The combination of Sapphires, Essence and Emerald LEs have taken my multi-channel listening room to another level. I have to say that I never get tired of listening to these speakers and plan on enjoying them for quite some time. Combine this with amazing build quality and best of class customer service I would give them my highest recommendation."
Marty B., Petaluma, CA

Panorama

OK, so ACI is a great company. But how do the speakers sound? Well, in a word, FABULOUS! My immediate impressions after initial setup (before break-in) were pretty startling to me. The Panoramas exhibited a smoother and more cohesive top end, with a nice, round bass that was not flabby or poorly defined at all. In fact, they had more satisfying bass response than my Paradigm Studio 100v2's! A very small and narrowly isolated upper-bass "honk" largely smoothed out after about 30 hours of break-in, and the top end continued to sweeten and gel with the rest of the frequency range. I have to admit that performing critical evaluation of these speakers has been hard, because when I sit down to listen, I find myself getting carried away by the music and not taking good notes! This is truly a first for me in all my years of audio. In order to present my findings in a somewhat structured manner, let me try to break things down into categories.

Bass Response
As I said, the bass response of these speakers is more satisfying in my room than my previous Paradigm Ref 100v2's. It's definitely a full bass sound, but not bloated or loose. The bass lines have more "purr" to them. This is especially noticeable on stringed instruments as the sound which "surrounds" the bass fundamental and provides much of the decay signature. This is bass that is definitely more satisfying to me, and is richer than the stereotypically "dry" British sort of sound. While some speakers I have heard create this warmth by trading off bass "speed", the Panoramas are quite fast and capable of delivering a real bass punch.

Midrange Response
The midrange is very clear on these speakers. After about 60 hours of break-in, these speakers are still smoothing out. One major difference from my previous speakers in the midrange is the lack of prominent sibilance that I am getting from the Panoramas. I find this very refreshing - overall, the midrange on the Panoramas is smoother yet very detailed. I feel like I'm hearing more detail in the entire midrange region, both in the primary- and over- tones. Acoustic space information on these speakers is incredible, which makes me believe the transient response in the midrange is really excellent.

Treble Response
Oh my, the move from metal domes to the fabric domes in the Panoramas is welcome relief! Again, the word "smooth" comes to mind. The top end is seamlessly integrated with the midrange. These tweeters are really forcing me to revise how I've thought of "detailed treble". Since having these in my home, I'm aware that I've been confusing a "clear as glass" sort of treble for "truly airy" clarity. Glass is clear and sharp; air is simply clear without any real perception of "sharpness" – just simply details, without any hint of harshness. To not mince words, I know that I am playing well-recorded music at louder levels than ever before due to a total lack of harshness. And of course, as the volume goes up, more details are being revealed to me - again without harshness. It's a spiral towards some fairly loud yet entirely satisfying listening sessions!

Overall Frequency Response
Satisfying and purring low end, clean and full midrange, and a smooth extended top end - put it together for very seamless speakers from top to bottom. It's hard for me to express how much no one part of the response of these speakers stands out, yet as a whole they are truly exceptional in my experience. Transition between the frequency ranges is truly seamless, and the bass-midrange-treble continuity is even more remarkable when I realize it’s all coming from two reasonably–sized enclosures.
I can't pinpoint the cause, but these speakers are making me rediscover my whole music collection and also bringing smiles the whole while. I'm listening through whole albums more than ever before. I know it sounds like ad-copy, but my Panoramas are really letting me get to the emotional content of the music.
I know it’s been said before, but the Panoramas in my setup are providing me with really smooth and continuous performance. The music is being presented not just as a collection of sonic components, but with its musical context and meaning intact.

Imaging
Sitting fairly close (~6 feet), I get a super image from these speakers. In my setup, I've never heard imaging far outside any speakers. The Panoramas are suffering the same setup limitations here, but they truly do disappear as distinct sources. With the speakers pointed straight ahead, the stereo image is wide and solid, and dispersion is broad enough to give everyone across the couch a good image. Even though the speakers aren't what I would consider small, they definitely are not locatable as boxes pushing out the voluminous sound they do.

Appearance/Construction
The speakers are definitely deeper than I thought they would be, but also narrower. I wouldn't call them small speakers, but their overall dimensions do give them an elegance that is neither floorstander nor bookshelf. Construction is first rate, and the cherry panels I have on my Panoramas are really well done. I'm eager to see how these redden up in the Arizona sun. That last sentence may be the first time I've ever expressed interest in keeping speakers for a long term! The cabinets are heavy, and do a really good job of damping vibrations.

In Closing
Big thumbs up for these speakers and ACI! I really want to thank everyone here that shared their thoughts with me during my initial inquiry, and Mike for giving absolutely fabulous support and guidance. These speakers have satisfied both the audiophile and the music lover in me, and that's something special in my experience. While I tried not to wax poetic about the individual audiophile-approved aspects of these speakers, it's also hard for me not to gush a little bit. My Panoramas have made me proven to me what I've known in my heart for a long time - even though I may not be an audiophile "expert", and my speakers may not appear on some published list, when it comes to my own audio system, I AM the only expert whose opinion really matters, and I can write my own happy ending.
Steve K., Phoenix, AZ

Essence and Essence V

The breakdown was along these lines :

1. Essence/Essence V's ($2700 MSRP for 3) - basically, each time I tried a different speaker, the sound just lost clarity and dynamics. When I came back to the Essence, everything was "right" again. This is one of those times in which the concept that one really needs to spend twice the $$$ to get comparable sonics is true.

2. Energy Veritas 2.4i ($5799 MSRP for 3) ... a little less dynamic and less clear than the Essence. Nice speakers, also now nice speakers for sale.

3. Rocket 760's and Bigfoot ($2100 MSRP) ... definitely lacking in all aspects to the Essence, but excellent value, especially when one considers the discount package pricing. A comparison with the Protege package would be more fair.

3a. Paradigm Studio 100 V.3's/470 ($3200 MSRP) ... slightly behind the Rockets. If you never heard something like the Essence, the Paradigms would sound good. But WHAT a difference !
Craig C. PA

Jaguars, Emeralds, Titan

"I have a set of Jaguars as mains, Emeralds as center and rears, and Titan subwoofer in a home theater / music listening setup. They whole setup is so accurate and full of life, that I find I enjoy the soundtracks on films much more at home than when I heard them in the theater. The Lord of the Rings soundtrack is extremely expansive and subtle on these speakers, and it really pulls you into the movie. The bass rattles the room, and yet it is very accurate and clean. It is fun to listen to others "high end" systems and it doesn't even come close to the accuracy of ACI.

For music listening, I stick with stereo coming through the Jaguars and the Titan. It is amazing to me how different they sound with each album I play on them. They very clearly represent what is on that spinning disk, good or bad. There are some albums I cannot hardly listen to anymore because they are simply poorly mixed or recorded. Then there are others albums, like Yellow Jackets - Blue Hats, that I can listen to over and over again. The instruments are all neatly placed in the soundstage, full of life and character. The Titan sub really is the icing on the cake. I hope some day to have two of them.

To top it off, I really love your company’s support. Whenever I have had a question or a problem, your company has taken care of it immediately, and bent over backwards to make sure I was happy. I gladly recommend your speakers to anyone who asks.
Jason R.,  Vancouver, WA

Sapphire, Titan

"The Sapphires are everything that I anticipated and more in a pair of higher end monitors-great build quality, and extremely well balanced throughout the sound spectrum. They handle the difficult problem in speaker design and engineering of retrieving detail yet remaining extremely smooth.

They are actually easy to drive and blend well with my ACI Titan sub. I would encourage anyone looking for a high end monitor to put these on your list to consider as they are a true bargain at the asking price. They do everything well and have no weakness in technical performance, and most of all involve you in the music-not your equipment. These are a great buy in high end audio."
Tony R.,  Davenport, IA

Talismans

"You and your staff have been telling me for over 4 months what a treat I'm going to be in for with the Talisman speakers. Well last night after a solid week of break-in, they broke water....all I can say is WOW!!! I stayed up till 3:00am listening to them. I couldn't turn the system off. This makes all the hassles I had in getting them fade away quite quickly. I'm sure they're only going to get better over the next few weeks. Thank you, thank you, thank you."
Sincerely,
Greg K., Riverside, CA

ACI, Sound that Satisfies...Since 1977