Speaker Asylum General speaker questions for audio and home theater.

---

[ Follow Ups ] [ Post Followup ] Thread: [ Display  All  Email ] [ Speaker Asylum ]

---

[ Alert Moderator ]

---

REVIEW: ACI Force XL Speakers

Model:	Force XL
Category:	Speakers
Suggested Retail Price:	$799
Description:	Compact powered subwoofer
Manufacturer URL:	ACI
Model Picture:	View

Review by jonbee on May 29, 2008 at 12:58:22 IP Address: 146.129.249.194

Add Your Review for the Force XL

---

I have owned many subs over the years. The best were also the biggest, those being a couple of sets of VMPS larger subs, which were truly awe inspiring in their depth, output capability, and the ability to create true low bass imaging, something I've rarely experienced.
I've owned and liked one of the bigger Legacy subs, which was pretty good also, as well as Carvers and a number of others.
However, I've been living in a condo for a number of years, and my wife simply won't go along with subs the size of small refrigerators.
I owned a pair of ACI Sapphire III a few years ago, and was pretty impressed by them, in particular the care they obviously put into their designs and the details of construction.
I recently ran across a pair ot the Force XL subs, which at 13.75x13.75x15.75 were small enough for my room, and had great reviews.
ACI claims that they match the performance of the Titan, save for output limitations, which is not an issue for me.
I needed bass enhancement that would fill in below the 37 hz. limit of my VMPS RM30 ribbon hybrids, and was fast enough to be sonically invisible otherwise.
Only the big VMPS subs I had owned could get me this, of those I've owned, but they were too big.
After setting up the Forces and doing some preliminary adjustments, I sat back with a huge smile. The xover adjustments in particular are quite clever yet simple, allowing dsome nuanced integration not available with the usual output/xover/phase controls.
These smallish, moderately priced subs absolutely have got the right stuff. They provide the bass, all the way to 20 hz., but I cannot identify that they are even in the system. The blending with the planar mids and carbon fiber woofers of the RM30s is as seamless as I have ever heard, and the fabulous imaging of the RM30s now extends all the way down.
Pipe organ provides the massive weight one hears in a cathedral, but the tonality and separation is fully present, at the lowest registers. There is no bloat at all.
With 2 subs, 100db. + peaks in the 20s are no problem in my room, but I've read that if you want truly loud, you must go to the Titan or Maestro.
In comparison with my reference VMPS subs, they don't go quite as deep, or play as loud, and may miss just a hair of resolution, but they are the next best thing in a true real world package.
At this point I have no qualms whatever about recommending these subs in high resolution systems, in modestly sized rooms.
Great job, ACI!

---

Product Weakness:	Limited output capability.
Product Strengths:	Compact, very well built, very deep, utterly focused and controlled. Excellent yet simply controls.

---

Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier:	PS audio GCC250
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	none
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Modwright/Sony 9100 Platinum Sig Truth
Speakers:	vmps rm30C
Cables/Interconnects:	all silver
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	lots
Room Size (LxWxH):	19 x 16 x 8
Room Comments/Treatments:	a bit bright. difficult to get good bass loading
Time Period/Length of Audition:	1 week
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

---

This post is made possible by the generous support of people like you and our sponsors:

Sonic Craft

---

[ Top of Page ] [ Contact Us ] [ Support/Wish List ] [ Copyright © 2024, Audio Asylum, all rights reserved ]

---

[ General ] [ Speakers ] [ Tubes ] [ Vinyl ] [ Digital ] [ Hi-Rez ] [ Video Asylum ] [ Cables ] [ Tweaks/DIY ] [ Music ] [ Films ]

---