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opinions.....
and do they really have enough presence in the lower end to compete with floorstanding speakers. Right now I have b&w cdmse7's and am not too impressed with the detail... thanks -ak
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just not lively enough for me. Compared to nOrh 4.0s, I thought the baby 4.0s were a better sounding speaker. Also compared to Dyns, and I like the Dyns better. If it were me, I would be looking in the Dynaudio line for a neutral, albeit more power hungry speaker. That said, the Sapphire IIIs are very well built and ACI delivers excellent customer service, and I do like them better than 805s, which are just too harsh on my ears and vs. Sonus Faber Concertos which are just too smooth for my tastes.BTW, low end on Sapphires is not as good as the rather large cabinet would tell you.
I'm also a big fan of Audio Physic, which may be the perfect compromise for you...try to audition some Virgos or Sparks!
Out of curiosity, how many hours did you have on them before selling? I found the bass to improve dramatically with breaking in. Strong plucks of the bass in jazz CDs actually cause my floor and listening chair to rumble. Just from listening, the bass intensity sounds pretty flat but the low-end extension isn't what you get from floorstanders.I also meant to add in my other comment that in pop/rock I still find them slightly bright/harsh, and in classic symphonies they just don't deliver the bass extension and dynamics to really get into it. Jazz is delivered beautifully, treble and midrange are sweet and detailed.
I had them 6+ months, so approximately 300 hours maybe?
I did an in-house shootout with B&W 805s, Thiel PCS, and Sapphire IIIs. The clear winner was the Thiels. The Sapphire and 805 were VERY similar.
I also found the Thiels to be excellent.
The Thiels are too bright for my taste, and a lot of other people note this as well. Thiels do have many good qualities, and perhaps with just the right equipment and room. I find the Sapphire III LE to be just about right tonally, and as others have noted, the soundstage is to die for. But it is definitely something you should compare for yourself.
I own them and I prefer them to most more expensive speakers I hear. IMO their strengths are detail, imaging, neutrality, and after a lot of breaking in, bass (for minimonitors). But they definitely won't replace floorstanders in the bass department, in that case you'd want to get a subwoofer. My initial impression when I got them was that I was blown away by the detail, but I found them slightly bright and harsh (I think that may be due to my componentry though and it has partly improved). I find them to be consistently excellent for jazz in particular.
I think it is just a matter of taste. I don't think you can beat the Sapphire's for the price. Although built well, I think that Thiel's are overpriced. Also, if you add the Titan IILE sub-woofer, there is no comparison. Brand new, the Sapphires,Titan Sub and stands will run you about $2400.
They have an extremely smooth treble but may not be the last word in detail. I have found their strengths to be smooth non-fatiging treble and a great midrange with adequate bass. Of course some of these strengths and weaknesses may be attributed to the CJ tube amp that I have driving them. If you really want detail then maybe a pair of Thiels would fit the bill a little better than the Sapphires.
I've owned them, they are the real deal. However, they are relatively compact stand mounted speakers. The bass they have is very detailed, accurate and fairly punchy. If you are used to more bass from floorstanders like the SE7s, you probably will find the Sapphire III bass more accurate but perhaps not enough in quantity. They will not flap your pant legs, for that you need to use them with a good subwoofer like ACI's own Titan II. The combination of Sapphire III LE and Titan II LE performs way beyond the price point.
I'm looking for bookshelf speakers (to use without a subwoofer) to place on my entertainment center--about five feet high and two feet from the back wall. I know ACI recommends stands about two feet high. I like detailed bass. Would you recommend the Sapphires? They are terrific looking.
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