On some recordings it helped quite bit, on others (like some rock) it actually hurt. As I listen to the two speakers, The Dyn's have the soundstage tightly focused (vertically) at the plane of the speakers. Basically, the advantage and resulting disadvantage of each speaker, cancels each other out resulting in my neutral rating. The Emeralds take a far different approach. Again, thank you for taking the time to review our product and for the opportunity to comment. ash transparent reverb jvc fs introduction specifications features micro Though the image focus was in a bit closer in than the Dyn's, the overall virtual stage came across as wider. 
You either like an aggressive speaker (the front row center sound) or you prefer a slightly relaxed sound (the more mid-hall sound). On the overly accurate (audiophile) recordings I listened to, the midrange can be a little lean and might not have quite enough color. Rather than being a traditional round/flared configuration, the port is rectangular with rounded corners. Dynamics See the words Rock and Loud go hand in hand in my listening room. Weirdness
www.audioc.com, Copyright 2003 Scott Faller - https://www.tnt-audio.com, Both are clean, just presented differently, Side by side the Emeralds were slightly better. Imaging and soundstage depth suffered a bit but could probably been cured with a bit of back wall treatments between the speakers, a heavy wool blanket or the like.
The Emeralds have a slightly "mid-hall" sound. Reason, the woofer is almost on axis with my ears which brings the mid detail forward into the mix. Normally that statement would send my web browser pointing into a different direction but this time it didn't. Second, I brought the speakers out away from the wall to get the best imaging. If you are a PM fan, this one won't disappoint, it's simply lovely. In fact the performers (James Nacy cello and Jennifer Lim piano) played their renditions of two Braham's Sonatas featured on the YoYo CD I use as a reference. The bass is generally deep, dynamic and relatively fast considering these are ported speakers. Overall Coloration The nature of the Dyn's is slam and a front row presentation.
In listening to Soular Energy, the Dyn's slam and immediacy can be very inviting. The Dyn's did call a bit of attention to themselves on Pats fingerings when he slides up and down the frets. For aesthetics, Mike has routed two channels in the cabinet (racing stripes :-) I doubt they do anything for the sound but they look kinda cool. The demo pair I have are outfitted in Cherry. During my many searches for speakers to review, I kept running across Audio Concepts Inc. (ACI). That's what we hoped he would hear! The kick drum should sound present but not overbearing. Reviewer: Scott Faller - TNT USA These terms I'm using are my way of trying to describe what a potential buyer might prefer in their sound. The Dyn's are more than a little revealing. What I mean by that is, the upper midrange to lower treble region is slightly subdued. Here, I played around quite a bit.
As always (or so it seems), when I brought the speakers away from the wall, the bass began to roll off. Generally these speakers aren't very colored at all. 
Oh well.. As I sat down to finish up this review, I started reading the Owners Manual. The cymbal taps should be clean and crisp. They are definitely a speaker I could live with for a long time.
Well.buggers.
Not too bad considering their small size. That could easily have been the recordings too. Everything I threw at the Emeralds sounded pretty darned good. Row One of the best pieces I've found to test the accuracy and definition of acoustic bass, is Ray Browns Soular Energy. Obviously, your listening habits and preferences will probably differ from mine.
The dynamics aren't such that they blow you away, but on the other hand they aren't so subdued that the music sounds lifeless. It's kind of interesting to hear a studio engineers (and producers) interpretation of this solitary instrument. Any good speaker designer can tell you, that can be a feat all in, and of itself. ACI offers a nice line of speakers that range from the reasonably affordable Emeralds (showcased here) to their high end Jaguar's at about $7000 a pair. sansui speakers sp I was goofing around plucking and bowing.
Maybe 6" or so.
The music just seems to appear rather than being reproduced.
Comparing the Emeralds side by side to the Dyn's, the bass isn't quite as pronounced. The overall treble region is fairly smooth. All but too often, what is written gets misinterpreted.
Both speakers do a decent job in the midrange. I love it when speakers (almost) disappear in my room.
The speakers also have solid hardwood side cheeks.
I really like the way they image and the well defined bass. The mid-hall perspective that Scott found is very much in line with our design goals for the Emerald. 
Stan Ricker's mastering of the vinyl version of this jazz classic is just short of phenomenal. After reading that paragraph in the Manual, I decided to flip the speakers upside down and give them a listen.
But when you've sat next to a double bass and heard what it actually sounds like, I'd have to say that the Emeralds get a little closer to reality. Each can have a negative connotation depending on your viewpoint. Soundstage Height The Emerald is a speaker that consistently surprises people with its simple balance and musicality. It seemed to bring the performance a bit more forward. The performers take a well defined shape and from in front of you. The midrange on these speakers (with the woofers down) is slightly recessed. The main difference between the two, focus. They are neither positive nor negative.
When this happens, you can add a sub to fill in the lowest octaves. Proper crossover point, coupled with good driver selection, allows the mid's to come through without altering the original tone of an instrument. If I had to define it, I'd say it starts at about one foot below the speakers and solidly extends three feet above the speakers. I'd say Pat's guitar is firmly placed 6-8 feet behind the speakers. Since the Emeralds liked to Rock, I spent loads of time rediscovering my Rock collection. Playing with my geek-o-meter (Sencore SP295c) in the upper ranges of sonics, the treble extension between the Dyn's and the Emeralds is about the same to well above 10k. With the Dyn's you have slightly better looks but the Emeralds provide a slightly heavier build. The trio of bass, piano and drums is very well recorded. Occasionally the tweeters would call a bit of attention to themselves but nothing too bad at all. In turn, the bass dynamics appear to be a bit subdued. If all you are risking is $50 bucks or so in shipping, the Emeralds are well worth considering. OK, back to Emerald's. Since the Emerald's are slightly recessed in the mid's (again with the woofers down), the soundstage is nice and deep. Reason. the slight roll off of the bass (mainly) and the shear nature of a relaxed speaker. They tend to take a bit of that aggressive edge off of some music.
When it comes to my using the word recessed, that does not mean that the midrange is veiled. The Emerald's design makes it equally well suited to home theater and high end two channel, and we have found that our customers find it equally adept at both tasks. With the speakers positioned away from the back wall, the bass doesn't extend much into the final two octaves and starts to roll at about 70-80Hz (at least in my room). I just wanted to make it abundantly clear that my uses of the words relaxed and aggressive aren't in a negative light. IMO, The Dyn's are slightly more attractive because the veneer is on all sides of the speakers rather than just the side cheeks of the speakers. The cabinet construction is nice and heavy. McIntosh MX950 Audio System Review Available Only in a Jeep.
More times than I can count, Ray goes into a mini-bass solo that gives you a really good sampling of how detailed and articulate a double bass is. The Emeralds behind the Korato/AKSA Combo
This combination worked like a charm. It's almost on axis. In turn the midrange can appear slightly colored or warm. They always seem to be consistantly good performers at a reasonable price range. Scott said it well when he wrote, "the Emeralds tend to open up the recording studio or venue. Manufacturer: Audio Concepts, Inc. - USA Imaging and Focus As I listened to acoustic jazz and classical, I really didn't find the addition of the sub necessary at all.
To help cut down the baffle induced diffraction, Mike has installed a heavy felt ring around the tweeter. This combination wasn't the greatest in the world. Although I said I liked the presentation better with the woofers down, there were some specific instances where I much preferred the woofers up.
The Korato/AKSA made for a great listening combination, especially for Rock music. One is forward, the other further back. 1" silk dome Tweeter, 5.25" Woofer (shielded), 30 - 150 watts, 200 if a sub and active XO are used. One problem though, I kept getting in trouble with my wife. The woofer on the top brings the music just a bit too forward for my tastes. That's really tough to achieve in any room. The Dyn's image tends to be a bit wider and less focused or shapely. Top to bottom they measure 24" tall. The Dyn's are forward and put the performers right in front of you. It all seemed to sound really, really good on these little speakers.
Here, Mike has done a good job. I can almost see the wear marks in my rugs.
Reason?
At 16k and above, the Emeralds slightly better the Dyn's.
I just happened to find myself listening to more Rock than anything when I was listening to the Emeralds. I use the term to state that the midrange is sent further back into the soundstage, nothing more. Why? Thank you for the opportunity to respond to your review. Ultimately, this will come down to your personal preference. Both speakers have their compromises.
Fit, Finish and Basic Design
So, how does it sound on the Emeralds?
Mainly it was on quiet music like Jazz and Classical. The Emeralds proved to be a fairly easy load to drive.
In turn, I was able to get very nice imaging. It takes almost all of the gamble out of your speaker purchase. Though Mike at ACI recommends a higher powered amplifier to drive these, I found them very enjoyable behind the RAM 301 for most music.
On Rock I found the bass to be a bit too subdued, in turn that's where a sub integrates nicely. OK, back to our regularly scheduled program. Ever sit front row center of an acoustic event before? Normally I don't give too much credence to manufacturers hype but since I've read really good things about the Emeralds big brothers, I decided to give Mike Dzurko a buzz and see if we couldn't schedule a review. Here we have a classic case of a pair of speakers voiced to mid hall. The black part that you see in the pics is HDF with a nice, heavy, semi-gloss finish. They provide a very open and spacious presentation. Slight pause while the reviewer listens feverishly to recover from being a moron Well, after listening to loads of different music (this took several days actually), I think I've decided that I prefer the sound of the Emeralds installed with the woofer on the bottom rather than on the top. Plus you (now) begin to see hints of the size and shape of the recording venue. I said the dynamics seemed slightly subdued. The Vifa soft dome tweeter Mike chose for this speaker is very nice sounding. After flipping the speakers upside down, the character of the Emeralds changed. They are crisp with a decent soundstage.
Treble Extension For those who have never heard one up close and acoustic (not amplified), a double bass is actually quite quiet, contrary to most recordings and (amplified) live venues. When you actually have that happen, you immediately become an imaging junkie. Very good. See, the old HH Scott has a bit of color to it. The nice parts about the Emeralds, you still get ample detail to satisfy the audiophile needs amongst us all. If you're a hard rock fan and can't seem to find a pair of speakers that sound "right" these may just be the ticket. Nothing too bizarre about these speakers. Published: July, 2003.
The main focus is slightly below the plane of the speakers but the light airy sound of the Emeralds makes for a much taller image. Bass Clarity Backed fairly close to the back wall the bass can reach about 50Hz or so in room. In turn, the double bass should be firm but not bloated. cissy owl Result more midrange detail. It's a great intro that sets up the entire song.
Head bangers stuff. Using Pink Floyds Momentary Lapse of Reason, Track One, the water lapping against the shoreline as a test of soundstage width, on the Dyn's the image appeared about two feet outside of the speaker plane. Again, this was just my personal preference. Anybody that has been in the market for mini-monitors knows your choices are almost endless. Mike Dzurko - President, ACI - miked@audioc.com - This began to peak my interest. They provide a very open and spacious presentation.
In turn Emmanuelle seems to appear about 15 or twenty feet back into the stage. They aren't too forward, not too relaxed, kind of well."mid-hall". I guess the reasoning is because of their low(ish) efficiency of 88dB.
It's a simple yet very aggressive song.
Again the Dyn's are a front row speaker. You know the kind I'm talking about.
As you can see from the picture, the black and cherry combination makes for a very attractive pair of mini-monitors. Nothing too noteworthy here.
A piano still has to sound like a piano. Soundstage Depth Overall, I feel the bass energy and extension of the Dyn's was better. When you are in the front row at a simple piano and cello concerto (or any live performance for that matter) everything gets bigger, bolder and more expressive.
Most of the song he lives on a large ride cymbal. Treble Clarity The ring is about 1 1/2" wide. The Emeralds Behind RAM 301 They play all types of music well. In turn, the Emerald's begin to slightly roll off around 75 Hz or so. Especially when you integrate a sub to fill in the lower end.
Speakers like this seem to do a great job on Rock especially when they are mated with a good sub, IMO. They aren't near as aggressive as the Dyn's.
As I read the web page for the Emeralds, it stated The Emerald is the perfect speaker for high-end home theater. I backed them into within inches of the wall. The air around the instruments and vocals seemed to be helping (not only) better define the performers, but it also gives a virtual presence to the venue. Just one more item that lends itself to the "system matching" reality. Those seemingly basic qualities are not always so easy to attain, but they are what we strive for in each ACI design. The soundstage has opened up a fair amount and gotten significantly deeper.
They are definitely front row center speakers. This probably explains some of the airiness I mentioned earlier. Now I've got to re-think how I'm going to write this review. As I mentioned earlier, The Dyn's can add a bit too much midrange color on some recordings. Miamis CasaHiFi Becomes a Focal Powered By Naim Specialty Store.
As I read the paragraph labeled Positioning Your Emeralds the first sentence stated something like this, If your speakers will be positioned at or below seated ear level, the woofer should be at the top of the enclosure and vice-versa. Bass Extension The Dyn's have YoYo about three to four feet behind the plane of the speakers with Emmanuelle placed roughly another five to six feet behind YoYo.
As I sit here listening to some Coleman Hawkins, At Ease with Coleman Hawkins, Prestige OJC 181 vinyl, it sounds as if pianist Tommy Flanagan is in the next county. I am utterly amazed at how many speaker manufacturers there are to choose from. Recessed is just fine as long as it doesn't come with any changing of the tonal nature of the recorded instruments or worse yet, veil the sound. I pulled out everything I had (or so it seemed) at one time or another, popped it on and just sat back and enjoyed the ride. It almost doesn't matter what that pair of speakers faults are, you gladly accept them because they "disappear". They just are. Neutrality is neutrality, be it in an HT or two channel system. Bass extension is fairly decent. In turn the midrange is a tad leaner and maybe not colored enough. The imaging and focus is good but, since you are "right there" the image can be little overwhelming at times.
Soundstage Width On the other hand, The Emeralds approach is to present a more relaxed sound. Consequently, the ACI's give the illusion of making music with less effort. When it comes to comparing the construction of the two, the Emeralds are heavier and subjectively sturdier (obviously I couldn't take the cabinets apart and inspect the bracing). In my system, and especially with rock music, the addition of a sub made it very enjoyable. Not long after the phone call, I received a small heavy box that held the Emeralds. Other than that, they disappear in my room for the most part. Well, I'd give it a solid 6-7 on the old tweak-o-meter scale. On the other hand the Emeralds are a bit lean in the midrange.
I would love to hear from them. Though the image does project well above and below the speakers, the main focus is pretty much on axis with the speakers. ACI is a nice sized speaker manufacturer that's received some nice press on his larger speakers but it seems nobody had done a formal review of the entry line of bookshelf speakers, the Emerald's. Hmmm imagine that, reading the owners manual (OK girls, no cheap shots). The Emeralds Behind the RAM 301's and Side by Side with the Dynaudio 42's Approx.cost: $ 749 USD Miss You Well, I can't quite put my finger on it but if I had to guess I'd say it was the near-ultra sonic highs. The Emeralds don't have the slam that the Dyn's have got. In my case comparing these two speakers, these two terms are dead neutral. Much as expected, the rear port design, combined with the back wall interaction provided nice deep bass. That placed the woofer about 10-12" below my ear, now with the woofer on top, it sits about 2-3" below my ear.
Anyway, the Dyn's put on a nice presentation. Even though I wrote about loads of Jazz and Classical in the direct comparisons, I (personally) found these to be a great match for hard rock. As always, you can integrate a sub to fill in the lower couple of octaves if you feel the need. Copyright 2022 Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity /, Show Reports, Film Festivals and Concerts, Orchard Audio Starkrimson Stereo Ultra Amplifier Review, Q Acoustics Concept 50 Home Theater System, NAD C 700 BluOS Streaming Amplifier Review, Starke Sound Fiera4 Four-channel Class D Power Amplifier Review. I didn't say these speakers weren't dynamic. It can't end up sounding like an electronic keyboard. Mike offers a 30-day, in home, money back guarantee for all of his speakers (less return shipping of course). In turn, I kept getting reminded that there are other people in the house. After spending loads of time with the Emeralds and discovering their many strong points, I will definitely miss them. The mid-hall leaves the Emerald room to shift the musical portrayal based on the material and the room. The Emerald's are a basic two way bass reflex design.
First, I set these up to get the best bass reinforcement.
If any of your readers would like to learn mere about any of ACI's products and our unique "30 Days and You Gotta Love 'em Guarantee" or our industry leading "Total Assurance Guarantee" I cordially invite them to contact me.
It's not much, but it is definitely there. Pat and his guitar have taken about two or three steps back in the soundstage. Using the same piece of music, the Emeralds provided a very nice presentation. I found them very light and airy. A great test for dynamics is EST's song The Return Of Mohammed on Somewhere Else Before.
As usual with the Vifa line of tweeters, the treble shines through with excellent detail. I got a nice sharp picture of the performers. In fact, just the other day I had my hands on a double bass.
Though in today's terms, 88 dB isn't too bad regarding mini-monitors. It provides a clean presentation without having that sizzle that so many tweeters seem to exude. I definitely heard more detail from the recordings.
Best regards, Doing a real time A/B of the two, the Emeralds are providing just a touch more definition. No doubt, that helps cut down some of the splashyness in the highs. One of the many recordings I used in the side by side was Pat Metheny's newest release One Quiet Night, this is a pure acoustic recording. Then Dan Berglund joins in with a simple seven chord statement on the double bass. Personally, I feel this is a big plus. All that's left is music floating effortlessly in front of you. Here we have two completely different presentations.
I did just a few short days ago in just such a concert.
With their mid-hall presentation, they seemed to take the "edge" off of the harshest music, making it far more listenable. Again, don't mistake what I just wrote, these do all other types of music extremely well. As usual, I listened to the Emerald's in two different speaker setups. I guess that's one of the reasons why I keep using the words relaxed and airy to describe these speakers. The kind with the screaming, distorted guitars and even louder singers. The terms aggressive and relaxed are usually purely subjective terms.
Sidebar. They are pretty unpretentious. The Emeralds take a slightly different approach. [Click here] for a review of the bigger ACI Sapphire XL bookshelf.
I really feel that the felt ring surrounding the tweeter helps out quite a bit with the Emeralds treble clarity. The Emeralds held about the same position if not just a tad bit closer in. The port is on the back side of the speakers and itself is a bit unusual. As I mentioned a little earlier, the Emeralds came really close to disappearing in my room once I had them set up properly.
Overall, I'd say the Emeralds tend to be slightly less colored than the Dyn's. The dynamics of the intro should be light yet firm. The Emeralds image was sharper. Again, YMMV. By that I mean, on classical and jazz as an example, the bass is a bit more true to life on the Emeralds. Not so bright or midrange forward that it runs you out of a room, yet more than enough detail to please most anybody. If I had to narrow my description for the dynamics of the Emeralds to just a couple of words, I'd have to say Even Handed would be a good description.
Our magazine, which began with the publication of the SECRETS Primer, is available exclusively on-line and offers to our readers an extensive information resource about home theater and high-end audio. Since the Emeralds are a bit mid hall sounding, the old HH Scott made them a bit too wooly and bloated. The treble extension is very good. Monoprice Monolith M1070C Headphones Review, IsoAcoustics Gaia II Loudspeaker Isolators, TAD introduces the TAD-CR1TX Stand-Mount Speaker System, SUMIKO AUDIO REBRANDS AS FINE SOUNDS AMERICAS, HIFIMAN Arya Stealth Magnet Headphone Preview, Perlisten Audio R-Series 5.2 Channel Home Theater System Preview, Sonus faber continues Maserati partnership with UK tour. Product: Emerald LE Bookshelf Speakers How Hi-Fi Dealers (Audio Stores) Can Bring the Best Value System to Your Home, Cutting The Cord to Cable TV: How I Got More For Less, Dear Audio Community, Get Your Head Out of Your, Announcing the SECRETS Recommended A/V Gear, Secrets Q&A with John Siau of Benchmark Media Systems, Auris bluMe Pro Wireless Bluetooth Receiver Review. That's about as I expected it to be. OK, so how much are we talking about. Don't get me wrong, it sounded fine if I was playing "audiophile" music but when it came to average recordings, it was a little too thick. Plus you now begin to see hints of the size and shape of the recording venue." The performers take a well defined shape and form in front of you. Since I prefer imaging to bass reinforcement, I choose to bring them away from the wall. On the other hand, the Emeralds tend to be a bit more relaxed. What We Are Listening To Summer 2022 Edition, A Collection of New Vinyl for the Audiophile: May 2022, Pro-Ject Classic EVO Turntable with Sumiko Amethyst Cartridge Review, Setting Up a Bryston BDA-3.14 Streaming DAC and Qobuz Streaming Service A How-to Series, Part 2, Setting Up an AURALiC ARIES G1 Streamer and Qobuz Streaming Service A How-to Series, Part 1, DCI-P3 Color What It Means in Todays Ultra HD World, AVR-Audio Video Reciever-Build Quality: Part V. Does Your Projector Display Accurate Color, and Why Is That Important? Each presents it slightly different. Some of the crispness in the upper mid's and lower treble region of the Dyn's has been sent further back into the soundstage.
I must have walked a mile back and forth between my listening seat and the speakers.
Here's one last thought about the Emeralds. This is just my personal preference, YMMV. Take a look at what I just typed. It's Pat at his home in New York, his latest Manzer baritone guitar, a single mic and a recorder. As I site here listening to YoYo again, I can't help but notice some pretty significant differences in the two speakers approach in the way they present music. Loads of commercial speaker designers and the DIY crowd, use Vifa's on a regular basis, including myself. Pat has used a low "Nashville Tuning" for this group of songs. See, I'm using the TNT Stubby's as stands. It seems to be the price we pay for a speaker that is very easy to listen to. The song starts out with the gentle taps on a ride cymbal and kick drum. It's easy to see that Scott truly enjoyed his time with the Emeralds. The Emeralds Behind the HH Scott 299
The recording must always be allowed to be the prime determinant of the listening perspective. iconoclast cables sounds The treble is very accurate without the tweeters calling too much undue attention to themselves. galassia
When I switch too the Emeralds, YoYo takes a solid three to four steps back placing him about 10 to 12 feet behind the speakers. The Emeralds tend to open up the recording studio or venue. On Marian McPartland's Live at Shanghai Jazz, the first track features Joe Morello (of the old Dave Brubeck Quartet) on the drums.
Here's a Link to the Methodology for my Ratings. Here I found myself listening to a bit more Jazz, vocals and even some Classical rather than hard driving Rock. The drivers Mike uses in this design are Vifa's. Another really good example is Emmanuelle Axe and YoYo Ma's, Braham's Cello Sonatas.
Then reaching inside of the piano, Esbjorn joins in with the light plucking of the piano wires and follows with a light chording intro. Here we have a classic case of a fairly relaxed speaker. Midrange Clarity In the same sentence it also stated that the Emeralds were one of very few shielded speakers with the sound quality required by serious audiophiles. It's a finishing touch that sets these speakers off quite well. On the other hand, the bass seems to be a bit more even handed on some music. With most of the mini-monitors, just as these, I'd recommend integrating a sub if you want to hit the lowest octaves.