Sapphire
Reference Monitor
Owner's Manual
Guarantee/Warranty …2
Specifications …4
Design Philosophy …4
Using your Speakers …6
Avoiding Damage …6
Hookup …7
Positioning the Sapphires …8
Adding Subwoofers …9
Troubleshooting …10
Warranty Registration …12
901 South 4th Street, La Crosse, WI 54601 Phone: (608) 784-4570 Fax: (608) 784-6367
All Rights Reserved 2004
Audio Concepts, Inc.
Website: www.audioc.com Email: service@audioc.com
Sound that Satisfies…
Audio Concepts, Inc.
Our Guarantee and Warranty
Satisfaction Guaranteed:
We’re sure you’re going to love your new Audio Concepts, Inc. (ACI) products! In the unlikely
event that you are not satisfied, please contact us within 30 days of receipt of your ACI products
for a hassle-free return.
Simply follow these procedures:
1. Return Authorization: Call us at (608) 784-4570 or email service@audioc.com, within 30 days of receipt of your
ACI products for a return authorization number. Boldly mark the return authorization number on the outside of the
box. Include a brief note stating your name, address and daytime telephone number, along with a short description
why the products are being returned.
2. Returning: We request that you return the ACI products to us in their original packaging and include packaging
materials, manuals, etc. Ship by the most economical means (preferably UPS) and insure the products for the
invoice purchase price. The customer is responsible for return shipping. Please note: ACI can not accept C.O.D.
returns.
3. Credit: Upon receipt and inspection, we will issue a refund for the invoice purchase price and invoiced UPS
Ground service only. Please note this return policy is in effect only if the ACI products are in new condition, in their
original packaging, without drilled holes, disassembled or any other modifications.
Speaker Manufacture’s Warranty:
ACI’s Five Year Standard Warranty and One Year Total Assurance Guarantee
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For five years from receipt, Audio Concepts, Inc. will, at its option, repair or replace factory
defective components. This warranty excludes products that have been abused, modified, or
disassembled in any way. This warranty does not apply to products, which have been damaged in
shipping. Audio Concepts, Inc. liability is limited only to the replacement of defective parts. No
other liabilities or obligations are expressed or implied.
For the first year of ownership, ACI also provides a unique Total Assurance Guarantee, (TAG).
TAG from ACI not only covers everything included in our standard five year warranty, but we will
also pay for shipping to ACI and back to your front door. TAG is limited to shipping destinations in
the Continental U.S.
The ACI Five Year Standard Warranty and One Year Total Assurance Guarantee are fully
transferable from the original owner to a secondary owner provided that the original owner
notifies ACI, by phone call or by filling out the on-line form: www.audioc.com
No warranty will be transferred absent this notification.
Simply follow these procedures:
1. Return Authorization: Call us at (608) 784-4570 or email service@audioc.com for a return authorization number.
If the warranty repair is during the first year of ownership, additional instructions will be given to you at that time.
Boldly mark the return authorization number on the outside of the box. Include a brief note with your name,
address and a daytime telephone number, along with a short description why the products are being returned.
2. Returning: Carefully repack defective ACI merchandise in their original packaging. Ship by the most economical
means (preferably UPS) and insure the products for their full retail value. The customer is responsible for return
shipping (unless the first year TAG applies). Please note: ACI can not accept COD or Freight Collect returns.
3. Replacement: Audio Concepts, Inc. will inspect and determine the cause of failure and will pay return shipping on
the defective goods replaced or repaired.
Please ship any returns to the following address:
Audio Concepts, Inc., 901 So. 4
th
Street, La Crosse, WI 54601 (608) 784-4570
IMPORTANT NOTICE
All new speakers require a minimum of 60 hours break-in-time before
they sound the way they are supposed to. A speaker's performance improves
significantly once broken in. It is critical that you have at least 60 hours on your speakers
before you evaluate them. Don't worry if your speakers do not sound perfect the first time
you play them. This is normal until they are broken in. If you are having difficulty getting
enough hours on your speakers and your 30 day return privilege is getting near, call us.
We will work with you. Please give us the courtesy of breaking the speakers in before you
determine they don't sound right.
Many of our customers break their speakers in by:
A) Leaving them on at moderate listening levels when they are not home.
B) Leaving them on at moderate listening levels while they sleep.
C) Running pink noise through them.
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These methods are not convenient for everyone and we understand this. But
please know that you are not giving yourself, your speakers or us a fair chance if you do
not break them in before critical evaluation.
THANK YOU!
The Sapphire
Thank you for your order and congratulations on becoming the owner of an ACI speaker system.
These fine speakers will provide you with many years of listening pleasure!
ACI speakers are designed to be the most cost-effective systems available. Read the reviews. The
Sapphire series has the reputation of being the best value, stand-mounted monitors that money can buy
and has been frequently compared to the most expensive high-end monitors. By purchasing directly from
the factory you eliminate costly markups. You will find that your Sapphires will compare favorably with
systems costing far more!
We’ll put the Sapphire against any speaker in the world for overall balance and musicality. The
Sapphire has phenomenal detail and resolution yet it does not have the somewhat harsh quality that many
detailed sounding speakers have. It is extremely coherent from top to bottom and the dynamic range of this
newest Sapphire has been significantly improved from its predecessors.
The bass response of this newest Sapphire is truly amazing. The response is tight, deep and
tuneful. Those who wish to have a truly full-range system may want to add either the Force, Titan or
Maestro powered subwoofer(s). These subwoofers are adjustable for a perfect match with the Sapphires.
The addition of one of these subwoofers allows for the accurate reproduction of the lowest musical tones
and increases the output capability of the system.
The Sapphire is the result of ongoing research and development by the ACI design team.
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Specifications
Frequency response: 42-20kHz +3db anechoic, 60-18Khz +1.8db (usable in-room bass response extends
cleanly to 36-40Hz)
Nominal impedance: 8 ohms, minimum impedance 5.8 ohms, low reactance
Sensitivity: 86db 1 watt/1 meter
Bass-loading: 4th order, low Q, front ported system
Recommended RMS Power: 20 to 200 watts per channel
Tweeter: 1” hand-damped silk dome with aperiodic rear chamber, cast faceplate and ferro-fluid
Bass-mid: 7” cast-frame with wood fiber cone, rubber surround; long throw, low distortion motor system
with vented pole piece
Cabinet: MDF Construction: 1” Front Panel, 3/4” Top, Bottom and Rear. Multiple density sides include 3/4”
MDF with added 3/4” solid hardwood sides. Internally damped with Dacron and acoustic foam.
Finishes: Hardwood sides available in clear lacquer on oak, black oak, cherry, maple, walnut and rose
walnut finishes
Inputs: Gold plated binding posts
Dimensions: 17" tall, 9 1/2" wide, 14 1/2" deep
Weight: 35 lbs each
Recommended accessories: Atlantis or Sanus Systems stands, Force, Titan or Maestro Powered
Subwoofers, DH Labs Cables.
Design Philosophy for the Sapphire
Modern speaker design is a combination of science, art and sweat. A successful design such as
the Sapphire requires thousands of hours utilizing computer modeling, several generations of prototypes,
precision testing, critical listening and many “fine tunings”.
Our design goals for the Sapphire were to produce a mid-size, attractive speaker with smooth,
uncolored, wide-range response, holographic stereo imaging, good sensitivity, high power handling, and