Roger Skoff, who started and sold XLO many years ago and now writes for "The Absolute Sound", "Audiophile Review", "Enjoy the Music.com" and other audio publications posted this after reading Malcolm J. Gomes' write-up about hearing ACA's newest product at the Toronto Show:
"Congratulations to ACA for Malcolm J. Gomes' glowing report on the $45,000 Skogrand Version of their Seraphim Speakers. {"The Skogrand Edition ACA Seraphim speakers sounded truly sublime. It was the most pristine sound at TAVES 2015, with an incredible presence and naturalness that was drop-dead gorgeous. I did not hear any other speaker at this show under US$50,000 that could match these exquisitely finished transducers for sheer realism. Some of the Dead Can Dance tracks that Knut played sounded so eerily real that it gave me goose bumps galore. Many of my fellow reviewers covering the Show came to the same conclusion; this pair of speakers was a real standout in terms of sound quality. I am enthusiastically looking forward to reviewing these speakers for Positive Feedback."}".
Those are -- with, to my knowledge, the sole exceptions of Skogrand internal wiring, a redesigned and upgraded crossover network, a different tweeter, and an ultra-deluxe finish -- the same speakers that, in their under-US$9,000 "plain Jane" matte-finished version, I described at the Newport Audio Show as being "the best thing I had ever heard under US$40,000". Obviously the Skogrand version carries the performance to an even higher level at, of course, an even higher price.
If you're interested, there's also another special version available from ACA, wired internally with XLO's top of the line cable. That also uses a premium (but different) tweeter, and is available in superb special finishes for prices well-under US$20,000. I haven't heard the XLO- and Skogrand-cabled versions in a side-by-side "shootout", and even if I had, I wouldn't report on it: The reason? Simple; I designed the XLO cables, so if I liked them better and said so, you might accuse me of listening bias. And you might even be right!"
