A Bit of History
A decade ago we launched the Outlaw Bookshelf Loudspeaker as an audiophile match to complement our first two-channel receiver, the RR2150. To develop the loudspeaker to Outlaw standards, we sought out the engineers at Snell Acoustics. In our opinion, Snell offered some of the best speakers in the industry at reasonable prices.

After demonstrating the RR2150 to the people at Snell, they agreed to develop a product that would compete with the best-in-class bookshelf speakers in the $1,000-1,500 price range. The team for this project was headed by the legendary Joe D'Appolito.

The original Outlaw Bookshelf Loudspeaker
The BLS Loudspeakers received rave reviews and multiple awards that led to many thousands being sold. Unfortunately, production ceased when Bain Capital, who had purchased Snell as part of a major A/V acquisition, closed the Snell operation. The Outlaw BLS immediately went from a great selling product to a sought-after collector's item.

FAST FORWARD 10 YEARS
When product development began on the RR2160, we started thinking about whether it would be possible to round up the original "suspects" from Snell to revamp our successful loudspeakers.
Fortunately, most of the team members were still in the New England area. We met with one of the principals of that team and developed a plan based on the original design with three additional requirements:

1. We wanted "improved versions" of the already excellent drivers and crossovers that were in the original speakers. With recent advances in materials and CAD design, the team felt that they could exceed what they had delivered over a decade earlier.

2. We wanted a more contemporary, higher end, cabinet finish that would take the original look and feel to the next level. In particular, we wanted a semi-gloss finish to the cabinet and a newly tooled grille with a consistent hole pattern extending to the sides that would ensure an unimpeded off-axis response, especially in the critical mid-range.

3. Finally, we told the team that we wanted to offer these speakers at about half the price of the originals! Through the use of a world-class factory that builds speakers for many well-known, high-end brands, and without Snell's corporate overhead, the cost of our new bookshelves could come way down.

The team accepted our challenge and for the last 12 months they have been working with the Outlaw team to modify and refine the prototypes. We firmly believe that we achieved our goals.

As a result of this work, the BLSv2 will enter the market at $599/pair, almost half the $1,000/pair price of the original Outlaw bookshelf Loudspeakers! Through both measurements and listening, we have matched and, in several areas, have actually exceeded the performance of the originals.

We invite you to audition these speakers where it counts the most: your own home. Since initial quantities are limited, you'll need to act quickly! To purchase a pair, or to learn more about the BLSv2, please visit the product page.