Acoustic Energy AE100 bookshelf speakers test: twenty years later. Acoustic Energy AE1 MkIII: reference standards for large speakers

In the changing hi-fi world, where subjective assessment plays perhaps the most important role, and the conceit of some manufacturers, as well as the prices they offer, are dictated only by the measure of their ambitions, such concepts as honesty and responsible attitude towards the consumer take on a completely special sound. However, it is precisely the latter features, in my opinion, that are characteristic of the British brand Acoustic Energy, which produces good quality acoustics at a moderate cost. Very moderate cost.

It is not surprising that such an actively developing company, on its thirtieth anniversary, did not miss the opportunity to turn to its own history and use this asset to add a few leaves from the laurel wreaths of past victories to the other dishes of the industrial kitchen.

Acoustic Energy engineers decided not to reinvent the wheel, but to release a completely new range of speakers under the same names, significantly changing their design and element base. And I had the opportunity to test one of these speaker systems - the AE100, the previous version of which was released in 1996, earning wide recognition among professionals and ordinary listeners.

Outside vinyl

Today, the AE100 is available in several finishes - vinyl with imitation walnut veneer, matte black and the soon-to-be-released white matte enamel. I was given the walnut finish version for testing.

The manufacturer is clearly not shy about the fact that the speaker systems are covered with vinyl. Moreover, its use seems deliberately emphasized, reminiscent of the one that in the 70s of the last century cost much more than the “usual” wood veneer at that time, because it was not afraid of moisture and fading under the rays of sunlight.

The designers managed to solve a very non-trivial task - with a minimum of visual elements, create an attractive and recognizable model, the brand origin of which can be read even at a cursory, superficial glance. This is largely due to the paradoxical play of straight and rounded corners. I wouldn’t be surprised if, looking at these small shelf monitors, someone would want to look at the price list again: the low price is visible only on the receipt, but not at all in their appearance - there is not the slightest hint of cheapness or flirting with the undemanding public .

The acoustic systems look status-worthy and emphatically elegant, so they can easily and simply fit into the interior of any class and stylistic design. The matte speaker flanges are outlined with a thin chrome outline, thanks to which the speakers look impressive not only in daylight, but also in low light, as well as when wearing black magnetic dust nets. Compared to the previous version, the design has become more homogeneous, the boxy shapes characteristic of speaker systems of the recent past have disappeared, and there are no joints or mounting screws on the surface itself.

On the front panel, just below the speakers themselves, there is a company logo, on the back there is a niche for an acoustic terminal with one pair of universal terminals and a slotted bass reflex, which reduces the effect of turbulence and, as a result, the audibility of the air flow passing through it. By the way, if necessary, the bass reflex can be used as a convenient transport handle with a good grip.

As you can see, compared to its predecessors, released twenty years ago, the hundredths have undergone a number of significant changes - the second pair of terminals and the dual bass reflex port located on the front panel have disappeared. On the one hand, this corresponds to the recent trends, on the other hand, it significantly narrows the number of degrees of freedom at the installation stage of speaker systems.

Dynamic paper

The speaker bodies are assembled from MDF panels 18 millimeters thick. The speakers are equipped with a 110 mm mid/bass driver with a paper cone on a rubber suspension with a long stroke and a 28 mm high-frequency driver with a textile dome, designed into a small horn to improve dispersion.

The tweeter uses proprietary WDT (Wide Dispersion Technology) technology - an improved DXT (Diffraction Expansion Technology) - previously available only in the company's most expensive models belonging to the Reference line. In general terms, its essence comes down to a number of design features of the tweeter, which allow you to expand the comfortable listening space by influencing the shape of the acoustic wave. The precision crossover is designed to phase and time align the driver output and combines them at 3.6 kHz.

Price: 21,200 rubles

Passport details

Drivers: MF/LF – 110 mm, HF – 28 mm

Frequency range: 45 Hz – 35 kHz

Sensitivity: 87dB

Power: 75 W

Crossover frequency: 3.6 kHz

Resistance: 4 ohms

Dimensions: 270 x 160 x 240

Weight: 6 kg (piece)

Acoustic Energy AE120- three-way floor-standing speaker system, has two woofers, a midrange-woofer speaker and a tweeter. It is the top model in the AE line. The cost of acoustics on the market is approximately $800. AC shape - candles, dimensions - 920x180x370. The mass of the speaker system is 24.7 kg. Resistance 4.6 Ohm. Case material - MDF. Wall thickness - front 14mm, rear - thicker 18mm, side - 14mm. Partitions - 14mm. Covered with veneer imitating valuable wood species. Has decorative grille pads made of black acoustic fabric. There are 4 speakers on the front panel - two woofers and one mid-bass with a diameter of 140 mm, a dome-shaped tweeter, covered with a plastic decorative cover. At the bottom of the speaker there is a stand made of the same MDF for better stability on the floor. On the back wall of the speaker there is a port for connecting to amplification equipment. Here there is a separate connection into three bands - you can separately connect the woofers, midrange-woofers and separately the high-frequency sections. In order to connect these links separately, you need to unscrew the terminal clamps and remove the gold-colored metal jumpers. If all speaker strips are used, the jumpers must all be installed. and you need to connect the amplifier to the middle terminals. This distinctive feature is unique to this speaker model.

The suspensions of the woofers and mid-bass speakers are made of a polymer material similar to polyurethane foam. They are quite soft and easy to press and damage. The suspensions are installed with the convex side towards the front of the speakers. Over time, they may need to be replaced. because it is made of polyurethane foam and is subject to destruction. The diffusers are made of black polymer material, smooth on the outside, and look like paper on the inside of the speaker. Protective cap made of cone-shaped polymer material. Between the mid-bass speaker and the tweeter there are two bass reflex ports and one bass reflex port is located on the rear wall of the larger diameter speaker.

Disassembly of the speakers and layout of the internal space.

To access the inside of the speaker, you need to remove the speakers. They are attached using decorative self-tapping screws using a Euro screwdriver. The fastening is not very reliable, because... after frequent unscrewing, the threads in the MDF panel may wear out. The AC filter is also secured with self-tapping screws on the back side of the screw terminal port. The speakers are magnetically insulated and placed in screens. The copper wire, quite thick, is connected to the speakers using terminal connectors and is additionally soldered. Removing them is problematic, because... You must first heat it with a soldering iron and at the same time remove the terminals, but they get stuck. To remove the filter, you need to disconnect all the speakers, because the wire going to the speakers is shortened as much as possible and does not allow space for manipulating the filter without removing it from the speaker.

AC filter (CROSSOVER).

The filter is mounted on a printed circuit board, which is secured with six screws and additionally soldered. It is difficult to remove the filter board; you must first clear the solder from the screws, and then you can unscrew them. I couldn't find the filter circuit. The scheme looks simple. The low-frequency link is assembled on two 90-μF electrolytes and a large toroidal choke, which is fixed at the bottom of the speaker and has its own connector for connecting to a filter; there is also a large resistor in the low-frequency link. The woofers with a resistance of 8 ohms each are connected in parallel, so the total speaker resistance is not 8 ohms, but 4.6 ohms. The midrange and HF parts are assembled using MPT capacitors, wire resistors, and have two chokes. One is wound on a frameless coil, the other most likely with a ferrite core. The inductance is indicated on the chokes. All radio elements are additionally glued to the board for better immobility. The wires from the speakers are soldered into the printed circuit board and have different color markings to separate the strips.

Internal space of the speaker.

MDF panels are glued together, the body has a middle partition with holes. The acoustic design resembles a labyrinth and divides the speakers into two parts. The mid-HF link is separated from the low-frequency link by a partition, but not a solid one, but from the rear wall, which has an acoustic connection with the lower part of the speaker. The midrange speaker does not have acoustic isolation, which means it is mid-bass, and in addition, in its space there are two phase inverters, which also have an acoustic connection with the low-frequency section. The internal space of the mid-HF link is filled with sound-absorbing material - padding polyester, which is laid to the rear wall. Bass reflex pipes rest against sound-absorbing material.

The woofers are wrapped with padding polyester, and the lower part of the speaker is also filled with padding polyester. The peculiarity is that there is practically no free space inside the speaker; it is all filled with padding polyester. Thus, the acoustic connection between transitions inside the speaker is carried out through sound-absorbing material. The large bass reflex on the rear wall of the speaker also rests on the layer of synthetic padding and is connected to the lower and upper bass speakers, and the other two bass reflexes, which are located above, are connected to the bass speakers through the middle partition, which is filled with synthetic padding.

Listening to the speaker and comparing it with 35AS-018 Amphiton.

Power source -

1. amplifier Odyssey 010 - modified, with replaced electrolytes, shielded interconnect wires, thicker power wires, and correctly set quiescent current and correct ground wiring.

2. Denon 690 amplifier.

The speaker for comparison is 35AC-018 Amphiton with a replaced SC 13\8 Visaton midrange speaker. As HF-10GDV-2. The filter is standard.

Signal sources are different. CD - Technics, FM tuner Kenwood, various MP3s.

Pros of Acoustic Energy AE120:

1. Well balanced mid and top. Neither the high-frequency nor mid-frequency components stand out, the sound is clean, dense, and balanced as the volume increases. All three speakers work smoothly. The downside is that the HF component may not be very prominent.

2. Good sensitivity 89dB. At low volumes there is a general picture across all bands.

Cons Acoustic Energy AE120:

1. Where is the bass? There is little or none of it. where it is even present at minimum volume on the 35AC-018.

2. Possibly insufficient HF output. But this is not for everyone.

Pros of 35AC-018 Amphiton.

1. Bass. Thanks to the 25cm low-frequency 75 with fresh PPU suspensions, it leaves no chance A.E.

2. Midrange - Visaton SC 13\8 - all the same advantages as AE. No significant difference was noticed.

3. High frequencies are expressive, but there is an excess of “sand”.

Cons of 35AS-018 Amphiton.

1. HF - on the 10GDV-2 there is “sand” in the sound.

2. Low sensitivity - 86dB. You need to turn up the volume. to get the full picture.

Acoustic Energy AE120 - need a subwoofer. With a Subwoofer they will be comparable in bass to the 35AC-018 and maybe even higher.

35AC-018- if the 10GDV-2 is not comfortable, then you need to replace the HF - 10GDV-2 with a Visaton SC 10N8. And reworking the filter.

In the end 35AC-018 with a Visaton speaker provides tangible benefits and is not inferior AE.

Have you ever wondered why most studios use active acoustics to control sound? Professionals always achieve maximum results in the simplest and most effective way, and in this case it is not only a reasonable use of funds, but also technical feasibility.

LOOKING LIKE THE PROS

A good illustration of what has been said can be the list of equipment that we needed to build the current system - a CD player with adjustable output plus a set of cables: a pair of linear and three network. Instead of spending money on an amplifier and speaker wires, you can afford a more expensive source, or buy another one - a network player, for example. Here is the first argument in favor of active acoustics.

I will give the second example using specific systems that we are going to test. Let me remind you that AE1 monitors have been produced in various modifications for 30 years; this was the very first and extremely successful model created by Acoustic Energy engineers. The company decided to celebrate this anniversary by releasing the most radical, active version of its bestseller.

The body dimensions of the AE1 Active are the same as the AE1 Active - 30 x 18.5 x 25 cm, and the design is the same - two-way, with a 125 mm midbass driver and a large tweeter. But that's where the similarities end. Each head in the Active model is powered by its own 50-watt class AB amplifier. The power supply is also “analog” - from a linear source with a network transformer.

Each driver in the AE1 Active is powered by its own 50-watt Class AB amplifier. The power supply is also “analog” - from a linear source with a network transformer.

The bands are divided at 3500 Hz by active fourth-order Linkwitz-Riley filters (24 dB/octave). This is the main advantage of an active system - there are no bulky coils and capacitors between the amplifier output and the speaker, which worsen damping and absorb some of the energy. In addition, implementing the fourth order on passive elements (and they must be of high quality) is cumbersome and expensive. Finally, active filters are easier to make phase-linear, and they are much more flexible in configuration. And in our particular case, there is also the ability to adapt monitors for specific conditions in terms of LF and HF within the range of -2, 0, +2 dB using three-position switches on the rear panel. The signal can be supplied via a balanced XLR cable, or via a regular cable via an RCA jack. The volume is controlled by a separate knob on the back. A 1 volt RMS signal produces a sound pressure of 105 dB, so you can connect a CD player with a fixed output and set the volume on the monitors. Not very convenient, but the path will be as short as possible.

Now let's look at the heads themselves. The midbass driver diffusers are made of sintered aluminum powder with the addition of ceramic chips. Optimal combination of mass, rigidity and damping of internal resonances. The tall conical dust cap is immediately recognizable and has already become a hallmark of all AE1 models. The driver operates in a bass reflex design, and the port is not round, but is made in the form of a narrow slot on the rear wall.

The 27mm aluminum tweeter dome is placed in a proprietary WDT (Wide Dispersion Technology) waveguide, which expands the directivity pattern. If you look closely, you can also see a small round sticker on the inside of the protective mesh. This is the so-called aperture body to optimize phase response. By the way, in all my practice I don’t remember that the manufacturer indicated the dispersion of their acoustics. In the AE1 Active, it is stated with a respectable range – 130 degrees horizontally and 120 degrees vertically.

Inside the body, glued together from 18 mm MDF boards, ties and damping panels are installed. The monitors in the photo are in rosewood finish (RUB 125,000 per pair), the bright lacquered veneer literally glows under the soffits. But you can choose cheaper options - white and black mirror varnish (99,000 rubles).

The 27mm aluminum tweeter dome is placed in a proprietary WDT (Wide Dispersion Technology) waveguide, which expands the directivity pattern.

I must say that British specialists, having paid so much attention to the spatial characteristics of monitors, have achieved truly phenomenal results. The sound field is rich in detail and completely uniform no matter what distance you're listening at. The picture feels three-dimensional both in the near field and three to four meters from the front line, and the depth of the stage is almost independent of the volume level. This is the merit of not only the WDT waveguide, but also the separation filters with minimal phase shifts. Using passive elements, it would be extremely difficult to achieve such precise convergence of bands without time errors.

Accordingly, the musical balance is perceived as a whole, without emphasis on individual instruments or groups. Woodwinds and brass, strings, drums - everything is in complete harmony and, while listening, you don’t even think that the entire richness of the spectrum is reproduced by two small speakers. We listened in an acoustically treated room, there was no excess HF, but if you have a loud room, set the TREBLE switch to the -2 dB position - and there are no problems.

But the main advantage of active bandpass amplification is felt in the lower register. Firstly, it's control. The speaker is shunted by the output impedance of the amplifier, which is set by the feedback depth. It’s also not good to overdo it; the sound will turn out dry and unnatural. The AE1 Active has a well-chosen damping coefficient - the attack is fast and not blurry, which is especially noticeable on plucked instruments. The impact is biting, on powerful bass notes the diffusers move like pistons with a frightening amplitude, but within a well-controlled zone. It is possible that the low-frequency amplifier has an infra-low frequency filter: the speaker honestly works out the range allocated to it, but does not try to go deeper, where the output drops sharply and distortion increases. And what is valuable is that the slot port does not whistle - only at high volumes you can hear slight rustling sounds if you bring your ear closer to the back wall. I won’t say that the dynamic potential here is limitless, but with such dimensions of the body, the volume of undistorted sound may puzzle an inexperienced listener.

The impact is biting, and on powerful bass notes the diffusers work like pistons with a frightening amplitude, but within a well-controlled zone.

From all the listed technocratic points, the overall impression of the new Acoustic Energy systems is formed. It is quite obvious that the main goal in their creation was precisely monitorability, i.e. extremely accurate and at the same time comfortable presentation of musical material. This is also indicated by the fact that neither DACs nor wireless modules were built into the AE1, preferring pure hi-fi classics. This is how they sound: balanced, with high resolution throughout the entire range, dynamic and confident in all musical genres. Clear separation of instruments, excellent sense of rhythm, high intelligibility on phonograms with a rich spectrum. But to get the most out of this pair, it makes sense to choose network cables; they affect the transmission of the atmosphere and the localization of imaginary sources in the upper range.

In terms of the efficiency of the investment, this is a very attractive option - four amplifiers with very competent speaker systems for less than 100 thousand rubles.

Professionals would choose this option, but why are we worse?

• CD player Creek CD-100
• Cables:
  • Interconnects Studio Connections Reference XLR
  • power ISOL 8 IsoLink, Shunyata Research Ztron Z-PC10

• Dali, “In Admiration of Music. Volume 4". Dali CD, 2015
• Jean Sibelius "Violin Concerto". Anne-Sophie Mutter & Staatskapelle Dresden. Deutsche Grammophon, 1995
• "Great Cover Versions". Inakustik, Reference Sound Mastering, 2013
• Noisia, "Split the Atom". 2 CDs, Mau5trap, 2013

This is how they sound: balanced, with high resolution throughout the entire range, dynamic and confident in all musical genres.

AE1 Active

Manufacturer: Acoustic Energy, Ltd. (United Kingdom)

www.acoustic-energy.co.uk

Configuration: 2 emitters, 2 bands || Acoustic design: slotted bass reflex || Frequency range: 40 – 25000 Hz (+/- 6 dB) || Crossover frequency: 3500 Hz || Crossovers: active Linkwitz-Riley 4th order || Sensitivity (at 104 dB at 1 kHz): 1 V RMS || Maximum/Peak SPL: 105/115 dB || Power of built-in LF/HF amplifiers: 50/50 W || Horizontal/vertical radiation pattern: 130/120 degrees. || Frequency response correction for LF and HF: -2, 0, +2 dB || Finish: White and Black Lacquer, Piano Cherry Veneer || Dimensions 300 x 185 x 250 mm || Weight 1 piece: n.d. || Price per pair: 99000 rub. in lacquer finish, 125000 rub. in veneer.

The editors thank the Moscow Salon Hi-Fi for assistance in conducting the test

We don't often write about legendary products. Few hi-fi components can boast the longevity to back up such popularity. However AE1 were exactly like that. Designed for studio use, they pack impressive power and deliver ultra-analytical performance. Their soulful sound, captivating dynamics and poise set them apart from the rest as something special.

Audio engineers didn't take these mini-monitors seriously, leaving the rave about the amazing sound to audiophiles who weren't put off by the high price tag. Over time, the black color gave way to home-made options, while the quality of the construction remained high. Later, the MkII model appeared, retaining only the dimensions of the body and midrange/woofer (12 cm) with a metal cone. Today AE1 is no longer perceived as a monitor taken out of the studio for sale in a hi-fi salon. The MkIII is a true high-end product, manufactured to the highest standard and finished to an impeccable standard. Both drivers - the ring-diaphragm tweeter and the midrange/woofer - were designed by engineers to achieve optimal sound transmission quality. The cabinet walls are a sandwich of MDF and steel plates, and the 10 mm thick front panel is made of sheet metal, on which the speakers are bolted from the inside.

The result is speakers with a strictly defined appearance and a textured front panel that improves dispersion. A pair of high-quality WBT terminals completes the impressive equipment.

MkIII are unusually talented monitors that make you re-evaluate the capabilities of compact speakers. Despite the height of 31 cm, they produce such a large-scale sound that few floor-standing rivals are capable of for the same amount of money. Put Setting Sun Chemical Brothers on, and the dense, structured lows will surprise you with their solidity and speed. Few can even come close to AE when it comes to conveying the fronts of bass notes or differentiating different low-frequency sounds.

In the midrange sector the situation is even better. Speed, resolution and dynamics help convey all the feelings and experiences contained in the recording. Put on Nina Simone or Nirvana, and the AE1s will sound with such emotionality that you immediately feel “that’s it, boy, you’ve got it!”

The speakers do not forgive even the slightest flaw in the recording, source or amplifier. This is the price of pure performance of the highest quality.

By the way, about amplifiers. Although AEs are not complex loads, they do require a lot of power reserves. We used the integrated AVI (175 W) and the reference two-unit Krell (400 W), and in both cases we got excellent results. Plug in a 50-watt device and the speakers will no longer be able to fully demonstrate dynamic range and confident performance.

The company could have easily rested on its laurels, skimming the cream off the first AE1 model, but it did otherwise. The MkIII model has raised the quality of compact loudspeakers to stratospheric heights. Listen to it and don't forget to bring money - you'll need it!

WHAT ARE THEIR FEATURES

• AE1 MKIII are one of the most solid speakers. To reduce distortion, the case walls are reinforced with metal plates and tightened with a steel rod
• Ring diaphragm tweeter with phase corrector integrates well, delivering excellent speed and resolution
• The rigid cone and chassis of the mid/bass driver guarantee better dynamics and resolution.
• Proprietary ring-diaphragm tweeter has been designed for optimal reproduction

PROS: Exciting combination of transparency, dynamics and speed; excellent construction and finish.
CONS: Speakers require power, and a lot of it at that.
VERDICT: The legendary AE1s have found new life in their third version, taking compact speakers to a higher level.

The flagship model of the new series is the small, elegant AE 109 floor-standing speakers, which were created using the latest developments, and also used the successful technologies of their predecessors. The English manufacturer's goal is to once again become one of the leaders in the segment of inexpensive speakers, captivating the listener with the highest possible sound quality, pleasing design and relatively low cost.

A pair of 100 mm paper long-throw mid/bass drivers and a 28 mm soft-dome tweeter form a 2.5-way configuration. The crossover was designed in such a way as to reduce time and phase delays to the minimum possible. The latest generation magnetic mid/low driver system ensures previously unattainable speed and precision of membrane movement.

WDT (Wide Dispersion Technology), designed to reduce the influence of the acoustic properties of the room, is a waveguide with a high-quality HF head placed inside, which allows high frequencies to evenly fill the space, which contributes to the construction of a holographic sound stage. WDT is essentially a development of DXT (Diffraction Expansion Technology) technology, which was used in the acoustics of the top Acoustic Energy Reference series.

As with their predecessors, the base of the new AE 109 has a special compartment filled with ballast weight, so that one small column weighs 14 kg. This made it possible to improve the damping properties of the acoustics and significantly increase the control and texture of the bass component. The body is made of MDF, the wall thickness is 18 mm, and partitions are installed inside to reflect excess resonances. The slot port of the bass reflex is precisely calculated and placed on the rear side of the case.

The external design has been noticeably modernized. AE 109 are very elegant: not a single fastening screw or joint comes out of the body. Due to their small size, high-quality finish, neat assembly and lightweight design, these anniversary floorstands can be easily integrated into any interior.

Finish options include high-quality film that perfectly imitates walnut veneer, or matte black color. In the near future, the AE 100 line will be complemented by a white matte finish.

The new AE 100 series was released in honor of the 30th anniversary of the British company ACOUSTIC ENERGY!

Buy floor-standing acoustics Acoustic Energy AE109 Black at a price of RUB 55,000. with delivery throughout Moscow, St. Petersburg and Russia. Detailed description, photos and technical specifications. Sale of Acoustic Energy AE109 Black in the BIGtv online store.