Acoustic Energy AE1 Active

Acoustic Energy AE1 Active Book Shelf Speakers.

It’s troublesome to think about associate degree amplifier/passive speakers jazz band that might higher these Acoustic Energy active speakers at the price. they are doing everything with a flourish.

And that' not solely by the standards of directly competitor active speaker alternatives, however conjointly by what we've been able to bring home the bacon in any price-comparable amp/speakers combination.

You owe it to yourself to trace down a combine to find that for yourself.

Acoustic Energy AE1 Active review

Tradition conjointly states that every four years, there should be some blind, faint hope that our team won't exit the globe Cup with a whimper. In hi-fi, tradition can mean a lot of boxes and heaps of litter - however, it can even mean finely tuned system-matching and many of scope for upgrading. It suggests that skillfulness and, often, higher overall performance.

Active speakers are few large deviations from tradition, however, it’s rare to search out a combine at this value that leaves the United States of America troubled to come back up with various separates that may match their talents.

Build and compatibility

Acoustic Energy’s AE1 Actives are comparatively basic in terms of set-up and function. Connect them to your supply via either their RCA or balanced XLR inputs and you’re able to go.

There’s no Bluetooth - however attaching a separate module post-purchase would be much more cost-efficient than for AE to own integrated the technology itself, and tight pre-amps and streamers with wireless capability are aloof from exhausting to find.

whereas not common, the AE1s’ technique is scarcely redacting the rulebook either. every drive unit is driven by an infatuated 50W category A/B power electronic equipment module, whereas dials at the rear of every cupboard provide treble adjustment and bass cut or down by 2dB. The drivers themselves are probably to be acquainted with anyone already at home with Acoustic Energy speakers.

The mid/bass drivers are the product of the company’s pure piston ceramic aluminum cone technology, the utilization of metal for its rigidity targeting an additional consistent output; the aluminum dome tweeters like AE’s Wide Dispersion Technology conductor for increased space integration.

And they're all committed in an exceedingly charmingly modest box. obtainable in Piano Black, Piano White or Piano Cherry real wood veneer finishes, the AE1s’ faces are vacant except for the drivers underlined by the name – and at solely 30cm tall they won’t dominate the landscape of your living room. The sonic landscape, however, could be a completely different matter. The drivers themselves are probably to be acquainted with anyone already at home with Acoustic Energy speakers.

The mid/bass drivers are the product of the company’s pure piston ceramic aluminum cone technology, the utilization of metal for its rigidity targeting an additional consistent output; the aluminum dome tweeters like AE’s Wide Dispersion Technology conductor for increased space integration.

And they're all committed in an exceedingly charmingly modest box. obtainable in Piano Black, Piano White or Piano Cherry real wood veneer finishes, the AE1s’ faces are vacant except for the drivers underlined by the name – and at solely 30cm tall they won’t dominate the landscape of your living room. The sonic landscape, however, could be a completely different matter. we tend to take a look at the AE1s primarily exploitation the balanced XLR affiliation to our reference Gamut pre-amp and Naim NDS/555 annotation streamer, however, the consistency of their character, no matter supply or suggests that of attachment, is price celebrating right from the off.

we tend to find ourselves with them slightly square-toed in, around 1.5m from boundary walls - however, those bass and treble controls mean you’re liberated to tweak their response in natural action with their placement if the house is at a premium.

The AE1s deserve decent, hefty speaker stands. They ne'er cross a line with our lighter speaker stands, but the sturdier the higher - and they’re ought to have over an MDF bookshelf.

Their presentation is forward, but that’s to not say they lack subtlety or dimension, just that they’re adorably excitable

Sound

The vary of music we have a tendency to play whereas testing - and also the time spent listening, unable to tear ourselves away - is testament to their talent.

we have a tendency to get through a hefty chunk of our library over a variety of days, ANd with every album, the AE1s’ response is completely a delight.

Play Soulwax’s FROM DEEWEE and the speakers’ character reveals itself nearly from the outset. The rising synthesizer phrases of the tense ring with clarity and vigor - there's granular detail to their waveforms and an ascension sense of anticipation. With Masterplanned we get a sense of the AE1s’ fine integration and balance. The synth hook stabs away at the low end, with a substantial body within the midrange to showcase the vocal melody and management over probably coarse percussion in the treble.

We’re additionally treated to those speakers’ punch and drive. Rhythms jab the maximum amount as time, ready to distinction usually quite ghostlike vocal lines with the vitality and swagger of their synth-led polyrhythmic accompaniments. This record is so obsessed with the delivery of its chantlike personality, and also the AE1s convey it brilliantly.

the temporal arrangement is spot on, of course, but equally the dynamic vary is refined ANd intensive enough to spotlight differing intensities of beats that can, texturally, be cluttered.

Fast-forward to Is It continually Binary, for example, an unashamed album highlight. counting on the temporal arrangement or quality of the drums alone to differentiate chantlike strands isn't enough - the AE1s permit the 4/4 to pulse whereas busier strands lead every bar into the next.

Verdict Simply, these AE1s do everything they are doing with a flourish. And that' not solely by the standards of directly competitor active speaker alternatives, however conjointly by what we've been ready to reach in any price-comparable amp/speakers combination. thus yes, we love tradition, and that we love hi-fi separates. however it’s a way dearer try of parts that may supply a marked improvement on these Acoustic Energy active speakers - and you owe it to yourself to trace down a pair to get that for yourself.

SPECIFICATIONS Power: 2 x 50W | Dimensions: 30 x 18.5 x 25cm (HxWxD) | Inputs: RCA & balanced XLR Pors Clear, balanced, and detailed Rhythmically exciting Impressive dynamic range Cons Nothing of note