About The Acoustic Energy AE500 Bookshelf Speakers
The Acoustic Energy AE500 Standmount Loudspeaker is part of the flagship series from this venerable British company and introduces a carbon fibre mid/bass driver and, more importantly, a brand new carbon fibre tweeter that produces some of the clearest high frequencies you've ever heard.
The AE500 is a new compact stand-mount loudspeaker from AE's flagship 500 Series. Following on from the award winning AE100 and AE300, the AE500 offers a significant step up in audio quality, materials, and cabinet finish. The 500 Series features the newly developed carbon fibre tweeter and mid/bass drivers, designed to match the pistonic power and accuracy of AE's legendary ceramic aluminium drivers but with improved self-damping for a smoother, more transparent sound.
Offering unparalleled levels of performance, quality and value the result is an audio product with clean, uncluttered lines delivering a thrilling and powerful presentation discerning Acoustic Energy owners have come to expect for over 30 years.
Finished in a choice of Piano Gloss Black, Piano Gloss White or American Walnut wood veneer finishes, the AE500 will easily integrate within any home décor placed on speaker stands or bookshelves.
A Closer Look
Tweeter: The 500 Series tweeter features a brand new 25mm carbon fibre dome. Carbon fibre is much lighter and better damped than other typical hard dome materials and provides a lightning fast, natural sound which will surprise the listener with its neutrality. The new cast aluminium WDT waveguide on the high frequency driver is positioned close to the mid/bass driver for optimum dispersion and is extremely stiff to reduce vibration being passed to the tweeter, ensuring sweet, clear and natural highs.
Mid/Bass Driver: The 125mm mid/bass driver includes a new oversized 35mm voice coil for low thermal compression and very high motor force factor, to provide a highly dynamic yet controlled bass response. The woofer has an optimised motor and suspension system for maximum linearity and lowest distortion ensuring mid-range definition, whilst the lightweight nature of the carbon fibre cone material increases transient speed and clarity.
Why Carbon Fibre?: Acoustic Energy don't believe in technology for the sake of it, they only use something if it has a clear purpose and benefit. Traditionally they've used spun aluminium for their transducers because of its lightness and stiffness when working as a piston, giving a highly accurate reproduction of the source waveform. The benefit of carbon fibre is that it has similar pistonic properties to aluminium but in addition is both lighter, helping efficiency & transient response, and has improved self-damping; minimising cone/dome break-up harshness.
Crossover: The crossovers use high voltage polypropylene film wound capacitors and air core inductors at critical locations for optimum dispersion through a smaller acoustic source size within the crossover region.
Cabinet: These unique drivers are housed in AE's new 18mm Resonance Suppression Composite (RSC) cabinets, evolved from the prestigious Reference Series and featuring the same constrained layer composite to greatly reduce cabinet acoustic radiation, which would otherwise colour the sound.
Speaker Positioning
The AE500's are very flexible with regard to positioning and are designed to work well wherever they are located within the listening environment. There are however some basic guidelines that should be followed (where possible) for optimum performance. The tweeters (high frequency drivers) should ideally be at ear level when the listener is seated and for serious listening the grilles are best removed where practical. Rigid support is necessary for the speakers to deliver optimum dynamic response and detail so the AE500's benefit from either good stands or a solid surface below them.
The AE500 Series speakers are very 'room-friendly' and should be able to be placed where most convenient with minimal detriment to sound. Where possible a minimum of 12" (30cm) should be allowed between the speakers and boundary walls; closer will increase bass response at the expense of timing and quality. Ideally the speakers will work best between 12-24" (30-60cm) from walls where the soundstage will open up and a more neutral balance will be achieved. If lacking bass, experiment moving the speakers closer to the rear wall until an optimal balance is found.
In The News
An excellent all-rounder, this that will give its price rivals sleepless nights. Those carbon-fibre drivers are immediately obvious because they confer a super clean, crisp sound. The new AE500 is fast, engaging and tuneful – yet always smooth and sophisticated too. It is neither a strident and brittle sounding speaker or an over-smooth, laconic lounge lizard. Instead, the designers have voiced it just right.
At this precise moment, the new Acoustic Energy AE500 is the best all-round standmount loudspeaker that I have heard at this price point. It does so much so well yet is largely free of vices, so it's really hard to say anything against it. If you're in the market for a great affordable small speaker, then it's here right in front of you. StereoNet
Our Take
If you like the AE300's but are after the next step up the AE500's could be the speaker for you. They take everything that makes the AE300 so desirable and ratchets them up to add a further level of refinement, dynamics, bass extension & vocal realness. They're still not expensive for the quality on offer at right around two grand.
With a good source and amp (think Cambridge Audio CXN V2 Streamer paired with a Cambridge Audio CXA61 Amp) they will give real musical enjoyment. And that's a cracking system for under $6K. We generally have the AE500 on demonstration so please, if you're interested, make the time to stop by our comfortable Ringwood showrooms for a listen to some of your favourite tunes.
Main Features & Specifications
- Design: 2 way 2 driver Bookshelf speaker
- Mid/Bass Driver: 5" (125mm) carbon fibre cone
- Tweeter: 1" (25mm) carbon fibre dome
- Frequency Range: 45Hz -28kHz
- Sensitivity: 87dB
- Peak SBL: 113dB
- Power Handling: 120 Watts
- Crossover Frequency: 2.8kHz
- Impedance: 6 Ohms
- Finishes: Piano Gloss White, Piano Gloss Black and Real American Walnut wood veneer
- Dimensions (WxHxD): 185 x 310 x 260mm
- Weight: 8kg (each)
- Manufacturer's Warranty: 5 Years
Note: Features & Specifications Subject To Change Without Notice. E&OE