Acoustic Energy Launches AE520 500-Series Flagship Loudspeaker
UK loudspeaker firm Acoustic Energy has released its new AE520 stereo loudspeaker, the flagship of its 500 Series.
The Acoustic Energy AE520 loudspeakers (£3,500) are tall, slender, floor-standing speakers featuring carbon fibre cones or domes in all the drivers. Of which there are plenty. A 25mm carbon fibre dome tweeter handles frequencies above 2,800 hertz. It is fitted with a waveguide “for optimum dispersion”.
Above and below the tweeter are 125mm carbon fibre cone midrange drivers. They cover the range from an unusually specific 373 hertz up to 2,800 hertz. Bass is delivered by three more 125mm carbon fibre cone drivers, stacked in a column in the lower half of the speaker baffle.
Acoustic Energy says that these drivers each feature an oversized 35mm voice coil to ensure low thermal compression and a very high motor force. The two midrange drivers each has its own sealed enclosure for acoustic isolation from the bass drivers. They, in turn, are bass reflect loaded, via a rear port.
There are two PCB boards for the crossover in each speaker, with the components for the low-frequency section on a separate board. This is intended to minimise crosstalk between components. The inductors are all air-cored for low distortion.
The enclosure is only 185mm wide, but an imposing 1,130mm tall and 320mm deep. The cabinets are very heavily constructed – each loudspeaker weighs 30 kilograms – with Acoustic Energy’s Resonance Suppression Composite material. This consists of a 9mm MDF outer wall and a 6mm MDF inner wall, both bonded to the 3mm bitumen layer between them. The design is said to be acoustically inert. They stand on spike-fitted solid aluminium bars.
Acoustic Energy states the frequency response of the AE520 loudspeakers as 30 to 28,000 hertz ±6dB, their sensitivity at 90dB (presumably for 2.83 volts input, measured at one metre), their power handling at a daunting 300 watts and their nominal impedance at 6 ohms. It also says that they can produce peak output levels of 113dB.
The speakers are available in Gloss Black, Piano Gloss White and American Walnut finishes.
The Acoustic Energy AE520 loudspeakers are available from September with an SRP of £3,500 per pair.
For more information or to find your nearest retailer, visit Acoustic Energy.
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Marc Rushton
StereoNET’s Founder and Publisher was born in England and raised on British Hi-Fi before moving to Australia. He developed an early love of music and playing bass guitar before discovering the studio and the other side of the mixing desk. After writing for print magazines, Marc saw the future in digital publishing and founded the first version of StereoNET in 1999.
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