Acoustic Energy AE1 MKIII | Bookshelf Speakers

The original Acoustic Energy AE1 bookshelf speaker was introduced in the late 1980s to wide critical acclaim. The Acoustic Energy AE1 is now seen as a classic from both pro-audio and audiophile enthusiasts - its performance far exceeding expectations, for size and price. A Mark II version followed in the early 1990s and more recently three years of painstaking research and development has resulted in the AE1 MkIII.

Incredibly, the MkIII bookshelf speaker improves on what is widely considered to be perfection, with even finer sensitivity, improved vocal articulation, better transparency and increased acoustic bandwidth. Add to this a brand new enclosure design, anti-vibration driver baffle platform and new high and low frequency drive units built to AE design, and the AE1 MkIII is set for world acclaim yet again.

For the design of the new AE1 in MKIII guise, the following objectives were established;

• Raise sensitivity
• Lower overall distortion
• Improve enclosure design and reduce coloration
• Develop a new 120mm frame low frequency driver featuring a curvilinear ceramic coated alloy cone, an open die-cast chassis with a high tech. glass
• fibre voice coil former and a low distortion shielded neodymium motor assembly
• Co-develop a new high frequency driver featuring an extended, ultra-linear response, wide bandwidth and again a low distortion neodymium motor assembly
• Specify WBT audiophile grade speaker cable terminations
• Install a 10mm alloy billet as an anti-vibration driver baffle platform
• Laminate the internal walls of the cabinet with anti-resonance steel plating with tensioned steel cross braces
• Design a higher power anti-turbulence bass reflex port and locate to the back panel
• Voice the speaker to a higher level of monitor grade tonal accuracy
• Reduce the perceived coloration to zero level
• Further improve the crossover network design and component performance for greater vocal articulation and improved off axis power uniformity
• Raise transparency and low level resolution
• Improve aesthetics.

The development process was painstaking and in some cases, frustratingly protracted. However, we knew that the AE1 MkIII had to be comprehensively superior to the original and set a world class standard in its category for years to come - again!