Acoustic Energy AE1 Active Loudspeakers: One of the Best Kept Secrets in Audio?

Reading Hi-Fi forums is bad for your health. Both mental and physical. They are to be avoided like political rallies and 2-day old falafel in the West Village. It is where people who have never designed anything in their lives find the courage to tell engineers with decades of experience that their products can’t possibly work or that they don’t sound as good as the product they created in their basement. I’m 100% sure the people who designed the Acoustic Energy AE1 know what they’re doing more than Bob. 

It is where know-it-alls turn friendly discussions about “passive” loudspeakers vs “active” loudspeakers into long-winded political diatribes; eventually pivoting to comments about your obvious ignorance due to your genocidal Zionist upbringing.

That conversation still makes me laugh.

It is precisely that Yiddishe Kop that makes me both practical and able to accept change as it pertains to a lot of things — including new technology.

It is moments like those that make me turn off the computer and raise the volume on the AE1 active loudspeakers. If you’re looking for “powered” loudspeakers that will not be obsolete even in the world of smart and wireless loudspeakers, these really need to be on your audition list.

All active loudspeakers are “powered” by nature (some are even naughty ;-)) but not all powered loudspeaker are active. 

The Acoustic Energy AE1 ($1,590) are active loudspeakers because they feature separate power amplifiers inside each loudspeaker; both the tweeter and midrange driver/woofer have their own amplifiers, active crossovers, and do not require a connection to the other in order to work. 

The AE1 feature 4 x 50 watt/channel class AB power amplifiers and offer no form of DSP. 

You are tied to the sound of the power amplifiers but that’s a very good thing in this case. 

These are not wireless loudspeakers, but they will work quite effectively in the context of a wireless digital streaming system. 

Each loudspeaker has its own volume control (there is no remote) on the real panel of each cabinet; the placement is somewhat awkward so just leave them turned all the way up and forget that they exist. 

It’s fine. 

Each loudspeaker features both single-ended and balanced input jacks. I didn’t find the difference between them enormous but if you have a pre-amplifier, network streamer, or DAC with balanced outputs – try them both and see which one sounds better to your ears. 

You can also trim the treble/bass response by +/- 2dB with switches on the rear panel, which will matter if you decide to set them up on a credenza and close to the wall. 

Acoustic Energy have built a very solid enclosure that is extensively braced and weighs a hefty 20 pounds each. When you pull these from their packaging, you know that you just purchased very well-made loudspeakers. The 12”H x 7”W x 10”D cabinet is deceptively heavy and inert. 

Acoustic Energy offer the AE1 in Piano Black, Piano White, and Piano Walnut. The supplied pair came in Piano Walnut and they are one of the nicest looking loudspeakers I’ve tried in many years.

Sadly, a pair of the matching Piano Walnut stands were not available from the U.S. distributor, so I tried the AE1 on a pair of 24” GHA iron stands and IsoAcoustics loudspeaker Aperta loudspeaker stands on a 30” credenza. 

The 5-inch ceramic aluminum sandwich cone driver is a proprietary design and can handle being driven very hard – something I did quite often. 

I’m more of a soft-dome tweeter guy, but the 1-inch aluminum dome tweeter has excellent extension, detail retrieval, and never sounds too bright; there was zero excessive treble energy.

From a tonal perspective, the AE1 are definitely on the neutral side. Nobody will call them warm sounding. Some people may find them a tad cool for their tastes. 

Which is perfectly fine because you completely change how they sound based on your choice of pre-amp, source, or DAC. 

They are also very dynamic sounding loudspeakers that certainly like to reach out and touch you. 

Bass response is first-rate with these active loudspeakers. Bass is tight, articulate, and I am inclined to believe the quoted 42Hz – 28kHz (+/- 6dB) frequency response. In a very large room, you might want to add a subwoofer, but I was more than satisfied in my office (35’ x 13’ x 9’) listening space.

The bass response in my den listening room (16’ x 13’ x 9’) was excellent with rock, electronica, and jazz recordings. 

We’re Putting the Band Back Together…

So, where things get interesting with the Acoustic Energy AE1 is when you start building a system around them. 

If you’re only interested in a single-source digital system where you will be streaming, there are a few options that make sense but I’m going to make it easy by telling you to buy a Bluesound NODE streamer and control the volume through the app on your phone, tablet, or laptop. 

The tonal balance of the NODE will add a layer of warmth to the sound and it’s hard to beat the functionality of the NODE and access to almost every streaming service available.

The NODE is not as warm sounding as the discontinued Node 2i but it’s one of the best network streamers currently available and you can read more about how it performed in our recent review. Needless to say, the Bluesound NODE will become a permanent part of my AE1 system in January.

Another solid option would be the new Cambridge Audio CXN100 or MXN10; the CXN100 might actually be ideal for those only living in the digital streaming world and whom require a high-end source that will not be obsolete for years to come. The warmer tonal balance and ability to control the volume through the Cambridge streaming app make this a rathe ideal option.

Either wireless streamer gets connected to the AE1 with one pair of interconnects (one cable to each loudspeaker so remember to think about distance from your equipment rack or credenza) and you’re done. 

If you follow the links to the other Audiophile System Builder articles in the series, you can find some other streamers or streamer/DAC combinations that I’ve already tried with the AE1 that work very well. 

If you have more than one source; streaming, CDs, turntable – you will need to invest in a pre-amplifier. 

I have to spend more money? 

WTF Reviewer Guy.

Look at it this way. The AE1 already include 4 excellent sounding solid-state class AB amplifiers so there is a cost savings there. You also don’t require loudspeaker cables. 

You don’t need to go crazy on the pre-amplifier side; I can confidently recommend the Schiit Audio Saga+, Freya+ or even something slightly over the top like the Pro-Ject Pre Box RS2 Digital Preamp w/ DAC & Headphone Amp — which will run you almost $3,000 for a fully balanced tube pre-amplifier/DAC that includes support for up to 32-bit/768kHz files in PCM and DSD formats (up to DSD512) via USB.

Another option would be to find a used vintage McIntosh preamplifier with an internal phono preamp and go that route.

If you are thinking about using only a turntable as a source, the EAR Yoshino PhonoBox (ordered with the preamp option) would be a smart option because it’s a fantastic phono preamp and the warm tonal balance will work perfectly with the AE1 loudspeakers.

The Pro-Ject Debut PRO or Rega Planar 3 turntables would be excellent choices for this type of system, or you could use your existing table if you already have one.

I’m one with the Force. The Force is with me. 

The AE1 connects you to the music. I think that is their greatest strength. 

The first time I played Kraftwerk and Daft Punk through the AE1, I knew that they would not be leaving. They can sound effortless in the manner they present music depending on the recording. 

Pacing is a definite strength; music flows out of these relatively small 2-way loudspeakers with real drama. Drama is probably the wrong word for it – they have presence.

I’m more focused on tone, clarity, and pacing, but I think a lot of listeners will be impressed by their composure as you increase the volume.

The AE1 sound perfectly fine at lower listening levels, and never lose control or sound congested if you raise the volume too high. A lot of high-end loudspeakers in their price range stumble if you drive them hard and with demanding tracks – the AE1 don’t even flinch. 

They won’t rattle the room, but you really feel your heart start to race when the music commands it. 

Do not expect an enormous sounding soundstage, but everything is pretty solid in-between the loudspeakers and vocals can make you sit up and think that you’re not alone in your space. 

Vocals can also be slightly cool sounding if your DAC or pre-amp lean that way; detail might be phenomenal in this scenario, but I wouldn’t trade greater tonal color for it. 

The more I listen to them – the more I feel that I’ve only begun to scratch the surface of their capabilities and that makes them the basis for a fantastic sounding system for the long haul. 

I’m not sure I would throw $5,000 pre-amplifiers and sources at them, but it’s rather evident that they would never be embarrassed in such a scenario. 

There are a number of DACs with their own volume control that could help simplify putting a system together with the Acoustic Energy AE1; Mytek, AudioQuest, NAD, iFi and Pro-Ject Audio Systems all offer components that would work well here. 

Acoustic Energy has done a masterful job with these loudspeakers that have flown under the radar for far too long.

Expect to hear a lot about them because they are becoming a permanent part of my living room system.  

The Pint and Pickled Egg

Acoustic Energy AE1 Active Loudspeakers ($1,590/pair at Sound Seller)

Bluesound NODE Streamer ($499 at Amazon)

Schiit Audio Saga+ ($399 at SchiitAudio.com)

Pro-Ject Audio Systems Debut PRO Turntable ($999 at Crutchfield)

Rega Planar 3 Turntable ($1,395 at Turntable Lab)

Total System Price: $3,487 or $3,883

Related Reading: The $2,500 Audiophile System Builder