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First released in 1987, these new-age bookshelf speakers aim to recapture the original’s magical sound.
To celebrate its 40th anniversary, Acoustic Energy is releasing a reimagined version of its original loudspeaker, the AE1, which was first released in 1987 and produced until 2016, when it was ultimately discontinued.
This new “40th Anniversary Edition” version of the AE1 remains faithful to the original in both sound and aesthetics. It’s still a two-way passive bookshelf speaker designed to deliver dynamic audiophile-grade sound.
However, due to none of the original parts still being produced, the famed British audio manufacturer has been forced to basically redesign the loudspeaker from the ground up.
According to the press release, this 40th Anniversary Edition of the AE1 is “a faithful evolution, not a simple reissue.”
Acoustic Energy AE1 (40th Anniversary Edition)
Faithful design
Acoustic Energy’s design and engineering teams went to great lengths to keep this new version faithful to the old. Each element was crafted to sound the same as the old, while some of the “rougher edges were smoothed off.
“With the sound of this speaker and its reputation for very high performance already well established,” reads Acoustic Energy’s press release. “There was no room for wild variation from the original design.”
New, larger tweeter
That said, Acoustic Energy has used this new version as an opportunity to upgrade the original AE1 loudspeaker, too.
The 40th Anniversary Edition model features a completely new tweeter design that was developed specifically to match the performance of the original. It features a larger 29mm voice coil and a large rear chamber to keep the resonance low and help absorb rear energy.
Like the original, the brand says the tweeter is ferrofluid cooled and damped to “give greater power handling, dynamics and lower thermal compression.”
New-age woofer
The special-edition AE1 loudspeaker has a new woofer, too, which was also developed to specifically match the characteristic sound of the original.
The new cone is slightly larger, conforming to modern 125mm woofer standards, whilst the greater radiating area offers “slightly higher efficiency, lower distortion and the ability to move more air.”
This cone design is similar to the original’s loudspeakers’ woofer and, just like the original, has been designed to produce “a very natural midrange, great power handling and dynamics for its size.”
The brand says it has afforded itself one modern improvement. It has added an aluminium shorting ring to the woofer, which it says should dramatically reduce distortion “caused by motional variation in the voice coil’s inductance.”
Luxurious cabinet
The cabinet has been designed and tuned to match the original AE1, as well, but it also features some modern upgrades. For example, it features the same RSC material — which increases stiffness — that Acoustic Energy uses in its newer loudspeaker models, including its high-end Corinium line.
The cabinet has a luxury finish that’s coated in ten layers of either high gloss black paint or walnut wood veneer.
Price and availability
The AE1 (40th Anniversary Edition) loudspeakers will be available this October. You can order them in either high-gloss black or walnut veneer.
As for price, a pair will set you back £1499/pair (roughly $2,050/pair).
Acoustic Energy AE1 (40th Anniversary Edition)
By Tucker Bowe
About the Author:
Tucker Bowe has been on Gear Patrol’s editorial team since 2014. As a Tech Staff Writer, he tracks everything in the consumer tech space, from headphones to smartphones, wearables to home theater systems. If it lights up or makes noise, he probably covers it.