Acoustic Energy AE1 User Manual

OWNERS MANUAL

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INTRODUCTION

WHAT IS AN ACTIVE SPEAKER?

Thank you for purchasing the Acoustic Energy AE1 Active loudspeaker. ‘AE1’ is more than
a model number for Acoustic Energy. Our rst ever speaker wore the AE1 name and ever
since then, we have had a speaker in the range that is so called. The AE1 Active is the latest
speaker to wear the badge and takes the name in a dierent direction to its predecessors
while still embodying the traits and qualities that have made them so highly regarded.

This manual is intended to be a source of information about the speakers themselves and the
materials they are supplied with, oer some advice and hints about setting them up for the best
possible performance and provide some suggestions in the unlikely event you experience any
problems with the product. Please retain this document and all packaging for future use.

CONTENTS OF PACKAGING

The AE1 Active loudspeaker box contains the following items:

2 AE1 Active loudspeakers in transit bags
2 speaker grilles
2 IEC mains leads for mains connection
2 RCA interconnects (3 metre) for audio connection
8 isolating foam feet
1 pair of handling gloves
1 instruction manual
1 certicate of authenticity

The AE1 Active diers from preceding AE1 models due to it being an active design but what
does this actually mean? An active speaker is a design where the amplication that provides the
power for the drivers is placed after the crossover - the device that determines what frequencies
are sent to what driver. By doing this, only the frequencies relevant to that particular drive unit
are amplied by an amplier that has been congured exactly for that task. The result is a speaker
that solves the balancing act of amplier, crossover and driver at the design stage without any
trial and error on the part of the owner and oers higher performance than a passive speaker of
the same basic size and design.

The AE1 Active combines the amplier and drivers into a single enclosure which has further
benets in terms of space eciency and packaging. The drivers have received no less attention.
The AE1 Active includes an all new Wide Dispersion Technology (WDT) tweeter. This incorporates
a waveguide into the tweeter surround that ensures that the tweeter interacts more eectively
with the room it is in. Higher frequency coverage is wider than it would otherwise be without
the waveguide while lower frequencies are narrowed at the same time. This is called constant
directivity and is something Acoustic Energy has been working on over the course of many years.
The result is that more of these frequencies reach the listener’s ear directly rather than reected
o other surfaces which increases eciency and reduces distortion.

The mid bass driver is no less sophisticated and builds on the vast experience that Acoustic
Energy has with metal drivers to create a driver that has extraordinary impact but not at the
expense of the transient speed and tonal accuracy required of a truly high performance
loudspeaker. The bass response of the AE1 Active is enhanced by the latest version of the
slotted bass port used on a number of our speakers. The slotted prole allows for a large surface
area that does not take up too much space on the speaker and also reduces the audibility of the
air passing through it.

If any of these items are not present, it would be best to immediately contact your dealer.

1

PIN 1 = GROUND
PIN 2 = + INPUT
PIN 3 = - INPUT

SIGNAL INPUT EQ

dB

+2

0

-2

-2 +2

AE1

dB

+2

0

-2

CAUTION

RISK OF ELECTRIC SHOCK

DO NOT OPEN

WARNING: SHOCK HAZARD - DO NOT OPEN

AVIS: RISQUE DE CHOC ELECTRIQUE

- NE PAS OUVRIR

CAUTION: TO REDUCE THE RISK OF FIRE,

REPLACE WITH ONLY THE SAME

TYPE AND RATING OF FUSE.

MODEL: AE1 ACTIVE

AMPLIFIED 2-WAY LOUDSPEAKER SYSTEM
FEATURING 2 X 50 WATT (RMS) CLASS A/B

AMPLIFIERS PER LOUDSPEAKER

DESIGNED, ENGINEERED, TESTED

& QUALITY CONTROL CHECKED BY

ACOUSTIC ENERGY LTD

IN CIRENCESTER, ENGLAND

ASSEMBLED IN PRC

SERIAL NUMBER

2

0

BASS TREBLE

+2

0

-2

+2

0

-2

0

-2 +2

230v

REAR CONNECTIONS AND CONTROLS

INPUTS

1

The AE1 Active has the option of receiving an audio signal on either an RCA or Balanced XLR
input. The speakers are supplied with RCA cabling that should allow for their connection in most
situations but some devices oer XLR outputs which are technically superior, so the AE1 Active
has been equipped accordingly. For very long runs of cable, it is frequently better to use the XLR
connection if you have the means to do so as this type of cabling is better suited to long
transmission lengths.

Please note that any XLR cable used must correspond to the wiring of the connection on the AE1
Active, as marked on the rear panel.

Do not connect both inputs at the same time as this risks damage to the loudspeaker.

2

3

BASS AND TREBLE CONTROLS

The AE1 Active has a pair of adjustable controls for bass and treble. These allow for you to alter
the response of the speaker in your room for best results.

The bass control adjusts between -2 and +2dB and is designed to help the speaker work more
eectively relative to rear walls. If the speaker is close to a wall, the bass response will increase as
a natural function of energy reected o the wall and you can reduce the bass output to bring it

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back in line with the treble output.

The treble control adjusts between -2 and +2dB and is designed to help tailor the output of the
AE1 Active depending on the furnishings of the room it is placed in. In a room with little in the

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way of furniture and bare walls, you may nd that you need to reduce the treble output for an
even response in room. Conversely, in very large or heavily furnished rooms, you may nd that
the speakers benet from a boost to the treble output.

There are no right and wrong actions to the use of these controls and we would recommend

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you experiment and see what works best for you. As a fully active loudspeaker design, these
trim controls have no detrimental eect on the sound quality.

Rear connections and controls, refer to numbers and instructions opposite