In this review, we will be comparing two different type of speakers by Acoustic Energy. Acoustic Energy AE100 Mark II is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the AE107 MII is a Center Channel speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of AE100 Mark II and AE107 Mark II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
AE100 MII and AE107 MII are members of Acoustic Energy's AE100 series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
What size room are the AE100 Mark II and AE107 Mark II speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size and max power parameters:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the AE100 Mark II and AE107 Mark II compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
Both AE100 MII and AE107 MII are 2-way speakers.
Driver |
AE100 Mark II |
AE107 Mark II |
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
Woofer
|
1 x 5.2-inch
|
2 x 5.2-inch
|
AE100 MII features a 1" fabric soft dome with waveguide Tweeter and 1 x 5.2" paper cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2900Hz. On the other hand, the AE107 MII features a 1" fabric soft dome with waveguide Tweeter and 2 x 5.2" paper cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2200Hz.
Frequency Response
AE100 MII has a frequency range of 51Hz - 26kHz whereas AE107 MII has a frequency range of 55Hz - 26kHz. With a minimum frequency of 51Hz, the AE100 MII can go slightly deeper then the AE107 MII's min frequency of 55Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
AE100 MII and AE107 MII have the same Impedance of 6 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. AE100 MII sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the AE107 MII's is at 90 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the AE107 Mark II a more sensitive speaker compared to AE100 Mark II, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
AE100 MII can handle a max power of 175 watts RMS from the amp the whereas AE100 MII has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS , 55 watts less than the AE107 MII.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both AE100 MII and AE107 MII have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare AE100 Mark II's and AE107 Mark II's external dimensions. AE100 Mark II has external dimensions of 290.0 x 165.0 x 250.0mm ( 11.4 x 6.5 x 9.8inch) whereas AE107 Mark II has external dimensions of 175.0 x 380.0 x 250.0mm ( 6.9 x 15 x 9.8inch) .
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the AE100 Mark II is approximately 412.5cm2 / 63.9inch2 and base area of the AE107 Mark II is approximately 950.0cm2 / 147.3inch2. The AE100 MII requires 57% less surface area than the AE107 MII which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.