In this review, we will be comparing AE120 MII and Concord, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Acoustic Energy and KLH.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of AE120 Mark II and KLH Concord first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | AE120 Mark II | KLH Concord |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" dome with waveguide | 1" |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.2" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.2" paper cone | 2 x 6.5" Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 39Hz - 26kHz | 28-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 94 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 200 watts | up to 225 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 19.00kg / 41.8lbs | 20.45kg / 45lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 37.4" x 6.5" x 9.8"
950.0 x 165.0 x 250.0mm | 40-3/8" x 8-5/16" x 14-15/16"
1026.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that AE120 MII is a 3-way design whereas the Concord is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
AE120 Mark IIKLH Concord
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
AE120 Mark II |
KLH Concord |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.2-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.2-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
AE120 MII features a 1" fabric dome with waveguide Tweeter, a 5.2" Midrange and 2 x 5.2" paper cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 300Hz and 2.7kHz. On the other hand, the Concord features a 1" anodized aluminum Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Kevlar Woofer.
Frequency Response
AE120 MII has a frequency range of 39Hz - 26kHz whereas Concord has a frequency range of 28-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 28Hz, the Concord can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the AE120 MII's min frequency of 39Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
AE120 MII is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the Concord which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. AE120 MII sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Concord's is rated at 94 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the KLH Concord a more sensitive speaker compared to AE120 Mark II, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Concord can handle a max power of 225 watts RMS, whereas AE120 MII has a max power handling value of 200 watts RMS, 25 watts less than the Concord.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier — change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare AE120 Mark II's and KLH Concord's external dimensions. AE120 Mark II has external dimensions of 950.0 x 165.0 x 250.0mm (37.4 x 6.5 x 9.8inch) whereas KLH Concord has external dimensions of 1026.0 x 212.0 x 380.0mm (40-3/8 x 8-5/16 x 14-15/16inch).
KLH Concord is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 47mm wider, 76mm taller and 130mm deeper than AE120 Mark II.
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 AE120 Mark II is approximately 412.5cm2 / 63.9inch2 and base area of the KLH Concord is approximately 805.6cm2 / 124.9inch2. The AE120 MII requires 49% less surface area than the Concord which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The AE120 Mark II weighs 19.00kg / 41.8lbs and the KLH Concord weighs 20.45kg / 45lbs. This makes the Concord 8% heavier than the AE120 MII.
Here is a comparison of how AE120 MII and Concord's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of KLH Concord?
Here are the items that come with the Concord:
- Floorstanding loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Spike feet (w/ locking nut attached)
- 4 Protective discs
- 4 Rubber feet
- Port plug
- Manual
- ATTENTION! note
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 High Frequency Response |
26k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
950mm
vs
1026mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
412cm2
vs
805cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
225 watts
vs
200 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
94 dB
vs
90 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
6.5 inches
vs
5.2 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
28 Hz
vs
39 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Price per pair* |
1000USD
vs
1499USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Acoustic Energy AE120 Mark II |
KLH Concord |
| Brand |
Acoustic Energy |
KLH |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 200 watts |
up to 225 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
94 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
39Hz - 26kHz |
28-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.2" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
paper cone |
Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Butyl Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
dome with waveguide |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.2" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
300Hz and 2.7kHz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
950.0mm (37.4") |
1026.0mm (40.4") |
| Width |
165.0mm (6.5") |
212.0mm (8.3") |
| Depth |
250.0mm (9.8") |
380.0mm (15") |
| Weight |
19.00kg (41.8lbs) |
20.45kg (45lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
HDF |
MDF/Wood-grain vinyl |
| Available Colors |
Walnut, Satin Black |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
10 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
10 Years |
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass |
B |
KLH Concord digs deeper - 28Hz against 39Hz. |
| Amplifier needs |
B |
KLH Concord is more sensitive (94dB vs 90dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match |
B |
KLH Concord is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom |
evenly matched |
Similar power handling (200W vs 225W). |
| Size |
depends |
AE120 Mark II is easier to place; KLH Concord is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price |
B |
KLH Concord is cheaper - $1,000 against $1,499, about 33% less. |
A AE120 Mark II
B KLH Concord
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement or how you will use them.
Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
KLH Concord is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take AE120 Mark II if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 39Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, KLH Concord has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, AE120 Mark II is the easier speaker to get right.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.