In this review, we will be comparing AE2 40th Anniversary and AE1 40th Anniversary, two Passive Bookshelf speakers by Acoustic Energy.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary and Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary | Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary |
|---|
| Brand | Acoustic Energy
United Kingdom · founded 1987 | Acoustic Energy
United Kingdom · founded 1987 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Dome | 1.1" Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5" ceramic-coated aluminium | 5" ceramic-coated aluminium |
|---|
| Frequency response | 35-45k Hz | 50-45k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 88 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 200 watts | up to 150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 14.50kg / 31.9lbs | 7.00kg / 15.4lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 15.2" x 9.3" x 12.4"
385.0 x 235.0 x 315.0mm | 11.6" x 7.1" x 9.4"
295.0 x 180.0 x 240.0mm |
|---|
AE2 40th Anniversary and AE1 40th Anniversary are members of Acoustic Energy's 40th Anniversary series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
Acoustic Energy 40th Anniversary Series
History
What size room are the Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary and Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary 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:
| Listening Environment* |
Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary |
Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Average |
| Small Room |
Average |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Bad |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both AE2 40th Anniversary and AE1 40th Anniversary are 2-way speakers.
Acoustic Energy AE2 40th AnniversaryAcoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary |
Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1.1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5-inch
|
1 x 5-inch
|
AE2 40th Anniversary features a 1.1" aluminium Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5" ceramic-coated aluminium Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2200Hz. On the other hand, the AE1 40th Anniversary features a 1.1" aluminium Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" ceramic-coated aluminium Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2800Hz.
Frequency Response
AE2 40th Anniversary has a frequency range of 35-45k Hz whereas AE1 40th Anniversary has a frequency range of 50-45k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the AE2 40th Anniversary can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the AE1 40th Anniversary's min frequency of 50Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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
AE2 40th Anniversary and AE1 40th Anniversary have the same Impedance of 6 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. AE2 40th Anniversary sensitivity is rated at 88 dB and the AE1 40th Anniversary's is at 87 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary a more sensitive speaker compared to Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary, 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. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
AE2 40th Anniversary can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas AE1 40th Anniversary has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the AE2 40th Anniversary.
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.
Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary
Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both AE2 40th Anniversary and AE1 40th Anniversary have front firing ports. front ported speakers offers more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls&surfaces compared to rear ported speakers.
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 Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary's and Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary's external dimensions. Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary has external dimensions of 385.0 x 235.0 x 315.0mm (15.2 x 9.3 x 12.4inch) whereas Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary has external dimensions of 295.0 x 180.0 x 240.0mm (11.6 x 7.1 x 9.4inch).
Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 55mm wider, 90mm taller and 75mm deeper than Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary needs about 71% more floor or shelf area. Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary is 75mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary is 90mm taller.
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 Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary is approximately 740.3cm2 / 114.7inch2 and base area of the Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary is approximately 432.0cm2 / 67.0inch2. The AE2 40th Anniversary requires 71% more surface area than the AE1 40th Anniversary which gives it a small disadvantage 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 Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary weighs 14.50kg / 31.9lbs and the Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary weighs 7.00kg / 15.4lbs. This makes the AE2 40th Anniversary 107% heavier than the AE1 40th Anniversary.
Here is a comparison of how AE2 40th Anniversary and AE1 40th Anniversary's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary
Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary
 Max Input Power |
200 watts
vs
150 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
88 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
35 Hz
vs
50 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
295mm
vs
385mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
432cm2
vs
740cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
1999USD
vs
3699USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary |
Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary |
| Brand |
Acoustic Energy |
Acoustic Energy |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
up to 200 watts |
up to 150 watts |
| Sensitivity |
88 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
35-45k Hz |
50-45k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
5" |
| Woofer Composition |
ceramic-coated aluminium |
ceramic-coated aluminium |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1.1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2200Hz |
2800Hz |
| Firing Direction |
front |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
385.0mm (15.2") |
295.0mm (11.6") |
| Width |
235.0mm (9.3") |
180.0mm (7.1") |
| Depth |
315.0mm (12.4") |
240.0mm (9.4") |
| Weight |
14.50kg (31.9lbs) |
7.00kg (15.4lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
RSC constrained-layer HDF/bitumen, ten-coat high gloss |
RSC constrained-layer HDF/bitumen, ten-coat high gloss |
| Available Colors |
High Gloss Walnut,High Gloss Black |
High Gloss Walnut,High Gloss Black |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
No |
n/a |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
|
| Labor Warranty |
|
|
Siblings in Acoustic Energy's 40th Anniversary series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary digs deeper - 35Hz against 50Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (88dB vs 87dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | A | Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary takes more power (200W vs 150W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size | depends | Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary is easier to place; Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | B | Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary is cheaper - $1,999 against $3,699, about 46% less; arguably a different class. |
A Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary B Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system 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?
The usual trade-off: Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary measures better, Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary costs about about 85% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 50Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate Acoustic Energy AE2 40th Anniversary the better fit for a mid-size room, a large room and a very large room, and Acoustic Energy AE1 40th Anniversary for near-field listening and a small room.
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.