In this review, we will be comparing AE307 and SS-CS8, two Passive Center Channel speakers from Acoustic Energy and Sony.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of AE307 and Sony SS-CS8 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | AE307 | Sony SS-CS8 |
|---|
| Brand | Acoustic Energy
United Kingdom · founded 1987 | Sony
Japan · founded 1946 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" dome with waveguide | 1" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.2" ceramic aluminium sandwich | 2 x 4" Mica Reinforced Cellular (MRC) |
|---|
| Frequency response | 42Hz - 30kHz | 55-25k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 86 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 175 watts | up to 145 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 9.00kg / 19.8lbs | 5.00kg / 11lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 6.9" x 18.1" x 10.2"
175.0 x 460.0 x 260.0mm | 5.75" x 16.93" x 8.66"
146.0 x 430.0 x 220.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the AE307 and Sony SS-CS8 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* |
AE307 |
Sony SS-CS8 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
(* 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 AE307 and SS-CS8 are 2-way speakers.
AE307Sony SS-CS8
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
AE307 |
Sony SS-CS8 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.2-inch
|
2 x 4-inch
|
AE307 features a 1.1" aluminium dome with waveguide Tweeter and 2 x 5.2" ceramic aluminium sandwich Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2560Hz. On the other hand, the SS-CS8 features a 1" polyester fiber Soft-Dome Tweeter and 2 x 4" Mica Reinforced Cellular (MRC) Woofer.
Frequency Response
AE307 has a frequency range of 42Hz - 30kHz whereas SS-CS8 has a frequency range of 55-25k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 42Hz, the AE307 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the SS-CS8's min frequency of 55Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Center Channel class in our database.
Low Frequency
Center Channel 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
AE307 and SS-CS8 have the same Impedance of 6 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. AE307 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the SS-CS8's is at 86 dB. This 3 dB difference makes the AE307 a more sensitive speaker compared to Sony SS-CS8, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Center Channel 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.
AE307 can handle a max power of 175 watts RMS, whereas SS-CS8 has a max power handling value of 145 watts RMS, 30 watts less than the AE307.
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.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both AE307 and SS-CS8 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
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 AE307's and Sony SS-CS8's external dimensions. AE307 has external dimensions of 175.0 x 460.0 x 260.0mm (6.9 x 18.1 x 10.2inch) whereas Sony SS-CS8 has external dimensions of 146.0 x 430.0 x 220.0mm (5.75 x 16.93 x 8.66inch).
AE307 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 30mm wider, 29mm taller and 40mm deeper than Sony SS-CS8.
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.
AE307 needs about 26% more floor or shelf area. AE307 is 40mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. AE307 is 29mm 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 AE307 is approximately 1196.0cm2 / 185.4inch2 and base area of the Sony SS-CS8 is approximately 946.0cm2 / 146.6inch2. The AE307 requires 26% more surface area than the SS-CS8 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 AE307 weighs 9.00kg / 19.8lbs and the Sony SS-CS8 weighs 5.00kg / 11lbs. This makes the AE307 80% heavier than the SS-CS8.
Here is a comparison of how AE307 and SS-CS8's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Center Channel class.
Weight
All Center Channel Speakers
 Max Input Power |
175 watts
vs
145 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
86 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Woofer Size |
5.2 inches
vs
4 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
42 Hz
vs
55 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
25k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
146mm
vs
175mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
946cm2
vs
1196cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
169USD
vs
799USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Acoustic Energy AE307 |
Sony SS-CS8 |
| Brand |
Acoustic Energy |
Sony |
| Speaker Type |
Center channel speaker |
Center Channel |
| Power Range |
up to 175 watts |
up to 145 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
86 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
42Hz - 30kHz |
55-25k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.2" |
4" |
| Woofer Composition |
ceramic aluminium sandwich |
Mica Reinforced Cellular (MRC) |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
dome with waveguide |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
2560Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
175.0mm (6.9") |
146.0mm (5.7") |
| Width |
460.0mm (18.1") |
430.0mm (16.9") |
| Depth |
260.0mm (10.2") |
220.0mm (8.7") |
| Weight |
9.00kg (19.8lbs) |
5.00kg (11lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
high density MDF |
MDF/Wood-veneer |
| Available Colors |
Piano Gloss White, Piano Gloss Black, Real Walnut wood veneer |
Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
2 years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
2 years |
These sit in different price classes - AE307 costs roughly 4.7x what Sony SS-CS8 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | AE307 digs deeper - 42Hz against 55Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | A | AE307 is more sensitive (89dB vs 86dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (175W vs 145W). |
| Size | depends | Sony SS-CS8 is easier to place; AE307 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | B | Sony SS-CS8 is cheaper - $169 against $799, about 79% less; arguably a different class. |
A AE307 B Sony SS-CS8
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: AE307 measures better, Sony SS-CS8 costs about about 4.7x the price% 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 55Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Sony SS-CS8 much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, AE307 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Sony SS-CS8 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.