In this review, we will be comparing AE309 and RTi A5, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Acoustic Energy and Polk Audio. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of AE309 and Polk RTi A5 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the AE309 and Polk RTi A5 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 AE309 and Polk RTi A5 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
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that AE309 is a 3-way design whereas the RTi A5 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.
| Driver |
AE309 |
Polk RTi A5 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.2-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.2-inch
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
AE309 features a 1.1" aluminium dome with waveguide Tweeter , a 5.2" Midrange and 1 x 5.2" ceramic aluminium sandwich Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 296Hz and 2560Hz. On the other hand, the RTi A5 features a 1" Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Polymer composite Woofer .
Frequency Response
AE309 has a frequency range of 38Hz - 30kHz whereas RTi A5 has a frequency range of 40-26k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 38Hz, the AE309 can go slightly deeper then the RTi A5's min frequency of 40Hz.
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 Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing 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
AE309 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the RTi A5 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. AE309 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the RTi A5's is rated at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Polk RTi A5 a more sensitive speaker compared to AE309, 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. 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.
AE309 can handle a max power of 250 watts RMS from the amp the whereas AE309 has a max power handling value of 175 watts RMS , 75 watts less than the RTi A5.
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
AE309 has a rear firing port whereas RTi A5 has a front firing ports. Polk RTi A5's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to AE309 with its rear-firing port.
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 AE309's and Polk RTi A5's external dimensions. AE309 has external dimensions of 900.0 x 175.0 x 260.0mm ( 35.4 x 6.9 x 10.2inch) whereas Polk RTi A5 has external dimensions of 1007.0 x 269.0 x 404.0mm ( 39-5/8 x 10-9/16 x 15-7/8inch) .
Polk RTi A5 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 94mm wider, 107mm taller and 144mm deeper than AE309.
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 AE309 is approximately 455.0cm2 / 70.5inch2 and base area of the Polk RTi A5 is approximately 1086.8cm2 / 168.5inch2. The AE309 requires 58% less surface area than the RTi A5 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 AE309 weighs 22.00kg / 48.4lbs and the Polk RTi A5 weighs 18.18kg / 40lbs. This makes the AE309 21% heavier than the RTi A5.
Here is a comparison of how AE309 and RTi A5'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 Polk RTi A5?
Here are the items that come with the RTi A5:
Cherry floor-standing speakerDetachable black cloth grille4 Screw-on spike feetOwners ManualOnline registration sheetPolk Audio product brochure
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Low Frequency Response |
38 Hz
vs
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
26k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
900mm
vs
1007mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
455cm2 (175x260mm)
vs
1086cm2 (269x404mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
250 watts
vs
175 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
89 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 |
| Number of Woofers |
2
vs
1
|
More woofers |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
| General |
Acoustic Energy AE309 |
Polk Audio RTi A5 |
| Brand |
Acoustic Energy |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
up to 175 watts |
20-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
38Hz - 30kHz |
40-26k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
5.2" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
ceramic aluminium sandwich |
Polymer composite |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Butyl Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
dome with waveguide |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.2" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
296Hz and 2560Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
900.0mm (35.4") |
1007.0mm (39.6") |
| Width |
175.0mm (6.9") |
269.0mm (10.6") |
| Depth |
260.0mm (10.2") |
404.0mm (15.9") |
| Weight |
22.00kg (48.4lbs) |
18.18kg (40lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
high density MDF |
Real wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Piano Gloss White, Piano Gloss Black, Real Walnut wood veneer |
Cherry |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
n/a |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |