In this review, we will be comparing AE320 and R-610F, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Acoustic Energy and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of AE320 and Klipsch R-610F first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
AE320 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1.1" dome with waveguide Tweeter
- 5.2" Midrange
- 2 x 5.2" ceramic aluminium sandwich Woofer
- 35Hz - 30kHz Frequency Response
- 90 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:up to 200watts
- Weight:26.00kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1000.0" x 6.9" x 10.2"( 1000.0 x 175.0 x 260.0mm )
Klipsch R-610F Key Specs
- 2-way Design
- 1.0" Tweeter
- 6.5" Copper-spun IMG Woofer
- 45-21k Hz Frequency Response
- 94 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:up to 85watts
- Weight:16.36kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 942.0" x 9-3/8" x 14-1/2"( 942.0 x 239.0 x 369.0mm )
What size room are the AE320 and Klipsch R-610F 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* |
AE320 |
Klipsch R-610F |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
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.)
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the AE320 and Klipsch R-610F 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 AE320 is a 3-way design whereas the R-610F 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 |
AE320 |
Klipsch R-610F |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1.0-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.2-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.2-inch
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
AE320 features a 1.1" aluminium dome with waveguide Tweeter , a 5.2" Midrange and 2 x 5.2" ceramic aluminium sandwich Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 380Hz and 3400Hz. On the other hand, the R-610F features a 1.0" Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" Copper-spun IMG Woofer .
Frequency Response
AE320 has a frequency range of 35Hz - 30kHz whereas R-610F has a frequency range of 45-21k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the AE320 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the R-610F's min frequency of 45Hz.
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
AE320 and R-610F have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. AE320 sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the R-610F's is at 94 dB. This 4 dB difference makes the Klipsch R-610F a more sensitive speaker compared to AE320, 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.
AE320 can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS from the amp the whereas R-610F has a max power handling value of 85 watts RMS, 115 watts less than the AE320.
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 AE320 and R-610F 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 AE320's and Klipsch R-610F's external dimensions. AE320 has external dimensions of 1000.0 x 175.0 x 260.0mm ( 39.4 x 6.9 x 10.2inch) whereas Klipsch R-610F has external dimensions of 942.0 x 239.0 x 369.0mm ( 37-1/16 x 9-3/8 x 14-1/2inch) .
AE320 is 64mm narrower and 109mm less deeper than Klipsch R-610F but it is also 58mm 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 AE320 is approximately 455.0cm2 / 70.5inch2 and base area of the Klipsch R-610F is approximately 881.9cm2 / 136.7inch2. The AE320 requires 48% less surface area than the R-610F which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.