In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by Acoustic Energy. Acoustic Energy AE500 Mark II is a Bookshelf speaker whereas the AE509 Mark II is a Floor-standing speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of AE500 Mark II and AE509 Mark II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | AE500 Mark II | AE509 Mark II |
|---|
| 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 | 5" carbon fibre cone | 2 x 5" carbon fibre cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 45-26k Hz | 32-28k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | up to 120 watts | up to 175 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 7.50kg / 16.5lbs | 19.00kg / 41.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 12.2" x 7.3" x 10.6"
310.0 x 185.0 x 270.0mm | 39.4" x 7.3" x 10.6"
1000.0 x 185.0 x 270.0mm |
|---|
AE500 Mark II and AE509 Mark II are members of Acoustic Energy's AE500 Mark II series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
What size room are the AE500 Mark II and AE509 Mark II 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* |
AE500 Mark II |
AE509 Mark II |
| Near-field |
Average |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Good |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Bad |
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 AE500 Mark II and AE509 Mark II are 2-way speakers.
AE500 Mark IIAE509 Mark II
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
AE500 Mark II |
AE509 Mark II |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1.1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5-inch
|
2 x 5-inch
|
AE500 Mark II features a 1.1" soft dome Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" carbon fibre cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3.2kHz. On the other hand, the AE509 Mark II features a 1.1" soft dome Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5" carbon fibre cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3.4kHz.
Frequency Response
AE500 Mark II has a frequency range of 45-26k Hz whereas AE509 Mark II has a frequency range of 32-28k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 32Hz, the AE509 Mark II can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the AE500 Mark II's min frequency of 45Hz.
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
AE500 Mark II and AE509 Mark II have the same Impedance of 8 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. AE500 Mark II sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the AE509 Mark II's is at 89 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the AE509 Mark II a more sensitive speaker compared to AE500 Mark II, 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.
AE509 Mark II can handle a max power of 175 watts RMS, whereas AE500 Mark II has a max power handling value of 120 watts RMS, 55 watts less than the AE509 Mark II.
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 AE500 Mark II's and AE509 Mark II's external dimensions. AE500 Mark II has external dimensions of 310.0 x 185.0 x 270.0mm (12.2 x 7.3 x 10.6inch) whereas AE509 Mark II has external dimensions of 1000.0 x 185.0 x 270.0mm (39.4 x 7.3 x 10.6inch).
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.
Near-identical footprints. AE509 Mark II is 690mm 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 AE500 Mark II is approximately 499.5cm2 / 77.4inch2 and base area of the AE509 Mark II is approximately 499.5cm2 / 77.4inch2.