In this review, we will be comparing F500S and AE500, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from Fyne Audio and Acoustic Energy.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Fyne Audio F500S and AE500 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Fyne Audio F500S | AE500 |
|---|
| Brand | Fyne Audio
United Kingdom · founded 2017 | Acoustic Energy
United Kingdom · founded 1987 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | — | 1" dome with waveguide |
|---|
| Woofer | 6" | 5" carbon fibre cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 45-34k Hz | 45Hz - 28kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30 - 100 W watts | up to 120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 8.30kg / 18.3lbs | 8.00kg / 17.6lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 12.8" x 8" x 12.5"
325.1 x 203.2 x 317.5mm | 12.2" x 7.3" x 10.2"
310.0 x 185.0 x 260.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Fyne Audio F500S and AE500 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* |
Fyne Audio F500S |
AE500 |
| Near-field |
Good |
Average |
| Small Room |
Good |
Good |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
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 F500S and AE500 are 2-way speakers.
Fyne Audio F500S AE500
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Fyne Audio F500S |
AE500 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
x 6-inch
|
1 x 5-inch
|
F500S features a " Tweeter and x 6" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1700 Hz. On the other hand, the AE500 features a 1" carbon fibre dome with waveguide Tweeter and 1 x 5" carbon fibre cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2800Hz.
Frequency Response
F500S has a frequency range of 45-34k Hz whereas AE500 has a frequency range of 45Hz - 28kHz.
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
F500S is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the AE500 which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. F500S sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the AE500's is rated at 87 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Fyne Audio F500S a more sensitive speaker compared to AE500, 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.
Both handle the same maximum of 100 watts RMS, though F500S is rated 30 - 100 W watts and AE500 up to 120 watts.
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 Fyne Audio F500S's and AE500's external dimensions. Fyne Audio F500S has external dimensions of 325.1 x 203.2 x 317.5mm (12.8 x 8 x 12.5inch) whereas AE500 has external dimensions of 310.0 x 185.0 x 260.0mm (12.2 x 7.3 x 10.2inch).
Fyne Audio F500S is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 18.2mm wider, 15.1mm taller and 57.5mm deeper than AE500.
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.
Fyne Audio F500S needs about 34% more floor or shelf area. Fyne Audio F500S is 58mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Fyne Audio F500S is 15mm 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 Fyne Audio F500S is approximately 645.2cm2 / 100.0inch2 and base area of the AE500 is approximately 481.0cm2 / 74.6inch2. The F500S requires 34% more surface area than the AE500 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 Fyne Audio F500S weighs 8.30kg / 18.3lbs and the AE500 weighs 8.00kg / 17.6lbs. This makes the F500S 4% heavier than the AE500.
Here is a comparison of how F500S and AE500's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
 Sensitivity |
89 dB
vs
87 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 Woofer Size |
6 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
34k Hz
vs
28k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Price per pair* |
1299USD
vs
1499USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Height |
310mm
vs
325mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
481cm2
vs
645cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
| General |
Fyne Audio F500S |
Acoustic Energy AE500 |
| Brand |
Fyne Audio |
Acoustic Energy |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
30 - 100 W watts |
up to 120 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
87 dB |
| Impedance |
8 ohms |
6 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
45-34k Hz |
45Hz - 28kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
|
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6" |
5" |
| Woofer Composition |
|
carbon fibre cone |
| Tweeter Size |
- |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
n/a |
dome with waveguide |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
1700 Hz |
2800Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
325.1mm (12.8") |
310.0mm (12.2") |
| Width |
203.2mm (8") |
185.0mm (7.3") |
| Depth |
317.5mm (12.5") |
260.0mm (10.2") |
| Weight |
8.30kg (18.3lbs) |
8.00kg (17.6lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
Resonance Suppression Composite (RSC) |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Piano Gloss Black, Piano Gloss White, American Walnut wood veneer |
| Mounting Bracket |
|
|
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
|
| Labor Warranty |
|
|
A generation apart: Fyne Audio F500S is the newer design, against a 2017 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | evenly matched | Much the same reach (45Hz vs 45Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | A | Fyne Audio F500S is more sensitive (89dB vs 87dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | A | Fyne Audio F500S is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (100W vs 100W). |
| Size | depends | AE500 is easier to place; Fyne Audio F500S is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Price | A | Fyne Audio F500S is cheaper - $1,299 against $1,499, about 13% less. |
A Fyne Audio F500S B AE500
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?
Fyne Audio F500S is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take AE500 if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. Match it to your room: we rate Fyne Audio F500S the better fit for near-field listening; elsewhere the two are rated the same. In a large or open-plan room, Fyne Audio F500S has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, AE500 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.