In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers. Fyne Audio FA301iC is a In-wall speaker whereas the AE100 MII is a Bookshelf speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Fyne Audio FA301iC and AE100 Mark II first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Fyne Audio FA301iC | AE100 Mark II |
|---|
| Brand | Fyne Audio
United Kingdom · founded 2017 | Acoustic Energy
United Kingdom · founded 1987 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | — | 1" soft dome with waveguide |
|---|
| Woofer | 6" | 5.2" paper cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 44-28k Hz | 51Hz - 26kHz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 87 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 6 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 25 - 100 W watts | up to 120 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 2.00kg / 4.4lbs | 4.60kg / 10.1lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 8-13/16" x 8-13/16" x 3-3/4"
224.0 x 224.0 x 95.0mm | 11.4" x 6.5" x 9.8"
290.0 x 165.0 x 250.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Fyne Audio FA301iC and AE100 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* |
Fyne Audio FA301iC |
AE100 Mark II |
| Near-field |
Good |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Good |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Good |
| Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
No way |
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 FA301iC and AE100 MII are 2-way speakers.
Fyne Audio FA301iC AE100 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 |
Fyne Audio FA301iC |
AE100 Mark II |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
x 6-inch
|
1 x 5.2-inch
|
FA301iC features a " Tweeter and x 6" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3200 Hz. On the other hand, the AE100 MII features a 1" fabric soft dome with waveguide Tweeter and 1 x 5.2" paper cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 2900Hz.
Frequency Response
FA301iC has a frequency range of 44-28k Hz whereas AE100 MII has a frequency range of 51Hz - 26kHz. With a minimum frequency of 44Hz, the FA301iC can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the AE100 MII's min frequency of 51Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the In-wall class in our database.
Low Frequency
In-wall 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
FA301iC is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the AE100 MII which has a nominal impedance of 6 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. FA301iC sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the AE100 MII's is rated at 87 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the Fyne Audio FA301iC a more sensitive speaker compared to AE100 Mark II, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
In-wall 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.
AE100 MII can handle a max power of 120 watts RMS, whereas FA301iC has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 20 watts less than the AE100 MII.
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 FA301iC's and AE100 Mark II's external dimensions. Fyne Audio FA301iC has external dimensions of 224.0 x 224.0 x 95.0mm () whereas AE100 Mark II has external dimensions of 290.0 x 165.0 x 250.0mm (11.4 x 6.5 x 9.8inch).
Fyne Audio FA301iC is 66mm shorter and 155mm less deeper than AE100 Mark II but it is also 59mm wider.
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.
AE100 Mark II needs about 94% more floor or shelf area. AE100 Mark II is 155mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. AE100 Mark II is 66mm taller.