Announcing the AE520 – the new flagship

Acoustic Energy are set to launch a brand-new addition to their recently launched 500 Series, the flagship AE520.

This powerful slim-line, floor-standing loudspeaker builds on the AE500 and AE509 models to firmly establish itself as the brand’s new flagship with its multi-driver design, imposing size and performance.

Featuring two dedicated 125mm mid-range drivers, three low frequency drivers and a 25mm tweeter, all drive units are constructed from our newly developed carbon fibre material. Designed to match the pistonic power and accuracy of our legendary ceramic aluminium drivers, these new units offer much improved self-damping for a smoother, more transparent sound.

Being much lighter than other typical hard dome materials carbon fibre provides a lightning-fast, natural, clear sound to the high frequency driver. Its new cast aluminium WDT waveguide is also positioned close to the mid/bass drivers for optimum dispersion, whilst the material offers an inert rigidity to reduce resonance.

The two dedicated 125mm carbon fibre mid-drivers include new oversized 35mm voice coils for low thermal compression and optimum motor force factor. Both are mounted within their own dedicated sealed enclosure whilst the three dedicated low frequency drivers are reflex loaded by a large rear facing rectangular port. The vertical directivity has been optimised to provide excellent vertical coverage whilst reducing the energy otherwise wasted on ceiling and floor reflections when compared to traditional designs.

These unique drivers are housed in our 18mm Resonance Suppression Composite (RSC) cabinets, evolved from the prestigious Reference Series and featuring the same constrained layer composite to greatly reduce acoustic radiation and colouration. These elegant, slim-line cabinets are exquisitely finished in Piano Gloss Black, Piano Gloss White or American Walnut wood veneer options.  Solid Aluminium bars are supplied to ensure rigid floor-coupling and maximum stability, whilst the stiffness of the metal structure reduces the room to speaker interaction.

The crossover’s low frequency section is mounted on its own PCB board to physically separate it from the mid and high frequency filters and minimise crosstalk between components. All signal path inductors are premium air core versions offering much lower distortion compared to iron core, whilst the signal path capacitors are high-voltage metallised, polypropylene wound film versions. The midrange motional impedance has been compensated to significantly reduce colouration in the lower mid-frequency range.

Mat Spandl, MD and chief designer, comments “Having spent a considerable amount of time developing the carbon fibre transducers for the AE500 and AE509 the natural progression was to put this knowledge to use in a larger loudspeaker. With the AE520 particular attention has been paid to achieving a more natural speech reproduction even at low levels, whilst still retaining the fast, exciting and powerful sound Acoustic Energy loudspeakers are highly renowned for worldwide.”

The new AE520 is ideal for medium to large sized rooms and will be available from authorised retailers only from September 2020. UK SRP is £3,500 per pair.

For more information and technical specifications please visit the 500 Series page.