W h At I s A n A c t I v E s p E A k E r ?
The AE1 Active differs from preceding AE1 models due to it being an active design but what
does this actually mean? An active speaker is a design where the amplification that provides the
power for the drivers is placed after the crossover - the device that determines what frequencies
are sent to what driver. By doing this, only the frequencies relevant to that particular drive unit
are amplified by an amplifier that has been configured exactly for that task. The result is a speaker
that solves the balancing act of amplifier, crossover and driver at the design stage without any
trial and error on the part of the owner and offers higher performance than a passive speaker of
the same basic size and design.
The AE1 Active combines the amplifier and drivers into a single enclosure which has further
benefits in terms of space efficiency and packaging. The drivers have received no less attention.
The AE1 Active includes an all new Wide Dispersion Technology (WDT) tweeter. This incorporates
a waveguide into the tweeter surround that ensures that the tweeter interacts more effectively
with the room it is in. Higher frequency coverage is wider than it would otherwise be without
the waveguide while lower frequencies are narrowed at the same time. This is called constant
directivity and is something Acoustic Energy has been working on over the course of many years.
The result is that more of these frequencies reach the listener’s ear directly rather than reflected
off other surfaces which increases efficiency and reduces distortion.
The mid bass driver is no less sophisticated and builds on the vast experience that Acoustic
Energy has with metal drivers to create a driver that has extraordinary impact but not at the
expense of the transient speed and tonal accuracy required of a truly high performance
loudspeaker. The bass response of the AE1 Active is enhanced by the latest version of the
slotted bass port used on a number of our speakers. The slotted profile allows for a large surface
area that does not take up too much space on the speaker and also reduces the audibility of the
air passing through it.
