dangermouse
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2023
- Messages
- 286
Seems like a simple, compact, and not ridiculously expensive setup. The AE1's always seem to get rave reviews.
Has anyone tried it?
Has anyone tried it?
WiiM Ultra + Acoustic Energy AE1 Actives?
- Thread starter dangermouse
- Start date
Should work, but to me they look like basic studio monitors and very overpriced for only 5 inch.
You can get a pair of Focal Alpha 80 Evo for way less money. With an 8" woofer they'll go much lower. They also have an automatic standby function with input sensing
Or a pair of Adam A7V for roughly the same price. I use these in my music studio (upgraded from the previous generation of Focal Alpha 80). The amount of definition produced by that ribbon tweeter is next-level. There's advanced on-board DSP with eq and room correction as well (needs Sonarworks to so the measurements), but you'll probably want to stick to the Ultra for that.
Both of these speakers have front-ent bass reflex ports which should help with positioning. Plenty of other options by in the price range between these two!
You can get a pair of Focal Alpha 80 Evo for way less money. With an 8" woofer they'll go much lower. They also have an automatic standby function with input sensing
Or a pair of Adam A7V for roughly the same price. I use these in my music studio (upgraded from the previous generation of Focal Alpha 80). The amount of definition produced by that ribbon tweeter is next-level. There's advanced on-board DSP with eq and room correction as well (needs Sonarworks to so the measurements), but you'll probably want to stick to the Ultra for that.
Both of these speakers have front-ent bass reflex ports which should help with positioning. Plenty of other options by in the price range between these two!
- Joined
- Mar 2, 2024
- Messages
- 2,611
I borrowed a pair of the original 1980s AE1s, complete with dedicated stands, and they were very good, but couldn't handle music with any bass content. The drivers would move back and forward a massive amount, even at low volume. Perhaps they would have been okay with a subwoofer.
I don't know how the new AE1 active speakers would compare, or even if they are remotely similar in design or performance.
I don't know how the new AE1 active speakers would compare, or even if they are remotely similar in design or performance.
dangermouse
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2023
- Messages
- 286
Should work, but to me they look like basic studio monitors and very overpriced for only 5 inch.
You can get a pair of Focal Alpha 80 Evo for way less money. With an 8" woofer they'll go much lower. They also have an automatic standby function with input sensing
Or a pair of Adam A7V for roughly the same price. I use these in my music studio (upgraded from the previous generation of Focal Alpha 80). The amount of definition produced by that ribbon tweeter is next-level. There's advanced on-board DSP with eq and room correction as well (needs Sonarworks to so the measurements), but you'll probably want to stick to the Ultra for that.
Both of these speakers have front-ent bass reflex ports which should help with positioning. Plenty of other options by in the price range between these two!
Thank you for the suggestion, but neither of them possess waf.
dangermouse
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2023
- Messages
- 286
D
Deleted member 491
Guest
I had Acoustic Energy (passive) floor standing speakers for more than 20 years until maple speakers did not go with a grey decor. They were excellent.
Wife Acceptance Factor?
dangermouse
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2023
- Messages
- 286
Focal Shape 50/65/Twin look to have a high WAF maybe?
Thank you for these replies, but both seem to have missed the point of my original post.
dangermouse
Senior Member
- Joined
- Jul 25, 2023
- Messages
- 286
Let me bite...
I have two pairs of original Acoustic Energy AE1s. Refoamed of course. They are passive.
Active wise, I got a pair of Quad 12LS actives.
The AE1s, even though they would seem to have less bass, actually have more. They are very flat until they start to drop. Right now I'm driving one pair with a First Watt F6 25 wpc amp which drives them really good. I also add a bit of bass with a pair of inexpensive Dayton Audio MKSX4 subwoofers with a Parasound Z-amp and a Rolls SX45 crossover -strictly as low pass for the woofers. the main speakers are driven full range.
The AE1 actives look really good, and like my Quads should match really well, in theory, with the output of the Ultra which you drive as a DAC/preamp. Be aware though, that you're buying into a system and in the future you might want to add a DAC and preamp in between the Ultra and the passives. For my Quads, I built a Parasound Z stack (no amps) which match them really well. Given that the sensitivity of the Quads and AE1 active seem to be in the ball park the Ultra would seem to work quite well.
Now, here's the bad part.. all AE1 speakers are extremely good transducers and you can hear the good and bad of anything up front from them. IMHO, the analog section of the Ultra is not so good... so you'd be better off on planning to get a good preamp and then a good DAC to put in between.
That's how I play my AE1s... with an Ultra into a Nitsch DAC/USB, a Conrad Johnson tube preamp and a First Watt F6 amp. With that combination, and the subwoofers tuned just below 50Hz... the sound is very dynamic with great sound staging and detail. Female voices and the treble are simply world class. This is in a small room.. about 12 x 13 with a cathedral ceiling... well damped.
Bottom line? You could definitely start with the simple Ultra to AE1 Active combination, knowing that you could grow into it as time moves on. You would not be throwing anything way, just gaining more performance and quality, knowing that the speakers are sufficiently good.
BTW, about anyone that complains about the passive AE1s... well, you just didn't drive them with enough power. I've had them running on big Class A 200 wpc amps in my living room, with a pair of Entec woofers under them, and those little boxes play LOUD and CLEAN all day long. The sound staging does not collapse as the volume goes up... Pretty much these are speakers that reveal what's driving them.. and should be thought of as the top 2/3rds of a big three way monitor. Drive them full range with LOTS of power, they can handle it and add woofer under them.. but make sure it's a fast woofer, not a sluggish HT sub woofer.
Disclaimer, I have not heard the AE1 actives, I'm intimately familiar with the passives (having bought my first pair in 1989)... and the reviews all compared them with each other as being much alike... so I make that assumption.
I have two pairs of original Acoustic Energy AE1s. Refoamed of course. They are passive.
Active wise, I got a pair of Quad 12LS actives.
The AE1s, even though they would seem to have less bass, actually have more. They are very flat until they start to drop. Right now I'm driving one pair with a First Watt F6 25 wpc amp which drives them really good. I also add a bit of bass with a pair of inexpensive Dayton Audio MKSX4 subwoofers with a Parasound Z-amp and a Rolls SX45 crossover -strictly as low pass for the woofers. the main speakers are driven full range.
The AE1 actives look really good, and like my Quads should match really well, in theory, with the output of the Ultra which you drive as a DAC/preamp. Be aware though, that you're buying into a system and in the future you might want to add a DAC and preamp in between the Ultra and the passives. For my Quads, I built a Parasound Z stack (no amps) which match them really well. Given that the sensitivity of the Quads and AE1 active seem to be in the ball park the Ultra would seem to work quite well.
Now, here's the bad part.. all AE1 speakers are extremely good transducers and you can hear the good and bad of anything up front from them. IMHO, the analog section of the Ultra is not so good... so you'd be better off on planning to get a good preamp and then a good DAC to put in between.
That's how I play my AE1s... with an Ultra into a Nitsch DAC/USB, a Conrad Johnson tube preamp and a First Watt F6 amp. With that combination, and the subwoofers tuned just below 50Hz... the sound is very dynamic with great sound staging and detail. Female voices and the treble are simply world class. This is in a small room.. about 12 x 13 with a cathedral ceiling... well damped.
Bottom line? You could definitely start with the simple Ultra to AE1 Active combination, knowing that you could grow into it as time moves on. You would not be throwing anything way, just gaining more performance and quality, knowing that the speakers are sufficiently good.
BTW, about anyone that complains about the passive AE1s... well, you just didn't drive them with enough power. I've had them running on big Class A 200 wpc amps in my living room, with a pair of Entec woofers under them, and those little boxes play LOUD and CLEAN all day long. The sound staging does not collapse as the volume goes up... Pretty much these are speakers that reveal what's driving them.. and should be thought of as the top 2/3rds of a big three way monitor. Drive them full range with LOTS of power, they can handle it and add woofer under them.. but make sure it's a fast woofer, not a sluggish HT sub woofer.
Disclaimer, I have not heard the AE1 actives, I'm intimately familiar with the passives (having bought my first pair in 1989)... and the reviews all compared them with each other as being much alike... so I make that assumption.
Last edited:
