Reference 1

Acoustic Energy Reference 1 Series Loudspeaker Rear Back Piano Gloss Ebony

The Reference 1 was launched in 2011 incorporating all our technological expertise in speaker design.

With the Reference Series we've sought to improve upon every aspect of current speaker design to create a true, balanced, dynamic, wide-bandwidth and minimal colouration loudspeaker.


Cabinet: Constrained laminate layer construction for maximum resonance damping. A specially designed 7mm MDF/3mm high density rubber/5mm MDF sandwich material is used throughout the cabinet enclosure to minimise resonance and external cabinet noise.

Bass Driver: Huge underhung motor assembly for maximum linear accuracy and control. The motor system comprising twin-wound aluminium voice-coils is thermally bonded to the aluminium cone for absolute minimum distortion and long-throw pistonic accuracy.

Tweeter:  The now well-established Vifa Ring-radiator tweeter is used here in our own custom, upgraded specification. Coupled to our DXT® Lens assembly for improved in-room response and dispersion matching to the bass driver, this is one of the finest tweeters in use today.


These features wrapped into a compact, elegant design and luxuriously finished with real piano ebony lacquer mark the new Reference Series as the pinnacle of current small loudspeaker design.

(Matching Reference Stand also available)


"What Hi-Fi?" ★★★★★ Review HERE

Acoustic Energy Reference 1 One Piano Ebony Loudspeaker

Technical specification

Bass/Mid Driver: 110mm Underhung magnet, twin voice coil assembly 

Crossover: Ultra short signal path 2nd order crossover at 2khz

Frequency response: 45Hz – 40kHz @ +/-3dB

Power handling: Amplifiers rated up to 200Watts into 8 Ohms

Sensitivity: 87db for 2.83V at 1m

Nominal impedance: 6 Ohms

Total harmonic Distortion: Less than 0.3% 200Hz to 20kHz

Dimensions (HxWxD):     310 x 190 x 280mm

Weight: 10.5kg (single, unpacked)

T: +44 (0)1285 654432
E: via our contact form