“Simply, these AE1s do everything they do with a flourish. And that’s not only by the standards of directly competing active speaker alternatives, but also by what we’ve been able to achieve in any price-comparable amp/speakers combination.”

“What I liked about the bass was that it didn’t showboat but sat within the mix. It retained its individual nature and was both effective and powerful but didn’t pretend that it was the star of the show. That is, it didn’t swamp the soundstage but knew its place and was more effective because of it.”

“The compact Acoustic Energy does well here too, conjuring up a large soundstage that boldly goes – in my listening room – where few other small loudspeakers can.”

“These AE109 floorstanders are exactly what good budget hi-fi should be. Exciting with rock and pop, authoritative with classical and sparkling with everything in-between. You can pay a good deal more and get a great deal less for your money.”

Product of the Year
“This speaker rocks and the impact of drums and other instruments is explosive thanks to its dynamic capabilities.”