A British Hi-Fi Great Just Reimagined Its Legendary Bookshelf Speakers

First released in 1987, these new-age bookshelf speakers aim to recapture the original’s magical sound.

Wooden speaker with a large woofer at the bottom, two circular ports above it, and a tweeter at the top center. The tweeter is surrounded by a black circular plate with gold screws and white text that reads "AE1 - 40th Anniversary," "Acoustic Energy Limited," "Established 1987 London," and "For the Love of Music." The speaker is set against a gray paneled wall.

Published 2 hours ago

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Updated 7 minutes ago

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To celebrate its 40th anniversary, Acoustic Energy is releasing a reimagined version of its original loudspeaker, the AE1, which was first released in 1987 and produced until 2016, when it was ultimately discontinued.

This new “40th Anniversary Edition” version of the AE1 remains faithful to the original in both sound and aesthetics. It’s still a two-way passive bookshelf speaker designed to deliver dynamic audiophile-grade sound.

However, due to none of the original parts still being produced, the famed British audio manufacturer has been forced to basically redesign the loudspeaker from the ground up.

According to the press release, this 40th Anniversary Edition of the AE1 is “a faithful evolution, not a simple reissue.”

Acoustic Energy AE1 (40th Anniversary Edition)

A polished wooden speaker with a black woofer, two circular ports, and a tweeter labeled "AE1 - 40th ANNIVERSARY ACOUSTIC ENERGY LIMITED FOR THE LOVE OF MUSIC ESTABLISHED 1987 LONDON." The speaker is mounted on a black stand. To the right, there is a wooden acoustic bass guitar leaning against a beige wall with white molding. In the background, there is a wooden shelf filled with CDs and vinyl records. — To celebrate its 40th anniversary, Acoustic Energy is reimagining its original AE1 bookshelf speakers.

Faithful design

Acoustic Energy’s design and engineering teams went to great lengths to keep this new version faithful to the old. Each element was crafted to sound the same as the old, while some of the “rougher edges were smoothed off.

“With the sound of this speaker and its reputation for very high performance already well established,” reads Acoustic Energy’s press release. “There was no room for wild variation from the original design.”

A wooden speaker with a black fabric front cover is mounted on a black metal stand. To the left, there is a cream-colored curtain with a decorative tassel tieback. The background wall is painted in a light beige color. — The 2-way speakers aim to recapture the sound of the originals … with a few modern upgrades, of course.

New, larger tweeter

That said, Acoustic Energy has used this new version as an opportunity to upgrade the original AE1 loudspeaker, too.

The 40th Anniversary Edition model features a completely new tweeter design that was developed specifically to match the performance of the original. It features a larger 29mm voice coil and a large rear chamber to keep the resonance low and help absorb rear energy.

Like the original, the brand says the tweeter is ferrofluid cooled and damped to “give greater power handling, dynamics and lower thermal compression.”

Pair of black bookshelf speakers with a glossy finish, featuring a large woofer at the bottom, two circular bass ports above it, and a tweeter at the top surrounded by gold screws. The tweeter plate has text that reads "AE1 - 40th ANNIVERSARY," "ACOUSTIC ENERGY LIMITED," "ESTABLISHED 1987 LONDON," and "FOR THE LOVE OF MUSIC. — Acoustic Energy is released the new AE1 loudspeakers in two finishes, high-gloss black or walnut veneer.

New-age woofer

The special-edition AE1 loudspeaker has a new woofer, too, which was also developed to specifically match the characteristic sound of the original.

The new cone is slightly larger, conforming to modern 125mm woofer standards, whilst the greater radiating area offers “slightly higher efficiency, lower distortion and the ability to move more air.”

This cone design is similar to the original’s loudspeakers’ woofer and, just like the original, has been designed to produce “a very natural midrange, great power handling and dynamics for its size.”

The brand says it has afforded itself one modern improvement. It has added an aluminium shorting ring to the woofer, which it says should dramatically reduce distortion “caused by motional variation in the voice coil’s inductance.”

A wooden-framed speaker with a black fabric cover sits on a black stand next to an acoustic guitar with a natural wood finish and a dark pickguard. The background features a beige wall with white molding. — According to the brand, the 40th Anniversary Edition versions bring the legacy of the AE1 into the modern era with “cutting-edge engineering and timeless design.”

Luxurious cabinet

The cabinet has been designed and tuned to match the original AE1, as well, but it also features some modern upgrades. For example, it features the same RSC material — which increases stiffness — that Acoustic Energy uses in its newer loudspeaker models, including its high-end Corinium line.

The cabinet has a luxury finish that’s coated in ten layers of either high gloss black paint or walnut wood veneer.

Wooden bookshelf speaker with a black tweeter, two circular ports, and a large black woofer mounted on a black stand. The tweeter has text around it that reads "AE1 - 40th ANNIVERSARY," "ACOUSTIC ENERGY LIMITED," "ESTABLISHED 1987, LONDON," and "FOR THE LOVE OF MUSIC. — Shipping is expected to start next month,

Price and availability

The AE1 (40th Anniversary Edition) loudspeakers will be available this October. You can order them in either high-gloss black or walnut veneer.

As for price, a pair will set you back £1499/pair (roughly $2,050/pair).

Pair of bookshelf speakers with a polished wood finish, featuring a black tweeter surrounded by a circular plate with gold screws and two circular bass ports above a large black woofer with gold screws.

Acoustic Energy AE1 (40th Anniversary Edition)

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About the Author:

Tucker Bowe has been on Gear Patrol’s editorial team since 2014. As a Tech Staff Writer, he tracks everything in the consumer tech space, from headphones to smartphones, wearables to home theater systems. If it lights up or makes noise, he probably covers it.