Напольная акустика — Acoustic Energy AE320

The AE320 belongs to the first-generation 300 Series as its bigger floorstander from Acoustic Energy, the British loudspeaker maker founded in London in 1987 around the AE1 and based in the Cotswolds since 1995. According to the company it is a slim design with compact dimensions intended for medium to large rooms, and it sat above the AE309 in that range, which used two mid-bass units in a 2.5-way layout. It has since been replaced by the AE320², a larger model based on the Corinium driver array, and Acoustic Energy states that no single component was shared between the new 300 Series and the previous one.

Key specs that matter

This is a 3-way design using three 130 mm mid-bass drive units and a 28 mm aluminium dome tweeter. Listed bandwidth runs from 35 Hz to 30 kHz, 90 dB sensitivity and a peak output of 116 dB SPL. Power handling is 200 W, the crossover hands over at 380 Hz and 3.4 kHz, and nominal impedance is 8 ohms. Each cabinet measures 1000 x 175 x 320 mm (height, width, depth, without spikes) and weighs 26 kg.

Engineering and use context

The three units share a ceramic aluminium sandwich cone developed for the 300 Series, with an ultra-shallow profile and a long-throw motor with very high force, which the maker says improves dispersion and power handling. The maker designed the tweeter to take high power and to resonate at a low fundamental frequency so that distortion falls, while a WDT (Wide Dispersion Technology) guide around the dome matches its output to the woofer and widens the listening area. Its enclosure is built from 18 mm high-density MDF with bracing derived from the brand's Reference Series. Bass is augmented by a rear duct with a slot profile, which was developed to keep air turbulence low. Inert mass material fills the bottom of the cabinet to add damping, and together with 8 mm floor spikes this mass gives the tall, narrow cabinet a stable footing so that floor vibration does not interact with the drivers.

Pairing

The 8 ohm nominal load and high sensitivity let the AE320 work with most conventional integrated amplifiers, while the power handling leaves margin for more powerful designs. Buyers could order it in gloss black or gloss white piano lacquer or in satin real walnut veneer.

Alternatives

The AE520 from the 500 Series is a 3-way floorstander with carbon fibre drivers and 300 W power handling.