Review Acoustic Energy AE509

eazyryder

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My thoughts on the new Acoustic Energy AE509 Flagship Floorstanders.

Been demoing the AE509s for a couple of weeks at home now.
The pairing of my Nait XS2 and the AE509s works extremely well both are giving me plenty of PRaT.

Initial impressions of the AE509s are of a muscular rhythmic warm and lush delivery.
Bottom end is tight and powerfully expressive and really delivers. Detail retrieval is excellent.

Bags of dynamic and fast rhythmic drive, a real musical and transparent sounding speaker that excites and keeps you engaged with the music.

Even with fast paced heavy metal the AE509s never lose track of pace and speed, or become confused and congested.

Vocals are lush, well presented and clearly placed perfectly at the centre of a wide soundstage.

Individual Instruments are superbly isolated and given plenty of space within the soundstage.
Focus, Depth and timbre of instruments are life like and beautifully surprising.

Superbly Priced and elegantly finished. an absolute bargain and IMO easily bettered speakers well over their price range in both sound quality and cabinet finish.

I initially short demoed the AE509s at a hi fi dealer and wasn’t impressed, they sounded OK but nothing special.
The AE509s are not the type to have that sometimes, short lived initial wow at the dealers demo room, definitely an extended home audition speaker that needs the time to really open up and shine.

Would love to get a review from What Hi Fi on the AE509s.
 
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My thoughts on the new Acoustic Energy AE509 Flagship Floorstanders.

Been demoing the AE509s for a couple of weeks at home now.
The pairing of my Nait XS2 and the AE509s works extremely well both are giving me plenty of PRaT.

Initial impressions of the AE509s are of a muscular rhythmic warm and lush delivery.
Bottom end is tight and powerfully expressive and really delivers. Detail retrieval is excellent.

Bags of dynamic and fast rhythmic drive, a real musical and transparent sounding speaker that excites and keeps you engaged with the music.

Even with fast paced heavy metal the AE509s never lose track of pace and speed, or become confused and congested.

Vocals are lush, well presented and clearly placed perfectly at the centre of a wide soundstage.

Individual Instruments are superbly isolated and given plenty of space within the soundstage.
Focus, Depth and timbre of instruments are life like and beautifully surprising.

Superbly Priced and elegantly finished. an absolute bargain and IMO easily bettered speakers well over their price range in both sound quality and cabinet finish.

Thanks and pretty much in line with my thoughts of the 509's (y)
 
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My thoughts on the new Acoustic Energy AE509 Flagship Floorstanders.

Been demoing the AE509s for a couple of weeks at home now.
The pairing of my Nait XS2 and the AE509s works extremely well both are giving me plenty of PRaT.

Initial impressions of the AE509s are of a muscular rhythmic warm and lush delivery.
Bottom end is tight and powerfully expressive and really delivers. Detail retrieval is excellent.

Bags of dynamic and fast rhythmic drive, a real musical and transparent sounding speaker that excites and keeps you engaged with the music.

Even with fast paced heavy metal the AE509s never lose track of pace and speed, or become confused and congested.

Vocals are lush, well presented and clearly placed perfectly at the centre of a wide soundstage.

Individual Instruments are superbly isolated and given plenty of space within the soundstage.
Focus, Depth and timbre of instruments are life like and beautifully surprising.

Superbly Priced and elegantly finished. an absolute bargain and IMO easily bettered speakers well over their price range in both sound quality and cabinet finish.

I initially short demoed the AE509s at a hi fi dealer and wasn’t impressed, they sounded OK but nothing special.
The AE509s are not the type to have that sometimes, short lived initial wow at the dealers demo room, definitely an extended home audition speaker that needs the time to really open up and shine.

Would love to get a review from What Hi Fi on the AE509s.
If you've been demoing them why would you want WHF review??
Plenty of reviews online.....
 

eazyryder

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If you've been demoing them why would you want WHF review??
Plenty of reviews online.....
You are quite right and I had read most of them before I demoed the AE509s.
I have been a what hi fi reader for a few decades now.
I remember reading the original review of the Acoustic Energy AE1, as featured in the "The best 30 hi-fi speakers of What Hi-Fi?'s lifetime".
And What Hi Fi have covered and reviewed most of the other lower AE models.
It would make a great read and good for such an iconic brand as acoustic energy.
 
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You are quite right and I had read most of them before I demoed the AE509s.
I have been a what hi fi reader for a few decades now.
I remember reading the original review of the Acoustic Energy AE1, as featured in the "The best 30 hi-fi speakers of What Hi-Fi?'s lifetime".
And What Hi Fi have covered and reviewed most of the other lower AE models.
It would make a great read and good for such an iconic brand as acoustic energy.
They have done other AE speakers I know , perhaps they haven't been sent a pair of 509s.
 

I am sure AE would gladly loan a demo pair to What Hi FI for review.
They where mentioned by What Hi Fi on initial launch.
Well I guess they haven't otherwise they would probably have been reviewed, as far as I am aware they don't ask for items on loan but rather they review a demo version that gets sent around the houses for publications to review.
I actually have the very first pair of EB Acoustics EB2's that were sent around for review purposes.
 
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eazyryder

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I am very interested in the AE509. Looks like a speaker with a lot of R&D work that went into it.
Before settling on the AE509s I home demoed many different speakers over a couple of months.
All speakers where used with a Naim Nait XS2 Integrated and chord qutest DAC

DALI RUBICON 6 - Good bottom end and superb treble, Big open soundstage, Weak recessed midrange, nicely finished cabinets.
SPENDOR D7 - Thin unengaging Sound, analytical, excessive treble, bland and plain designed cabinets.
SPENDOR A7 - More musical, better dynamics than D7 and better integrated treble but same thin sound, bland and plain designed cabinets.
WHARFEDALE EVO 4.4 - Smooth warm airy, but a little dull with some loss of finer details, issues with cabinet finish. Forgiving the minor defect, not bad for the price really
FOCAL ARIA 926 - Bright forward, sibilance with tweeter, gave me a headache, defects in cabinet finish.

I also demoed many others at dealers including ProAc DT8s and Monitor Audio Silvers.

Definitely give the AE509s an audition (an extended home audition in your listening space would be best)
 
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Squall Leonhart

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DALI RUBICON 6 - Good bottom end and superb treble, Weak recessed midrange, nicely finished cabinets.

I own a pair of Rubicon 6 speakers used with a Denon PMA-1600ne. I havent noticed recessed midrange, could it have been a room or pairing issue?

The AE509 sound like amazing speakers if they compete well with Rubicon 6 and Spendor D7. Its proof that more expensive doesnt necessarily equal better
 

eazyryder

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own a pair of Rubicon 6 speakers used with a Denon PMA-1600ne. I havent noticed recessed midrange, could it have been a room or pairing issue?
Yes you could be right, it may have been an incompatibility with Naim or my room.

Comparing the Dali Rubicon 6 with the AE509--
The AE509s have a better bottom end being fuller and more dynamic, not as dry as the Dalis.
Midrange is better presented on the AE509s with vocals being more defined, present and clear, electric guitar sounding more exciting and lifelike with better extension.
IMO the AE509s are more musically engaging and exiting, fast with far better dynamic expression than the Dalis
The AE509s do have a wide soundstage but not as deep as the Dalis. But this could be due to my Naim Nait xs2.


The AE509 sound like amazing speakers if they compete well with Rubicon 6 and Spendor D7. Its proof that more expensive doesnt necessarily equal better
After listening to many different priced speakers i have found that when you get to these kind of price levels diminishing returns definitely starts to come into play.
And it becomes more about your system and room synergy than highest cost.
And surprisingly i found the £4500 Spendor D7s the most expensive and the worst of all speakers i have demoed, with my system in my listening space
 
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eazyryder

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Good to see the Acoustic Energy AE509s have been given Best Floorstander Hi-Fi Component of 2020 by "THE EAR".

"This was a loudspeaker I was sorry to say goodbye to, and that’s probably a reviewer’s biggest compliment".

Unfortunately they have been totally overlooked for review by what hi fi, whose 2020 awards look like a carbon copy of the the previous couple of years.
 
Good to see the Acoustic Energy AE509s have been given Best Floorstander Hi-Fi Component of 2020 by "THE EAR".

"This was a loudspeaker I was sorry to say goodbye to, and that’s probably a reviewer’s biggest compliment".

Unfortunately they have been totally overlooked for review by what hi fi, whose 2020 awards look like a carbon copy of the the previous couple of years.
Again, WHF can only review what they are sent, if they didn't get a pair of these speakers ( which are no longer the flagship model) then you cannot expect a review.
 

eazyryder

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Again, WHF can only review what they are sent, if they didn't get a pair of these speakers ( which are no longer the flagship model) then you cannot expect a review.

I find it hard to believe a well respected publication like What Hi Fi have been overlooked by an iconic brand like Acoustic Energy.
Especially when so many other reviewers must have received both the AE509 and the NEW flagship AE520.
I would like to see this confirmed by WHF.

Going by the What Hi Fi Awards 2020 "Best Stereo Speakers". It looks like WHF are mostly only receiving, for review. The same speakers from the same companies.
 
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I find it hard to believe a well respected publication like What Hi Fi have been overlooked by an iconic brand like Acoustic Energy.
Especially when so many other reviewers must have received both the AE509 and the NEW flagship AE520.
I would like to see this confirmed by WHF.

Going by the What Hi Fi Awards 2020 "Best Stereo Speakers". It looks like WHF are mostly only receiving, for review. The same speakers from the same companies.
Often the way I am afraid usually only one pair circulates the main hifi magazines
 
I find it hard to believe a well respected publication like What Hi Fi have been overlooked by an iconic brand like Acoustic Energy.
Especially when so many other reviewers must have received both the AE509 and the NEW flagship AE520.
I would like to see this confirmed by WHF.

Going by the What Hi Fi Awards 2020 "Best Stereo Speakers". It looks like WHF are mostly only receiving, for review. The same speakers from the same companies.
That range is garnering great reviews, as you say. With this crazy Covid year it’s amazing we’ve had the reviews we have, although regular readers will have spotted a few rewrites. But my hat is off for all the journals that have managed to publish throughout - not an achievement to underestimate imo.
 
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Falcoron

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Thank you for the info on these speakers. I am looking for new speakers and the list you tested is exactly what I have been looking at
Spendor Dali proac etc.
I have demoed the following and none have made me want to splash the cash.
1, Audiovector QR5;
Stunning (best I’ve ever heard ) treble, lovely finish, mids really nice but bass was bloomy and ruined what could be a true great if not for that issue.

2, Sonus Fabre sonetto III;
Dull as dishwater end of review!

3, Audi Physic classic 15 (at home now on demo) these are lovely speakers, fit and finish with the glass covered carcass is really nice and the speaker is dead when knuckle wrapped. The sound is mostly very good, but it’s more mid than anything else and that part is really good the bass and treble takes a bit of a back seat. Bass is also a bit disjointed doesn’t seem to gel as well with the mids. But that is not immediately obvious, it’s crept into my attention the longer I listen and get used to them. So not fir me.

On my short list next is the well received Elac vela F704
But now you have me really interested in these AE509’s

Out of interest anyone heard the Elacs?
 
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eazyryder

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How far are your speakers from the rear wall?
Did you use port bungs / foam plugs ?
Thank you
Sorry for the very late reply-
The AE509s are around 36cm from the wall.
No need to use port bungs. The AE509s are rear ported, but use a unusually larger letterbox shaped port placed near the top of each speaker which helps greatly with ease of placement.

Bass is powerful but tight with no boom or overhang.

Acoustic_Energy_AE509_04.jpg
 
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