Piano music was handled well; the 301’s
excellent transient attack and lack of congestion ensured that each note
remained separate and clear – even in dense complex passages. Playing some of
Eric Le Sage’s Schumann Klavierwerke on the Alpha label demonstrated the 301’s
crispness and unexaggerated clarity. The 301 was able to convey the aural
impression of a piano placed at middle distance in a fairly reverberant
acoustic, and one could readily sense the ambience of the hall. Because the 301
sounds very clean, you’re kind of invited to increase volume levels. In such
situations, having a big powerful amplifier with lots of headroom is useful!
The
301’s excellent transient attack and lack of congestion ensured that each note
remained separate and clear – even in dense complex passages
The tweeter produces a bright open sound,
yet seems quite sweet tonally and free from high-frequency edge. Dynamically,
it integrates seamlessly with the bass/mid driver, delivering clean highs
without drawing attention to itself.
So – assuming no prior knowledge could one
tell the bass/mid driver has a metal cone? Tricky. Musically the presentation
is very tactile, and the sound starts and stops precisely, with no sense of
overhand. There’s nothing woolly or vague about the 301; it’s impressively
tight and crisply-defined. It’s certainly tempting to put this down to the
stiffness of the aluminum cone, and its relative lightness. The presentation is
admirably focused, and the speakers image precisely.
Tonally, there’s a slight lack of warmth. I
wouldn’t say the sound is in any way metallic, but it is lean and spare. Of
course, no speaker of this size and price is going to deliver seismic bass. But
many disguise their limitations by sounding fairly warm so that one hardly
notices that the bottom octaves are missing. For better or worse, the 301 does
not go in for such artifice. It’s clean and mean. Whether this is merely an
absence of ‘woody’ cone colorations, and other pleasant resonances, is
difficult to say. Having a tight clean bass, with very little smearing or
overhang, kind of demystifies the sound a bit. You hear the music without
‘additives’. The 301s sound good, and one quickly grows accustomed to their
characteristics. Room acoustic always play a big part in determining tonal
balance, and every room is different. So, you won’t know how a speaker is going
to sound till you get it fired-up in your own gaff.
The
301s sound good, and one quickly grows accustomed to their characteristics
Conclusion
Acoustic Energy’s new 301 is a very capable
compact loudspeaker that punches well above its weight given such a relatively
modest selling price. It’s detailed and clear, and will show subtle differences
when partnered with top-class source components and amplification. Recommended.
Material world
The perfect loudspeaker cone should act as
a rigid piston at all frequencies, moving the air without flexing. The bigger
the drive unit, the greater the risk the cone will ‘flex’ at different
frequencies, producing distortion and non-linearities.
This is called ‘breakup’, and the problem
has been known about for over fifty years. Many ways to reduce cone breakup
have been tried. Aluminum cones (usually as part of a ‘sandwich’ construction)
go back a long way – to the 1950s at least.
As with most things hi-fi, there are
extreme opinions, for and against, regarding the qualities of metal comes,
those against claim the result is an unpleasant metallic sound. Those in favor
cite things like low weight and excellent stiffness/ rigidity.
The truth is that whatever the material
used, it always involves a compromise. An improvement in one area is invariably
achieved at the expense of a worsening somewhere else. As always, the Great God
of Hi-Fi Giveth, and immediately Taketh Away! ‘Twas ever thus…
In sight
In
sight
1.
Superbly lacquered gloss paint finishes
2.
Oversize 28mm soft dome tweeter
3.
Single-wire only on this budget AE box
4.
Bass driver uses 110mm alloy cone
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Specifications
§ Product:
Acoustic Energy 301
§ Origin:
UK/China
§ Type:
stand mount loudspeaker
§ Weight:
5.5kg
§ Dimensions:
(W x H x D) 300x185x250mm
§ Features:
28mm soft-dome tweeter
§ 110mm
spun aluminum bass/mid cone
§ Single
cable wiring
§ Quoted
sensitivity: 87dB
§ Finish:
High Gloss black or white
§ Distributor:
acoustic Energy
Our verdict
§ Performance:
5/5
§ Value
for money: 5/5
§ Build
quality: 5/5
§ Ease
of drive: 4/5
§ Like:
Fine sound; great looks; excellent build
§ Dislike:
Tonal balance won’t suit lean sounding ancillaries; need a good bit of power!
§ We
say: This new baby box is well worth investigating for those seeking a lithe,
detailed punchy sound
§ Overall:
5/5
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