written by Rob. on 29/06/2003
Good Points
Stunning ability. Great all-round performance, from the highest highs to the lowest lows. Good build and finish.
Bad Points
...none(?!?)
General Comments
I paid £270 for these around a year ago for these exceptional floorstanders (yes, £80 less than the retail price!) although I would have quite happily paid full wack - they're that good. I compared these to a range of speakers from Mission to Kef, and have yet to find a sub-£500 speaker than outperforms these AE's.
The soundstage is remarkably life-life, flowing and natural sounding, particularly with acoustics and vocals: Elton John sounds his full vivid and passionate self through the AE's, and is a complete pleasure to listen to.
While the AE's have superior treble and midrange, the bass also offers considerable agility and control for its size. Power and timing blend wonderously when it comes to low-end. These speakers are just as adept with beats and bass of LTJ Bukem or Kruder and Dorfmeister as they are with the acoustic ballads of David Gray.
In my opinion, these should be at the top of anyone's audition list. Fantastic sound, price and great build quality - what more could you ask for?