Acoustic Energy AE 120 or Monitor Audio R352 is the question. Nothing wrong with the MA but I am always open to a potential upgrade.
Having not heard the AE I'm hoping you folks might have some opinions to share.
Location: Huntingdonshire
Posts: 1,413
I'm Andrew.
Acoustic Energy AE 120 or Monitor Audio R352 is the question. Nothing wrong with the MA but I am always open to a potential upgrade.
Having not heard the AE I'm hoping you folks might have some opinions to share.
AE 120 a superb sounding speaker need a lot of power to get them sounding good we use Quad. Although the choice is yours i dont rate much on Monitor Audio speakers just not my sound. The AE-120 usually sells for £150+ in good condition my dads using them currently i have grown to love them good award winners in their day.
Bi Amplification
Quad 33 with current Mod for CD
2 Quad 303 Bi Amped
Turntable
Thorens TD 125 MK1 , SME 3009 S2 Non Improved , Shure V15 II , SME 2000 Plinth
CD Transport & DAC & PSU
Marantz 6005 , Beresford Caiman , Paul Hynes SR4
Loudspeakers
Tannoy 615 MK2
Cassette
Goodmans GSW 435
Location: Yorkshire
Posts: 4,243
I'm Andr'e.
My choice would be the '352' great for rock music.. They are best on the slightly tilted back stands.
Dan they were a Robin Marhall design for MA..one of the good designs.
I use MA R852s with an Amptastic Mini-1 and they're excellent .
Regards
Brian
Sell your cleverness and buy bewilderment . (Rumi )
Korus Computer Audio music server
JustBoom DAC . HRT Musicstreamer 2
Amplifier : Sony TA FB740R
Speakers : Tannoy 637
Interconnects : MS Audio / Klotz MC5000 .
Speaker cables : Western Electric 16AG
Location: Yorkshire
Posts: 4,243
I'm Andr'e.
i think the '252'/'352'/'852'/'952' were all Marshall jobbies.
That's a tough one as they're both great speakers IMHO.
Buy the AE120s and keep the ones you prefer. Or both.
Engineers: fixing problems you didn't know you had in ways you don't understand.
Location: Huntingdonshire
Posts: 1,413
I'm Andrew.
Thank you dudes for your thoughts. I'm thinking that I keep the 352's and improve my source.
I've heard both although not in direct comparison but my money would be on the AE120 providing you have the power they need !
Life long music lover and Hi-Fi enthusiast for over 40 years, avid live music supporter, dismayed by the current dynamic ticket pricing applied to so many events !!
Bi Amplification
Quad 33 with current Mod for CD
2 Quad 303 Bi Amped
Turntable
Thorens TD 125 MK1 , SME 3009 S2 Non Improved , Shure V15 II , SME 2000 Plinth
CD Transport & DAC & PSU
Marantz 6005 , Beresford Caiman , Paul Hynes SR4
Loudspeakers
Tannoy 615 MK2
Cassette
Goodmans GSW 435
Had and loved a set of the 120's baby brothers, the AE109.
Big ballsy sound, Dynamic, involving and very engaging.
Fantastic for big scale driving rock and orchestral, basically anything with a pulse.
Not a one trick pony though, they are not the MOST refined speakers in the world, but stick a beefy amp up 'em but they will involve you in your music in a way not many comparable speakers will.
Heard Brian's MA's but not the 352's, I Say it depends on the type of music you listen to and at what volume.
Girl with acoustic guitar type stuff at low levels, go for the MA's.
Anything else with a pulse and the AE120s will put a huge grin on your face, with the proviso that they like a powerful amp driving them.
AC POWER
Hardwired 10kVA balanced mains powering entire system
AMPS
Meridian 557 power Amp (Modded) / PS Audio BHK Preamp (Modded)
SPEAKERS
Wharfedale Evo 4.4
DAC
PS Audio Directstream (Modded)
TURNTABLE
Pro-Ject X8 balanced output via XLR / Ortofon Quintet Blue cartridge
PHONOSTAGE
Pro-Ject DS3 B balanced Input (TT and Phonostage powered by Pro-Ject Power box RS2 linear psu)
DIGITAL
OPPO 203 (Modded: Linear PSU, i2s output to Dac) - Roon Endpoint, HDMI input used for all things Streaming/ PS5 /AppleTV ... also good for movies apparently?
MUSIC PLAYBACK
Tweaked AP-Linux based Roon Server into Oppo 203 as Roon endpoint
Ipad Roon Remote.
Apple Music/ YouTube via AppleTV, fed to Dac via Oppo HDMI input/i2s output to Dac.
SPEAKER CABLES
Biwired: Duelund DCA10GA (Bass) Duelund DCA16GA (mid & treble) Duelund 12DCA used as jumpers (On "Blackcat Cable" Chris Sommivigo's advice - yup, even with biwire it sounds better - and it does)
INTERCONNECTS
All Balanced: Ghost+ recording studio XLR cables