DSJR
04-06-2012, 11:11
http://i132.photobucket.com/albums/q8/DSJR_photos/057af596.jpg
I'm trying to find recommendations for sub £1000 smallish active monitors that should stand the test of time and be serviceable in years to come. So far, since 2007, the well known AVI ADM9 has been through a number of tweaks, culminating in a recent driver and crossover change which has supposedly transformed them, allowing some bass into the mix that many said was missing before. Sadly, questions about updating older speakers has been met with the request to replace them with the latest version, although one or two of the mid period tweaks can be made to original examples I understand.
It does seem that many small "pro" models are balanced around the almost screamy (in domestic terms) Yamaha NS10 and there's a fantastic article (with loads of response, impulse and waterfall graphs) describing the basic performance of a host of models from the mid noughties or so, including the AVI Pro Nines I have, the response of which is more Kan like than the original Linn Kan :scratch: - no wonder I don't like them, despite being told I'm deaf and non-understanding :steam:
Here's the article for those interested..
http://www.soundonsound.com/pdfs/ns10m.pdf
Now, back to the subject of this post. "AEJim" on the HDD/AVI forum comes across as a very decent and likeable chap and a thread today on the AE22 piqued my interest. These are available in both passive and active forms and look quite striking. They've also been around since 2007 and if there have been any changes in that time, there's been nothing said. I love the way they are described, both on their website and also in Jim's posts, the company willing to admit the balance is of the "lean and fast" variety, rather than the warm and refined tones of the BBC Legacy models and also, the power ratings of the internal amps seem realistic bearing in mind the diminutive size of the speakers. There are rear panel adjustments for subtle eq which should also mean the tonal balance can be made more "domestic friendly." 8" bass drivers too, which makes these speakers sort-of Wharfedale Denton W20 size ;)
Which brings us/me to the question of "How do they sound?" Well, I don't know at present and no Mr Dunn, my mate Dave W doesn't sell them!!!!! I appreciate the fervour for bargain vintage stuff here and obviously those who love doing up old Celestion Ditton's may need to look away, but as a decent and rather modern/stylish little monitor and with the prospect of long term service and spares, I think they're well worth looking out for at under a grand the pair I think, and the manufacturer is well known and popular too :)
http://www.audioaffair.co.uk/Acoustic-Energy-AE22-Active-Speaker-Each/product_4790?ref=gmc
Here's the review from Sound-On-Sound -
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/may08/articles/acousticenergyae22.htm
I'm trying to find recommendations for sub £1000 smallish active monitors that should stand the test of time and be serviceable in years to come. So far, since 2007, the well known AVI ADM9 has been through a number of tweaks, culminating in a recent driver and crossover change which has supposedly transformed them, allowing some bass into the mix that many said was missing before. Sadly, questions about updating older speakers has been met with the request to replace them with the latest version, although one or two of the mid period tweaks can be made to original examples I understand.
It does seem that many small "pro" models are balanced around the almost screamy (in domestic terms) Yamaha NS10 and there's a fantastic article (with loads of response, impulse and waterfall graphs) describing the basic performance of a host of models from the mid noughties or so, including the AVI Pro Nines I have, the response of which is more Kan like than the original Linn Kan :scratch: - no wonder I don't like them, despite being told I'm deaf and non-understanding :steam:
Here's the article for those interested..
http://www.soundonsound.com/pdfs/ns10m.pdf
Now, back to the subject of this post. "AEJim" on the HDD/AVI forum comes across as a very decent and likeable chap and a thread today on the AE22 piqued my interest. These are available in both passive and active forms and look quite striking. They've also been around since 2007 and if there have been any changes in that time, there's been nothing said. I love the way they are described, both on their website and also in Jim's posts, the company willing to admit the balance is of the "lean and fast" variety, rather than the warm and refined tones of the BBC Legacy models and also, the power ratings of the internal amps seem realistic bearing in mind the diminutive size of the speakers. There are rear panel adjustments for subtle eq which should also mean the tonal balance can be made more "domestic friendly." 8" bass drivers too, which makes these speakers sort-of Wharfedale Denton W20 size ;)
Which brings us/me to the question of "How do they sound?" Well, I don't know at present and no Mr Dunn, my mate Dave W doesn't sell them!!!!! I appreciate the fervour for bargain vintage stuff here and obviously those who love doing up old Celestion Ditton's may need to look away, but as a decent and rather modern/stylish little monitor and with the prospect of long term service and spares, I think they're well worth looking out for at under a grand the pair I think, and the manufacturer is well known and popular too :)
http://www.audioaffair.co.uk/Acoustic-Energy-AE22-Active-Speaker-Each/product_4790?ref=gmc
Here's the review from Sound-On-Sound -
http://www.soundonsound.com/sos/may08/articles/acousticenergyae22.htm