Acoustic Energy has unveiled the AE1 40th Anniversary Edition, a re-engineered take on its iconic compact loudspeaker first released in 1987.
(The anniversary being celebrated is the founding of Acoustic Energy, not the release of the speaker.)
The model, priced at £1,499 ($2,900), updates the benchmark AE1 design with new components while retaining the sonic character that made it a studio and audiophile favourite.
The company's MD, Mat Spandl, noted, "Re-engineering a beloved and well-known classic is no easy feat... None of the original parts remain in production, so we meticulously broke the original down component by component, examining, appraising, and where possible, improving."
With original parts long out of production, the team developed an all-new tweeter featuring a larger 29mm voice coil and shallow aluminium dome.
The mid/bass driver has also been upgraded to modern 125mm standards.
The spun aluminium cone, now strengthened with a hard-anodised ceramic layer on both sides, improves efficiency and air movement while retaining the straight-sided profile of the original.
An aluminium shorting ring reduces distortion, and the driver's 5-ohm design makes it easier to drive with contemporary amplifiers.
Acoustic Energy has refined the crossover using low-order filters and high-grade components, voicing it more for domestic listening than for studio monitoring.
Specifications include a frequency range of 50Hz-45kHz, sensitivity of 87dB, 150W power handling, and a 2.8kHz crossover.
Compact at 295 x 180 x 240mm and weighing 7kg, the reimagined speaker stays true to the two-way, twin-port format that defined the original.
The cabinet, finished in high-gloss black or walnut veneer with ten layers of lacquer, incorporates the company's RSC material to replicate the rigidity of the original concrete-lined enclosures.
With pre-orders already open through select local retailers, it is expected to land in Australia around September at a price point of around $3,100.