This year's Bristol Show was packed with new products from pretty much every manufacturer you can think of (well, apart from Sony - strangely they weren't there). At the Acoustic Energy stand the company unveiled a load of new models covering hi-fi, AV and the ever-growing iPod market. Here's a brief run-down.
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| Aego T-System
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For the home cinema market there's the new Aego T-System, featuring a sleek 5.1 channel loudspeaker and five matched satellites, all using AE's unique damped fibre bass drivers and 25mm textile dome tweeters.
The T-System subwoofer packs in two long-throw 200mm drivers and is powered by a 200W amplifier.
The T-system comes in a choice of two finishes, Piano Black and Gloss White. For black you've got until April to find the £800 asking price, but if white is more your bag you'll have to wait until May (and curiously, this finish is one pound cheaper). Optional wall brackets and matching stands which will be available soon.
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| Aego M-System
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For a more portable system, AE has devised the bargain £99 Aego M-System. The system builds on the award winning Acoustic Energy Aego 2 plug-and-play loudspeaker package and offers a pair of heavy-alloy satellite speakers and a compact subwoofer. The system also allows for an additional centre channel for home-cinema applications. It's styled in the customary texture-finish black or white so as to match your iPod, PSP or MP3 mobile phone.
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| Wi-Fi internet radio
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Also on display was AE's Wi-Fi internet radio (a recent AVReview prize) which works by using your existing Wi-Fi network and broadband connection to access a dedicated internet radio Gateway that houses over 2,500 stations. Every time you switch on your AE Wi-Fi radio the Gateway uploads the latest channel listings free of charge.
The radio is also able to stream music stored on your PC and features a clock and alarm function. All this for under £200. Not bad eh?
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| AE1 Classic
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Costing £750 per pair in 1985, Acoustic Energy's AE1 was the must have audiophile loudspeaker of the 1980's and 1990's, championed by musical luminary Mick Hucknall no less. But don't let that put you off.
This year the legend returns (the speaker that is, not the ginger crooner) as the AE1 Classic, and the only difference is the price - now a fraction more at £850 per pair. The aluminium mid/bass driver and 25mm magnesium dome unit are exactly the same as the ones used in the original AE1 and each cabinet is hand-lined with the same acoustically-dead compound.
More information on Acoustic Energy products can be found here.
