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Moving to AE1’s from ES14’s

CTank

pfm Member
I’ve a hankering to spend some money, but I’m supposed to be saving. I’ve had my speakers the longest, so would like to hear some other options.

Therefore I need something I can keep for a year, and sell with minimal loss. Also need to be fairly rugged, as they’ll be in the front room with three kids.

Biwired preferred, so that I can use my existing cables.

AE1’s seem to fit the bill perfectly, and are speakers I lusted after 30 years ago. Seem to be around £500 on eBay, and easy to resell if I don’t get on with them.

I’m not too nervous about their age, as the ES14’s are probably similar.

Anything I’m missing?
 
Older DC Tannoy's?
No matter what you buy carefully, you'll be VERY unlucky to lose, no matter the price paid.
 
Older DC Tannoy's?
No matter what you buy carefully, you'll be VERY unlucky to lose, no matter the price paid.
I like this idea, but wouldn’t know where to start. Plus I don’t really want more than £5-700 tied up.
 
I like this idea, but wouldn’t know where to start. Plus I don’t really want more than £5-700 tied up.

Then ask here for direction (NOT from me), maybe via PM to avoid competition amongst PFMers, but there will be Tannoys in cab's that come up for your sort of price range, you just need expert help.

I'd think that it ought to break your heart to let them go though, so be warned.

I picked-up some 12 inch HPDs for this sort of money in shockingly bad cab's around a year ago, but this is the sort of thing that you might try to find -

Tannoy HPD 295/8 Dual Concentric Loudspeakers - 1974 | eBay
 
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Tannoys are going to be too wide, I think. AE1 size, or smaller, would be good. Certainly no wider than the current speakers.
 
It might be useful to know what the rest of your system is?

For reference, I’ve had ES11’s (x2), Neat Petite’s, Ruark Talismans, Naim SBL’s, Dynaudio Contour 1.1’s, Shahinian Compasses, Shahinian Obelisks, Linn Sara’s and still have Event Opals.
 
AE1s are very room dependent but in the right room are excellent.

I had a pair nearly 30 years ago, bought second hand from a dealer who I was buying an new system from (Naim 82/180 plus passive speakers) and auditioned SBLs & Rega ELAs with the conclusion that ELAs suited the room but SBLs didn't, then the dealer dropped off a pair of AE1s complete with the cast alloy stands that he'd just taken in part exchange and at a bargain price.

They were fantastic! I used them firing across the room (12' x 22' from memory) and well away from corners. About a foot away from the back wall they sounded great but, for serious listening I'd pull them forward another foot (and take the grilles off) and they were astounding.
The bass was out of all proportion to their size, and the soundstage was 3 dimensional.

I never expected to buy another pair of speakers!

Then I moved house! In my new room (about 16' x 26' with a vaulted ceiling to about 14') the little AE1s just sounded small.

Remembering how the SBLs sounded too big for the room in my old house I bought a pair of SBLs and the bass and scale was restored, but I kept the AE1s anyway as I couldn't bear to sell them and I hoped I might be able to use them again one day.

Several years later I set up a 2nd system in our "granny annexe" using the AE1s again. The annexe "lounge" is 11' 6" square and I found the bass overpoweringly boomy unless I pulled the speakers so far away from room boundaries that they were almost in the middle of the room, a prompt return to ELAs was the (temporary) answer.

So, to summarise, try AE1s if you can (you can probably get your money back as others have said) but they need a bit of space around them despite their small size, and they thrive on power, they sound much more convincing if you can turn the wick up a bit (hence my annexe system where I can escape the cries of "turn it down"! And if you have a large room then be prepared to use them as "near field" speakers with a requirement to sit in the "sweet spot" to hear them properly.
 
Exposure 3010s2d, so should have enough welly. Reasonable amount of space. Neighbours, so won’t be hammering it.

If the there is one quality I’m after, it would be slam or impact. I guess the question is whether I can achieve this, without pissing off the neighbours.

Love @peterm history of different rooms!
 
If the there is one quality I’m after, it would be slam or impact.

In the first room I quoted the slam was incredible, I used turn the lights out, put on Police's "every breath you take", not necessarily in that order! and feel the bass hit me in the face (from the front firing ports, grilles off remember!).

I was a bachelor in those days!
 
Sounds amazing. I wonder if the neighbours (who I really like) would agree.

In that sense, a room in which you can go as loud as possible would definitely beat any hardware upgrade.
 
AE1's are ace. I only heard them once, years ago.... and I dont really like small stand mount speakers.... but they are really great. You should deffo try a pair. I foresee nothing but fun for you.
 
Exposure 3010s2d, so should have enough welly. Reasonable amount of space. Neighbours, so won’t be hammering it.

If the there is one quality I’m after, it would be slam or impact. I guess the question is whether I can achieve this, without pissing off the neighbours.

Love @peterm history of different rooms!

TBH I’d have said it was probably at the bottom end of amps to run with AE1’s and I’d probably say the same re ES14’s.
 
AE1s are very room dependent but in the right room are excellent.

I had a pair nearly 30 years ago, bought second hand from a dealer who I was buying an new system from (Naim 82/180 plus passive speakers) and auditioned SBLs & Rega ELAs with the conclusion that ELAs suited the room but SBLs didn't, then the dealer dropped off a pair of AE1s complete with the cast alloy stands that he'd just taken in part exchange and at a bargain price.

They were fantastic! I used them firing across the room (12' x 22' from memory) and well away from corners. About a foot away from the back wall they sounded great but, for serious listening I'd pull them forward another foot (and take the grilles off) and they were astounding.
The bass was out of all proportion to their size, and the soundstage was 3 dimensional.

I never expected to buy another pair of speakers!

Then I moved house! In my new room (about 16' x 26' with a vaulted ceiling to about 14') the little AE1s just sounded small.

Remembering how the SBLs sounded too big for the room in my old house I bought a pair of SBLs and the bass and scale was restored, but I kept the AE1s anyway as I couldn't bear to sell them and I hoped I might be able to use them again one day.

Several years later I set up a 2nd system in our "granny annexe" using the AE1s again. The annexe "lounge" is 11' 6" square and I found the bass overpoweringly boomy unless I pulled the speakers so far away from room boundaries that they were almost in the middle of the room, a prompt return to ELAs was the (temporary) answer.

So, to summarise, try AE1s if you can (you can probably get your money back as others have said) but they need a bit of space around them despite their small size, and they thrive on power, they sound much more convincing if you can turn the wick up a bit (hence my annexe system where I can escape the cries of "turn it down"! And if you have a large room then be prepared to use them as "near field" speakers with a requirement to sit in the "sweet spot" to hear them properly.

I 100 % Agree with all of the above about AE 1's.
I had a pair of rosewood cabinet AE 1's for 10 years on matching AE 1 stands.
For their size they can be astonishingly good.
Very fast - lower bass than most small speakers - Sound stage is very 3 dimensional.
Given a good source and the right poweramp theres not much to dislike.I would say poweramp wise 100 watts is a good figure.I used a Bryston 2 B at 60 watts and sometimes thought it needed just a little more.But the majority of the time,it was fine.
A small speaker legend.
Go for a pair as you will be able to sell them.
 
I’ve used ae1’s for over 30 years. They’ve been refoamed twice and are still stunning. I’ve got a hankering to hear the JBL L82 but they’d have to be quite special for me to change.
 


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