Very good overall sound without major flaws.

Lacks a bit of extension and sparkle in the highs.

I bought the Aegis One for a small bedroom system (run
with a Linn Classik CD/receiver) and it's a keeper. It has a smooth, neutral balance, clear highs, clear & full mids, and surprising weight & pitch definition in the mid-bass; transparency and dynamics are good. It lacks a bit of extension and sparkle in the highs, but otherwise avoids the fatal flaws that render most small, inexpensive speakers unlistenable (e.g., shrill highs, congested and hooty mids, lumpy, one-note mid-bass, boxy soundstage).
In comparison, the Dynaudios (at over twice the price) had nice highs but sounded hooty & boxy, the PSB's were somewhat thick & congested in the mids, the NHTs were neutral & balanced but also a tad dry & lifeless, and the B&Ws had good dynamics and extension in the highs and lows, but the mids were oddly dry and recessed. Only the Triangles (at almost twice the price) were arguably surperior with sweeter, more extended highs and more transparent mids, but with less mid-bass weight and extension than the Aegis Ones. The Aegis has a nice, substantial build and the dark cherry (vinyl) finish is sharp, not cheap-looking. Good service and price from Audiolab. 5++ stars for value, 4 stars for absolute (small speaker) performance.

Similar Products Used:

Dyaudio Audience 40, PSB Image 1b, NHT SuperOne, B&W 601 S2, Triangle Titus

Good to great at everything. Easy to listen to. Very smooth midrange. Solid build. Good looking (I have Red Cherry).

Can lose control at high dB with a less than worthy amplifier. I'd say bass, but who expects great bass from a $300 bookshelf with a 5" woofer? Please.

These are my initial impressions from extensive testing at audio shops over the last few months, which led to me buying the Aegis Ones. I'll report more after living with my new system for 3-6 months or so.

These speakers are honest and easy to listen to. What you hear is what's on the recording, with no unnecessary crispness (read: B&W) or in your face presence (read: Paradigm, B&W, Mondurant-Short). The build quality is incredible, and they look great in Red Cherry vinyl. What they do well is jazz, Cuban, Brazilian, acoustic rock, folk, trip-hop, and female voices. These are for serious listeners, not background listening at the Super Bowl keg party. What I like so much is how the Aegis Ones do so much so well, with no major shortcomings. What a steal.

The system I finally assembled this weekend (and will report on in several months):

Arcam Alpha 7SE
Creek 4330 MkII
Acoustic Energy Aegis One
Wireworld Atlantis III interconnects
Audioquest Type 4 speaker cables
Lovan Affiniti II stands

Total cost: $1,600 US. This is true budget hi-fi!

Similar Products Used:

Tested: Paradigm Mini Monitor, Paradigm Reference Studio/20 v.2, B&W DM601 S2, B&W DM602 S2, Mondurant-Short (? model at $330), PSB Image 2B

good build,good looks,rather fast passed considering the price,matches alot of equipment,and the fact that it actually has a sound stage for such a low price,and one of such openess.

tends to be overly warm wich smooths out some detail,and no bass wieght,but dont let this change your mind,this is simply my opinion inconsiderate of its price and size.For its price it doesnt have any flaws at all,my only concern is that i like expensive speakers,and dont like trieng to compensate with the few or many flaws of cheaper equipment.

Im back for another review.This time im going to review the speaker by exactly what i think of it,not taking price as a factor,but still keeping in mind that its not a ae1 or nautilus ofcourse.

The aegis one is a speaker of devilish good looks,the contrast of the smooth white alloy driver goes well with the black ash,or piano black I think it is,though the beach wood looks cheap.The casing is solid mdf internaly braced,and is really a good build at this price.The front baffle is thicker to avoid resonances,and has a sort of vinyl type covering.The speaker does benifit from a good stand,and room placement.If you want to view its fine asthetics,go to www.acoustic-energy.co.uk
as the owner of this site is too lazy to do a simple copy and paste.

SOUND
The first thing i noticed is the speaker is very solid in its out put,and not once did i get a hint of flimziness or thinness.The bass is deep,and although lacking a bit of
wieght still has a warm presence,not once did i feel it was thin,this is due to the rear ported refexion.The bass isnt extreamly fast though,and it seems that the little driver gets a bit muddled in load complex passages,but i say once again it was very good considering the price.5 star

Midrange is noticibly ae,and is open and very transparrent for its price,no doubt theres no speaker that can do it better at the price of only 100 pounds,in the whole world,and i say it with heavy belief.Again its not the fastest midband,but at the price is really good.5 star

SOUNDSTAGE
The speaker is very open,and although the imaging clarity isnt stupendous,and i find my self trieng hard to spot instruments somtimes,its only on certain passages,and mostly imaging is very good,clear,transsparent,and open with a bit of rounding of and loss of detail.At the price though a 4 star.

My only concern about this speaker,is it isnt very detailed,and every time i listen i find myself wanting more,and even when i change my equipment,the marantz pm 4000 sounded similer in out put to a myryad,indication of limitation in the line,namley -the speakers.But for the price is very good,note that spending more than 200 pounds on cd player,and 300 on amp wont change your systems output very much,even if at all.My only words are go and listen to this speaker,its very cheap and performs like somthing 30 to 70 percent more,fairly irispective of the equipment.

For value it cannot get enough stars,and if you arent bothered by the noticibly low dynamics,and detail,go and buy it.It will give you most details,like i say again,and is good for the price,but for me i think i need somthing more expensive.

5 stars all the way,my advice,go and listen,and too alot of songs.

Similar Products Used:

b&w 601s,castle acoustics monitor,tannoy,jpw monitor.

Nada as this price

First of all I love these speakers! I decided to go with them based on a lot of research and listening to different models, many in a much higher price range. Compared to some other more expensive speakers I heard these win hands down. Granted, I also heard some speakers that I would say might rival these in a few aspects but they were 2x (or more) as expensive! I am not what I would call the epitome of an audiophile and I don't have ears of gold, but I would describe these speakers as nothing but awesome.

I use these mostly for home theatre, but have listened to a fair amount of music on them and was nothing but impressed with their quick response, dynamic range, and smooth & effortless sound. Impressive imaging. Sounds come through in music that I never noticed before in clear and detailed expression. Vocal and instrumental pieces have been given new life in my system!! Natural and rich in midrange and high end.

The bass from these puppies is very impressive and tight, although for full extension and punch (especially for HT) I do suggest using a sub.

I don't even have a dedicated amp (yet)! Can't wait to add one. The sensitivity on these is very good.

Another model I carefully considered based on all the hype around them was the B&W 602s, but I found them rather fatiguing and harsh. The Aegis Ones' sound has never tired my ears and are very easy to listen to.

Do yourself a favor and really test drive these before buying anything!!!

Similar Products Used:

B&W 602, Energy, JBL, NHT, Paradigm, etc...

Build Quality, Musical Diversity, Accuaracy, Value

The salesman was a snob

I have a blown tweeter in my Index, so I need to replace them. The replacement speakers must be able to be driver by an 85 wpc receiver and must work when placed very close to a wall. I spent all day listening to speakers in the sub-$800 range. I listened to PSB, Snell, Wharfdale, B&W, Paradigm, Tannoy, and several others. Went to 3 dealers and had been to 2 others on another day (listened to Klipsch, Boston Acoustics, JPW, M&K, and others). Most of these speakers were not something I could live with. It was either a matter of build quality, sound quality, or placement options. None met all the qualifications, but ...

The Aegis One (which I discovered only hours before I went shopping) sounded great despite placing it almost against a wall. I'm hoping I can dampen the rear port with cut straws, cloth or foam and keep these. Nothing else sounded so musical or detailed (except the Linn Katan which is $1000 dollars and therefore doesn't fit the category). They are incredible. Nothing else compares. The cabinet is so solid, there is no vibration (both the Tannoy and PSB sounded like they were full of bees). No wonder these speakers are so positively reviewed.

Will update this once I get them home and dampened.

Similar Products Used:

Linn Index +

Midrange, build, reliable with a capital R, non-fussy over placement and stands, bass (but this is also one of its weakest parts), imaging, detail, sounds fantastic and, of course, price.

Bass, tweeter is a little rolled off, not very dynamic.

I have used these speakers for almost two years now, so I think I'm pretty much qualified to give a detailed assessment of their strengths and weaknesses.

I'll start by listing my components, and some others that I have had in the chain.

Let me add that I have extensively auditioned a number of amps and speakers to "upgrade" my current system - but so far the gains have not really been worth it - when taking my current listening room and needs into consideration.
I have decided to save until I can really get something that will blow me away.

Current system:
Amplifier: Harman Kardon 1400 (1994)
Transport: EAD T1000
DAC: EAD DSP 1000 series II (non-HDCD)
Loudspeakers: AE Aegis One
Interconnects: Transport to DAC: Monster M 1000D
DAC to Amp: Cable Talk Advanced 3 CD
Speaker cable: Cable Talk Talk 3.1
Stands: Atacama

Products auditioned in my room:
Nad 319
Plinius 2100i
Rotel RC 971 pre-amp
Rotel RB 981 power amp
B&W DM602 series II
B&W CDM1 NT

Now I'm not saying that the products above are in any way worse than what I currently have - certainly not. In fact, in most cases they're way better - but in my room and in my chain the differences are far less pronounced than you'd expect.

Obviously, if price wasn't an issue I'd have the Plinius running the NTs quicker than you can say Fifteen-Thousand-Rand (with current exchange rate about $2 000 - give or take $250).

However, I don't readily have that amount of money to spend
and what my current old, cheap and ugly system does is give me 75% - MINIMUM - of what I got with the NTs and Plinius in the chain.

Not perfect, not fantasmo, but fine until I move into a bigger space and can spend maybe $3000 on a good pre/power combo and the NTs or AE1s.

Anyhow, to my mind the Aegis Ones are the stars of the show - most of the information I'm missing at this stage is getting lost at amplifier level - and the little Aegis' have showed that they will play what you give them.

Better amp? - get ready for better sound.

With all the amplifiers I've tested them with the Aegis Ones' overriding character has been warmth, an effortlessly open midrange, good bass down to about 65-60Hz (below that it gets a little plummy and indistinct - as do most standmounters under $1 000) and impeccable musicality.

Imaging is good, certainly not in the class of the AE1, but still plenty to shout about. I listened to the Cowboy Junkies' Trinity Sessions last night and although the low-bass detail (and by extension much of what defines the acoustic space) was not as good as the NTs - I had no difficulty "seeing" the vast space of the recording venue.
Also Margo Timmins was placed firmly in the soundstage and the voice came with shoulders and an easily discernible upper body.

Details came through perfect - harmonicas being put down, hi-hat as a clearly discernible instrument - not some brash bit of digital psssssssssssst.

Dynamically, however, these speakers are not the best - they struggle a little with BIG orchestral works, but something like the Who's Live At Leeds sounds great - a little mushy in the bass perhaps, but certainly not $1 000 worse than the NTs.

Bass in general is good and meaty - BIG sounding and involving.
I don't use a sub at all, although I've heard a set-up with Aegis Ones and an REL Stentor III - WOW!
All you will ever need - thunderous bass - able to wallop like a mule while at the same time gently describing the acoustic on top of this the Aegis mid just opens up the record. Amazing.
But the sub costs twice what my entire system does!!

The midrange is a class act - open, pure and breathy it gives you direct access to the music. Voices and solo instruments are almost perfectly reproduced - no mean feat for a speaker at this price.

Tori Amos' Way Down and Little Amsterdam from Boys for Pele are absolutely frightening on a system worth its salt - and through the Aegis - whoooah, man - Tori's just there.

Little vocal inflection and then "Liddel Amsterdammmmm" man, it sorta draws out and sounds so natural. Fantastic.

Jazz is great, too. Mingus' bass on Haitain Fight Song is excellent - distinct, serious attack and detail also Miles' Sketches of Spain and Kinda Blue - leading edges to notes are great and imaging is AWESOME!

Also, you must listen to the new Shatakovich Cello Concerto 1 and 2 recording on Naxos by Maria Kliegel. Super Budget? Hah - bring on yer audiophile discs - this will suck the butt clean out off of your megabuck software and spit it into the corner of the room. Buy it tomorrow and thank me later.

The Aegis are also not fussy with placement - although they sound best in a pseudo Audio Physic Virgo set-up - wide apart and toed in towards the listener.

Sure, soundstage depth isn't as breathtaking as the AE1s or the NTs, but perspective is still plenty good - not wholly holographic imaging - although on some discs it does a good job (especially Clapton unplugged and Introducing Reuben Gonzalez).

You must use stands, though, but again, not very important what kind as long as they are stable and heavy.

So, yes, all said this is a great pair of speakers. I've tested them with and against much pricier designs, both amp and speakers, and they never cease to amaze me.

You can - and will - get better sound from $800 upwards, but what makes the Aegis so special is that you get a perfect blend of just about everything that makes music sound good.

I cannot recommend this speaker highly enough. If you're in the market for speakers - even if you have $1 000 or more to spend - you simply must listen to these speakers.

Similar Products Used:

B&W DM601 series one, B&W DM302, B&W DM602 series II, B&W CDM1NT, Infinity Reference 51i, AE 1, Kef Cresta ii, Mission 732i, JPW mini and others.

Rich, smooth sound. Easy to listen to.

Hard to find ...

First off: What the heck is this garbage below??? I know all about the infamous Bob Roles from the old Good Trader/Bad Trader board, but did this review really need to be posted??!!?!? A shame that it brings down the rating of a truly excellent speaker.

For listening pleasure in conjunction with my Denon I have found the speakers I'm not going to have to replace for some time. I looked around for quite some time and settled on these.
Worth noting:
>>They took a good 80hours burn-in before they opened up.
>>Laid back sound. Denon receiver probably adds to this. If you like Sade, Tracy Chapman, Enya, Sarah Brightman I strongly recommend giving these a listen. My musical tastes have really tempered over the years ... I brought out my Nine Inch Nails, Chili Peppers, Soundgarden, Alice in Chains, etc. disc folder the other day and came to the conclusion that this type of music is not the forte of AE
>>Don't get scared off by the 5" woofer. With Z1 speakerwire the bass is solid enough that I have not been overanxious to get a sub yet after 4 months of lots of listening (but I am auditioning). My system is doing a good half of it's duty as HT and it is not lacking.

If in the Berkeley area, swing by MusicLoversAudio. Cool place. No, I'm not affiliated with them in any way.

Anyone with advice for me inre: A sub
feel free to email me. I'm considering $300-$500 and leaning towards a HSU ...

5 stars. I'd give it a 4.5 but a few 5s are necessary to counter the below nonsense ..

Similar Products Used:

JBLs, Infinitys, Energy, other bookshelves ..

all i can say is the aegis series hasent claimed world renown best buys for nothing,just listen to it.

imaging,midrange,clarity,clarity,clarity!soundstage is very open sounding,highly recomended with marantz cd 6000 cd player,not ose, and hk 650,check those reviews aswell!

a little presence lost in the music,but theres more than expected from a bookshelf!

you know what makes me sick?that the over all rating for this product is not 5(or more if we could give it)so i just want to bring the average up a bit,i havent submitted a review yet.Any one here that says midrange is muddy or that imaging is bad obviously is making a mistake if you read all the reviews here.Dont listen to any sales people just listen to the speakers!They speak for them selfs.The first thing i noticed was that they had one of the most crisp mids for the price,drumbs actually sound sharp and flat like they supposed to,not boomby or over extended at all.Also the imaging is great for the price.The next best thing about these is that they arent to fussy about equipment,run them off yamaha.marantz pm 7000,4000 or myrad,even nad ,and they stay focused and clean.but beware running these speakers in equipment out of there leage like plinius integrated can make them sound flat and considerably out done,but then again who system matches like that anyways.Also they look cheap in beach wood,go for the black ash i think it is.

All in all these are trumendous value,they exceed down below anything else as a bookshelf,infact down to 32 hz,excellent for the money.conclusion:If you want the best pressence and depth and extension from a bookshelf that brings you every detail,like the ae signiture, take out your wallet and empty your bank balance,if you want a bookshelf speaker that brings you lots of detail,crisp mids,wideeee soundstage and solid build for the price buy these!!!!!!!!!10 stars!!!

Similar Products Used:

ae 100 series bookshelfs(every as detailed as these but,even though these are cheaper they sound much better!!!!!,the 100s have horrible lack of presence.

Looking for an economy "office" speaker and being a staunch Dynaudio fan is noteasy, but here it is.The most dynamic (in both micro and macro)on this side of
where Dynaudio starts, which is at 700-. Allso exquisitly un-colored, highly
musical, this monitor is by far the best I listened to to-day.(Others were B&W
302, 601&2,several Paradimes that were nice, NHT super-ones, and other very
nice ones. But this is a whole new standart for a below 6-700- dollar speaker,
and by no small measure.Articulate from bass and up, go listen to this one,
You'll be glad you did.