Acoustic Energy Loudspeaker AE309 User Manual

							Owner’s manual 
						

							Congratulations on choosing the Acoustic Energy AESPRIT
309, a powerful floorstanding three-way loudspeaker which
features metal diaphragm technology and is capable of
outstanding performance. Please take a few moments to read
this manual. The advice it contains will enable you to get the
very best performance out of your Acoustic Energy
loudspeakers.
The AESPRIT 309 utilises metal cone mid and bass drive unit
technology, proven in the AE Reference series. The rigid anodised alloy
cone ensures pure piston action and also acts as a heat sink for the
bonded voice coil. These features provide exceptional clarity,
transparency, dynamics and power handling. The units are housed
within vented polymer chassis reducing stray magnetic flux to a
minimum and increasing power handling.
The tweeter - or treble driver - is a high-quality neodymium unit with a
silk fabric dome integrating smoothly with the rest of the system.
All drive units are fully magnetically shielded so that the speakers can be
used in close proximity to a TV screen or monitor for AV applications.
The Acoustic Energy AESPRIT 309 loudspeaker uses quality OFC internal
wiring, which enhances detail and transparency. 
Please unpack your AESPRIT309s carefully. Locate the plinths and
fittings and, having carefully inverted the speaker, screw the plinth to the
base of the cabinet using the screws and pilot holes provided. Please
take extra care during this operation, as the cabinet is top-heavy when
inverted. Please also ensure that you have tightly screwed the plinth to
the cabinet. Failure to do so will affect performance.
High tensile 8mm floor spikes and lock nuts are provided for use with
the plinth. These guarantee optimum coupling to the floor particularly in
rooms fitted with carpet. The spikes penetrate the carpet and couple the
speaker firmly to the floor structure below. The spikes (with lock nut
screwed down to the knurled part of the spike) should be fitted to the
threaded insert in the underside of the plinth while the speaker is still
inverted. The speaker is now ready for installation. Any final adjustment
of spikes to eliminate cabinet wobble can now be made using a spirit
level if required. The lock nuts should be tightened when the final
adjustments to cabinet position and alignment have been made.
Closeness to room boundaries has a major impact on the low frequency
performance. The speakers should be kept away from corners (which
will produce booming) and there should be at least a 300-400mm (12-
16 inch) gap from any back or side walls.
In the rear port of your AE309 you will find a foam bung. This has been
supplied for tuning purposes to allow for differing room acoustics and
positioning. Removal of this bung will give an increased bass output
where required.
Experiment with the best position to achieve a full, yet clean bass
response. Trust your judgement and ears. For serious listening the grilles
are best removed.
For best stereo imaging the speakers should be as far apart as they are
from the listening position.
Positioning Introduction 
						

							Bi-amping
Bi-amping adds a second amplifier to the system. One power amplifier
drives the treble/mid section of both loudspeakers; a second drives the
bass sections. 
Note that the shorting links must be removed.
Failure to do so will result in damaging the amplifers.
As regards the loudspeakers, wiring for bi-amping is achieved in much
the same way as bi-wiring. Treble/mid amplifier positive (red) terminals
should be connected via the ribbed cable to
the positive (red) HF terminal on the speaker.
Similarly, treble/mid amplifier negative is
connected to the negative (black) HF
terminal on the speaker. Repeat this process
with the bass amplifier and LF terminal pair.
After wiring up
Lower the volume to the minimum, 
switch on the amplifier, select the 
signal source and then raise the 
volume to the listening level
required.
AMPLIFIERLEFT SPEAKER
RETAIN LINKS
FOR FUTURE USE
RLMAIN
Check that your amplifier is switched off before installing your
loudspeakers. Failure to do so may result in speaker or amplifier
damage. The diagram illustrates one loudspeaker only.
Conventional
Normal passive wiring requires shorting links to be in place between the 
treble/mid and bass sections. The positive (ribbed) cable from the
amplifier positive (or red) terminal should connect with the positive
(red) terminal on the loudspeaker. Similarly the negative (smooth) cable
should connect the amplifier negative terminal (black) to the negative
terminal (black) on the loudspeaker.
Bi-wiring
Bi-wiring separates the bass and treble ground paths in the loudspeaker
and offer sound quality advantages. An extra set of cables is required.
Note that the shorting links are removed between the treble/mid and
bass sections and should be stored for later use if conventional, passive
driving is required.
Two pairs of cables are connected to the amplifier terminals. One cable
of each pair should connect to the treble/mid section and one to the
bass section. The positive (ribbed) cables from the amplifier positive (or
red) terminal should connect with the positive (red) terminals on the
loudspeaker. Similarly the negative (smooth) cables in each pair should
connect the amplifier negative terminal (black) to the negative terminals
(black) on the loudspeaker.
Connection 
						

							HF unit Neodynium tweeter with high
dispersion diaphragm.
Ferro fluid cooled and damped.
Magnetically shielded.
Exclusively profiled.
MF unitPure piston 130 mm driver with 32
mm coil, polymer chassis, high power,
long-throw magnet system and 
lightweight alloy cone. Magnetically
shielded. 
LF unitPure piston 130 mm driver with 32
mm coil, polymer chassis, high power,
long-throw magnet system and 
lightweight alloy cone. Magnetically 
shielded.
Crossover@ 175 Hz, 1st order LF
@ 3.1 kHz, 3rd order MF
@ 3.1kHz, 3rd order HF
Power Handling200W max (undistorted program drive)
Frequency response  ±6dB37Hz to 23kHz
Frequency response  ±3dB43Hz to 20kHz
Sensitivity90.5 dB/W
Impedance8 ohm (4 ohm minimum)
CabinetReal wood veneered. 15 mm MDF
wrap. Full circumferential brace. High
power, low turbulence bass reflex port.
30 mm MDF front baffle. Mass loaded
Terminals Gold-plated 4-way binding posts.
Weight(excl. packaging and plinth)  18kg each
Dimensions(WxHxD)  210 x 920 x 305 mm
Your Acoustic Energy loudspeakers are guaranteed against original defects in
materials, manufacture and workmanship for 3 years from the date of
purchase. Please retain all original packaging materials for possible future use.
We suggest that you complete details of purchase now and keep this
information in a safe place for future reference.
Under this warranty Acoustic Energy agrees to repair any defect or, at the
company’s discretion, replace the faulty component(s) without charge for parts
or labour. This warranty does not imply any acceptance by Acoustic Energy or
its agents for consequential loss or damage and specifically excludes fair wear
and tear, accident, misuse or unauthorised modification.
This warranty is applicable in the United Kingdom only and does not in any
way limit the customer’s legal rights. Claims and enquiries under the warranty
for AE products purchased outside the UK should be addressed to the local
importers or distributors.
If you have reason to claim under the warranty please contact your dealer in
the first instance.
Dealer’s name:........................................................................................................
Address:....................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................
.................................................................................................................
Date of purchase:....................................................................................................
Serial numbers:.......................................................................................................
Acoustic Energy Limited
16 Bridge Road, Cirencester
Gloucestershire GL7 1NJ
Tel +44(0)1285 654432
Fax +44(0)1285 654430
Web www.acoustic-energy.co.uk
SpecificationsWarranty