Acoustic Energy Loudspeaker AE22 04 Active User Manual

							
O W N E R S   M A N U A L
 
p a s s i v e 
a c t i v e 
						

							
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Thank you for purchasing this Acoustic Energy product. As a valued customer 
we would like to keep you up to date with all news and events including new 
products, exhibitions and exclusive promotions. To enable us to communicate 
these exciting developments please go to our website - www.acoustic-energy.co.uk 
- and complete the ownership registration form.
Perhaps more than any other professional audio product, monitors are sensitive 
to installation so please take a little time to read this manual and to follow, as far 
as practical, the installation guidelines it contains. Careful installation will help 
ensure that your monitors perform optimally.
This manual covers both the Active and Passive variants of the AE22. Following this 
introduction, the Manual is divided into sections covering installation, positioning, 
passive connection, active connection, active controls, listening, specifications, 
warranty and contact information. We recommend that you read at least the first 
six sections carefully before installing and using your AE22s. In the case of the 
AE22 Active please also read the Important Safety Instructions below.
AE22s are intended to be used mounted horizontally 
either on a mixing-desk meter-bridge or on 
speaker floor-stands in relative proximity to the 
rear room boundary. Alternative, on-wall, mounting 
arrangements such as wall brackets are possible 
although these may result in less consistent 
performance. If brackets are to be used they should be 
as rigid as possible and firmly attached to brick-built 
walls.
The construction style, rigidity and dimensions of 
the floor-stands are of critical significance to the 
performance of the AE22. Stands should broadly follow 
the specification below. Your retailer or distributor will 
be able to offer advice.
Recommended Floor-stand Specification.
Construction Style:  Direct coupled pillared.
Mass Loading:     Preferred.
Overall height:     As appropriate for AE22 
tweeter to be at head 
height when seated.
Top plate Dimensions 
Minimum width:    230 mm 
Maximum width:    330 mm 
Minimum depth:    200 mm 
Maximum depth:    290 mm
Top plate interface:      Direct coupled tri-point 
or damped-compliance.
Floor interface:      Floor spikes (M6 
minimum).
1 .   I n t r o d u c t i o n
Important Safety Instructions
Ensure that your AE22 Active is set to the appropriate mains input voltage before it is connected to a mains socket. The warranty does not cover damage caused by incorrect mains voltage.
. Read these instructions.
2. Keep these instructions.
3. Heed all warnings.
4. Follow all instructions.
5. Do not use this apparatus near water.
6. Clean only with dry cloth.
7. Do not block any ventilation openings. Install in accordance with the manufacturer’s instructions.
8. Do not install near any heat sources such as radiators, heat registers, stoves, or other apparatus (including amplifiers) that produce heat.
9. Do not defeat the safety purpose of the grounding-type plug. A grounding type plug has two blades and a third grounding prong. The third prong is provided for your safety. If the provided plug does not fit into your outlet, consult an electrician for replacement of the obsolete outlet.
0. Protect the power cord from being walked on or pinched particularly at plugs, convenience 
receptacles, and the point where they exit from the apparatus.
. Only use attachments/accessories specified by the manufacturer.
2. Use only with the cart, stand, tripod, bracket, or table specified by the 
manufacturer, or sold with the apparatus. When a cart is used, use caution when moving the cart/apparatus combination to avoid injury from tip-over.
3. Unplug this apparatus during lightning storms or when unused for long 
periods of time.
4. Refer all servicing to qualified service personnel. Servicing is required when the apparatus 
has been damaged in any way, such as power-supply cord or plug is damaged, liquid has been spilled or objects have fallen into the apparatus, the apparatus has been exposed to rain or moisture, does not operate normally, or has been dropped.
5. The apparatus shall not be exposed to dripping or splashing and that no objects filled with 
liquids, such as vases, shall be placed on the apparatus.
6. The MAINS plug is used as the disconnect device, the disconnect device shall remain 
readily operable.
7. To reduce the risk of fire or electric shock, do not expose this apparatus to rain or moisture.
2 .   I n s t a l l a t i o n
3 .   P o s i t i o n i n g
The AE22 is both a heavy and a relatively delicate 
precision engineered product that can be damaged 
by inappropriate handling. Please take care when 
unpacking or moving the monitors not to touch either 
of the drivers. Damage to a driver will at best degrade 
performance and at worst result in complete failure.
The packaging should be retained for future use. 
						

							
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1 .   I n t r o d u c t i o n
2 .   I n s t a l l a t i o n
3 .   P o s i t i o n i n g
The position of monitors within the studio room is 
likely to have more influence over their performance 
than any other aspect of their installation. It is worth 
spending some time experimenting both with the 
finer points of monitor positioning, as well as the 
larger scale issues of room layout.
If you are already familiar with the acoustic 
characteristics of your studio room, and the way 
speakers perform in it, you may already have a good 
feel for where to position your AE22s. However, 
installing any new  component provides a good 
opportunity to review an existing set-up and perhaps 
make improvements.
AE22s are NOT magnetically shielded. Magnetically 
sensitive equipment or media should be kept at least 
1m away.
The position requirements for a pair of AE22s installed 
in a typically sized and equipped studio room, 
illustrated in Diagram One, are as follows: • 
Between  .5 and 3.0 metres apart.
 
•  Placed horizontally with tweeters outermost if the monitoring       
  position tends to be below the horizontal axis and tweeters innermost if     
  the monitoring position tends to be above the horizontal axis.
 
•  Between 0.2 and  .0 metres from the rear wall.
 
•  At least  .0 metre from the side walls.
 
•  Clear of room corners.
 
Don’t worry if it is not practical to follow each requirement exactly. The most 
important thing is to experiment with the different options that are practical and 
find the one that works best.
AE22s need not be angled inward towards the listening position although adjusting 
this “toe-in” angle can be effective in fine-tuning the AE22s high frequency tonal 
balance.
Wherever your AE22s are positioned it is important that each of the pair is located 
in a similar acoustic environment (different environments would be, say, a curtained 
area and a solid wall). The acoustic character of the walls, ceiling and floor of 
the room in the area where the main reflections between speakers and listening 
position will occur should also be similar.
Once your AE22s are connected and working, and you begin to become familiar 
with their performance, it is likely to be worthwhile experimenting a little more 
with their positioning. Reducing the distance between the monitors and the rear 
wall will increase the level of bass and low midrange making the monitors sound 
warmer. The warmth however is likely to be gained at the expense of some mid-
range clarity and stereo image focus and depth. Increasing the toe-in angle of the 
monitors may regain some image focus but again this may be at a cost of image 
width and high frequency balance. Learning through experimentation how AE22s 
behave in your studio will help you find the optimum solution.
D i a g r a m   O n e
2.5 metres
Listening position
0.5 metres from back wall  
Reflection region. Keep similar each side. 
						

							
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4 .   C o n n e c t i n g   A E 2 2   P a s s i v e5 .   C o n n e c t i n g   A E 2 2   A c t i v e
Connecting passive AE22s to an amplifier is fundamentally a simple process. 
However, there are some choices to be made and issues to consider concerning 
speaker cable type.
Passive AE22s are fitted with a pair of binding-post terminals and a parallel Neutrik® 
Speakon®  socket. The binding-post terminals can accept stripped wires, spade 
connectors, or 4mm plugs. Each of these termination methods is potentially equally 
effective and the choice is likely to be influenced by the type of speaker cable used. 
The Speakon socket and plug provides enhanced security and reliability of 
connection and is the preferred option. An appropriate plug is supplied within 
the packaging. Speakon plugs are also widely available from audio and electronic 
component distributors and retailers. Either 2-pole (NL2FC) or 4-pole (NL4FC) plugs 
may be used.
Diagram Two illustrates the assembly and connection of a 2-pole Speakon plug. 
Remember to thread the cable through the Rear Housing and Clamp Ring before 
connecting it to the terminals. Strip approximately 6mm of bare wire and connect 
to the screw terminals within the Speakon. If 4-pole Speakon plugs are used 
connect to the terminals labelled +1 and -1. Once the speaker cable is connected 
to the terminals, the plug can be reassembled. The Clamp Ring secures the cable as 
the Rear Housing is tightened.
To connect the speakers simply push the Speakon plug into the socket and twist 
the plug clock-wise to lock. Twist counter-clockwise and pull to disconnect.
Take care not to connect any negative and positive terminals together and “short-
circuit” the amplifier. Always make connections with the amplifier switched off.
Connection Polarity.
It is important to ensure that each speaker is connected with the same polarity. 
Positive speaker terminals should always be connected back to amplifier positive 
terminals, and negative speaker terminals connected back to amplifier negative 
terminals. Performance will be degraded if connections are made with incorrect 
polarity.
Neutrik® and the names of Neutrik® products referenced herein are either trademarks and/or service marks of Neutrik®.
D i a g r a m   T w o
Plug Body
Clamp Ring
Rear Housing
Connect Positive
Connect Negative
Cable Choice.
Choice of speaker cable type will be influenced by the 
characteristics of other components in your monitoring 
system and your dealer or distributor will be able to 
advise. There are however some simple guidelines to 
consider:
  •    The external cable diameters compatible with 
Speakon plugs are as follows: 
NL2FC (2-pole): 4mm -  0mm, NL4FC (4-pole) 
5mm -  mm (white Clamp Ring), NL4FC (4 pole) 
9.5mm -  5mm (black Clamp Ring).
•    Cable runs to each speaker should be kept as 
short as possible consistent with each being of 
equal length. 
•    Short cable runs are especially important if the 
cable is of relatively small cross-sectional-area. 
•    If the cable is advertised as “directional” care 
should be taken to ensure that its orientation is 
as recommended.
Amplifiers
The AE22 is a medium sensitivity speaker that demands 
a relatively powerful amplifier for adequate monitoring 
volume levels to be achieved in an average studio 
room. A minimum of 75 and maximum of 200 Watts 
into 8 Ohms per channel is recommended. AE22s offer 
a relatively easy load to the amplifier and do not make 
unusually heavy demands on its current delivery. 
No overload protection systems are fitted to the AE22 
so it is possible to cause damage through over-driving. 
Such damage can occur regardless of the power rating 
of the driving amplifier and is not covered by any 
warranty. If ever the sound at high volumes becomes 
distorted your AE22s are at risk of damage. In such 
circumstances the volume must be reduced. 
						

							
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4 .   C o n n e c t i n g   A E 2 2   P a s s i v e5 .   C o n n e c t i n g   A E 2 2   A c t i v e
Each active AE22 must be connected to mains power 
and signal cables. Diagram Three illustrates the rear 
connection and control panel.
Mains Connection
Mains power is connected via the IEC socket on 
the back panel. Ensure before connecting to the 
mains supply that the voltage specified on the panel 
corresponds to your local mains voltage. A mains fuse 
is located adjacent to the mains socket. If the fuse fails 
it must be replaced by one of the same specification. 
Repeated mains fuse failure indicates a fault which 
should be investigated by a qualified service engineer.
The AE22 power switch is also located adjacent to the 
mains socket. Do not switch-on until all connections 
have been made. Illumination of the front panel display 
indicates that the AE22 is switched on.
D i a g r a m   T h r e e
Signal Connection
The AE22 provides both balanced and unbalanced line-level signal inputs for 
connection to the monitor outputs of the mixing desk, digital audio workstation or 
computer audio interface. A three position switch provides 6dB of input sensitivity 
adjustment.
The balanced input is via a three pin XLR socket and the unbalanced input via 
a concentric 6mm mono jack socket. Always use high quality professionally 
terminated signal cables. Do not plug or unplug signal cables while the AE22 is 
switched on. 
HF Adjust
FlatCutLift
FlatCutLift
FlatCutExtend
0dB-3dB+3dB
MF Adjust
LF Adjust
Sensitivity
Line InputBalanced XLRUnbalanced Jack
 
AM022-04-06POWER INPUT:
FUSE RATING:INPUT POWER: 220WSERIAL No.
Risque de choc electriqueNe pas ouveré
ATTENTION
Risk of electrical shockDo not open
CAUTION
This speaker is NOT magnetically shielded
WARNING
No user serviceable parts inside.Consult Owners Manual before use.Operate in accordance with Manufacturer’s instructions.If in doubt refer to qualified service personnel.
Designed and Engineered by Acoustic Energy Ltd, England.Made in Malaysia. 
						

							
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8 .   S p e c i f i c a t i o n s
Before using your AE22s for the first time make one final check of the cables and 
connections. If all appears well begin listening at a relatively low level to confirm 
that the system is operating as expected. Only increase the volume if you are 
happy with the sound at low levels. If you are unhappy, turn the system off and re-
check all the cables and connections.
AE22s may take a little time to reach normal operating temperatures and to “run-
in”. It is unwise therefore to make too rapid a judgement about the performance 
of the monitors. Your ears too will take some time to adjust to the new sound so 
revisiting the speaker positioning is best left for a few days.
The AE22 Active is fitted with gain and equalisation 
controls on its rear connection panel and a control 
configuration display on the front panel. The controls 
behave as described in the following paragraphs:
Sensitivity:   
Adjusts the AE22 amplifier input 
sensitivity to suit the output level 
of the mixing desk, workstation or 
computer interface. The three position 
switch offers -3dB, 0dB and +3dB. 0dB 
sensitivity is equivalent to 0.9V RMS 
input for maximum rated amplifier 
output at 400Hz.
LF Adjust:      Provides three options of low 
frequency equalisation. Cut applies 
-3dB of attenuation at 70Hz, Flat is the 
un-equalised response, and Extend 
applies +3dB of gain at 40Hz.  LF Adjust 
should normally be left  Flat. Cut is 
intended to model the LF characteristic 
of smaller speakers, while Extend 
enables the AE22 to reproduce low 
frequency programme material or 
information that may otherwise go 
unnoticed. Maximum volume capability 
is likely to be reduced when Extend is 
selected.
MF Adjust:    Provides three options of mid 
frequency equalisation. Cut applies -
2dB of attenuation at 400Hz, Flat is the 
un-equalised response of the speaker, 
and Lift applies +2dB of gain at 400Hz. 
Cut and Lift can help compensate 
in installations that result in an 
unsatisfactory midrange balance. 
HF Adjust:    Provides three options of high 
frequency equalisation. Cut applies 
-.5dB of attenuation from 2kHz, 
Flat 
is the un-equalised response of the 
speaker, and Lift  applies +.5dB of gain 
at from 2kHz. Cut and Lift can help 
compensate in installations that result 
in an unsatisfactory high frequency 
balance.
6 .   A E 2 2   A c t i v e   C o n t r o l s
The setting of each control is indicated by the front panel display of the AE22 
- illustrated in Diagram Four below. The front panel display also carries two clip 
(peak) indicators which illuminate if either the low frequency or high frequency 
amplifiers reach their output limit. The volume level should be reduced if the clip 
indicators illuminate more than occasionally.
D i a g r a m   F o u r
LF Adjust
MF Adjust
HF Adjust
Sensitivity
Clip
7 .   L i s t e n i n g 
						

							
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8 .   S p e c i f i c a t i o n s
Your Acoustic Energy speakers are guaranteed against original defects in materials, 
manufacture and workmanship for 3 years from the date of purchase.
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. If you have reason to claim under the warranty 
please contact your dealer in the first instance 
Claims and enquiries under the warranty for Acoustic Energy products purchased 
outside the UK should be addressed to the local importers or distributors.
Please retain all original packaging materials for possible future use.
For any sales, technical or spares enquiries contact your local dealer or distributor 
first.
9 .   W a r r a n t y
6 .   A E 2 2   A c t i v e   C o n t r o l s
Products  that  display  the  crossed-out  wheeled  bin logo  cannot  be  disposed  of  as  domestic  waste but  must  be  taken  to  a  facility  capable  of  re-cycling  them  and  appropriately  handling any  waste  by-products.  Contact  your  local authority  for  details  of  the  nearest  such  facility.
Model:  AE22 Passive  AE22 Active
Type:   2-way, closed-box loaded.  2-way, closed-box loaded.
LF/MF Driver:   200mm pressed alloy cone.  200mm pressed alloy cone. 
  Underhung, 50mm dia voice-coil.  Underhung, 50mm dia voice-coil.
HF Driver:  25mm Ring Radiator. Neodymium magnet.  25mm Ring Radiator. Neodymium magnet.
Filter Network:   3rd order Bessel at 2.0kHz.  3rd order Bessel at 2.0kHz.
Frequency Response: 60Hz to 40kHz ±3dB    60Hz to 40kHz ±3dB
Power Handling:  200W peak programme  N/A
Nominal Impedance:   8 Ohms  N/A
Sensitivity:  87dB for  Watt at   metre  N/A
Input Sensitivity:  N/A  0.9V ±3dB
Input Impedance:  N/A  >0kΩ
 
LF Amplifier:  N/A  00 Watts RMS
HF Amplifier:  N/A  60 Watts RMS
LF Adjustment:  N/A  +3dB @ 40Hz Q = , -3dB @ 70Hz Q =  ,
MF Adjustment:  N/A  ±2dB @ 400Hz Q = 0.5
HF Adjustment:  N/A  ±.5dB 2kHz to 40kHz
Dimensions (H x W x D):  250 x 350 x 300mm   250 x 350 x 330mm
Weight (single, unpacked):  0kg  5kg
Acoustic Energy reserves the right to modify product specifications.
1 0 .   C o n t a c t
Acoustic Energy Limited 
16 Bridge Road 
Cirencester 
Gloucestershire GL7 1NJ 
UK
Tel:   +44 (0)1285 654432 (Sales)
 
  +44 (0)1285 656890 (Technical)
 
Fax:    +44 (0)1285 654430
 
Email:  [email protected]
 
Web:   www.acoustic-energy.co.uk 
						

							
Acoustic Energy Limited, 16 Bridge Road, Cirencester, Gloucestershire GL7 1NJ. 
Tel: +44 (0)1285 654432 (Sales), +44 (0)1285 656890 (Technical). Fax: +44 (0)1285 654430 
Email: [email protected] 
Web: www.acoustic-energy.co.uk
Manual Part No. MA2201_R1