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Our Audio Vectors sound fresher and need an amplifier that adds some extra body. You can place them closer to the wall and they play louder without distortion. They are a bit faster and sparkle a bit more because of their AMT tweeter but have a smaller soundstage and limited sweet spot. They are slightly more prominent in the high but both are suitable for longer sessions and allow most genres to come through well
The Vienna Acoustics Haydn Jubilee, which is still here, has a bit more quality in the bass that also lasts a bit longer. The tweeter is spicier and therefore less shots fall through the basket. The Haydn Jubilee only shines with more expensive components while the AE500 already sounds great with a solid integrated amplifier. Think of an Audiolab 6000A or Arcam SA10. The Haydn Jubilee is more insightful and faster, but the Acoustic Energy AE500 counters with a rounder, refined presentation that never becomes obtrusive
Competition
The competition is fierce in this price range and it seems as if every week a new monitor puts the previous one to the crown. We ourselves have already tested quite a few, think of the Monitor Audio Studio, Sonus Faber Sonetto 1 or Vienna Acoustics Jubilee. Other candidates that my colleague Jaap has tested are the Definitive Technology Demand D11 or Bowers 707 S2
They are all excellent speakers, each with their own specific qualities and sound different. But of all these monitors, the Acoustic Energy AE500 is, in our opinion, the most complete loudspeaker. There are loudspeakers in between that have more sparkle or punchier low but when we look at it all, the AE500 is the most balanced. He is also the least critical when it comes to control and immediately performs at a high level in just about every room. Complete on several levels.
For whom
As we have established, there is more choice than ever before and this of course makes choosing a lot more difficult. However, if you are looking for a monitor in this price range, the Acoustic Energy AE500 should be at the top of your list. Not to give him a chance would be a sin. This loudspeaker is one of the best in the class and doesn’t drop a stitch anywhere. You’ll get something other than, say, a Bowers or a Kef. Highly recommended.