|
Acoustics
of Finland
AF-1 and
AF-2 Hi-Fi Loudspeakers
(Warning!
Varoitus!)
The AF-2 is the
AE-2X in 'new clothes.'
Suomalaisten
insinöörien suunnittelema kaiutin jossa
äänentoisto on täysin puhdasta aina
erittäin alhaisesta 36 herzistä (-6dB)
kristallinkirkkaisiin ylätaajuuksiin.
Kaiuttimen
mittasuhteet ovat ns. "Kultaisen leikkauksen" mukaiset, eli
1:1.62. Tämä mittasuhde on tutkitusti
silmälle miellyttävin, ja akustisesti
lyömätön. Kaiuttimessa on ainutlaatuinen
ovaali viistoon suuntautuva refleksiputki joka mahdollistaa
kaiuttimen sijoittamisen lähelle seinää,
ilman bassotaajuuksien jumputusta tai
kuminaa.
Kaiuttimessa on
laadukkaat SEAS:in elementit ja kullatut
johtoliitännät. Kaiuttimen bassotoisto ulottuu
niin matalalle että sitä ei tässä koko-
tai hintaluokassa ole aikaisemmin kuultu!
Acoustic
Electronics
The same same
technical design has been retained - the cosmetic
differences are:
1. Now
also available in White - in addition to
Black
2. The
front panel - of MDF - is painted in a matt finish - black
or white.
3. The
rear panel has the same finish as sides and
top/bottom
4.
Heavy-duty gold-plated speaker terminals have been used -
accepting 'banana' plugs, etc.
5. The
only technical change that has been made is to add
cross-bracing - side-to-side - and top-to-bottom - using
pieces of MDF. This was done ONLY as a theoretical
improvement - the size of the AF-2 and AF-1 is not conducive
to causing audible vibrations in the sides - but as
'cross-bracing' now seems to be the 'fashion' we thought we
would include it in case any potential buyer had been told a
speaker 'has' to have cross-bracing.
Some
comments from a customer
Here are
a few pictures (click on image for larger
version):
The
AF-1 is a revival of the popular AE-1X - again same
technical characteristics.
So
the information for the AE-2X is applicable to the
AF-2:
The
only 'full-range'
5-star loudspeaker
on the Finnish
market (Tekniikan Maailma comparison tests
1987-2010)
Tekniikan Maailma
5/88
VTT
Measurements - Frequency Response and Power Curves
(Click
on image to enlarge)
"Acoustics
of Finland AE-2x on uudempi painos kahden vuoden takaisessa
testissämme menestyneestä AE-2:sta. Myös
uuden mallin bassotoisto on tasapainoinen ja se ulottuu
riittävän alas. Koko matalan äänialueen
voimakkuus on laskettu seinän viereen sijoittamista
varten oikealle tasolle. Silloin kaiuttimen ääni
ei jumputa eikä kumise
"Merkitävin
ero edelliseen malliin verrattuna on korkeiden
äänien toistossa. Ne, joiden mielestä AE-2:n
sointi oli aavistuksen liian kirkas, pitävät
varmasti AE-2x:n rauhallisesta diskantista. Vaikka muutos on
selvästi kuultavissa, se on kuitenkin
äänitteiden diskantti toiston eroihin verrattuna
pieni."
"Taajuusvasteista
näkee saman minkä korva kuulee: toistossa ei ole
värittymiä ja taajuusalueiden tasapaino on
hyvä. Matalat äänet eivät jumputa tai
kumise ja toisto ulttuu riittävän
alas.Vahvistimelle AE-2x on helppo kuorma. Sen impedanssion
pienimmilläänkin vajaat kuusi
ohmia".
----------
High
fidelity speakers are meant to be just that - high fidelity
- that is, they are NOT supposed to be instruments nor part
of the 'recording process' - they are to REPRODUCE the sound
ORIGINALLY recorded. No bass boost, no dips and peaks to
create 'warm,' 'soft,' 'vibrant' sounds. An excellent
recording is to be heard as an excellent recording - it is
not the place of the loudspeaker to mess around with the
sound. If it is a lousy recording - then it should come
through as a lousy recording - NO loudspeaker can correct a
bad recording - nor should it even try! Please have a look
at frequency response data for speakers on the market - in
almost ALL cases you will find a 'bass boost' 80-100 Hz so
that the salesman can show 'bass response' with almost all
material. (This 'extra bass' will not only give you a
headache but will camouflage other higher frequencies and
muddy the definition.) But you will rarely find REAL low
bass - please note - the AF/AE 2 speaker goes to 36 Hz (- 6
dB) - a VERY low response - and rarely found for ANY
speaker!
Frequency
response curve
Power
curves
Wood
finish: Black Matte (Painted) /White Matte
(Painted)
2 way
balanced reflex/8 ohm
Sensitivity:
90 dB à 1 W, 1 kHz
Bass
response: -6 dB, 36 Hz
Weight: 9
kg
Dimensions:
47 x 29 x 20 (H x W x D)
(The
speaker may be placed vertically OR
horizontally)
Recommended
placement: wall, bookshelf or pedestal
+++
The
dimensions of the AF-1:
34 x 21 x
20 (H x W x D)
(The
speaker may be placed vertically OR
horizontally)
Tekniikan
Maailma-magazine (Finland) 5/88
"Acoustics
of Finland AE-2x is the new version of the AE-2 speaker
which we tested with successful results 2 years ago. The
bass response of this new model is also well balanced and
sufficiently deep. The response is calculated to be at its
best when the speaker is placed close to a back wall - there
is no annoying bass boost and boom."
"The most
significant difference with the previous model is the
high-frequency response. Those, who may have thought the
AE-2 to be a bit too on the high side, will appreciate the
AE-2x's more subdued high-frequency response. Although the
change is clearly audible, the overall difference is small
when taking into account the full range of high frequency
reproduction."
"The
frequency response curve shows just what the ear hears - no
coloration and frequency balance is good. Bass reproduction
doesn't have annoying boost and boom. The AE-2x is an easy
load for an amplifier - at it's lowest the impedance is a
bit less than 6 ohms."
Speaker
Cables - Big Hoax?
(see
the New York Times Article)
Sound
Center
Yrjönkatu 8,
Helsinki (09) 441901
Map/Kartta
info@soundcenter.fi
|