Acoustic Energy has unveiled the latest incarnation of its NEO range of loudspeakers, NEO V2.

The new budget line-up, priced from £219 for the NEO one bookshelf stereo pair, promises new crossovers using high quality Polypropylene capacitors and air-core inductors on the HF drivers are said to offer a faster and sweeter top end. Revised suspension and higher magnetic field strength on the LF driver should deliver tighter, more accurate bass and all the speakers in the range have been updated with smoothly profiled edges, concealed magnetic grille fixings and new colour finishes.

The NEO range takes its name from Neodymium, a material that offers superior power handling and lower distortion than traditional Ferrite magnet drivers, and which is usually found in more expensive speakers.

AE says that the new NEO series’ LF driver offers more than half an octave more bandwidth than the old NEO. The NEO tweeter meanwhile is a dual ring-radiator design selected for its wide bandwidth, low distortion and flat frequency response out to 45kHz.

The floor-standing NEO Three is a two-and-a-half way reflex-loaded design capable of handling 170 watts RMS. The NEO One is a compact, two-way reflex-loaded standmount while the NEO Centre sports the same 2.5-way driver array as the NEO Three.

The NEO Sub is a fully-sealed-box subwoofer design including a 200-watt RMS amplifier and a 220mm driver with a 48mm voice coil and long-throw ferrite magnet. It offers bass down to 26Hz, and has a notch filter designed to tame room acoustics problems.

Finished in Vermont (walnut) or black, the Acoustic Energy NEO V2 range is on sale now at these prices:

• NEO V2 One £219 pr
• NEO V2 Three £399 pr
• NEO V2 Centre £179 ea
• NEO V2 Subwoofer £399 ea