Audioengine A5+ Review

36 years of work experience with such companies as Harman/Kardon, Gibson Guitar and Apple, has made Audioengine definitely one of those manufacturers that deserve your attention. It has already proved to be a reliable producer of innovative audio gear which makes the world sound better. Thus, there is no doubt that computer speakers produced by this company are always on the top lists.

Still, the name of the game of our review is Audioengine bestseller – A5+ powered speaker system. This pair of self-powered speakers with precise stereo separation was designed for desktop use. In a nutshell, Audioengine A5+ is stylish, hefty and at the same time pricey. But if you are looking for more details about this speaker system then you are welcome to become a reader of our Audioengine A5+ review.

Audioengine A5+ Design and build quality

The Audioengine A5+ 2.0 speaker system has its cabinets made of MDF wood. Bear in mind that these bookshelf-style desktop speakers include only custom-made parts.

This fact makes Audioengine A5+ stand out from a large amount of speakers at the modern market.

Furthermore, such components as tweeter and woofer drivers as well as tunes and transformers can be also custom made. Thus, speakers are more likely to produce a precise and harmonious sound.

Audioengine A5+ has 0.75-inch silk domed ferrofluid-cooled tweeter drivers paired together with neodymium magnets and 5-inch Kevlar woofers. Note that for efficient performance drivers are bespoke as well. These speakers are also imaged with the tweeter having a left and right dispersion-tuned mount.

There are gapless core toroidal transformers which produce a constrained magnetic field without any leaks. Besides, the drivers of Audioengine A5+ are magnetically shielded, too. As a result, such features do not allow these speakers to ruin the video feed or nearby storage media. Even the closest distance of Audioengine A5+ won’t interfere with the PC performance.

As we have already mentioned, thanks to its high-quality components this speaker set has plenty of advantages over the other speaker systems. One of them is the amp, perfectly tuned to the drivers. By the by, Audioengine A5+ has its amp placed on a special shock-mounted system. Such location helps to reduce vibrations.

The Audioengine A5+ speakers weigh 25 pounds (the left speaker has 15.4 pounds while the right one 9.6 pounds) and that’s one of their scanty minuses. Such weight excludes them from the list of portable speakers and makes look somewhat obtrusive in comparison with other PC speakers. Still, A5+ speakers cannot be called bulky as they are approximately 11 inches high, 7 inches wide and 9 inches deep.

As to the general look, there are three available finishes – black, white, and if you are looking for something unusual there is an option of exquisite carbonized bamboo.

Audioengine A5+ has a remote control which allows you to change the volume or balance at a distance. This option is especially useful for home theatres. What is more, Audioengine produces a range of Bluetooth adaptors which you can use for these PC speakers, too. This will let you stream directly from your device to the speakers.

Audioengine A5+ Connections

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Audioengine A5+ speakers have two audio input ports – a 3.5-mm stereo mini-jack and an RCA input. Speaking of the output ports, they include a variable out for a subwoofer, a USB port to charge USB-powered mobile devices and some other speaker connections aimed to wire up the other speaker.

By the by, Audioengine A5+ speaker set provides a peak power rating of 150 watts. But keep in mind that it’s necessary to continuously supply it with 50 watts per channel.

Audioengine A5+ Setup

You will need to do just several simple operations to set the speakers up. All you have to do is to plug the left speaker into an AC outlet and connect the included speaker wire from the left to right speaker.

Since Audioengine A5+ has built-in power amplifiers you won’t need to connect speakers to a stereo receiver. Note that having all components tuned together this speaker system requires less power than passive speakers and amplifiers.

Audioengine A5+ Performance

In fact, Audioengine A5+ won’t show all its power after the first switch on. These speakers need some time for an amp to break in. After several hours of work, you will find out that the sound performance is much better.

Unlike the other computer speakers Audioengine A5+ has a well-balanced sound. We do not state that all other PC speakers lack this feature or are much worse, but a true sound balance is not a typical characteristic.

If lots of speakers have a kind of bass bump, A5+ is an exception. There is no “one-note bass”. Instead of it, you get a truly tuneful bass, which is a result of bespoke components.

As to the highs, they won’t disappoint you as well. Thanks to the silk domed ferrofluid-cooled tweeter Audioengine A5+ produces silky smooth highs. By the way, there is also an incredible stereo imaging.

This speaker set provides not only high tonal quality but also a good sense of rhythm and pacing. Such a combination is not frequent among the speakers. However, Audioengine A5+ is not just a pair of common speakers. It is a powered speaker set, which is endowed with the effect of live performance.

Nevertheless, Audioengine is not as perfect as it may seem prima facie. Its frequency response range of 50Hz to 22 kHz means that this speaker set is not very rich in detailed bass response as well as surround sound. Still, Audioengine A5+ can be easily amplified by a subwoofer.

Audioengine A5+ Price

As we have mentioned in the very beginning of our review, Audioengine A5+ is not a cheap speaker system. Bespoke components and effect of live performance cost a pretty penny. Nowadays the price of these speakers varies from $399 to more than $500. But if you know what you’re paying for and you can afford it then why not to choose one of the best options at the market.

Summary

Audioengine A5+ speaker set is a source of great sound for desktop use. It’s custom-made components are aimed at creating an efficient performance. But if you are a true audiophile and need speakers for gaming or other kinds of entertainment, you may want to add a subwoofer.

Its design is simple but stylish and it doesn’t matter what finish you will choose – classic black and white or exquisite carbonized bamboo.

On the whole, these high-end speakers would be a good choice, as they have proved to be a reliable system with crisp and clear sound.