I think I’ve made it clear over the years that I love Audioengine products. I’ve reviewed many of the company’s speakers and have always been impressed. Honestly, I’m not sure why they aren’t a household name. Now they have released the Audioengine A5+ Wireless Speakers. An update to their impressive A5 speakers, their new offering once again impressed me.
Let’s run down a bit of my/our history with Audioengine. I reviewed their HD3 Wireless Music System in the fall of 2016. (Read the review.) These small desktop speakers pack an impressive punch. I reviewed the B2, a speaker system that packs stereo speakers into a small, wood cabinet. It looks great, is ideal for small spaces and sounds fantastic. (See the video review here.) I also reviewed the Audioengine HD6 Powered Bookshelf Speakers. These large speakers have a beautiful wood cabinet, have removable grills so those who enjoy seeing the speakers can do so and have pretty much any and every connection option you might want to be built into the back of the “parent” speaker. They get loud and sound fantastic. (Read the review.)
To a certain degree, the new A5+ Premium Wireless Speaker System takes its place between the HD3 and HD6 offerings. It is about the same size as the HD6, packs the same punch and has the same audio technology baked inside. The connectivity options are, however, more similar to those found in the HD3 than the HD6. More on that in a bit. The A5+ build upon the popular A5 Powered Speakers. They look similar but have a slightly updated aesthetics and now include the option to wireless connect to your music. (Previously, the A5 system required a physical connection to the audio source.) Audioengine makes clear that adding wireless to the system wasn’t merely about convenience. As they explain,
A5+ Wireless isn’t just a pair of powered stereo speakers, but a smart music system that works with Alexa, Siri, and all other voice-activated apps, speakers, and devices – as well as every music app on the planet.
Now, let’s be clear, a music system that can be described as being a “powerful audiophile-grade wireless speakers” doesn’t come cheap. These speakers have a price of $499-$569. That may sound steep but considering this is a quality home stereo system designed for those who are discerning when it comes to their music; I can’t help but see these as being a decent value. That is especially true because these speakers don’t simply take a digital signal and amplify it. Instead, these, like all Audioengine products, employ class A/B analog amplifiers that deliver an entirely different music experience than speakers with the digital amps found in many, if not most, mass-marketed speakers. (Also, when I think back to how much I spent on my first component stereo system when I was 15 this is downright inexpensive!)
The first thing you will notice when unboxing the new A5+ speaker system is the quality of the product. The speakers a rather heavy and the quality of the build is easy to see. The second thing you will notice is the fact that, as usual, Audioengine includes everything you could need to set up the system. Inside the box you will find:
- The left A5+ powered speaker
- The right A5+ passive speaker
- A remote control
- Speaker wire (16AWG), 3.75 meters (~12.3ft)
- Detachable power cord
- A mini-jack audio cable, 2 meters (~6.5ft)
- An RCA to RCA audio cable, 2 meters (~6.5ft)
- Cloth speaker and cable bags
- A Setup Guide
- A product line brochure
Once everything is out of the box, setup takes just a few minutes. The company wants it this way as they cutely note, “Life is complicated. Listening to your music shouldn’t be.” There are no apps to download and no network that needs to be accessed. If you are using a wired connection, you simply plug a cable into the speakers and connect it to the audio source. If you are connecting via Bluetooth, you simply go to the Bluetooth menu on your audio source and select it when it appears. (Don’t worry, this isn’t just any Bluetooth connection that compresses the hell out of your music.) The company goes on to explain their commitment to simplicity noting,
The A5+ Wireless eliminates the need for a stereo receiver or separate power amp. And setup takes just a few seconds with no apps to download and no wifi hassles. Tidal, Spotify, Pandora, and all your favorite streaming apps play instantly from your phone, tablet, and computer.
The HD6 speakers have a gorgeous wood cabinet and grills with acoustic material that magnetically connect to the speakers. If you want to see the speakers you can remove the grills but, fig you want a more refined look you can leave them in place. The same goes for the smaller HD3 system. The A5+ has an entirely different aesthetic. The cabinets are made form 1/2” thick MDF, and there are three color options from which to choose. The Black Satin and Hi-Gloss White have an MSRP of $499 while the Natural Bamboo is $569.
The Bamboo version looks a bit like the HD6 while the Black and White versions look a bit more industrial. Also, the A5+ lineup does not come with a grill which creates a more aggressive style than the company’s other speakers.
The speakers are 10.75” high and 7” wide. The Right speaker is 7.75” deep while the Left speaker, which houses the electronics and connectors, is 9” deep. The fact that one speaker is passive while the others house the electronics also impacts the weight. As a result, the Right speaker weighs 9.6 pounds while the Left speaker comes in at 15.4 pounds.
Because the right speaker is passive, its back simply has connectors for the speaker wire or included plug and play speaker cable.
The “magic” happens in the Left speaker.
There you will find a connection for attaching the included Bluetooth antenna, 3.5mm and RCA audio inputs, a Bluetooth pairing button, RCA variable line-out connections, connections for the speaker wire, a voltage selector, a power cord input, and a power toggle.
One difference between the HD6 and the A5+ is the HD6’s inclusion of an optical audio input. This is great if you want to, for example, use the speakers with your television, but I don’t think the lack of an optical port on the A5+ will be an issue for most people.
The front of the speaker has a power indicator light, a sensor that works with the remote.
It also has a physical volume control but, surprisingly, does not have the front 3.5mm headphone jack found on the HD3 system.
The speakers have a dual class A/B amplifier driving 5” Kevlar woofers with advanced voice coils and 3/4” silk dome tweeters with neodymium magnets. The result is 150W of peak power and excellent sound!
A few things are worth noting. First, Audioengine designs and manufactures its own tweeters, woofers, and other critical components. These aren’t speakers built by pulling components off the shelf and throwing them together. (You would be amazed how often that IS the case.) Instead, components are either designed and produced in-house or are made by others but the AudioEngine’s specifications. From there,
The cabinets, drivers, bass port designs, amplifiers, and crossovers are all painstakingly tuned together for each Audioengine model. This, in turn, makes for a much more efficient system that requires much less power than passive speakers and a separate integrated amplifier or similar A/V components.
The company was very careful in selecting the materials for their drivers. They opted for Silk tweeters because these “hold up well under high power and the edge-driven design gives a very smooth response.” They opted for Kevlar with rubber surrounds for the woofers because it is strong enough to retain its shape when driven at high levels. Also, the company explains that “the speaker materials and construction are robust enough to stand up to some serious thrashing, so speaker grills aren’t needed, and they will sound and look great after many years of use. Finally, the drivers are video shielded so they can be placed just a few inches of a video monitor. They note that the shielding also serves to protect hard-drive digital music players.
If you have not figured it out yet, Audioengine speakers are made for people who love their music.
Of course, the standout feature that makes the A5+ such an awesome upgrade of the A5 system is the inclusion of Bluetooth. This isn’t just any Bluetooth, however. For example, the Bluetooth 4.0 built into the speakers gets up to 100 feet of range and supports aptX, AAC, and SBS. That’s why the company can brag that:
The A5+ Wireless also features a higher signal-to-noise ratio due to the inclusion of a 24-bit high-performance DAC and much better range than most Bluetooth products.
If your audio source supports aptX, you will be able to enjoy the impact of this high-quality Bluetooth audio codec. Unfortunately, iPhone and iPads don’t support aptX. All is not, however, lost.
For iPad or iPhone users that don’t have aptX, don’t despair! MacOS (MacBook, iMac, Mac mini) includes Bluetooth aptX, however, if you use an iPhone or iPad, Apple uses the AAC codec and doesn’t support aptX. AAC sounds good as well, and you’ll also get the extra benefit of our upsampling 24-bit DAC, so you won’t be disappointed by the sound quality if you use an iOS device with any of our Bluetooth products.
Features:
- Built-in analog class A/B monoblock power amplifiers
- Solid aluminum remote control
- High-fidelity advanced Bluetooth with aptX, simplified setup, extended range, and 24-bit upsampling
- RCA and mini-jack audio inputs
- Front panel volume control
- Variable preamp audio output
- Gold-plated connectors
- Full-size 5-way speaker binding posts
- Custom Kevlar woofers and silk tweeters
- Hand-built MDF wood cabinets
- Magnetically shielded
- Advance tuned cabinet with rear-ported waveguide
- Stand-mount 1/4? threaded inserts
- Cables included
- Left and right speaker included.
- Everything you need is in the box!
- Audioengine pays sales tax if applicable.
- Free ground shipping in the contiguous United States.
- 30-day audition
- 3-year warranty
Ultimately these are fairly small speakers that pump out huge, impressive sound. Or as the company says,
Clear, full and powerful audio that fills any room. The A5+ Wireless Speakers are constructed with custom Audioengine components: Kevlar woofers, silk tweeters, high-fidelity Bluetooth aptX-HD, and built-in power amps wrapped in hand-built wood cabinets with furniture-grade finish. Perfect for any size space.
When you are looking to spend money, there is nothing better than getting an awesome product at a reasonable price. Sure, you can go cheap and save some money. In the end, however, you will likely discover the veracity of the adage, “You get what you pay for.” You can also pay out the nose for speakers that look fancy, have a fancy logo and are marketed with all kinds of bells and whistles. In that case, however, it is entirely possible you will find that spending more doesn’t necessarily get you a better product or experience.
As Audioengine has shown me time and time again, there is a third option. When you turn to a company that takes serious pride in their products and is committed to giving great value at a fair price you can’t go wrong. That’s the case here. Audioengine could likely charge more for their speakers. They could also cut some corners and either lower their prices or increase their profit margin. But, as a company that is seriously committed to music and to creating a loyal customer base, they don’t do either. They put the right components into custom cabinets and make sure their products deliver great sound. Then they charge a fair price.
The A5+ Wireless Speakers are a perfect example of this. At an MSRP of $499, they certainly are less expensive options, but you aren’t going to find a wireless system with more connectivity options and better sound than these unless you opt for one of the company’s other products. The A5+ are impressive. Their aggressive looks, exposed drivers, and great Bluetooth range make them a terrific choice for a new home audio system. Check them out here.
Source: Manufacturer supplied review sample of the Audioengine A5+
What I Like: Everything in the box; Sets up in seconds; Great design; Custom components; Excellent Bluetooth range and HD streaming audio when the source device permits; 150W output; Excellent connectivity options; Includes remote
What Needs Improvement: No optical audio port for those who need it