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AudioEngine A5 For some time we refused to offer these speakers to our customers. Yes, they're more powerful and better specified than their junior A2 siblings (including, for instance, a toroidal linear power supply) but unless you're a bassline junkie we just didn't think their tipped-down presentation would suit discerning listeners. And where did the A2's RCA inputs go?! The sole 3.5mm stereo input screams 'iPod-only: audiophiles look elsewhere'. Frankly, we preferred the A2s. But the good reviews keep on coming (they earned a high rating in the June 2010 edition of What HiFi in the UK) and we couldn't shake the nagging thought that the A5s could be so much better than the A2s. And then we released our Desktop Speaker Stands and re-ran our near-field audition . . . holy mackerel, what a difference! On a short sturdy stand, liberated from the hideous desk-bounce an active speaker this powerful generates on a tabletop, suddenly everything makese sense: no longer swamped in distortion the midrange is electric and the low frequencies positively articulate; imaging transformed, etc. So, although we will sell you a pair of A5s without the stands, we strongly recommend our A5 + Stands bundle, or at least cobble together something similar for yourself: don't follow our mistake: not flat on the desk, please. We also offer a two-pronged attack on the A5's connective Achilles' heel: if you want to use an iPod or other MP3 player sending compressed files via onboard DA conversion from a headphone socket (yuk!), we offer a high quality single-wire stereo interconnect (3.5mm terminated) from £10. Alternatively, we can now bundle high quality Wireworld 2x RCA > Stereo 3.5mm cables with the A5 to minimise the performance bottleneck of the smaller connector. We can even bypass the analog inputs altogether and provide the A5 with on-board D-A conversion: see our A5D Special Edition for details . . . On stands, with good connectors, the A5s also clearly outperform the A2s across the board, with bags of power on tap to deliver genuinely 'felt' presence in the near-field, and (small) room filling SPLs: tight, punchy bass with an awesome growl that will make you smile – regardless of the volume level. Here's what AudioEngine says about the A5s: Natural Mids and Dynamic Highs: The way Audioengine speakers duplicate a music soundstage is really cool. We had all these great adjectives written up to describe the midrange and highs (buzz phrases like "tonal accuracy with transparent clarity, excellent detail and harmonic correctness"), but they all just seemed overused and sort of lame. Our goal was to bring you the sound as it was originally mixed in the studio. Vocals are clearly placed and each instrument occupies its own space, making the speakers seem invisible to your ears. We feel that we've succeeded in our goal and hope you agree! Brawn, Brains and Beauty: Kevlar woofers for powerful bass, silk dome tweeters for smooth highs, built-in power amplifiers, truly useful connections, and a clean industrial design all allow the Audioengine 5 to integrate perfectly in your living room, bedroom, or desktop. Custom-designed and handcrafted wood cabinets with high-gloss professional piano finish make the Audioengine5 a true work of art. Wireless-ready! The Audioengine 5 has a built-in AC power outlet on the rear panel and a USB power port on the top panel thats perfect for powering wireless products to stream your music. Check out the Audioengine W1 Wireless Audio Adapter, Sonos, Squeezebox, or Apple's Airport Express for high- quality wireless options. The AC outlet is also ideal for powering other portable and home A/V equipment and a second auxiliary mini-jack is conveniently located nearby. Built-in USB Charging: Designed for ease of setup and versatility, Audioengine 5 speakers have a built-in power port for iPod charging while listening to your music or watching movies. Plug an iPod dock or iPod directly into the ComboPort™ and you're ready to rock (or roll). The ComboPort™ charger is compatible with all iPods and other products that charge via USB. The package includes all necessary cables, including a RCA Y-cable and 1m USB power extender. BUNDLE OFFERS: Audioengine A5 + Bespoke Desktop Stands: £325 REVIEWS: HiFi World 5/5 Winner: “Small and neat yet expansive and dynamic, the A5s are a fine showcase for affordable active loudspeaker design.” “Flexible spec, smoothly built, poised, persuasive sound...they remain a compulsory audition for those who crave instant hi-fi” – What Hi-Fi magazine “Two things stand out immediately: the A5's deliver nice sounding bass for little guys, and they are incredibly revealing. On "Come Away With Me," the guitar tone on the solo has a slight layer of harmonic distortion that only fully breaks at the tail end. Many far more expensive and ambitious speakers either fail to convey this effect fully, or overstate it at its climax. The A5's deliver both tone and effect in splendid style . . . connecting my iPod produced equally wonderful results . . . Next, I hooked up the AudioEngines to my computer and spent a gloriously languorous day/evening listening to internet radio, playing music files, and checking out new music on iTunes. No matter what style of music I threw at them, the A5's churned it out in high style. “On "Tijuana Bass," the Audio Engines served up Nortec Collective's menudo mashup of tuba, electronica, and norteno in a magnificently raucous fashion to keep the fiesta going. Next stop was The Last Waltz. The Audio Engines faithfully captured the recording fluctuations such as the drop outs and volume gain and the redlining piano too closely mic'ed, to create a palpable sense of "hearing it live." The solitary piano note played the moment before Neil Young sings the first note of "Helpless" was clearly evoked in a manner that I hadn't noticed previously. I've really enjoyed my time with the A5's. I like them for their detailed, highly enjoyable sound, and I love the fact that you can easily employ them in a variety of situations. Works great as a small-scale audio system, office setup, or television pair, and provides great value at the price.” – Positive Feedback Jan/Feb 2009 “In one of their potential uses, as computer speakers, the P5s . . . perform larger than their 5-inch woofers would imply. With my setup, one speaker was also in a corner. This ended up being too much and sounded a little boomy. Taking them out of the corner, with just the desk and rear wall boost gave the A5s a full sound with strong bass response. They went surprisingly deep, even playing low organ notes with impressive volume. Speaking of volume, in this setup, 50 watts was more than enough, as I got far more distortion-free volume out of them then I needed. So they sound great on a desk [?!], but what about on stands in a room? I installed them as my main speakers in my two-channel setup and was quite impressed. Imaging was razor sharp. It's probably the most trite thing you can say in an equipment review, but I have to say it. Both the A5 and P4 definitely perform better than their price suggests. The A5s would be a great choice for a small, standalone two-channel system, given their built in amplification and additional plugs and such. Add an iPod, and you've got great sound with almost no footprint. Many speakers in this price range are nigh-on unlistenable, it's heartening to find a company that takes the time to design and build some speakers that sound great, look great and are solidly build, regardless of price.” – Home Entertainment Magazine (December 2009)
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