The most important difference between A1 and A2+ models is that the cheaper one has a class D amplifier, and A2+ has a class A amplifier, and they sound a little different. Sometime A1 is better, other time A2+ is better. A1 has shorter trial stage period (30/40 hours); and A2+ has a long trial stage period (50/60 hours, sometime 100 hours)
Absolutely love this channel; the amount of effort put into your reviews and comparisons is top tier! I’ve been looking at the A2+ for my office desk and I’m curious what the recommendation would be between the A2+ and Kanto YU2?
They sound the same mostly. Just depends if using a sub with either one. Audioengine don't need a sub as much but it more muddy in the mids. The Kanto need a sub more so and have clearer midrange.
Have at the A5s for 4 years now and they are amazing, I'm thinking of downgrading to the A2s to reclaim some desk space but I just don't know if I could sacrifice the sound quality.
I've been disappointed in my Audioengines and before the S8 was paired with them they were totally trash. Don't know how or why Audioengine have the reputation they do, I find Sonos a lot better
@@iwx2672 I'm no audiophile but the full Sonos setup with the soundbar, rears and sub isn't even comparable with the A5s. At 5x the price though I wouldn't expect it to be haha. The A5s paired with a sub are the best speakers I've had for sitting at my computer though and I've never felt inclined to replace them due to sound quality, they're just a bit big.
@@SuperMcZombie Fair, you're right, I don't have the full Sonos though. The A5s are indeed big, with a 27 inch monitor as well I need a new desk. The isolate stands for the A5 are a rip off for what they do BUT they do slightly lessen the real estate of desk space needed. I run all my music from my PC so guess I am after something pretty premium
hi great review...i loved all 3 of these but i ended up going with KANTO TUK's......and the 8 inch matching subwoofer ( for my desktop sounds awesome )....cheers from Canada
Thanks for the review. Last week, I picked up a pair of A5+ with the AE S8 sub to compliment each other. They sound amazing for music, movies and gaming! I'm still breaking them in, but I'm already impressed. I have the Secretlab Magnus XL desk, so allows plenty of room for these speakers - they are pretty big! - mounted them on stands. If you're interested to know which stands I got, let me know. Again, the A5+ are huge. Please check dimensions and your available space prior to purchasing.
I'm interested in the A2+ as a means of replacing my TV speakers, but wondering how I would connect them? I currently view movies and TH-cam content using my laptop (Dell XPS) which is connected to my TV via a Mini DP (XPS) - HDMI cable (TV). This carries both the sound and video. So I will still require the HDMI connection to carry the video to the TV but how would I get the sound from my laptop to the A2+ speakers ? My XPS does have a 3.5mm jack out but I'm unsure whether this would still output sound if the laptop detects that a mini DP - HDMI cable is being used. Also how does the USB connection fit into all this? Obviously my laptop has USB. Any help would be appreciated before I buy these. I cannot communicate with the A2+ seller as I am in Vietnam and cannot speak the language, so I would need to be sure my intended set-up would work before making the non-returnable purchase! None of the reviews I have seen on the A2+ actually use the USB connection!?!
I have the A5+ with the S8 sub. Just great for the money. A tip for the sub, ditch the supplied sub cable and get an after market sub cable, I got a audioquest, plugged from Left To Left RCA. I place the sub on a piece of timber as it is downward firing. The result is an insane bass capability.
@@cheesychester9647 connect it to a power outlet by itself and see if it works, mine came defective so the buzzing sound never ended. Return them and get new speakers
@@ertonyrn Sorry but i’m not agree with you. A1 has BT connection with qualcomm aptx codec too and the sound quality mid band much more prominent and clearer than a2.
What a clear review, thanks for sharing. Would I be able to keep the A5+ hard wired to my desktop computer, and my nearby TV, and also use bluetooth from my tablet? Would I have to manually switch inputs in that scenario? Or could I leave my lazy butt in bed, and switch from TV to tablet? Is it okay to leave these powered on 24/7?
I'm proud owner of A5+. Actually they are pretty decent. I using them since january 2022 as a "gaming audio" for a room about 16m^2 , wall-mounted trough Bluetooth. There is not a lag when watching movie, speaking or playing FPS/shooters games. I have volume set on speakers on about 70% and in system at 15-20%. Once by own mistake I set alarm for 4 AM on phone with 70% volume on speakers and 90% on phone. That was terryfying for my neighbours in next house. Anyway, If you going to buy and of these models you will be glad that you have it. For people who loove bass - I recommend Rubber Stands. Wall-mounted desing isn't a good option for 100% speakers volume & 40%+ in system. I have both stands and tested it. Just wall going to take too much vibration and sound is worse when wall-mounted.
Have you really been able to pair these with the Audio-Technica blue-tooth turntables? I watched this video before purchasing the LP120XBT-USB turntable and the A5+ wireless speakers only to find the speakers can't be paired with the turntable. The turntable does work great with other speakers and headphones.
@@stephendrahos9000 I got the speakers working with some other bluetooth 5 sources and the sound was utter garbage, so I returned them. They don't have any tone control or other adjustments so they really aren't suited to pair directly with a turntable. If you're outputting from a PC or something else where you can adjust bass/treble/eq you might get ok sound from them. I'm now running from my turntable to a Bludento HD bluetooth dac to an older Yamaha receiver which is then powering some Sony SSCS5 speakers and a Jamo S 808 8" powered sub. The sound quality is 100X improved over the Audioengine speakers and when the turntable is off, I can stream from other sources with great results. I really wanted an all-in-one solution and I bought into the reviews like this one, but what's the point of even messing with vinyl if it's going to sound like garbage.
Blows my mind that the A2+ has usb input but the A5+ doesn't. Weirdly, the A5's usb is output only, and can charge devices like your phone, just like the original Kef LSX. Such a bizarre choice - adds to the cost but provides no real value.
I had both the Yu2 and A2+ and paired both with a Dayton sub10. Both sounded good but I preferred the A2+ better. I've since upgraded to an A5+ paired with a Dayton sub12.
I have a flag ship Samsung soundbar with a sub and Kanto yu6 powered bookshelf speakers similar to the white ones here, my kantos blow the soundbar away when it comes to music. Tv sounds good too. They have so many connections, 2 optical, Bluetooth, aux, phonostage, sub out The separation between left and right channels is so much better, instruments sound like instruments
Not sure why these keep getting put in to a budget setup talk. They are very expensive compared to the competition that sound just as good, some even coming with a subwoofer. These are very expensive compared to competitors offerings that are just as good, just don't looks as sleek.
as much as I luv Audioengine high end sound, it's just not durable. The kevlar will break after 1yr or two. The transformer, etc will fail. I'm not alone as tons had exact same issue. Same as JBL crap, I had quite a lot and it fails after a short while.
Just got my A2+, the cost is by no means a "budget speaker" (as said @7:55). And the quality is not even better than my cheap Logitech speaker setup. Don't buy this.
Online meetings are also horrible. The bass is too high, even when the volume is low. Voices are hard to hear, so need to pump up the volume. Buying a cheaper Logitech may be the best solution. Or another brand of course.
Be sure to buy the ADS1 stands for these speakers, it will make the bass more balanced. Otherwise you have too much of a subwoofer effect on your desk, which distorts the quality too much.
WRONG!!! The A1 and A2 are not the same in performance, and do NOT have the same internal components. This, among other facts this video doesn't do well to check.
Thank you for your comment. The only differences as stated in the video are a USB connection which the sound output quality will depend on the input you feed into them and they also have RCA connections. This is confirmed by Audioengine themselves. But if you have more information than them please let us know and we can pin the information for other potential buyers. Once again thanks for the comment.
If the A2+ has a USB input, that means it also has an internal DAC
The most important difference between A1 and A2+ models is that the cheaper one has a class D amplifier, and A2+ has a class A amplifier, and they sound a little different. Sometime A1 is better, other time A2+ is better. A1 has shorter trial stage period (30/40 hours); and A2+ has a long trial stage period (50/60 hours, sometime 100 hours)
forgive me for not being speaker literate but by trial stage do you mean the period of time it takes for the speaker to break in?
@@Skywing452yeah he means that but if you ask me, that’s a myth
Just got the A2+ in a semi large room, more than enough, very good quality.
Absolutely love this channel; the amount of effort put into your reviews and comparisons is top tier! I’ve been looking at the A2+ for my office desk and I’m curious what the recommendation would be between the A2+ and Kanto YU2?
They sound the same mostly. Just depends if using a sub with either one. Audioengine don't need a sub as much but it more muddy in the mids. The Kanto need a sub more so and have clearer midrange.
A2+ better yet used Adam F5, if it's not for critocal listening. There are newer ones that are a little better but in the $500 neighborhood.
Just a review that I am looking for. Great review
Glad it was helpful!
Still rocking A1 from about ten years ago. Still going strong.
That’s good to know. Just bought a pair
Did you add a sub-woofer?
Phenominal video. Deffinately got a new subscriber
Have at the A5s for 4 years now and they are amazing, I'm thinking of downgrading to the A2s to reclaim some desk space but I just don't know if I could sacrifice the sound quality.
I've been disappointed in my Audioengines and before the S8 was paired with them they were totally trash. Don't know how or why Audioengine have the reputation they do, I find Sonos a lot better
@@iwx2672 Got Sonos on my home theater, agreed they are amazing
@@SuperMcZombie Which do you prefer. I like both but honestly find Sonos a little bit a head, purely on sound quality.
@@iwx2672 I'm no audiophile but the full Sonos setup with the soundbar, rears and sub isn't even comparable with the A5s. At 5x the price though I wouldn't expect it to be haha. The A5s paired with a sub are the best speakers I've had for sitting at my computer though and I've never felt inclined to replace them due to sound quality, they're just a bit big.
@@SuperMcZombie Fair, you're right, I don't have the full Sonos though. The A5s are indeed big, with a 27 inch monitor as well I need a new desk. The isolate stands for the A5 are a rip off for what they do BUT they do slightly lessen the real estate of desk space needed. I run all my music from my PC so guess I am after something pretty premium
hi great review...i loved all 3 of these but i ended up going with KANTO TUK's......and the 8 inch matching subwoofer ( for my desktop sounds awesome )....cheers from Canada
This is a very good review. This review convinced me to purchase the A2s.
Thanks for the review. Last week, I picked up a pair of A5+ with the AE S8 sub to compliment each other. They sound amazing for music, movies and gaming! I'm still breaking them in, but I'm already impressed.
I have the Secretlab Magnus XL desk, so allows plenty of room for these speakers - they are pretty big! - mounted them on stands. If you're interested to know which stands I got, let me know.
Again, the A5+ are huge. Please check dimensions and your available space prior to purchasing.
What a superb video, it's definitely helped me understand the differences and decide which to get
Awesome rundown, thanks! 👍
Ty sir. Darn good review and will better help me decide on what speaker system to upgrade to from my logitech Z313s.
I'm interested in the A2+ as a means of replacing my TV speakers, but wondering how I would connect them?
I currently view movies and TH-cam content using my laptop (Dell XPS) which is connected to my TV via a Mini DP (XPS) - HDMI cable (TV). This carries both the sound and video.
So I will still require the HDMI connection to carry the video to the TV but how would I get the sound from my laptop to the A2+ speakers ?
My XPS does have a 3.5mm jack out but I'm unsure whether this would still output sound if the laptop detects that a mini DP - HDMI cable is being used.
Also how does the USB connection fit into all this? Obviously my laptop has USB.
Any help would be appreciated before I buy these. I cannot communicate with the A2+ seller as I am in Vietnam and cannot speak the language, so I would need to be sure my intended set-up would work before making the non-returnable purchase!
None of the reviews I have seen on the A2+ actually use the USB connection!?!
Thanks for the review. Are you sure the A2+ has the subwoofer output?
Great review!
Glad you enjoyed it
that was such a perfect review.
Running them off an I-Mac....how would I incorporate an additional Dac? In order to bypass the computer dac?
What would you use the RCA out connectors on A2+ for?
Got some A5's and an S8 on the way, cant wait. Currently using a pair of 10 year old logitechs.
hoping my Logitech lasts that long lol
I have the A5+ with the S8 sub. Just great for the money. A tip for the sub, ditch the supplied sub cable and get an after market sub cable, I got a audioquest, plugged from Left To Left RCA. I place the sub on a piece of timber as it is downward firing. The result is an insane bass capability.
can we put mic cable on the speaker for karaoke?
Anyone know the steps to hook up a CD player to the A 2+ or A 5+ ?
A1 is arriving on my desk in 3 days :)))
i got the a2+ and am looking for a subwoofer for them, what do you recommend?
i have the a2 plus for my desktop and im thinking of gettign the a5 plus for tv and music use
The A2's looks so cool
These a2+ speakers look different than my pair I bought 5 years ago. Has Audioengine upgrade these speakers?
Btw, I love my a2+
Thank you, great video :D.
I am looking for white speakers, just for desktop use, general music and games.
so i think i am leaning towards the A2+
So the A5’s have a wall bracket option?
recently bought the audio engine A2+ wireless and all im getting is buzzing noises! Any suggestions? thank you for your time
same here
@@cheesychester9647 connect it to a power outlet by itself and see if it works, mine came defective so the buzzing sound never ended. Return them and get new speakers
Sounds like bad connection or broken signal line.
How many watts are the A5 speakers?
hello, winch one for rock music?
Audioengine A1 with classD amplifer is an amazing little monster. Much better soundstage than A2 and almost zero distortion.
for how long have you had them? I've seen a couple year-long reviews of the A1 claiming they drop in quality a lot after the first year.
The A1 is no comparison to the A2.
@@ericfshook why? A1 is better. İs this your reason or opposite? Which one is better you think?
@@ertonyrn Sorry but i’m not agree with you. A1 has BT connection with qualcomm aptx codec too and the sound quality mid band much more prominent and clearer than a2.
What a clear review, thanks for sharing. Would I be able to keep the A5+ hard wired to my desktop computer, and my nearby TV, and also use bluetooth from my tablet? Would I have to manually switch inputs in that scenario? Or could I leave my lazy butt in bed, and switch from TV to tablet? Is it okay to leave these powered on 24/7?
You would need the remote to switch sources, but you can connect both. You can also leave them on.
Can A5+ be used with TV without av receiver?
I'm proud owner of A5+. Actually they are pretty decent. I using them since january 2022 as a "gaming audio" for a room about 16m^2 , wall-mounted trough Bluetooth. There is not a lag when watching movie, speaking or playing FPS/shooters games. I have volume set on speakers on about 70% and in system at 15-20%. Once by own mistake I set alarm for 4 AM on phone with 70% volume on speakers and 90% on phone. That was terryfying for my neighbours in next house. Anyway, If you going to buy and of these models you will be glad that you have it. For people who loove bass - I recommend Rubber Stands. Wall-mounted desing isn't a good option for 100% speakers volume & 40%+ in system. I have both stands and tested it. Just wall going to take too much vibration and sound is worse when wall-mounted.
I got these 9 years ago and they are still going strong.
There are also Hd3, Hd4, and HD6 series.
Hi there, thanks for the comment and yes we will be covering those in another video. This video was just an A series overview. Hope this helps.
My notebook has very poor DAC. So shall I buy A2+ instead of A5 because A2+ has a built-in DAC?
What would you use the RCA output for?
Subwoofer
Subwoofer or turntable
Have you really been able to pair these with the Audio-Technica blue-tooth turntables? I watched this video before purchasing the LP120XBT-USB turntable and the A5+ wireless speakers only to find the speakers can't be paired with the turntable. The turntable does work great with other speakers and headphones.
Hmmmm …. I was considering pairing these speakers to my Audio Technica Bluetooth too. It seems it should work. Any further thoughts?
@@stephendrahos9000 I got the speakers working with some other bluetooth 5 sources and the sound was utter garbage, so I returned them. They don't have any tone control or other adjustments so they really aren't suited to pair directly with a turntable. If you're outputting from a PC or something else where you can adjust bass/treble/eq you might get ok sound from them.
I'm now running from my turntable to a Bludento HD bluetooth dac to an older Yamaha receiver which is then powering some Sony SSCS5 speakers and a Jamo S 808 8" powered sub. The sound quality is 100X improved over the Audioengine speakers and when the turntable is off, I can stream from other sources with great results.
I really wanted an all-in-one solution and I bought into the reviews like this one, but what's the point of even messing with vinyl if it's going to sound like garbage.
@@n1tr0kt thanks for your input!!!
i ordered the A1s with the S6 sub.. it still broke my bank bro lol
Blows my mind that the A2+ has usb input but the A5+ doesn't. Weirdly, the A5's usb is output only, and can charge devices like your phone, just like the original Kef LSX. Such a bizarre choice - adds to the cost but provides no real value.
I have HD6 they're pretty great a bit lacking in bass but overall enjoyable I'm not using Bluetooth tho
How do Kanto YU Series compare? 🤔
Class D doesn't mean "digital".
Audioengine is better.
I had both the Yu2 and A2+ and paired both with a Dayton sub10. Both sounded good but I preferred the A2+ better. I've since upgraded to an A5+ paired with a Dayton sub12.
The edifier R1280T is a great option as well for someone on a budget 👌
not wireless
I'm seriously looking at the A2+'s.....
Pls make video on soundbars vs powered bookshelf speakers.What about sonos beam gen 2 vs others bookshelf speakers in terms of listening music only.
I have a flag ship Samsung soundbar with a sub and Kanto yu6 powered bookshelf speakers similar to the white ones here, my kantos blow the soundbar away when it comes to music. Tv sounds good too. They have so many connections, 2 optical, Bluetooth, aux, phonostage, sub out
The separation between left and right channels is so much better, instruments sound like instruments
@@Cornwall1888 thnx for the reply. Kanto YU6 is indeed a very good speaker.
The second they upgrade from that horrible micro USB, I'm in on an entire audio engine setup. Till then, NOPE.
Not sure why these keep getting put in to a budget setup talk. They are very expensive compared to the competition that sound just as good, some even coming with a subwoofer. These are very expensive compared to competitors offerings that are just as good, just don't looks as sleek.
as much as I luv Audioengine high end sound, it's just not durable. The kevlar will break after 1yr or two. The transformer, etc will fail. I'm not alone as tons had exact same issue. Same as JBL crap, I had quite a lot and it fails after a short while.
Going from 20 bucks eBay Logitech speakers to the A5’s
I always facepalm when channels do a sound demo. Otherwise useful review thanks.
I facepalm when I read your comment😊
It's funny to watch the review, advice of speakers but heard nothing from speakers.
Real bamboo !!?? ist round, that must be a very large and rectangular bamboo lol;l
Just got my A2+, the cost is by no means a "budget speaker" (as said @7:55). And the quality is not even better than my cheap Logitech speaker setup. Don't buy this.
Online meetings are also horrible. The bass is too high, even when the volume is low. Voices are hard to hear, so need to pump up the volume. Buying a cheaper Logitech may be the best solution. Or another brand of course.
Be sure to buy the ADS1 stands for these speakers, it will make the bass more balanced. Otherwise you have too much of a subwoofer effect on your desk, which distorts the quality too much.
Why did you but it then?
@@x-ray3431 buy, try, return ;)
The speakers are connected via wires, it's not true wireless
So much money for small speakers that sound anyway no good due to size. No comparison to similarly priced larger boxes. You can't replace volume.
WRONG!!!
The A1 and A2 are not the same in performance, and do NOT have the same internal components. This, among other facts this video doesn't do well to check.
Thank you for your comment. The only differences as stated in the video are a USB connection which the sound output quality will depend on the input you feed into them and they also have RCA connections. This is confirmed by Audioengine themselves. But if you have more information than them please let us know and we can pin the information for other potential buyers. Once again thanks for the comment.
Lol!! Did you forget to mention the differences?