I personally own and love these speakers. The lack of artificial bass boost means that they replicate the sound exactly as intended - which is what you want for a quality music listening experience, especially for something like vinyl. These aren't meant to be party speakers, and they're hardly even meant to be movie speakers, they are meant for budget studio use. This makes them one of the best way to get a genuinely good and authentic sound without killing your bank account.
Excuse me Linus. The bigger brother of these two as you said, the A5+, costs 400 euros here in The Netherlands. The A2+ only cost 250 euros. That's a huge difference if you ask me...
I have the original A2's and I have to disagree with Linus for the first time, because these speakers are GREAT. I've had them since 2014, and in regards to highs and mids, the A2's don't skip a beat. The sound is just that dead on. No, they don't have earth shattering bass, but, the bass they do put out, makes you think there has to be a sub woofer somewhere.
Agreed, I've got the A2s connected directly to a Project turntable in the lounge and they sound great. Tight bass, clear highs and controlled mid-range. These speakers are wasted on a PC and that is the reason why the reviewer dislikes them, as he wants deep bass for computer games/movies. As a hi-fi speaker in a small room they are hard to beat at the price.
Being centered well between these (just like any good monitor style speaker) and having them on the not-included stands that angle them towards your ears makes a world of difference. As most people will tell you, these also NEED to be burned in for quite a while. You may have to leave them on while you're away during the day to get 50+ hours of burn in but it makes a huge difference. They sound incredible and much more like a studio monitor than any other multimedia speaker I know of. They sound huge for their size and get quite loud in my opinion, while staying clear, tight, and focussed. The bass might not extend into the deep sub frequencies, but they stay in a nice upper bass range that's very tight and defined and ideal for home use. It's plenty to vibrate the walls and give a punchy tight bass feeling in your feet from across the room. The sound is very 3D and detailed and it just sounds great in my opinion, and I'm someone who's used to larger, nicer studio monitors. I can't say enough about what these deliver in sound and quality for their price and size. They sound much bigger than they are. A hell of a lot better than Bose for twice the price, IMO, and much more versatile, but without the super sub frequencies for home theater type vibe if you want that rumbling chair thing. With a little time and patience, these are will deliver almost anything you could want in a multimedia speaker and they never get muddy or unclear. And I think they're plenty loud enough for more than a mild cocktail party. Any speaker is going to have trouble filling an entire house without being too loud in the room their located in, and these will get "too loud" for most situations, IMO.
Do you think you could do a summary at the end of this review series? Sort of a comparison between all the speakers you've reviewed, looking at price, features, loudness, and quality (for example)?
Linus be crazy. I went through a bunch of speakers before settling on these. I tried Q Acoustics BT3 (matches my Q acoustics home cinema setup, great sound but too big for a desk setup) , a Razer leviathan (fucking terrible) and a couple of others. I preferred these as they produce a sweetly balanced sound without any strong colouration. They are small speakers though, quite positional in nature. The stands, which are bafflingly not included, angle the speakers up and isolate them somewhat from the desk, improving the tone slightly. They have a good stereo field even when placed quite close together, I found toeing them in reduced the stereo field effect so have them pointing straight ahead. The real reason to buy or avoid these is their size. They're small enough to sit under a dual or triple monitor setup, which is a big plus for me. Comments below are full of "JUST BUY THESE SPEAKERS WHICH ARE TWICE THE SIZE INSTEAD, THEY'RE WAY BETTER". If you can accommodate bigger speakers, you should do that. If you need a small but effective solution, take a look at these.
Yeah, a little late to the game here but I bought A2 about 10 years ago, and enjoyed them until I gave them to my daughter for her TV in 2019 when I got the A2+. The A2+ have crisper treble with better detail, and a nice DAC built-in. The little rubber speaker stands are a must, or the midbass on A2 or A2+ can be bloated and bleed into the midrange. But with the stands I can recommend the A2+. We paired ours with a 10" Polk subwoofer from Amazon, and were even happier, but sound without sub is not bad - you can hear bass but not feel it. I also bought the A5 (not A5+) for my basement game room audio a year after the A2 (before A2+), and they were a big step up from the A2 and A2+, with better bass, mids, treble, and imaging. Soundstage (and overall sound in general) with the A5 kills the A2+ and was as good as my standalone Epos ELS3 speakers on a 75W Emotiva amplifier. Only recently did my A5 develop a channel imbalance; but Audioengine says they're too old to help fix and they wouldn't even give my son a discount coupon for a pair of HD4 or HD6 when he chatted with them. So, I could only afford to replace them with HD4 that will arrive next week, which is a bummer since my son bought HD6 in 2019 and we absofreakin love them (too big for my desk with monitor anyway).
Yeah, Linus got some spoiled ears for sure if these are "mid" for him. I just got the A2+ to replace my 2.1 Altec Lansing setup and they are a whole other level crispy. Really excited for my S8 sub to show up.
One explanation for a volume knob on the speakers might be that they can function without an amplifier to a turntable/CD player/cassette player. Just the A2+ speakers and the device. Turntables or cassette players do not have a volume controls.
80% of music is NOT in the low end/bass frequencies, might want to listen to the rest of the spectrum too. -.- This is, however, a typical review from a tech guy, audiophile sites love them.
yeah i have the audioengine A5+ and i had to hook up a subwoofer so i was pleased with them. i then eq'd them to bring the sparkle and the mids out and at that point they REALLY started to deliver. love them now that i've accentuated the lows with the sub and the mids and treble with the EQ. they are a bit unexciting on their own since the A2+ has a similar sound signature.
People are used to a huge gap in the low midrange as they hear on all the 5.1 theater solutions people have. There is no replacement for a huge box for creating a wall of sound. A separate amp, while taking up some space, is also a far better idea as well. Today's Denon amps are wireless and Bluetooth streaming so you can stream your phone or any device into your speakers. A set of Paradigm Atoms will be all the bass you ever needed. If you must have an all in one solution, the KEF x300a are the best in the world to sit nearfield to them.
I have the A1s used with a D1 DAC and the S8. The speakers sounded thin for the first few months, but recently WOKE UP and sound great now. You should review with some broken in speakers and see if your opinion has changed.
I have these speakers and have to agree with Linus on these, they sound slightly lacking in the bass section. They are however great for clarity, a nice size and smart/professional looking in a understated way.
Looking Very forward to your review on the A5+'s Linus as I have been considering buying them for the past 3 - 4 weeks, just trying to get that money saved... Thank you in advance!
***** He's probably the first to admit it. He already said that he's taking the time to learn about them. And with PC-related speakers, it's not really hard to tell them apart in terms of output-quality.
I liked these until I added Equalizer APO freeware on the desktop. It tuned the response curve and turned these from good to great. Search and you'll find profiles for these speakers. Really made a big difference. Love these to death.
Set the volume once and then use windows / app volume control. Balance it so most of the sliders are in the middle so you can use any of them to adjust.
my speckers are on full , and my computer volum is at 2 , and the bass in songs shakes my desk , and you can here it downstairs , that's what I like :0
I actually want to follow up on a previous comment, after using these for a few days I just want to say I respect Linus opinion but these things are deceeee for their size, they also look awesome which is important to a lot of gaming/office set ups. I'm impressed with the sound also if you read the manual it says to allow for 50 hours of listening time to break them in, in which the sound will improve. I would recommend these if you want looks and quality sound.
Just watched this and the a5+ reviews.. i vastly prefer the A2+. smaller (better for the size of my room) and rear mounted volume knob is much preferably as i use keyboard shortcut for volume anyone.. i plan on wallmounting the speakers, so i cba to get up to turn the volume knob everyone once in a while. Still like the videos though!
I totally disagree with this review. I have the audio engine a2+ and love them. Yes they do not compare to super duper expensive speakers but they are not meant to. Do the higher end a5+ sound better? Yes substantially so but I still think for 250 and the form factor these are great speakers.
I cant wait for your review on the A5+. I was hoping it would be up before I actually went out and bought it, but I just cant wait anymore XP. Solid reviews as always, and if I dont like the A5+ I will be swapping them for the bose, as I already like the sound of the bose.
Well this makes me feel a bit better about spending the extra money to go for refurbished A5+ instead. Came in looking brand new, and in my opinion, sound fantastic! Looking forward to see what Linus's opinion on the A5+.
I have purchased the A2+ just last week. These speakers have powerful and strong mid frequencies and strong lows. They lack some clarity in the highs indeed BUT so most brands at this size. These make guitar and acoustic instruments sound rich and powerful. They do not offer the clarity required in classical music indeed. They are great with 80s, 90s and generally old school music. I advise turning on windows Spatial Sound (although its mainly for headphones) and activating windows Bass Boost, Virtual Sound and Loudness Equalisation. Highs are greatly improved. Something that is indeed impressive is the amount and quality of output you get in relation to the size of these things.
I really like, that they can be used with standard speaker cables. I have Sony speakers, were the left speaker has a custom plug, it is really hard to replace the cable on them.
I have the Audioengine A5's and and a cheap Polk Audio 8in sub. the combined set sounds amazing. I have listened to a lot of reference quality products out there but non of which offer the sound quality, adaptability, or build quality of the A5's. Best bang for the buck IMO.
at 2:40 we can see how all hardware design beyond audio devices get old and obscure. These speakers will continue on to look good, but the laptop is already previous age
im a bit of a bass head and I love my Klipsch Pro Media 2.1's they are great if you enjoy "fun" audio, great for gaming, when I game I'm not a hardcore who wants to hear foot steps and go 40-0 in BF4 or CS:GO, I used to be like that but as I get older I get less competitive and just want to have fun. I turn the bass up to max and crank those suckers up to 11 and it makes my hole house shake and the explosions are friggin awesome!
I have set of the Promedia 2.1's too, they get very loud and have plenty of bass,great PC/desktop speaker system for the money. I think Linus should do a review on them.
As much as I love Linus, I don't understand how he can compare the A2+ with the A5+. Of course the A5+ will sound better and more powerful - they're more expensive and bigger!
+fuzzybaffy Wasn't just that, he was comparing them to Bower & Wilkins which are over $600, Not once did he mention anything around this price range to be comparable to these speakers, which isn't much help at all for buyers out there, all he managed to do in my eyes is knock them for not competing with the best of the best...
You should review Harman & Kardon Nova, and their Aura, if possible. I've heard some interesting things about them, but I think they're both(either one) worthy of your sensible critiquing abilities.
Either your white balance is off or your stage right fill light on Linus has the wrong gel, unless you're using LEDs in which case either you need a little more yellow or a little less red and blue, depending on whether your LEDs are CMY or RGB.
The fact that they are flatter makes them better. Not worse. What's more important is how the Mid range sounds since there is only one tweeter and woofer which means there needs to be a crossover
Linus put it this way in one of his videos. "You can have a completely flat speaker/headphone and it will still sound like crap to you. Its all about your listening preference"
I am a well versed audiophile and I would be happy to chat with anyone who wants to know more about speakers and how to set them up properly. Also, though you may never see this... Linus you need to reconsider how you do these reviews because I find as an owner of the older models of these speakers it seems rather odd that you found the sound displeasing in the manner you did.
I kinda think Linus missed the point of these speakers, while they can be used as static desktop speakers they are designed to be packed up easily and moved around. Great for people who stay away from home alot, which is why im considering these speakers. These are a size over sound quality, your paying for the portability more than the sound quality.
But I have to compromise when it comes to space! xD I'm using the A2s for a year now and I'm very pleased, they are a bit boomy to me out of the box, but when you turn the highs a bit up and the lows a bit down, they sound great. They are a lot of fun to listen to for me personally, but maybe I just like an "uninteresting" sound signature. Also, I do love the way Audioengine builds and packages their products!
I know this is legit 8 years later, but I agree. How can we just spawn in a bigger desk setup to accommodate those larger speaker sets. I purchased the A2+ yesterday and Im waiting for them to arrive for my pc set-up. I just game and watch netflix occasionally on this pc, and I got tired of wearing my headphones so I figured I'd get a good sounding but small set of speakers so I could sit back and relax a bit. I'm used to hifiman headphones, which are usally tuned a bit more for the high's, so I hope this set has decent highs.
With all speakers you will get vastly improved imaging and soundstage if they are elevated off the desk, ideally at ear level on a decent pair of stands or material. I have discovered this to be the case for 3 inch driver speakers basically identical to the AE a2's, and for much larger monitors such as the yamaha hs5's. Putting these speakers directly on a desk can actually have some pretty cool resonance effects in the bass but I guarantee raising them to your ears off the desk will open up a world of clarity and tightness. The mids should sound superb on these speakers in the nearfield when properly elevated and dampened, I guarantee you that.
I am using the Scythe SCBKS-1100 Kro Craft Speaker Rev. B and a Scythe Kama Bay AMP 2000 Rev.B, and i have to say there a great set, especialy if you take in account the only costed me €105,- here in the netherlands. base responce is pretty tight and the highs are nice and clear. the amp is a bit clean sounding but in combination with these speakers that sound a bit warmer its a great combination.
His review speaks volumes about how litter is understood about speaker design and performance by the latest trendy. Read the Audiogram II blog, Stereophile, and other respected journals concerning these speakers. Better yet, listen to them yourself - but not on a desktop but rather on speaker stands at ear-level height. Serperate them by at least 6 feet and move away from the back wall. Add a low cost sub-woofer and you have a very excellent home audio system for a medium size room.
How do these compare to Klipsch Promedia 2.1? I've been using the Klipsch + AudioQuest Dragonfly 1.2 + AQ Jitterbug and they sound acceptable while streaming with Spotify or Tidal but when playing iTunes w/ Pure Music software I've had a rather difficult time fine tuning the PM software esp. for songs that have a lot of bass. It's been recommended by guys on Computer Audiophile that using studio monitors will make all the difference but I have no way as of yet to hear for myself whether or not it's worth the cost of studio monitors such as ADAM Audio.
What would you recommend to a desktop speaker, with great sound - specially great lows - with a black/red or all black collor skin, to use with music, movies and game listening?
Still rockin my satellites and sub setup from 2004. Logitech X-230 haha. they just don't break! I want a new setup I'm waiting for these to break hahaha
I really hope you guys can take a look at the Lenovo Y50. I've been pretty excited for it since CES and now that it's out, my trigger finger is itching to click the "BUY" button >_
A few things about this review.....the A5's have the same exact tweeter as the A2's, and even though the A5's are only $150 more they DO NOT include a DAC converter like the A2's do.
The colours on the video look (at least in my screen) way too saturated... I'm I the only one? Maybe it's because it's an IPS monitor :s Other than that, awesome video :)
Goes to buys new speakers, turns out there 6 years old. Watches a review by an absolute lad you've been watching for the last year 5 years. Confused. Hungry. Does one still buy these 🤷🏾♂️
Hey, could you do a review of the bose sound companion 2 series iii? I believe the sound is not as great as some of the other speakers you have reviewed, but as a budget desktop speaker, it would be good to hear your review of these speakers.
What about Edifier M3200 they are not as expensive but give a loud, high quality sound which even at max volume will not distort. They come with a sub and a wired remote with line in and headphone out ports. They are a stylish and unique design which look good to me but are relatively easy to knock over due to their height and slim design.
Louder and Clear. I feel they are great speakers with a so so DAC , I typically avoid china electronics but I am really enjoying these speakers using an external DAC. So much so that I am going to buy the As8 to go with them . I totally agree with this review, as with most all Linus reviews, I do wish he would have experimented with an external DAC though :) They are oh so nice sounding and really hit that refrence sound using a higher quality DAC.
I have the original A2's and I quite like them. I am interested, however, in the integrated DAC in the A2+ speakers here, but he did not test the difference. I'm a little disappointed, could have made a big difference depending on his setup and this omission rather ruins the honest review of these speakers.
exactly - man in the UK there's these speakers, the Ruark MR1 and they won "best speakers for under £300" - I have absolutely no idea how they won that award, when they also don't even have a god damn headphone jack nor even optical input.... Sometimes I wonder.
we need a 2021 revision.
We need a 2022 revision
@@skybadou
We need a 2023 revision
@@_multiverse_ how are these speakers in 2023? lol
@@randallwilson4088 you ruined it
@@_multiverse_lol, there was nowhere left go
I personally own and love these speakers. The lack of artificial bass boost means that they replicate the sound exactly as intended - which is what you want for a quality music listening experience, especially for something like vinyl. These aren't meant to be party speakers, and they're hardly even meant to be movie speakers, they are meant for budget studio use. This makes them one of the best way to get a genuinely good and authentic sound without killing your bank account.
Anything below 5" cannot produce a decent bass. 4" inch or more woofers are the solution.
Excuse me Linus. The bigger brother of these two as you said, the A5+, costs 400 euros here in The Netherlands. The A2+ only cost 250 euros. That's a huge difference if you ask me...
I have the original A2's and I have to disagree with Linus for the first time, because these speakers are GREAT. I've had them since 2014, and in regards to highs and mids, the A2's don't skip a beat. The sound is just that dead on. No, they don't have earth shattering bass, but, the bass they do put out, makes you think there has to be a sub woofer somewhere.
Agreed, I've got the A2s connected directly to a Project turntable in the lounge and they sound great. Tight bass, clear highs and controlled mid-range. These speakers are wasted on a PC and that is the reason why the reviewer dislikes them, as he wants deep bass for computer games/movies. As a hi-fi speaker in a small room they are hard to beat at the price.
They actually sell a sub to go with this
Being centered well between these (just like any good monitor style speaker) and having them on the not-included stands that angle them towards your ears makes a world of difference. As most people will tell you, these also NEED to be burned in for quite a while. You may have to leave them on while you're away during the day to get 50+ hours of burn in but it makes a huge difference. They sound incredible and much more like a studio monitor than any other multimedia speaker I know of. They sound huge for their size and get quite loud in my opinion, while staying clear, tight, and focussed. The bass might not extend into the deep sub frequencies, but they stay in a nice upper bass range that's very tight and defined and ideal for home use. It's plenty to vibrate the walls and give a punchy tight bass feeling in your feet from across the room. The sound is very 3D and detailed and it just sounds great in my opinion, and I'm someone who's used to larger, nicer studio monitors. I can't say enough about what these deliver in sound and quality for their price and size. They sound much bigger than they are. A hell of a lot better than Bose for twice the price, IMO, and much more versatile, but without the super sub frequencies for home theater type vibe if you want that rumbling chair thing. With a little time and patience, these are will deliver almost anything you could want in a multimedia speaker and they never get muddy or unclear. And I think they're plenty loud enough for more than a mild cocktail party. Any speaker is going to have trouble filling an entire house without being too loud in the room their located in, and these will get "too loud" for most situations, IMO.
Do you think you could do a summary at the end of this review series? Sort of a comparison between all the speakers you've reviewed, looking at price, features, loudness, and quality (for example)?
Linus be crazy. I went through a bunch of speakers before settling on these. I tried Q Acoustics BT3 (matches my Q acoustics home cinema setup, great sound but too big for a desk setup) , a Razer leviathan (fucking terrible) and a couple of others. I preferred these as they produce a sweetly balanced sound without any strong colouration. They are small speakers though, quite positional in nature. The stands, which are bafflingly not included, angle the speakers up and isolate them somewhat from the desk, improving the tone slightly. They have a good stereo field even when placed quite close together, I found toeing them in reduced the stereo field effect so have them pointing straight ahead.
The real reason to buy or avoid these is their size. They're small enough to sit under a dual or triple monitor setup, which is a big plus for me. Comments below are full of "JUST BUY THESE SPEAKERS WHICH ARE TWICE THE SIZE INSTEAD, THEY'RE WAY BETTER". If you can accommodate bigger speakers, you should do that. If you need a small but effective solution, take a look at these.
Yeah, a little late to the game here but I bought A2 about 10 years ago, and enjoyed them until I gave them to my daughter for her TV in 2019 when I got the A2+. The A2+ have crisper treble with better detail, and a nice DAC built-in. The little rubber speaker stands are a must, or the midbass on A2 or A2+ can be bloated and bleed into the midrange. But with the stands I can recommend the A2+. We paired ours with a 10" Polk subwoofer from Amazon, and were even happier, but sound without sub is not bad - you can hear bass but not feel it. I also bought the A5 (not A5+) for my basement game room audio a year after the A2 (before A2+), and they were a big step up from the A2 and A2+, with better bass, mids, treble, and imaging. Soundstage (and overall sound in general) with the A5 kills the A2+ and was as good as my standalone Epos ELS3 speakers on a 75W Emotiva amplifier. Only recently did my A5 develop a channel imbalance; but Audioengine says they're too old to help fix and they wouldn't even give my son a discount coupon for a pair of HD4 or HD6 when he chatted with them. So, I could only afford to replace them with HD4 that will arrive next week, which is a bummer since my son bought HD6 in 2019 and we absofreakin love them (too big for my desk with monitor anyway).
swear
Yeah, Linus got some spoiled ears for sure if these are "mid" for him. I just got the A2+ to replace my 2.1 Altec Lansing setup and they are a whole other level crispy. Really excited for my S8 sub to show up.
this is my first time watching a video as old as this by you guys and i finally get why so many people complained about his voice lol
I watched this at 0.5 speed.....I was not disappointed.
hahahahahahaha i know
fucken hell bahaha
lmao
HAHAHAHAHAHAHA FUCK 😂
I guess his "Holy Balls" never dropped
This is why I like the Linus's audio gear reviews , he isn't a snob , he calls it as it is
One explanation for a volume knob on the speakers might be that they can function without an amplifier to a turntable/CD player/cassette player. Just the A2+ speakers and the device. Turntables or cassette players do not have a volume controls.
beats by dr.dree is over rated brand
AMEN Brother!!!!!!!!!!!
80% of music is NOT in the low end/bass frequencies, might want to listen to the rest of the spectrum too. -.- This is, however, a typical review from a tech guy, audiophile sites love them.
I absolutely love these. Best choice I made was to go with these over the hyped bose
yeah i have the audioengine A5+ and i had to hook up a subwoofer so i was pleased with them. i then eq'd them to bring the sparkle and the mids out and at that point they REALLY started to deliver. love them now that i've accentuated the lows with the sub and the mids and treble with the EQ. they are a bit unexciting on their own since the A2+ has a similar sound signature.
I use this speakers plug into a pre amp to a rega turntable and i apreciate the flat-ish sound and the price.
The colors in this video look really nice
People are used to a huge gap in the low midrange as they hear on all the 5.1 theater solutions people have. There is no replacement for a huge box for creating a wall of sound. A separate amp, while taking up some space, is also a far better idea as well. Today's Denon amps are wireless and Bluetooth streaming so you can stream your phone or any device into your speakers. A set of Paradigm Atoms will be all the bass you ever needed. If you must have an all in one solution, the KEF x300a are the best in the world to sit nearfield to them.
using these for more then 6 months , great sound! perfect for small desks and amazing clear!
A pair of Polk RT35 bookshelf speakers, a Polk PSW303 sub-woofer, and a Sony V333ES receiver make an AMAZING computer audio setup.
I have the A1s used with a D1 DAC and the S8. The speakers sounded thin for the first few months, but recently WOKE UP and sound great now. You should review with some broken in speakers and see if your opinion has changed.
I have these speakers and have to agree with Linus on these, they sound slightly lacking in the bass section. They are however great for clarity, a nice size and smart/professional looking in a understated way.
Looking Very forward to your review on the A5+'s Linus as I have been considering buying them for the past 3 - 4 weeks, just trying to get that money saved... Thank you in advance!
You better give the A5+ a good review or else I'll have to fly in from Toronto and give you a what for. LOL
***** You're dumb.
***** He's probably the first to admit it. He already said that he's taking the time to learn about them. And with PC-related speakers, it's not really hard to tell them apart in terms of output-quality.
what's a what for?
taoisimdrunkard It means that I will berate him.
NicolSD oh. i thought it was a setup for something else, like a butt for. ("whats a butt for?" it's for pooping, silly.)
I liked these until I added Equalizer APO freeware on the desktop. It tuned the response curve and turned these from good to great. Search and you'll find profiles for these speakers. Really made a big difference. Love these to death.
Set the volume once and then use windows / app volume control. Balance it so most of the sliders are in the middle so you can use any of them to adjust.
my speckers are on full , and my computer volum is at 2 , and the bass in songs shakes my desk , and you can here it downstairs , that's what I like :0
I actually want to follow up on a previous comment, after using these for a few days I just want to say I respect Linus opinion but these things are deceeee for their size, they also look awesome which is important to a lot of gaming/office set ups. I'm impressed with the sound also if you read the manual it says to allow for 50 hours of listening time to break them in, in which the sound will improve. I would recommend these if you want looks and quality sound.
Just watched this and the a5+ reviews.. i vastly prefer the A2+. smaller (better for the size of my room) and rear mounted volume knob is much preferably as i use keyboard shortcut for volume anyone.. i plan on wallmounting the speakers, so i cba to get up to turn the volume knob everyone once in a while.
Still like the videos though!
dat camera quality, wonder how long it will take for that to be a standard haha 10 years?
5 Years
5
3 years lol
lol
It was like 3.
I totally disagree with this review. I have the audio engine a2+ and love them. Yes they do not compare to super duper expensive speakers but they are not meant to.
Do the higher end a5+ sound better? Yes substantially so but I still think for 250 and the form factor these are great speakers.
Watching this video with these speakers right now :)
bit late but how is the bass, its not gonna be amazing obviously without a sub but the speakers look good.
I cant wait for your review on the A5+. I was hoping it would be up before I actually went out and bought it, but I just cant wait anymore XP. Solid reviews as always, and if I dont like the A5+ I will be swapping them for the bose, as I already like the sound of the bose.
Well this makes me feel a bit better about spending the extra money to go for refurbished A5+ instead. Came in looking brand new, and in my opinion, sound fantastic! Looking forward to see what Linus's opinion on the A5+.
Personally I think they are fabulous!
Looking forward for the A5+ review
is it just me or is the quality of this vid better ?
picture quality
lighting in a nutshell
trigunnn2 I believe they record in 4k then downscale .
O well thats cool love the quality
not anymore
I have purchased the A2+ just last week. These speakers have powerful and strong mid frequencies and strong lows. They lack some clarity in the highs indeed BUT so most brands at this size. These make guitar and acoustic instruments sound rich and powerful. They do not offer the clarity required in classical music indeed. They are great with 80s, 90s and generally old school music. I advise turning on windows Spatial Sound (although its mainly for headphones) and activating windows Bass Boost, Virtual Sound and Loudness Equalisation. Highs are greatly improved. Something that is indeed impressive is the amount and quality of output you get in relation to the size of these things.
Hello Linus! If you have top 5 things of a class. I will be watching them all in a day!
I really like, that they can be used with standard speaker cables. I have Sony speakers, were the left speaker has a custom plug, it is really hard to replace the cable on them.
I've been using the Logitech Z623 2.1 THX for a few years and they're absolutely brilliant
Hey Linus can you do a TechQuickie about all the different power supply connectors? That would be great!
I have the Audioengine A5's and and a cheap Polk Audio 8in sub. the combined set sounds amazing. I have listened to a lot of reference quality products out there but non of which offer the sound quality, adaptability, or build quality of the A5's. Best bang for the buck IMO.
Logitech Z2300?
I've had mine forever and still love them dearly.
at 2:40 we can see how all hardware design beyond audio devices get old and obscure. These speakers will continue on to look good, but the laptop is already previous age
im a bit of a bass head and I love my Klipsch Pro Media 2.1's they are great if you enjoy "fun" audio, great for gaming, when I game I'm not a hardcore who wants to hear foot steps and go 40-0 in BF4 or CS:GO, I used to be like that but as I get older I get less competitive and just want to have fun. I turn the bass up to max and crank those suckers up to 11 and it makes my hole house shake and the explosions are friggin awesome!
I have set of the Promedia 2.1's too, they get very loud and have plenty of bass,great PC/desktop speaker system for the money. I think Linus should do a review on them.
As much as I love Linus, I don't understand how he can compare the A2+ with the A5+. Of course the A5+ will sound better and more powerful - they're more expensive and bigger!
+fuzzybaffy Wasn't just that, he was comparing them to Bower & Wilkins which are over $600, Not once did he mention anything around this price range to be comparable to these speakers, which isn't much help at all for buyers out there, all he managed to do in my eyes is knock them for not competing with the best of the best...
You should review Harman & Kardon Nova, and their Aura, if possible. I've heard some interesting things about them, but I think they're both(either one) worthy of your sensible critiquing abilities.
Either your white balance is off or your stage right fill light on Linus has the wrong gel, unless you're using LEDs in which case either you need a little more yellow or a little less red and blue, depending on whether your LEDs are CMY or RGB.
Are these speakers still worth to buy in 2016? And are the stands worth it as well if intending to get the speakers?
Yes
get krks these are shit
Do a review of Audioengine A5+!!
Edifier --> studio monitor
The fact that they are flatter makes them better. Not worse.
What's more important is how the Mid range sounds since there is only one tweeter and woofer which means there needs to be a crossover
Linus put it this way in one of his videos. "You can have a completely flat speaker/headphone and it will still sound like crap to you. Its all about your listening preference"
And I'm just sitting here watching this with my Audioengine A2s as he wrecks them... awkward turtle
Glad to see you doing speaker reviews.. I was wondering if you could check out the Edifier brand. (Spoiler, I've heard they're not that great.)
Those do look really cool!!
If only I wasn't poor
Since I have no friends, headphones are a better option anyway.
I am a well versed audiophile and I would be happy to chat with anyone who wants to know more about speakers and how to set them up properly. Also, though you may never see this... Linus you need to reconsider how you do these reviews because I find as an owner of the older models of these speakers it seems rather odd that you found the sound displeasing in the manner you did.
You still active? I need help
Do a video on how to build a good and inexpensive speaker setup!
I love honest reviews, thanks Linus!
I kinda think Linus missed the point of these speakers, while they can be used as static desktop speakers they are designed to be packed up easily and moved around. Great for people who stay away from home alot, which is why im considering these speakers. These are a size over sound quality, your paying for the portability more than the sound quality.
That magenta hue on the left has been around for the last few videos... Might want to check your lights guys!
I'm so happy with my $120 logitech speakers. Considering their price and size they really dont sacrifice a lot compared to all these other speakers.
You should check out KRK, every EDM producer seems to use those.
3:48
29.99 plastic speaker set from a gaming brand.
That's exactly what I have a Logitech Z313 set, and I love it, lol.
then you're probably not an audiophile
(or haven't heard anything better to compare it to)
I got the audioengine a5+ and d1 DAC. I only listen to music and the low ends are really good, I dont even need to use a sub.
If you are still looking for some speakers to compare, try the Edirol/Roland MA-15D (if you can still find them)
But I have to compromise when it comes to space! xD I'm using the A2s for a year now and I'm very pleased, they are a bit boomy to me out of the box, but when you turn the highs a bit up and the lows a bit down, they sound great. They are a lot of fun to listen to for me personally, but maybe I just like an "uninteresting" sound signature. Also, I do love the way Audioengine builds and packages their products!
I know this is legit 8 years later, but I agree. How can we just spawn in a bigger desk setup to accommodate those larger speaker sets. I purchased the A2+ yesterday and Im waiting for them to arrive for my pc set-up. I just game and watch netflix occasionally on this pc, and I got tired of wearing my headphones so I figured I'd get a good sounding but small set of speakers so I could sit back and relax a bit. I'm used to hifiman headphones, which are usally tuned a bit more for the high's, so I hope this set has decent highs.
Holy Balls what kind of camera are you using to film this? That HD looks amazing!
With all speakers you will get vastly improved imaging and soundstage if they are elevated off the desk, ideally at ear level on a decent pair of stands or material. I have discovered this to be the case for 3 inch driver speakers basically identical to the AE a2's, and for much larger monitors such as the yamaha hs5's. Putting these speakers directly on a desk can actually have some pretty cool resonance effects in the bass but I guarantee raising them to your ears off the desk will open up a world of clarity and tightness. The mids should sound superb on these speakers in the nearfield when properly elevated and dampened, I guarantee you that.
Hey thanks. I think these 2ill be a great portable speaker for my digital piano.
nice review! you should review the M-audio BX5!
Shit... $250 is seriously considered expensive for nice speakers? That's crazy haha.
Wow the image is crystal clear. Your face is beautiful.
I am using the Scythe SCBKS-1100 Kro Craft Speaker Rev. B and a Scythe Kama Bay AMP 2000 Rev.B, and i have to say there a great set, especialy if you take in account the only costed me €105,- here in the netherlands. base responce is pretty tight and the highs are nice and clear. the amp is a bit clean sounding but in combination with these speakers that sound a bit warmer its a great combination.
His review speaks volumes about how litter is understood about speaker design and performance by the latest trendy. Read the Audiogram II blog, Stereophile, and other respected journals concerning these speakers. Better yet, listen to them yourself - but not on a desktop but rather on speaker stands at ear-level height. Serperate them by at least 6 feet and move away from the back wall. Add a low cost sub-woofer and you have a very excellent home audio system for a medium size room.
How do these compare to Klipsch Promedia 2.1? I've been using the Klipsch + AudioQuest Dragonfly 1.2 + AQ Jitterbug and they sound acceptable while streaming with Spotify or Tidal but when playing iTunes w/ Pure Music software I've had a rather difficult time fine tuning the PM software esp. for songs that have a lot of bass. It's been recommended by guys on Computer Audiophile that using studio monitors will make all the difference but I have no way as of yet to hear for myself whether or not it's worth the cost of studio monitors such as ADAM Audio.
I'll stick with my free 3band equalizer set up with 2 RCA bookshelves and Advent outdoor surround ;)
i have a 3 piece harman/kardon and i love them! and the best part! they were FREE
What would you recommend to a desktop speaker, with great sound - specially great lows - with a black/red or all black collor skin, to use with music, movies and game listening?
It's the one piece of pc equipment i have never replaced.
I can't tell if my UA-cam is acting up or if it's Linus's uploads, but the volume is shifting pretty randomly from way too loud to just a whisper.
Still rockin my satellites and sub setup from 2004. Logitech X-230 haha. they just don't break! I want a new setup I'm waiting for these to break hahaha
I really hope you guys can take a look at the Lenovo Y50. I've been pretty excited for it since CES and now that it's out, my trigger finger is itching to click the "BUY" button >_
A few things about this review.....the A5's have the same exact tweeter as the A2's, and even though the A5's are only $150 more they DO NOT include a DAC converter like the A2's do.
Can you try and review some bang & Olufsen speakers, they Mighty be quiet expensive, but they surely do look good, and Sound amazing
Pleeeaaase look at the KRK small studio monitor line. They are normally in that price range.
What desktop speakers for a small office would you recommend then?
Linus, you're by far the best and most honest reviewer out there. Keep it up man!
The colours on the video look (at least in my screen) way too saturated... I'm I the only one? Maybe it's because it's an IPS monitor :s
Other than that, awesome video :)
Do audioengine A5+ already,i have purchased m audio bx5 d2 but still i like to watch speaker reviews.
Goes to buys new speakers, turns out there 6 years old. Watches a review by an absolute lad you've been watching for the last year 5 years.
Confused. Hungry. Does one still buy these 🤷🏾♂️
Yes even though they’re cold they’re still one of the best sounding speakers to this day for desktop users
yea when I found out they're from fckin 2013 I changed my mind
Hey, could you do a review of the bose sound companion 2 series iii? I believe the sound is not as great as some of the other speakers you have reviewed, but as a budget desktop speaker, it would be good to hear your review of these speakers.
What about Edifier M3200 they are not as expensive but give a loud, high quality sound which even at max volume will not distort. They come with a sub and a wired remote with line in and headphone out ports. They are a stylish and unique design which look good to me but are relatively easy to knock over due to their height and slim design.
I was shocked how much better these sound using my HRT II DAC instead of the built in DAC.
Louder and Clear. I feel they are great speakers with a so so DAC , I typically avoid china electronics but I am really enjoying these speakers using an external DAC. So much so that I am going to buy the As8 to go with them . I totally agree with this review, as with most all Linus reviews, I do wish he would have experimented with an external DAC though :) They are oh so nice sounding and really hit that refrence sound using a higher quality DAC.
2:35 Edzel, Happy Birthday !!!
2024 how these holding up?
Linus.
DO a review of the KRK RP5 or RP8 Monitor speakers, please.
And maybe an logitech 2.1 PC speaker review for reference
Review some speakers from cyber acoustics I think that their speakers give you the best bang for your buck
I have the original A2's and I quite like them. I am interested, however, in the integrated DAC in the A2+ speakers here, but he did not test the difference. I'm a little disappointed, could have made a big difference depending on his setup and this omission rather ruins the honest review of these speakers.
at 250 dollars, to not contain an headset jack is absolutely ridiculous.
exactly - man in the UK there's these speakers, the Ruark MR1 and they won "best speakers for under £300" - I have absolutely no idea how they won that award, when they also don't even have a god damn headphone jack nor even optical input....
Sometimes I wonder.
cmon, i can buy 20 dollar craptastic speakers that have a headset jack!