great budget speakers - audioengine a5

lonewolfny42 · « **Reply #20 on:** 7 Nov 2009, 05:33 am »

A number of the Raver's have A2's and A5's....well worth the money....

http://www.audioengineusa.com/

chgolatin2 · « **Reply #21 on:** 7 Nov 2009, 11:53 pm »

I'm seriously considering these little gems of course with a small integrated tube amp aa with ipod docking etc... Still researching my options

ted_b · « **Reply #22 on:** 8 Nov 2009, 12:07 am »

I love my A5's. They have been my office pc speakers for quite some time now. I've also taken them to group functions that require some music and they fill up a space very very well. All you need is an iPod.

JLM · « **Reply #23 on:** 8 Nov 2009, 12:18 am »

chgolatin2,

These are powered speakers, you don't need an integrated amp, just a pre-amp (or pre-amp/DAC, or USB DAC, or even a CDP if it has a good volume control).

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #24 on:** 8 Nov 2009, 12:59 am »

The A5's sit on my desk and do a nice job handling the computer and TV audio duties. They sound fantastic with an iPod / MP3 player. The aux input and USB charging port up top are very handy.

If Audio Engine wants to improve the product, they need to look at the amplifier. My Virtue Audio One with the ADS L-300 is far more resolving. The A5's sound sluggish by comparison. But they do have great tone, and more bass than you expect from a small package with plenty of drive.

funkmonkey · « **Reply #25 on:** 8 Nov 2009, 03:15 am »

Quote from: JLM on 8 Nov 2009, 12:18 am

These are powered speakers, you don't need an integrated amp, just a pre-amp (or pre-amp/DAC, or USB DAC, or even a CDP if it has a good volume control).

The A5s have the volume control built in, you don't even need the pre-amp. All you need is a source. (CD player, iPod, cassette deck

) Plug it in to one of the two 1/8" in's (stereo RCA to 1/8" cable adapter included) and your good to go.

chgolatin2 · « **Reply #26 on:** 8 Nov 2009, 08:05 pm »

I was looking into getting the FX10 for my ipod sound and combined them with these speakers however, sonically speaking, how does the bamboo one compared to the stock ones? Sonically speaking wood should sound far superior than mdf or plastic. Any input?

Christof · « **Reply #27 on:** 8 Nov 2009, 08:22 pm »

Quote from: srb on 7 Nov 2009, 05:14 am

Quote from: Christof on 27 Oct 2009, 12:12 am
I picked a pair of A5's up a few weeks ago for a family member. Very nice speakers which one would be very hard pressed to beat for the $. They are quite stout and even the packaging is impressive.

I know you have a lot of experience building speaker enclosures. Do you think there might be any sonic advantage in going with the optional bamboo enclosures, or would it be soley for aesthetics? I'm not even sure if the bamboo panels are the same 1" thickness as the standard MDF.

Steve

I doubt you would notice any difference b/t the bamboo and painted mdf unless the MDF is thicker and even then I doubt you would hear much. Perhaps Audioengine gives a weight for the speakers which should tell you if the bamboo is 3/4" vs 1".

funkmonkey · « **Reply #28 on:** 8 Nov 2009, 08:45 pm »

Quote from: chgolatin2 on 8 Nov 2009, 08:05 pm

I was looking into getting the FX10 for my ipod sound and combined them with these speakers however, sonically speaking, how does the bamboo one compared to the stock ones? Sonically speaking wood should sound far superior than mdf or plastic. Any input?

Bamboo is not a wood, it is a grass and has a different cellular structure. Solid wood would be more resonant than MDF.

that said, I haven't heard the bamboo version, but as a material it is supposed to be a bit less resonant than MDF (and that is already very "dead"). I agree with Christof and seriously doubt that it would be "far superior," or even that you could hear a difference... but you might be able to measure it. I've heard the question asked many times before, but never heard a direct answer.

cryoparts · « **Reply #29 on:** 8 Nov 2009, 09:30 pm »

Quote from: Christof on 8 Nov 2009, 08:22 pm

I doubt you would notice any difference b/t the bamboo and painted mdf unless the MDF is thicker and even then I doubt you would hear much.

I have a pair of each, they sound the same to me. However, I have not put them in one of the "control systems" and deeply and critically listened to them side by side.

The bamboo is hella good looking though, methinks.

Peace,

Lee

bigjppop · « **Reply #30 on:** 16 Nov 2009, 11:59 pm »

I just landed a killer deal on some a5's (250 shipped!!!) and they should be in the mail to me today. They are going to be driven by an iPod (or an RWA iMod we'll see which sounds better in this app) and are going to join me in the kitchen while I cook. I'm pretty excited!

bigjppop · « **Reply #31 on:** 9 Dec 2009, 10:02 am »

Well I've finally returned from vacation and was able to pick up my new (to me at least) A5's at the post office. They've been sitting there for a couple of weeks and I've been getting excited.

Anyway, I've come to a couple of conclusions:

Number 1, when setup up properly, ie on stands, equilateral triangle with the listener, tweeters at ear level, etc... they sound great. Not just "great for the money", they sound great... period.

Number 2, when not setup properly, they don't sound great. Period. They don't sound bad, they just sound pretty much like every other cheapo speaker out there. I had been planning on using these in my kitchen so I can have music when I cook but in this far from ideal setup they sound pretty much like anything else you can get at Walmart for next to nothing. Okay, maybe not that bad but they don't sound nearly as good as they do when positioned where they should be.

So I guess that means at the end of the day, it really doesn't matter how much you spend (not that these little baby's where expensive) it's pretty hard to fight the laws of physics/acoustics. Now, lest you think I don't like these speakers, that's not the case. I'm just going to have to find a more appropriate venue to showcase their abilities.

Adarsh · « **Reply #32 on:** 9 Dec 2009, 11:11 am »

I was considering these a while back. What amplifier are you using?

A

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #33 on:** 9 Dec 2009, 12:10 pm »

Quote from: Adarsh on 9 Dec 2009, 11:11 am

I was considering these a while back. What amplifier are you using?

They are self powered - the amp is built inside. And yes, they are pretty decent, especially for a beer budget speaker.

stereocilia · « **Reply #34 on:** 9 Dec 2009, 10:48 pm »

I found an even cheaper option. I picked these up from a local retailer who was having a sale for 25% off the regular $200 price:

http://www.alesis.com/m1active520usb

They have a USB input, a headphone amp, and a volume control on the front. I doubt they sound as good as the a5, but they are better than any computer speakers I've heard for the price. I find the highs airy and midbass has the appropriate amount of punch, but they do sound boxy in the lower mids especially from afar. Close up they sound decent; way good for $150.

Adarsh · « **Reply #35 on:** 10 Dec 2009, 12:47 am »

I have always been doubtful of USB speaker systems. It might work fine and then one day when drivers are no longer made/supported or there is an OS problem, you basically have to scrap them.

Add to that many people have reported problems with similar USB systems such as the Bose Companion 5s.

srb · « **Reply #36 on:** 10 Dec 2009, 12:57 am »

Quote from: Adarsh on 10 Dec 2009, 12:47 am

I have always been doubtful of USB speaker systems. It might work fine and then one day when drivers are no longer made/supported or there is an OS problem, you basically have to scrap them.

They have 2 analog inputs. If for whatever reason the USB input no longer functions, you still have a set of bi-amped monitors. Why would they have to be scrapped?

Steve

James Romeyn · « **Reply #37 on:** 10 Dec 2009, 01:57 am »

They kicked butt at CES '09.

Another powered gem is the M-Audio monitors, also WCF midbass. I think they make one pair about $500, another estimated $1k/pr.

Audiophiliac · « **Reply #38 on:** 10 Dec 2009, 02:43 am »

I have had my A5 for a year or so now. They started on my desk connected to my PC and did great! I had a Martin Logan Dynamo sub with them and the system sounded great.

Right now, they have been moved to the living room and are connected to the TV audio outputs. And again they sound great. Rockband and Guitar Hero: Metallica sound sweet through them! And they have plenty of low end once you crank the volume up a bit.

For what they are, they are awesome! They replaced a set of B&W M1 and I have not looked back.

GDeering · « **Reply #39 on:** 12 Dec 2009, 02:28 am »

Quote from: bigjppop on 9 Dec 2009, 10:02 am

Number 1, when setup up properly, ie on stands, equilateral triangle with the listener, tweeters at ear level, etc... they sound great. Not just "great for the money", they sound great... period.

Number 2, when not setup properly, they don't sound great. Period. They don't sound bad, they just sound pretty much like every other cheapo speaker out there.

This is one good and useful post, thanks for the perspective.

Gregg