Audioengine A2 Desktop Speakers

Gadgeteer Hands On Review by Julie

October 18, 2007

Earlier this year, Audioengine was kind enough to send me a pair of their wonderful A5 speakers to review. These speakers have turned out to be a favorite of mine and still occupy space on my desk at Gadgeteer headquarters. Now Audioengine have created another set of speakers for people that don't want to devote as much desktop space and money in order to own a great sounding pair of speakers. The A2's work great with both PCs, Macs and other audio devices. Let's take a closer look.

Hardware Specifications

2 audio inputs (RCA and mini-jack)
60W total peak power
Frequency response 65Hz-22kHz Built-in power amps (left speaker)
2.75in Kevlar woofers for super low end
20mm Silk tweeters for smooth highs
High-quality speaker connectors
Auto-sleep power-saving mode
Hand-built 18mm thick MDF cabinets with high-gloss polyurethane finish
Video-shielded
Dimensions: 6.00 x 4.00 x 5.25 inches
Weight: 3.55lbs (Left), 3.18lbs (Right)

Package Contents

AC Power supply
Speaker cable (16AWG), 2 meters (~6.5 feet)
1/8" mini-jack audio cable, 2 meters (~6.5 feet)
1/8"" mini-jack audio cable, 20cm (~8 inches)
Drawstring power supply bag
Drawstring cable bag
Drawstring speaker bags (2)
Setup Guide

Upon unboxing the A2's, I was immediately struck by the size of these new speakers as compared to the A5's.

They are almost a quarter of the size. Very cute, it's like a baby with its daddy. The A2's have been constructed similarly to the A5's, which means they don't look and feel like a pair of $50 speakers that you can pick up at Target or CompUSA. These little guys are high quality speakers in a small package. 

Audioengine designs and manufactures their own tweeters, woofers, and many other critical components that comprise their speakers. They are not "box built" speakers with off the shelf parts, but entirely custom designed to their own specifications. What they don't fabricate directly in their factory, they have custom made (parts such as toroidal transformers, magnets, and wiring harnesses, for example). The cabinets, drivers, bass port designs, and amplifiers are all tuned together for each Audioengine model.

Available in either Black or White, I was sent a pair of White A2's. The Left and Right speaker look identical from the front, but when you turn them around, you will find that the Left speaker houses all the extra connections and electronics.

The A2's have two audio inputs. One set of RCA Left and Right jacks, and another input that is a single 1/8" mini stereo jack. Typically, you would use the RCA jacks to connect this set to your computer, TV or stereo. The 1/8" mini jack allows you to easily connect your iPod or other audio device. All of my testing with the A2's was done with my iPod classic connected through an older iPod dock.

I was flabbergasted (I don't think I've ever used that word in a review before...) the first time I heard these speakers in action. Wow! They sound very much like the A5's, which means that they sound great! I won't say that they sound exactly like the A5's, because they don't. They lack a little bit of the crispness / treble that the A5's have. But the bass is amazing and they are truly head and shoulders better sounding than other desktop speakers that I've owned in the past.

When you crank up the volume, air puffs out of the horizontal vent that is located at the bottom of each speaker. The volume level that these little guys can go up to is very surprising. I think they can go to eleven, but they rattle my windows before I even turn them up half way! :o)  Speaking of volume though, that's where my only true criticism of these speakers lies. I don't like the fact that the combination power and volume knob is located on the back of the speakers. I really wish this was on the front as it would make access so much more convenient. There's also the fact that there isn't any type of power status indicator. The A5's have an LED on the front; the A2's do not.

Disregarding my gripe about the volume knob location, I have found the Audioengine A2 speakers to be an affordable alternative to the bigger A5 set. At $200, these probably won't be a spur of the moment purchase for anyone, but if you want a wonderful sounding pair of speakers that don't require a large portion of your desktop real estate, then the A2's might be a good choice for you.