Audioengine 2 (A2) Premium Powered Desktop Speakers is the new standard for multimedia sound and closes the gap between computer speakers and home audio. Audioengine 2 is the perfect upgrade for your computer, iPod, and all your music.
FEATURES:
- Upgrade your Audio – Creating powered multimedia speakers to follow the Audioengine 5 was a challenge, but we feel we
$ 181.25
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Comparison with M-Audio Studiophile DX4,
I got the A2 for use as a portable studio monitor when recording music with my laptop. As such, I think its form factor is unmatched: I don’t know of any other 4″W x 6″H powered full-range (2.0) speaker of this quality.
I appreciate the stated frequency response figure, which is offered with plus/minus 2dB tolerance — unlike other iPod or computer speakers. The cabinet is made from MDF (medium density fiberboard), a material used in many of the most well-regarded audiophile speakers. The Kevlar woofer and quality binding posts also inspire confidence. A protective grille and front-mounted volume control might have been handy, but that’s a matter of preference. I got the white (A2W) model which is understated and attractive.
I’m comparing the A2 with the larger (5.5″W x 8.5″H) M-Audio Studiophile DX4 speaker, which is intended for home music studios. The DX4 is actually a little less expensive, but too bulky for portable use. The DX4 comes with individual frequency response measurements which in my case indicated close pair-matching and equally flat response to that of the A2. Anyone who has built speakers knows, however, that on-axis frequency response measurements don’t tell the whole story. I did not compare the A2 with larger or more expensive speakers, and my emphasis is on use as a monitor for mixing music.
Dynamics. The A2’s little 3″ woofer is surprisingly dynamic: turn up the volume control and you can feel the air pumping in front of the cone and the slot. The speaker sounds balanced at both low and high volumes. A speaker this size is of course only for near-field individual listening. It is not for watching movies from across the room. The DX4’s 4.5″ woofer has more than twice the surface area and is capable of higher sound pressure levels.
Imaging. Probably a consequence of the well-damped MDF enclosure, the A2 images nicely. Instruments do not seem to come from the speakers but from the space between them. The DX4 had better depth and openness however. I think these characteristics are partially due to the DX4’s low-frequency extension and high-frequency dispersion.
Frequency balance. The A2 delivers more bass than you would expect from a 3″ woofer. Of course, there is nothing below 60Hz. The mid and upper bass are a little pronounced. (The effect is worse when resting directly on a desktop, so try raising them on stands.) This makes a grand piano sound more like an upright. The DX4 manages to go deeper and sound less boxy. The A2’s midrange is smooth and natural sounding. The A2’s treble character is quite different from the DX4’s. The DX4 is a little hyped without being harsh: grunge guitar has more of an edge and cymbals have a more pronounced decay, yet high-hats sound similar to the A2.
Mixing/Mastering. The DX4 has better bass extension and treble clarity and lets you hear individual instruments more easily, so is well-suited to mixing. On the other hand, the DX4’s perceived treble “zing” may in some cases lead a recording engineer to produce dull-sounding mixes. The A2 is probably more representative of small consumer playbacks systems (bookshelf speakers and car speakers), yet is less colored and more dynamic than similar-sized powered speakers. Therefore it offers a useful comparison for balancing mixes and for assessing the final mix. Its small size and smooth midrange make it suitable for portable monitoring.
Incidentally, the A2 has both RCA and 1/8″ stereo inputs which are combined if both are in use, whereas the DX4 does not do this as advertised. I was also pleased with their customer service, which was responsive to emails and phone calls.
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|Absolutely Fantastic,
I am a fairly serious audiophile with a dedicated two-channel audio system worth the price of a small car, and was turned on to these from a rave review I came across in Stereophile magazine recently. Even though I wasn’t exactly sure how I’d use them (I do almost all of my listening on my “big” system and listen mostly to vinyl), I thought I’d give these a shot with my ipod and/or laptop computer to see what all the fuss was about.
Holy cow! To say I was blown away is an understatement. How they were able to do these many things right at a price of only $200 bucks is beyond me. The sound is amazingly free of artifice and is quite neutral from a tonal balance perspective — more reminicent of a good high-end two-way bookshelf than a “multi-media” speaker. They particularly seem to have been voiced to sound good with recent ipods, for example — my 80 GB ipod was a perfect match, with a lot of dynamic snap too — far more than anyone would ever expect possible at this price point! And the bass was very well done — while obviously not going to shake the walls, all the notes were there, and I never found myself wanting for more (and this is after listening to a lot of jazz and even som R&B too). These qualities made the music very involving and fun to listen to.
But what got me was the fact that all you really need is an ipod and you have an instant, relatively portable, bona-fide high-end audio system ready to go. They are fuss-free, are not picky with set-up, and sound good with just about any digital source you can throw at it. Plus the fit and finish is just outstanding (I keep looking at the binding posts and have to remind myself in disbelief that these are $200 speakers!)
At $200 bucks, you just can’t get a more entertaining musical experience, period. They should be on everyone’s short-list – they’re that good.
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|Music instead of a facsimile of music,
The Audioengine 2 powered speakers bring music to a computer desktop or an iPod. For good or bad, I am an audiophile and I appreciate and respect great sounding gear at all price levels. I own several top-of-the-line B&W speakers so I feel I have a good reference regarding quality speakers.
Originally, I bought the M-Audio Studiopro 3s from Amazon. They are truly remarkable for under $100.00 but shortly after taking delivery the tweeter in the passive speaker (right) starting distorting at mid volume levels and higher. I actually think it was the poor connection, cheap 1/8″ patch cord and 1/8″ jacks, between the speakers inducing the distortion and not the driver itself. For those interested, the M-Audio speakers reproduced just slightly lower bass notes and the highs were more extended but the all-important mid-range (where music lives or dies) was not quite right. Thin and boxy sounding. For monitoring purposes only I suspect the Studiopro 3s were slightly more accurate to the recording but what they reproduced sounded less like music for listening/enjoying. I would have kept them if not for the distortion in the right speaker.
Anyway, I returned the Studiopro 3s and got a pair of Audioengine 2s. Now, when I am at the computer I actually stop fairly often and just listen to the music. Turn it up and toe-tap along. The equipment disappears and the music remains.
The tradeoffs Audioengine made were the correct ones. No unnatural pumped up mid-bass to compensate for the lack of any real low bass. A slightly soft high end that’s not quite accurate but exactly right for near field listening for long time periods.
Set up and details:
Both speakers were used on stands, close to rear wall, about six feet apart and toed-in directly to the working area.
Like a few others, my Audioengine power supply did go out after just a day or two but Audioengine was very responsive and sent me a new one immediately.
Bottom line.
I don’t think there is a better solution for computer music listening if small size and simplicity is critical. If your listening space has more room, I’d opt for the Audioengine 5’s for a similar sound but better and lower bass. There are also lots of professional monitors that are made for near-field listening but many are rather expensive. If the listener is not within 3-6 feet of the speakers, and can spare the room, a little extra coin, and added complication, top-notch small speakers like the Paradigm Atoms or PSB Alphas mated to a NAD C315BEE Integrated Amplifier would be a fantastic sounding alternative and offer more flexibility.
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