Customer Reviews

Audioengine A2 White (Pr) 2-way Powered Speaker System

5 star:		(23)
4 star:		(7)
3 star:		(3)
2 star:		(2)
1 star:		(2)

 

 

Being a musician, when I was looking for speakers I wanted to find the best two piece set with the best sound. I did tons of research, and there is no doubt these are the best. They have amazing sound quality, however the bass in not overly loud for hip-hop and such. If they are placed close to a wall the bass gets much more distinct, whereas when they are freestanding in the middle of a room they are less loud. Overall, would DEFINITELY recommend these; you will not be disappointed.

These speakers have a refreshingly simple design, and really nice, room-filling sound. They really don't need a subwoofer. Very high quality construction and connectors. Highly recommended alternative to all the ugly plastic computer speakers that need a subwoofer.

Would rate five stars but amazon's review system doesn't let me update that!

The first set of these speakers I bought had an unsightly logo on the front. I contacted customer service and they said that a small batch of those had made it into production, but they would exchange it for free. They shipped me a new set right away. Really great service. These are speakers you will keep for a lifetime.

Having grown tired of the harsh and muddled sound of 2.1 systems and giving up space to accommodate them, I decided to "down grade" to a pure 2 channel setup with a smaller footprint. I initially considered an amp like the NuForce Icon to power a set of Paradigm Atoms, both of which I'm fairly familiar with, but I didn't want to go down that rabbit hole for my computer. I just wanted something that sounded good without having to get lavish.

After a bunch of research, I was surprised to find out how little there is in terms of quality powered monitors for computer audio these days. I would have thought that high end makers would have adopted the new format by now, but apparently I'm mistaken. Thankfully, I stumbled across Audioengine's A2. It truly is an audiophile's computer speaker system. I won't get into the technical specs, but these little speakers sing. They're small enough to be comparable to desktop satellites and can extend low enough to offer full range near field playback. They won't provide thunderous bass, but they will lay out a nice little soundstage for you and play back music clearly, accurately, and with life. It's a true testament to the build quality of these monitors...sturdy (and classy) cabinetry, well designed drivers, and a pesky class AB internal amp. I'm glad someone stepped up to the plate for this market. My favorite thing about these speakers is that I can have both my Mac Mini and Windows 7 gaming box connected at the same time...1 via silver RCA cables, and the other via a silver 3.5 mm cable.

There have been a couple of recent entries into this market, most notably from B&W, but at 2.5 the price, I'd be hard pressed to say they're going to be much better than these A2s.

I'm thoroughly impressed by these little monitors. They're the most musical computer speakers I've ever listened to. The only thing I would have emphasize, is that these speakers are for near field listening. They're not going to fill up a large room with heart pounding bass. Their drivers just can't physically reproduce that kind of music, and anyone who expects them to, needs to have more realistic expectations.

These speakers aren't cheap. Nor are they able to withstand physical abuse. I've seen other computer speakers you can bounce on the floor and be fine. Not these. There's a reason why they come beautifully packaged in Styrofoam and cloth bags. Any shaking or accidental push on the front speaker mesh and you could get that distorted hum/rattling sound other reviewers have mentioned. In addition, Audioengine claims all cables are included. Technically speaking, they're correct. They do include two short, flimsy, poor quality cables (neither of them with the stereo RCA jack). One worked okay, but the other gave me a loud hum unless I got it just so. Given the cost of the speakers, it would have been nice to have something better. I ended up replacing them quickly with a quality HOSA cable, and could hear the difference.

I should also say that the size of these speakers is NOT what Amazon lists (they say 1.5 x 1.1 x 0.8 inches). Wrong. They're actually 4 1/8 inches wide by 6 1/8 inches tall and 5 1/2 inches deep. I was expecting a little cube type speaker. They're not that small.

Given everything I've said, you might wonder why the 5 stars. When they're treated with care and delicacy and kept safe (I don't fully trust the speaker stands that they sell for these speakers), the sound is amazing. There are a lot of professional website reviewers who were wowed by them, and I can see why. Their glowing comments were right. I hooked it to a Creative X-Fi card in a small computer room to replace a 4.1 Klipsch system. Despite the lack of a separate sub-woofer (which you can buy if you're loaded with cash), music is rich and full. In fact, it's so good, that you'll soon realize how varied the recording quality is for different sources of music. Some CDs may sound flat or tinny, others wonderful. The fault is not with the speakers but the original source.

It's always important to recognize what something is or isn't. Audiengine A2 is not as good as a high end dedicated home theater system with a sub-woofer. For that, you need something else. Nor can you play football with it, so if you have rowdy animals or kids, you might want to go with something that can better handle abuse. But what it does do is give you great sound from a computer, especially if you upgrade your cable and have a good sound card, which lets you adjust the bass and treble to suit your taste. They take up a lot less space than a 7.1, 5.1, or 4.1 computer speaker system and have sound that's hard to beat.

Sweet sounding speakers. Nice power fills whole room. Ported woofer plenty of bass, don't need subwoofer.

Versatile - Fits on desk top. Coupled with laptop & IPod universal adaptor (has remote). Den/ dorm room dream.

Excellent build quality - will last forever. Contacted company and got amazing fast helpful assistance.
Will absolutely buy again.

These little babies are a godsend for audiophiles and music lovers who spend a lot of time in front of their computer. Full disclosure: I have been an audiophile for decades, and have invested a lot of money in high-end gear. But like many others, I find less and less free time to relax and listen to that system...probably because I spend too much time at a computer. If you fit that description, pick up a pair of AudioEngine 2's right now. You'll be rewarded with vastly better sound than what you probably have now, and you'll find yourself listening to music a lot more often. If you are currently relying on cheap plastic speakers, or worse yet, built in speakers, you probably don't even bother to listen to music when working on a computer. I rarely did.

Two-hundred bucks will seem like a lot to many people, but these speakers have the kind of build quality that will immediately let you know you got your money's worth. The cabinets are very solid, the inputs and binding posts are rugged, and the exposed drivers look great with the high gloss white finish. I am driving mine with a Cambridge Audio DACMagic digital-to-analog converter, which makes for a wonderful combination. I am rediscovering my iTunes library. (A DAC isn't required, of course, but I found computer-based music much more enjoyable since getting one.)

Allow them to break in for 20 or 30 hours before you pass judgement; like most speakers, they will improve with time. Most "computer speakers" have a pretty tinny midrange, which the manufacturer tries to cover up with a big mid-bass bump from a subwoofer. The AudioEngines, on the other hand, deliver a real midrange. They won't give you thundering bass notes or sparkling, extended highs....nothing at this price point will. But what you will get is an honest speaker that makes you want to listen to music.

I've been using the same Logitech 2.1 speakers for many generations of computers. Decided to finally upgrade to something that didn't require the subwoofer which I never felt I really needed. Yes, it's only my first week using them, but I am so incredibly impressed. They feel very solid and unlike any cheap plastic speakers. I am not an audio expert just a happy computer user.

Perfect option for loud and high quality remote music. No subwoofer needed and the airport express plugs right into the back.

I had my cheap computer speakers connected to my computer and I knew that I was missing something, the sound was not rich enough. I own a decent audio system and I thought that I was not going to be able to get the same sound quality with any of the powered speakers in the market but I decided to try and see what I could get with these Audioengines. As soon as I hooked them up to my imac I could hear music detail. I am extremely satisfied listening to my classical music through this little guys. I would highly recommend them.

Ok, I don't write many Amazon reviews because of the lack of time, however I admit I do rely on the user reviews for my purchases. I've been an audiophile (music lover / high end gear lover) for 20+ years and currently own a $15,000 + dedicated 2 channel system, which I love. However, seems like I spend more time in front of my iMac with work and school more than ever. Read some good reviews of the A2 in the stereo magazines and decided to give them a try.

Wow, all I can say - go buy these now! I promise you will not be disappointed. Forger crappy Logitech computer speakers, I had them and they are just average at best. First, I can tell you bass is not huge with these speakers, but what can you expect with the size? Bass is good enough for near field listening. The mid range is clear and transparent, not blurred and the highs crisp but not too bright like many small speakers.

Build quality is unreal at this price level. As much as I try and eschew Chinese made audio equipment, if these were built in the US or Japan, they would cost $600 or more! One last bit, I have these speakers elevated on some sound vibration control pucks which make a huge difference. The matching white looks great with an iMac as well.