# Audioengine 2, not what I expected.



## deniall83

Got my Audioengine 2's yesterday, set them up and had a listen. I had read that the mids were crystal clear and the bass was noticeable but not overpowering, just what I like. So I created a playlist of my favourite tracks from mixed genres and fired them up.
   
  First impressions were not what I was expecting at all. While the mids sounded great and clear, the bass was over powering, slightly muddy and took away from the other instruments tremendously. Another thing I noticed was vocals seemed distant and being such a big of fan of female vocalists this was dissapointing. I had to turn them up pretty loud to enjoy the mids and vocals but once I did this the bass just got worse.
   
  I'm running them from my computer soundcard (no idea what it is) but i'm planning on getting a DAC soon. Also, I should note that I have absolutely nothing to compare them too, these are just my initial impressions.
   
  Has anyone had a similar experience? Does a DAC make a big difference?


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## estreeter

OK, even the harshest critics of burn-in for headphones seem to accept that a 'break in phase'  needs to happen with the larger drivers in loudspeakers - why don't you give it another week or two and come back to us with your thoughts ?


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## deniall83

Oops, forgot to mention the burn-in thing in my op. I thought this may be a reason for the unexpected bass. I'm definitely sticking with them for now so I will definitely post again in a couple of weeks.


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## Sweeney

You might need to isolate the speakers from your desk, I bought the audioengine stands and they seemed to improve the sound from my a2s


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## JRG1990

No it's just the way the a2's sound, burn-in only loosens the woofers surround giving louder deeper bass.
   
  Here's the a2's frequency graph
   

   
  What it shows is a roughly a +10db increase in the 200hz-100hz area mid bass and it plays +15db louder than the midrange, thats exactly what you are hearing.


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## Roseval

I heard them once and the graph above confirms my listening experience.
 A bass heavy speaker.
 That’s probably why it is so popular but makes it unsuited for classical.
 You might try the EQ of you media player to roll of the bass


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## rory88uk

I got the chance to hear a set of Audioengine A2's myself and was left disappointed especially considering all the praise they get on here.
   
  They are very loud for their size but I found them too bassy and I found that the bass is a bit muddy as well. I much prefer my Aego M which is a 2.1 system.


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## jenneth

Quote: 





deniall83 said:


> Does a DAC make a big difference?


 


 That would depend on what you're using at the moment. What's the model of your motherboard?


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## olor1n

Positioning makes or breaks these speakers. Get them off your desk or try to angle them up with isolation pads. I was immensely disappointed with the muddy sound when I first hooked them up. I now have them at ear level, about a metre apart, and an arms length from my chair.
   
  There's no denying the sound is coloured but you can tame the mid bass dominance considerably. Also they do respond quite well and portray the signature of the dac they're hooked up to.


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## steven_1026

I just got my A2 yesterday and I must say positioning certainly makes a huge difference. I had them on my desk initially and the bass was very muddy, now they're on some stands about a foot tall and the sound is much cleaner. Overall I'm very happy with the purchase. *BUT* I noticed when listening to this song http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4eQBF9smOHg at around 1:20 mark when the low bass kicks in, my left speaker produces a buzzing sound. I have the volume a little high but certainly not LOUD.
   
  Now before anyone blames the youtube quality, I was listening to the song in flac and I've tried different sources as well.
   
  Does anyone else experience this? I just want to know if I got a defective pair or is it simply too low for the A2 to handle.


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## satkinsn

Just want to add my .02 to everyone who has said placement is critical.
   
  I have two pairs of Audioengine 2s, and height is very important. They really, really need to be at ear level, or at least tilted up.
   
  Scott A.


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## Remonster

The A5s really deserve the praise they get, but the A2s need that exaggerated bass otherwise 90% of customers would find them lacking in bass (consider the music most people listen to these days) since they have such small drivers.


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## wind016

If you're not mixing, is there really a point to going the studio monitor route? I don't think cheap sub-$600 monitors are really that much better than a high-end gaming speaker system.


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## dyl1dyl

Similar impressions but still find them great for the price


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## alv4426

They are if you listen to anything other than bassy music and dont want a 5.1 system for your computer
  
  Quote: 





wind016 said:


> If you're not mixing, is there really a point to going the studio monitor route? I don't think cheap sub-$600 monitors are really that much better than a high-end gaming speaker system.


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## foshow

Hey fellas, I also have this Audioengine 2 speakers and been broken-in more than 300hrs. The thing that bothers me is that it has a distorted sound during some songs I play it with even if the volume is just turned half way in the middle. If you guys can kindly (if you have time that is and thank you in advance) try playing this particular song from Janet Jackson album Discipline titled Feedback and see if you guys also get that distortion sound I'm talking about (I think it's on the bass part of the drum that happens). I'm thinking either my speakers are defective or the speakers just can't handle that type of beats somehow unless someone else can also confirm that my particular problem only happens on my unit.


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## SOUNDinterpreter

I had a similar experience, except with the Audioengine A5. I was very disappointed with them. Guess you can't trust anyone else's ears but your own. I ended up selling them and buying a pair of Focal CMS50's and for my current living situation, I couldn't be happier.


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## simonwellander

I Have a setup with the Audioengine 2 and they sounds increadible! 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 They need about 400 hours break in period (start to sound good after maybe 40 hours). And they really need a good position! Very important for these speakers! Andhe speaker wire in the back needs to be angled toward the center between the speakers for a improved soundstage and dynamic (don't ask me how it works). And you can try to reverse the polarity of the power chord (here i found about it: http://www.head-fi.org/t/503389/audioengine-a2-eq-settings#post_6800326)
   
  My friend also have a set of Audioengine 2, but they sounded bad, i listened at them too, and they sounded very muddy compared to mine although he had position they right! But after a while he dabbled a bit with the power supply and the speaker wire and after that they sounded much better than before.
   
  I think that is a bit strange, Audioengine 2 seems to sound good sometimes and sometimes not 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	




.
   
  Sorry for my bad english, i hope you could understand.
   
  Good luck!


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## flere

Quote: 





soundinterpreter said:


> I had a similar experience, except with the Audioengine A5. I was very disappointed with them. Guess you can't trust anyone else's ears but your own. I ended up selling them and buying a pair of Focal CMS50's and for my current living situation, I couldn't be happier.


 


  You weren't happy with the A5s compared to your CMS50's which cost about double the price for just one of them? :| That seems a little unfair in comparison.
   
  I've been enjoying my A2s for quite a while now, and hopefully you're taking other people's suggestions. Like definitely raising the speakers helps a lot, compared to being on the desk. And I'd never heard of the try reverse polarity of the power chord, but I really do hope after a proper burn-in, you come to enjoy the quality of these speakers.
   
  For their price, I can't see them being beat tbh.


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## JRG1990

There beat by everything <$200, these behringers are $200 a pair http://www.amazon.com/Behringer-High-Resolution-Reference-Monitor-Speaker/dp/B002GHBZ3Q/ref=sr_1_1?ie=UTF8&qid=1322705698&sr=8-1 , way better than the a2's and you still get kevlar woofers.
  Also the edifier rt1600 , rt1900 , r2000 . m-audio av40 which is $100 less, Alesis M1 Active 520.
   
  various amp and bookshelf speaker combos for example, http://www.amazon.com/Dayton-DTA-100a-Class-T-Digital-Amplifier/dp/B004JK8BDK/ref=sr_1_2?ie=UTF8&qid=1322706186&sr=8-2 , http://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-Monitor-Bookshelf-Speakers/dp/B0002ZSFTG/ref=sr_1_8?ie=UTF8&qid=1322706247&sr=8-8 , http://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-Two-Way-Bookshelf-Loudspeakers/dp/B000MGNDHE/ref=sr_1_11?ie=UTF8&qid=1322706270&sr=8-11 , http://www.amazon.com/Infinity-Primus-Two-way-Bookshelf-Satellite/dp/B0045NCB32/ref=sr_1_5?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1322706348&sr=1-5 .
   
  The list of bookshelf speakers better than the a2's at the same price is pretty endless.


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## simonwellander

Have you compared all them to a pair Audioengine 2s in a good position?


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## JRG1990

To be fair no,  but for $200 , £145 the a2's are very underwelming, muddy bass, the mids can get conjested and overall they sound a bit boxy there so over hyped I really don't understand whats so great about them, I did compare them almost directly (in the same shop anyway) to the Mission MV2 which were driven by the Cambridge Audio Topaz AM1, the missions just bested them in everyway, bass midrange treble soundstage the missions did everything better and are about the same size as the a2's just slightly bigger, they cost £60-70 / $80 a pair and would pair nicely with a little t-amp for set-up that costs the same but outperforms the a2's in everyway. All the speakers were in equally bad positions but because most the other speakers had good off axis responce especially the monitors not much was lost due to there bad positioning.


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## atomiccow

My experience is the same. I just purchased a pair last week and have been burning them in since. I feel these are destined for a return. Given they are near field monitors, which is the purpose I need them for, I cannot accept an argument like they need more space or distance between them to sound good. I tried them briefly in my living room but it seems muddy, overpowering, and all in all completely inaccurate and unfaithful reproduction of low bass is a fault of the speaker. Granted they cannot be considered expensive but for 200 CAD, I do expect more.


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## simonwellander

They really need a good position with the tweeter in the same height as your ears. And my friend have a pair of black Audioengine 2's, and i have that too, but my pair of A2's sounds much better and we don't know why, maybe is it the bad power supply or something 
  I really love my A2s but i think it's strange that my friends Audioengine 2's doesn't sound good. 
	

	
	
		
		

		
		
	


	



   
  I also have compared mine A2s to B&W MM-1 and they sound very similar i think, both have much details in the treble and the midrange. The MM-1 sounds a little bit more natural in the bass, but not deeper. But keep in mind that i have a pretty good sound card (Presonus Firestudio Mobile) and that maybe helps my A2s.
   
  Sorry for my english.
   
  EDIT: I found an intressting comment on amazon about these speakers that seems to be correct: http://www.amazon.co.uk/review/R2PD9CRNNU48DS/ref=cm_cr_pr_perm?ie=UTF8&ASIN=B000VKEFN2&nodeID=&tag=&linkCode=


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## kawazydude

just to answer the OP's question about whether a dac would make a big difference, i honestly don't think it would because i don't think the A2's are "good" enough to show the difference in sound quality between your onboard soundcard and a more expensive dac.  allow me to explain by telling you my story.
   
  so i have a pair of A5+ connected to my 13" macbook playing 320 kbps music from itunes.  i first bought a nuforce udac2 because i thought the sound i'd get from that would be better than the sound i got from my macbook's onboard sound card.  but honestly, i couldn't tell any difference.  so at that point, i thought that maybe this was because the udac2 wasn't that much better than my macbook's onboard soundcard, and that i'd have to buy a much better one to tell the difference.  so i refunded the udac2 and bought the nuforce hdp.  but when i tried the hdp, i STILL couldn't tell any difference!  i know people have been raving about the hdp, and i'm sure it is a really good dac, but i think i couldn't tell any difference because of 2 reasons: (1) maybe i need to play flac files to notice the difference or (2) the A5+ can't really reproduce the better sound from the hdp.  but again, this was only my experience that i thought would help inform your decision.  but maybe others might've had a different experience.  now, this isn't to say that the A5+ are bad speakers. to the contrary, they are FREAKIN AMAZING.  but they are speakers that imo don't really need a dac for the reasons stated above.


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## megamagic

have had the a2's as well as a5's for a while. prefer to use tweak the a2's sound. pretty much agree with some of the other comments so far ie. position for a2's is crucial - it seems best to tilt them up slightly on the desk and have them aimed more toward the level of the ears. Burn-in definitely helped with opening up the sound. Having a good source is important as well, especially since the a2's have a colored sound, it's best to find a souce/cable combo that results in a good balance with the a2's...which depends on preference really. as for the rather closed sound of the a2's (ie. like closed cans), I found that using a preamp really helped a lot. I used the fiio e9 and found the soundstage to be much improved and the sound of the a2's really opened up. assuming you have a decent source already, the preamp probably gives the most improvement for the a2's. hopefully this might help those who find the a2's too closed in sounding


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## ecclesand

I had the A2s for a while and thought they were pretty decent until I heard a pair of budget passive speakers with a budget receiver...no contest...the A2s sounded like crap.  I tried positioning them all over my desk; bought Auralex foam to isolate them from my desk and even built stands for them.  I finally gave up on them and went with passive speakers driven by an integrated.  IMHO, the A2s are not very good powered speakers....I even preferred the M-Audio AV40s over the A2s by quite a bit.  Based on what the OP is looking for, he/she should have gone with the AV40s.


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## johnman1116

Quote: 





> I even preferred the M-Audio AV40s over the A2s by quite a bit.  Based on what the OP is looking for, he/she should have gone with the AV40s.


 
  the thing is with the av40s, you lose in the size factor as they happen to be fairly big speakers which could find positioning difficult on a crowded or small desk. the av40 size compares to the A5s which are twice the price but blow them out of the water.
   
  as for the A2s, positioning is key and ive heard the the source actually does matter quite a bit. theyre a great pair of speakers, especially if you can find them under $200. make or buy some speaker stands that point toward your face, upgrade bitrate and dac.
   
  could be a good read: HERE


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## Gilmai

I really enjoy my A2s. However, I would apply all the aforementioned caveats. They are definitely great only for there size and price; larger, more expensive speakers will obviously sound better. If cost and footprint were no object, I would have bought the A5 which are substantially better. I am extremely skeptical of JRGs claims, however, that anything under $200 are superior. I have not heard the specific speakers mentioned, but I have heard many worse than the A2 in their class but never any better. And perhaps my opinion of Behringer is misguided, but I just doubt they could do better for the same price (I do like that they have balanced inputs, though). Besides, those speakers are more than twice the size and weight.
   
  Regarding improving the A2s performance:
   
  I would echo the importance of speaker placement. Although this is true of all speakers and especially monitors, typically the smaller the drivers the more sensitive to direction they will be. The A2's are 2 and 3/4in.
   
  With all due respect to Mr. Reina, they aren't particularly neutral. Esp, compared to the Yamaha HS80s or more expensive studio monitors. You can obviously mitigate this with EQ (I think someone linked to a thread on the subject). But I think if this is a high priority for you, then you might be better off looking elsewhere. As others have mentioned, most of the problems seem to be in the mid-base. Stands help a lot. I had mine on a stack of books for a long time and that mostly worked  but the sand filled stands I made for them did make a difference. I also hooked up my sub from my main 2.1 system and found that helped. I set the crossover to 80, which is only cutting about 20 off the bottom, but I thought it made a big difference. This obviously doesn't effect the problem area directly, but maybe taking the load off such small drivers was enough. Unfortunately, I just can't justify dedicating a sub to them. 
   
  I thought my DAC made a huge difference. I typically use them with an Apogee Duet2, but I have tried them with a y1 and they both helped significantly. I prefer using the Duet for a lot of reasons, but one is that I found the the speakers sounded best with the amp volume turned all the way up regardless of the volume. It also seems to affect the the L/R balance.
   
  I also second that the rca inputs are just better, but then again, perhaps my rca cable is just better. Either way I certainly wouldn't use the supplied 1/8in IC.
   
  Sound aside and with a little dusting now and again, they are seriously sexy little speakers built with obvious quality. I will be keeping mine.


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## atomiccow

I just refunded my Audioengine 2 and bought the larger but actually significantly cheaper M-Audio AV40. I have them in the same place I previously put the Audioengine 2 and these are definately the superior speaker. They have far more controlled bass and lower bass and most importantly have much less of it than the Audioengine 2. The deal breaking point of the Audioengine 2 was for me the crazy exorbitant and uncontrolled bass. It was like they were trying to get as much bass out of the little speaker as possible and this showed in the quality.


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## johnman1116

Quote: 





atomiccow said:


> I just refunded my Audioengine 2 and bought the larger but actually significantly cheaper M-Audio AV40. I have them in the same place I previously put the Audioengine 2 and these are definately the superior speaker. They have far more controlled bass and lower bass and most importantly have much less of it than the Audioengine 2. The deal breaking point of the Audioengine 2 was for me the crazy exorbitant and uncontrolled bass. It was like they were trying to get as much bass out of the little speaker as possible and this showed in the quality.


 
  lol well that settles that


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## minimal1210

After much research and deliberating, bought a pair of A2's today.  Unfortunately there really doesn't seem to be anywhere I can go demo a decent range of speakers in one place here in Melbourne (cue a flurry of corrections), so I went somewhat blindly into the purchase. 
   
  What swung my decision was the wealth of good reviews, the compact size, the minimalist look and the fact they have front facing bass ports.
   
  I purchased the A2's together with the Audioengine D1 DAC and the rubber speaker stands.  I couldn't wait to get these things home today and try them out!
   
  After a week of speculating and salivating over reviews, I have to tell you that MY HEART SANK when I heard these.  I could not believe I was listening to the speakers I'd read so much about.
   
  First go, I tried them into the onboard soundcard.  They sounded way too bass heavy and muffled.  I've been listening to music via the onboard soundcard through a pair of AudioTechnica ATH M50 headphones and it sounds pretty good (enough to convince me I might not need a DAC at all, but I got one anyway, for good measure).  However, through the A2's the sounds had extremely poor definition - absent mid/highs and a low end that is just MUD.
   
  I did try messing with the EQ settings on the Windows mixer control and have to say I was able to reproduce something a lot more crisper sounding, by boosting higher frequencies and cutting lower ones.  At this point, I convinced myself that the onboard sound was the devil at play here, so unboxed the D1 DAC.
   
  You can probably guess what's coming here, but after the D1 in there was little or NO improvement to the sound.  In actual fact, there is a significant problem that is introduced at this point, as the DAC removes the ability to EQ the sound in the mixer.  You get the DAC default sound and you're stuck with it.  Big problem, given that my A2's do not sound good with their 'stock sound'.
   
  I'm definitely NOT an audiophile.  I have been DJ'ing for 17years and producing dance music as a hobbyist for about 12 though (although not particularly great at either, I should note  ), but I cannot understand why people are having WILDLY different experiences with these.  I can only conclude that either...
   

 There are different models going about, or variances in the quality of units
 Sound is even more subjective than I thought
 My ears are more refined than many of the people impressed by these
 My ears are less refined and I'm wrong
   
  Burn in times, placement, EQ settings.  Yeah sure, they'll all make a difference.  But I refuse to accept that they will cure the sound of these things. 
   
  I'm going to give myself the weekend to at least test them repeatedly and make sure (and I will freely admit if wrong!), but the likelihood is that these are going back on Monday (if the supplier will take them back... dear God I hope so)
   
   
  P.S.  For anyone considering the D1 DAC for use with headphones, I'd say it DID improve the sound from the onboard sound, but it wasn't what you'd call an epiphany.  It makes the sound quality smoother, a bit less bright and digital.  As stated, the cans are ATH M50's and worked fine with it, though they are not the best match in terms of OHMS..


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## ProtegeManiac

The A2's are just too dark. They would have done better using a Tang Band 3" driver, a notch filter to tame the high freqs, and no tweeter. As it is I'm guessing Audioengine probably tuned the tweeter attenuated too far to make sure it won't be "bright" and people won't complain they "can't get any decent bass" out of it.
   
  I listened to the A2 and the A5+ side-by-side recently just out of my SGS (was too lazy to take my laptop out of the bag since the store display was a little cramped), and the A2 was too dark without much bass impact (the latter I can give up in lieu of a compact form factor though, but for a 2-way the treble was nearly non-existent). I've tried it tilted up to simulate the stands, even bent my knees so they're level with my head - the treble actually attenuated further, although it got smoother, compared to it sitting lower but firing straight. The A5+ had a wider response and was generally more enjoyable, if a bit too large for my needs. Held back on the A2 for now until I can confirm at least that some tweaks can be done to the crossover to get more HF's out of it.


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## simonwellander

If you think the A2s is too dark, i think something is wrong, or they not burned in totally. Mine sounded like **** in the start. And my friends pair of A2s sounds **** too and too bassheavy, and not good at all, and he have had his for about a half year now and should be burned in.
   
  My A2s is flat and supernice. Try everything you can before send them back, they seems to be sensitive for everything.
   
  The volume knob should be 3/4 on the speakers and then controlling the overall volume with the soundcard. If you put like 2/4 on the speakers they don't sound as good and the bass start to be overpowered.
   
  Make sure the powersupply is working perfectly good and don't have it too near your computer or monitor. Try change the polarity on the power cord.
   
  Please, come back with the results. And sorry for my bad engish 
	

	
	
		
		

		
			





 I wish you the best luck.
   
  EDIT: I have listened to A5+ and i think the A2s have more detailed sound, especially the mids, much better and clearer. The highs are as good as on the A5+ for nearfield listening, and if you find them too bassheavy, something is not 100% right.


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## paullindqvist

Seems like burning in speakers is over emphasized in this thread to say the least. The A2 is not near field monitors, nor are they marketed as such so the notion they would need precise placement to get decent sound of them is a bit far fetched.
   
  In short if you have jump to hoops, such as described in this thread Audioengine has failed miserably...
   
  Bottom line i think people expect more then these small speakers can offer, especially at this price point.


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## minimal1210

Quote: 





paullindqvist said:


> Seems like burning in speakers is over emphasized in this thread to say the least. The A2 is not near field monitors, nor are they marketed as such so the notion they would need precise placement to get decent sound of them is a bit far fetched.
> 
> In short if you have jump to hoops, such as described in this thread Audioengine has failed miserably...


 
   
  Absolutely!
   
  I'm not hanging around HALF A YEAR to find out if they might improve!  I'm not that familiar with the whole 'burn in' thing, other than that the term gets bandied around on here all too often as a reason why something might not sound up to par.
   
  Sure, I can appreciate that some products improve and relax over time, but I struggle to believe that this speaker is suddenly going to start reproducing the clarity and punch I am seeking out of nowhere.  I note that there ARE a few posts from users who thought these sounded bad initially, then improved over time.  But quite simply, it's not a risk I'm willing to take.
   
  There are also products which sound great out of the box.  My headphones I would cite as an example (M50's as stated above) - I grinned when I put them on for the first time.  Are there better?  Sure!  But they gave me what I wanted - a respectable quality of sound for the pricepoint.  Unfortunately this AU$400+ collection of Audioengine products has left me feeling incredibly disappointed.
   
  Note to all - this is a reminder not to make the same mistake I did and TRY BEFORE YOU BUY!
   
  Some other notes about the A2's (just in my experience):
   

 When you turn the volume know on the reverse, there is a horrible static/scratching noise played through the speaker (much less noticeable with music playing)
 The volume seems to be slightly imbalanced - the speaker housing the amp seems to get more juice. It's much less noticeable at average and high volumes, but with the vol control on the reverse set low, you can have a situation with one speaker playing and the other not
 EQ'ing HUGELY helps these speakers.  It's actually possible to tweak them to sound 'okay', which befuddles me - clearly they reproducing something much better than they were finally set for
   
  MEH!


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## cel4145

Quote: 





minimal1210 said:


> I'm definitely NOT an audiophile.  I have been DJ'ing for 17years and producing dance music as a hobbyist for about 12 though (although not particularly great at either, I should note  ), but I cannot understand why people are having WILDLY different experiences with these.  I can only conclude that either...
> 
> 
> There are different models going about, or variances in the quality of units
> ...


 
   
  And in your case, you were a DJ. You are used to high dynamic speakers with powerful clean amps. And here you are listening to little 2.75" drivers with tiny tweeters and a cheap amp trying to add sound to a room.  You'd probably need to spend at least $500, but probably close to $1000 (including sub) to get something similar to your M50s. I have Energy Veritas 5.1 bookshelves, Mirage Prestige S10 sub, and an HK 3390, and I think my Ultrasone HFI 580s compete with that setup just fine


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## paullindqvist

Let me clarify my last words...
   
  By no means do i think the A2 is a bargain, i believe they are overhyped and overpriced. I referred to someone comparing 1k Focals to Audioengine A5's (which is overpriced and overhyped as well), which is an irrelevant comparison. 
   
  But in line with previous poster, what do you think you can get out of a 2.75" driver at that price ? Again not claiming they are a bargain, but to get something good out of such a small package comes at a price, and usually a very high one.
   
  The whole design with one active speaker and one passive makes for issues and is a design that really put's me off.


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## simonwellander

Quote: 





paullindqvist said:


> By no means do i think the A2 is a bargain, i believe they are overhyped and overpriced.


 
   
  I can't agree. I have compared mine to more expensive Studio Monitors and they held up pretty well. But maybe there is something wrong with yours power supply. As I said, my friends A2s doesn't sound good at all too, they sounds muddy and not very good. Maybe it is the bad china power supply?


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## paullindqvist

Quote: 





simonwellander said:


> I can't agree. I have compared mine to more expensive Studio Monitors and they held up pretty well. But maybe there is something wrong with yours power supply. As I said, my friends A2s doesn't sound good at all too, they sounds muddy and not very good. Maybe it is the bad china power supply?


 
  What studio monitors have you compared to the A2, pray do tell ?
   
  You honestly think anyone believes a 2,75"  party PC speaker compares to even a budget 5" reference monitor ? 
   
  The excuses of poor power supply, magic position of the speaker cable, bad batches etc. is either fiction or a testament to Audioengines crappy design/QC.
   
  I suspect a combination of the two.
   
  But let's go with the notion that you have a A2 that performs stellar, and that there are A2's that doesn't performs as well as yours.
   
  That would mean you have to cherry pick to get a good A2, that doesn't scream like your getting your moneys worth now does it ?
   
  Heck money could be better spent on the lottery!


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## simonwellander

Quote: 





paullindqvist said:


> What studio monitors have you compared to the A2, pray do tell ?
> 
> You honestly think anyone believes a 2,75"  party PC speaker compares to even a budget 5" reference monitor ?
> 
> ...


 
   
  I have compared them to Yamaha HS50, Adam A3x, Genelec 6010, M-audio BX5.
   
  The only one that sounded better in my opinion was the Adam a3x.
   
  OF COURSE the bass isn't better or deeper than any of them. But the mids and highs is VERY GOOD and they are very flat and suitable for mixning. ONLY in Nearfield.


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## paullindqvist

Quote: 





simonwellander said:


> I have compared them to Yamaha HS50, Adam A3x, Genelec 6010, M-audio BX5.
> 
> The only one that sounded better in my opinion was the Adam a3x.
> 
> OF COURSE the bass isn't better or deeper than any of them. But the mids and highs is VERY GOOD and they are very flat and suitable for mixning. ONLY in Nearfield.


 
  Im not sure how to respond to such claims...
   
  Other then I pray to god you don't make a living with your ears.


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## simonwellander

Quote: 





paullindqvist said:


> Im not sure how to respond to such claims...
> 
> Other then I pray to god you don't make a living with your ears.


 
   
  You are welcome to listen to my A2s here in Sweden


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## gcwebbyuk

I have a pair of A2s on the Audioengine desk stands.  To my ears, they sound great.
   
  I previously had a pair of M-Audio AV20 (I went through three sets, returning each as the L/R balance was out on each).  I found the A2s a massive improvement.
   
  I had them placed on two house bricks each to bring them up to near ear level before buying the stands - and found having them angled up made a big difference.
   
  For computer music I find them great.


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## paullindqvist

Quote: 





simonwellander said:


> You are welcome to listen to my A2s here in Sweden


 
  Thanx i'll pass, that would be a futile mission i'm afraid. Besides Karlskoga is a bit off, and im quite sure your mom wouldn't be to happy with you inviting strangers home...
   
  But you keep burning those babies in and im sure they will sound better then anything money can buy in a few years.
   
  Kind if ironic you are the one using the "dead horse.." emotion icon. A quick glance at your posting history display a clear pattern...I mean some of the post in this is pretty much cut & paste from other threads. Your basically parrot the same thing over and over again.


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## gcwebbyuk

I mean listening to music while sat at the computer - ie small enough to fit on a desk next to your monitor without taking over.
   
  There may be better speakers out there though...


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## cel4145

What you are describing is poor audio quality as a result of a lifestyle and budgetary choice that has nothing to do with the source material. There are many of us who choose to use bigger and better sounding speakers while sitting at the computer. For instance, here are Energy RC-10s in someone's computer setup. I used to have these on my desk, although now I have the higher up model, the Energy Veritas V5.1s (same size though) with a sub under my desk to fill in the lower bass. I get incredible "computer music" quality.


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## gcwebbyuk

I think you are mis-understanding me - "for me" they are great for what I need - and in no way am I underwhelmed with them like some people have said.  My quote about "computer music" was nothing to do with the source, I was merely stating that I use them connected to my PC to play back music - ie computer music - they are after all sold as a desktop multimedia speaker.
   
  The speakers you have shown in both links are way too big for my liking.  But each to their own...  The RC-10s are also considerably more expensive than the A2s.
   
  As I stated, I am sure there are other speakers out there that are better - but there are also many that are worse.  I am sure there are better speakers than the v5.1s - but that doesn't mean they are bad speakers.
   
  In all honesty, it sounds a bit like a "my ones are better than your ones" kinda post - I may have gotten the wrong end of the stick though..
   
  I have headphones for when I really want "incredible computer music quality" - but for day to day use, I would highly recommend the A2s.


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## paullindqvist

People have different references and different standards simple as that.
   
  As for "computer music" the terms refers to something else entirely.
   
  Your use of the term seems to be based on where the music is played.
   
  How about living room music, toilet music and office music ?


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## cel4145

I was responding to your previous post where you defined "computer music" as
   
  Quote: 





gcwebbyuk said:


> I mean listening to music while sat at the computer - ie small enough to fit on a desk next to your monitor without taking over.


 
   
  To reiterate, I was pointing out that your choice of speakers, quality, and their size is a "lifestyle and budgetary choice." It's not indicative of everyone's audio experience of listening to music at a computer or how we choose to perceive it. 
   
  Meanwhile, if someone doesn't restrict their range of choices in the way you have, it's pretty easy to exceed the audio quality of the A2s for about the same budget. Find a used inexpensive receiver/amplifier, or go with an an inexpensive t-amp such as the Lepai. Then find some passive bookshelves with larger drivers either used or on sale. My first passive bookshelf/amp setup was a used Denon integrated amp, and some Cambridge Audio S30 speakers that I got as an open box buy, and it cost $230, only marginally more than your A2s.I came from Klipsch Promedia 2.1s (which have drivers bigger than the A2s). The Klipsch Promedia were for the longest time the best multimedia speakers one could buy under $200. The audio quality difference was dramatic.


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## cel4145

Oh, and I forgot to mention that the Energy RC-10s are only $220. Since it should be possible to buy a power source for about $100 more by going used, the RC-10s are not substantially more than the Audioengine A2s, at least not from a home audio perspective.


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## simonwellander

If you own a pair of Audioengine 2s and isn't satisfied with the sound. Check if your power supply is running hot, or just slighly warm when you using your speakers. If so, i can almost guarantee that something is wrong with your power supply. Ask audioengine for a new one for free..


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## takubi

So this might be shallow of me, but I love the look of the Audioengine 2 and 5. Are there any good speakers that have the sort of box look? Sorry for the very shallow question.


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## ProtegeManiac

Quote: 





takubi said:


> So this might be shallow of me, but I love the look of the Audioengine 2 and 5. Are there any good speakers that have the sort of _*box look *_? Sorry for the very shallow question.


 
   
  What exactly do you mean? Most speakers have that "box look," and prices go up for good speakers that don't follow this form factor since 1) the enclosures need to be of precise measurement and 2) rigidity, and a complex shape that does both is generally harder to make.
   
  Here are a few boxy speakers: 


   
   
   
  Here are somewhat boxy speakers with some curved panels: 


   
   
   
  Here are non-boxy speakers:


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## takubi

Ya, I like those. What are some good quality ones for a good price?


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## ProtegeManiac

Quote: 





takubi said:


> Ya, I like those. What are some good quality ones for a good price?


 
   
  Just to add to my previous post, while rectangular shapes are generally easier to measure for volume and to construct for rigidity, the shape can have disadvantages in managing soundwaves coming out the rear of the cone speaker and into the box. They can bounce off corners and the measurements of the sides can introduce distortion (which is why they avoid perfect cube boxes, since that will amplify the distortion within a narrow range).
   
  On to your speaker options - the cheapest many people recommend are the Dayton B652 but they'll still need an amplifier (and a DAC if you're planning to use it with a computer and not its soundcard).
   
  Personally for a computer I'd rather use an active monitor and either a DAC (which is an audiophile terminology for the equipment) or an interface (which is a pro-version, probably has an ADC as well as a DAC), which puts the volume control within reach (and possibly much better SQ than an ordinary soundcard integrated into a motherboard), plus these are nearfield monitors. All measured performance/specs are from the microphone at the same distance as you would if you were on a desk, instead of what hi-fi speaker manufacturers assume will be you sitting at least 1.5m or more from the midpoint between two speakers about 1m or more apart. They also come with dual amps in each monitor designed specifically for the tweeter and woofer. My long-running favorites for not a lot of money are the Samson Resolv R5a and KRK Rokit 5; not sure what others are out there though. Think of the Audioengine A5 as a speaker that incorporates the basic design template but designed for a home listening setting instead of a drab grey studio (thus the colors, the target market - music lovers and not pros, only mini-TRS and RCA, now with USB Port for charging, etc). The A2 would be more like Samson's MediaOne series.


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## takubi

Quote: 





protegemaniac said:


> Just to add to my previous post, while rectangular shapes are generally easier to measure for volume and to construct for rigidity, the shape can have disadvantages in managing soundwaves coming out the rear of the cone speaker and into the box. They can bounce off corners and the measurements of the sides can introduce distortion (which is why they avoid perfect cube boxes, since that will amplify the distortion within a narrow range).
> 
> On to your speaker options - the cheapest many people recommend are the Dayton B652 but they'll still need an amplifier (and a DAC if you're planning to use it with a computer and not its soundcard).
> 
> Personally for a computer I'd rather use an active monitor and either a DAC (which is an audiophile terminology for the equipment) or an interface (which is a pro-version, probably has an ADC as well as a DAC), which puts the volume control within reach (and possibly much better SQ than an ordinary soundcard integrated into a motherboard), plus these are nearfield monitors. All measured performance/specs are from the microphone at the same distance as you would if you were on a desk, instead of what hi-fi speaker manufacturers assume will be you sitting at least 1.5m or more from the midpoint between two speakers about 1m or more apart. They also come with dual amps in each monitor designed specifically for the tweeter and woofer. My long-running favorites for not a lot of money are the Samson Resolv R5a and KRK Rokit 5; not sure what others are out there though. Think of the Audioengine A5 as a speaker that incorporates the basic design template but designed for a home listening setting instead of a drab grey studio (thus the colors, the target market - music lovers and not pros, only mini-TRS and RCA, now with USB Port for charging, etc). The A2 would be more like Samson's MediaOne series.


 
  If I were to get the Daytons, what amp/DAC should I get (will be with my computer).
   
  Also, if I interpreted your post correctly, I am looking for something designed for home listening.


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## ProtegeManiac

Quote: 





takubi said:


> If I were to get the Daytons, what amp/DAC should I get (will be with my computer).


 
  Lots of options out there, but mostly you can go cheap by getting a good t-amp and a reasonably good USB DAC. These for example:
 Amp - http://www.ebay.com/itm/2-15W-TA2024-Tripath-Digital-Class-D-Amp-Case-12V-PSU-/350594801743?pt=US_Home_Audio_Amplifiers_Preamps&hash=item51a114204f
 DAC - http://www.ebay.com/itm/MUSE-DA10-PCM2704-MINI-USB-DAC-Digital-Decoder-Headphone-Amplifier-Adaptor-/230835134355?pt=US_Home_Audio_Amplifiers_Preamps&hash=item35bed89f93
   
  Or you can get both functions in the same device : http://www.ebay.com/itm/Topping-TP30-USB-DAC-TA2024-T-AMP-Digital-Headphone-Amplifier-/220951432072?pt=US_Pro_Audio_Amplifiers&hash=item3371bb4b88
  
   
  Quote:  





> Also, if I interpreted your post correctly, I am looking for something designed for home listening.


 
   
  Are you referring to the KRK and Samson monitors in my post? You can use those for home listening, which I assume will be *nearfield* - ie, you're using the computer while listening, not a dedicated multimedia-only PC as source - which is what those speakers are designed for. Setting aside what many people say about "audiophile" speakers being "colored," in this case a speaker designed with matching amps in them already and are designed with the listener just in front of them make them hard to ignore for such an application.

 BTW I have at least two friends who use one each of those - one with a VXT5 and the other a Rubicon6 - for their bedroom audio set-ups with a computer/iPod source. They haven't "upgraded" yet, save maybe for the Samson guy who might get an interface or USB DAC just to put the volume control within easier reach.


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## takubi

So the Daytons paired with the Topping DAC/amp would be good for nearfield listening in my bedroom? Also are there any other options for my listening desires?


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## ProtegeManiac

Quote: 





takubi said:


> So the Daytons paired with the Topping DAC/amp would be good for nearfield listening in my bedroom? Also are there any other options for my listening desires?


 
   
  They're great price-wise; enough reviews claim that those T-amps (which for the most part are similar enough) are great with those speakers. Other options will depend on other factors, like budget and if you're willing to go for used, how long are you willing to wait?

 I'm probably getting either the Fostex PM04.n or KRK Rokit 5 for the short term myself; if at any point I have enough cash to spare I'll upgrade to (hopefully) Focal monitors, mostly so that my car and my desk will sound alike.


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## takubi

Quote: 





protegemaniac said:


> Other options will depend on other factors, like budget and if you're willing to go for used, how long are you willing to wait?


 
  Right now I'm just considering all of the options, so time isn't an issue. Also I'm not really sure about used.


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## ProtegeManiac

Quote: 





takubi said:


> Right now I'm just considering all of the options, so time isn't an issue. Also I'm not really sure about used.


 
  Topping TP30 or hte newer version and the B652 should work well enough as long as you're alright with the monitors' size. Without shipping all that comes to about $145 - I can't think of a better bargain.

 BTW I just found out the Edifier dealer in my country has the R2000T for about $110 - might just pick this up and a used UDAC for about $40. It has its own volume control but since I'm using an SIII and my laptop as sources I'm thinking I could get those two through a powered hub and the UDAC serves as a "better" DAC for the laptop (if not also for the SIII) and along with the hub, a source switcher.


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## takubi

Quote: 





protegemaniac said:


> Topping TP30 or hte newer version and the B652 should work well enough as long as you're alright with the monitors' size. Without shipping all that comes to about $145 - I can't think of a better bargain.
> 
> BTW I just found out the Edifier dealer in my country has the R2000T for about $110 - might just pick this up and a used UDAC for about $40. It has its own volume control but since I'm using an SIII and my laptop as sources I'm thinking I could get those two through a powered hub and the UDAC serves as a "better" DAC for the laptop (if not also for the SIII) and along with the hub, a source switcher.


 
  That sounds like an awesome setup, for an even more awesome price! Personally I think I'm going to go the Daytons with the topping.
   
  So on a completely different note, I'm going to be getting an S3, do you have any tips or something audio wise?


----------



## ProtegeManiac

Quote: 





takubi said:


> That sounds like an awesome setup, for an even more awesome price! Personally I think I'm going to go the Daytons with the topping.
> 
> So on a completely different note, I'm going to be getting an S3, do you have any tips or something audio wise?


 
   
  Breaking news - local distro finally brought in Swans Hivi S3W, D1080 MkII 08 and even the D200MkII! I'm absolutely dizzy about which one to buy so I'm delaying my purchase until Christmas/Year-end, need time to listen to them all first. Need to see if the smaller size of the D1080 vs the R2000 will make it worthwhile. The Edifier runs on active crossovers and a bigger LF driver though.


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## mastercool




----------



## takubi

Quote: 





protegemaniac said:


> Breaking news - local distro finally brought in Swans Hivi S3W, D1080 MkII 08 and even the D200MkII! I'm absolutely dizzy about which one to buy so I'm delaying my purchase until Christmas/Year-end, need time to listen to them all first. Need to see if the smaller size of the D1080 vs the R2000 will make it worthwhile. The Edifier runs on active crossovers and a bigger LF driver though.


 
  Thats awesome!


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## ProtegeManiac

Quote: 





takubi said:


> Thats awesome!


 
   
  Even more awesome : D1080 goes for about $165 plus fuel/cab fare (I'm not lugging that around through Metro Manila's mostly horrible public transport "system"), S3W goes for about $60 plus about $3 to and fro (this one I can take public transport with), with local dealer support which I hope doesn't suck.
   
  Thing is, I'm really obligating myself to buy so I can at least contribute to the distributor's interest in bringing good stuff into the country. The only local speaker manufacturer  doesn't make active speakers, nor anything small enough for nearfield, but maybe even they might start getting into these at some point what with adjacent older mansions getting torn down and replaced by condos.


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