Audioengine 5 (A5)
Audioengine 5 (A5) Premium Powered Bookshelf
Speakers.
Audioengine 5 (A5) Premium Powered Bookshelf Speakers -
Award-winning sound and the Perfect Audio Upgrade! Real
speakers for all your music. Audioengine 5 is wireless-ready
and works with all your music.
Efficient
Power amplifiers are built inside the left speaker,
saving
space and power.
Versatile
Includes truly useful features and sounds great in any
room.
No Receiver? No
Problem!
For listening to real stereo sound Audioengine is all you
need. If you want awesome powered speakers for your MP3
player, computer, game console, TV or DVD player but
don't want a bulky receiver/amp hogging up your space,
Audioengine is the perfect solution.
Small Speakers, Big
Bass
You won't hear any enhanced super-mega-hyper-monster
boomy bass from these powered speakers. The low end from
the Audioengine 5 is real bass, very near to the
originally-recorded music. From rap to classical to
movies, you'll get tight, punchy bass with an awesome
growl that will make you smile - regardless of the volume
level.
Natural Mids and Dynamic
Highs
The way Audioengine speakers duplicate a music soundstage
is really cool. We had all these great adjectives written
up to describe the midrange and highs (buzz phrases like
"tonal accuracy with transparent clarity, excellent
detail and harmonic correctness"), but they all just
seemed overused and sort of lame. Our goal was to bring
you the sound as it was originally mixed in the studio.
Vocals are clearly placed and each instrument occupies
its own space, making the speakers seem invisible to your
ears. We feel that we've succeeded in our goal and hope
you agree!
Brawn, Brains and
Beauty
Kevlar woofers for powerful bass, silk dome tweeters for
smooth highs, built-in power amplifiers, truly useful
connections, and a clean industrial design all allow the
Audioengine 5 to integrate perfectly in your living room,
bedroom, or desktop. Custom-designed and handcrafted wood
cabinets with high-gloss professional piano finish make
the Audioengine5 a true work of art.
Wireless-ready!
The Audioengine 5 has a built-in AC power outlet on the
rear panel and a USB power port on the top panel thats
perfect for powering wireless products to stream your
music. Check out the Audioengine W1 Wireless Audio
Adapter, Sonos, Squeezebox, or Apple's Airport Express
for high- quality wireless options. The AC outlet is also
ideal for powering other portable and home A/V equipment
and a second auxiliary mini-jack is conveniently located
nearby.
Built-in USB
Charging
Designed for ease of setup and versatility, Audioengine 5
speakers have a built-in power port for iPod charging
while listening to your music or watching movies. Plug an
iPod dock or iPod directly into the ComboPort™ and
you're ready to rock (or roll). The ComboPort™
charger is compatible with all iPods and other products
that charge via USB.
Hear the
Difference
The Audioengine 5 Premium Powered Bookshelf Speaker
System sets a new level of audio and aesthetic quality.
Even if you're not an audio enthusiast, we guarantee you
will still hear a difference!
30 Day
Audition
We've created a product with the sound, looks, and
overall quality of systems priced much higher. Purchase
the Audioengine 5 bookshelf speakers from our online
store and try them out in your home or office. If you're
not completely satisfied with the great sound and
excellent looks, just return your A5's in their original
packaging in like-new, undamaged condition within 30 days
of purchase and we'll give you a full refund of your
purchase price.
*30-day trial is only
available for product purchased directly online from the
Audioengine web store.
Features:
USB power charging
(ComboPort)
2 audio inputs
Built-in power amps in left speaker
Rear panel AC outlet
Front
panel volume control
Kevlar woofers for super
low end
Silk tweeters for smooth
highs Line level
outputs
High-quality speaker
connectors
Auto-sleep power saving
mode
Hand-finished cabinets
Video shielded
3-year
warranty
All cables included
Compatible With:
AirPort Express and other
wireless systems
iPod and all other music players
Internet radio and network music systems
Apple Universal Dock and otherdocks/remotes
Desktop computers, laptops, notebooks
Flat panel TVs Mobile phones and PDAs with music
players
CD and DVD players
Videogame consoles
Digital radio and
satellite receivers
All products with 1/8"
mini-jack or RCA outputs
Included Accessories:
AC power cable
1/8" audio cable, 2 meters (~6.5ft)
(2) 1/8" audio cables, 20cm (~8")
1/8" to RCA "Y" adapter cable
USB power extender cable, 1 meter (~3.28ft)
Speaker wire (16AWG), 3.75 meters (~12.3ft)
Detachable AC power cable
Drawstring cable bag
Drawstring speaker bags
(2) High-density foam isolation pads
Setup Guide
Materials and Construction:
1” thick MDF
cabinet
5” Kevlar woofers with advanced
voice coils
20mm silk dome tweeters with neodymium magnets
Torroidal power transformers
Audioengine 5 General Specifications
Type:2.0 powered (active) bookshelf-style speaker system
Power
Output:150W peak power total (50W RMS / 75W
peak per channel), AES Inputs:Dual 1/8" stereo
mini-jacks Outputs:USB Type A (power
charging only), RCA L/R audio (full-range, non-adjustable)
Voltages:115/240V, 50/60Hz manually switchable Amplifier Type:Dual Class AB monolithic Drivers:5" Kevlar woofers, 20mm silk dome tweeters
Signal-to-noise:>95dB (typical
A-weighted) THD:<0.05% at all power
settings Crosstalk:<50db
Frequency
response:50Hz-22kHz +/-1.5dB
Input
impedance:10K ohms unbalanced
Protection:Output current
limiting, thermal over-temperature, power on/off transient protection,
replaceable external main fuse Dimensions (each):10.0”(H)
x 7.0” (W) x 7.75” (D) Weight (LEFT speaker):6.4Kg/14lbs Weight (RIGHT speaker):4Kg/9lbs Shipping weight:12.6Kg/27.75lbs
per pair Shipping
box dims:11.5” (W) x 14.5” (H) x
21.75” (L) Audioengine 5 Materials and Construction: 25mm thick MDF cabinets
20mm silk dome tweeters with neodymium magnets
5" Kevlar woofers with advanced voice coils
Torroidal power transformer
Audioengine 5 Included
Accessories: AC power
cable
1/8" audio cable, 2 meters
(~6.5ft)
(2) 1/8" audio cables, 20cm
(~8")
1/8" to RCA "Y" cable
USB power extender cable, 1 meter (~3.28ft)
Speaker wire (16AWG), 3.75 meters (~12.3ft)
Drawstring cable bag
Drawstring speaker bags (2)
Setup
Guide
Custom Built
Audioengine designs and manufactures our own tweeters, woofers, and many
other critical components. In other words, these are not "box built" speakers
with off-the-shelf parts but entirely custom-designed to our specifications.
What we do not fabricate directly in our factory we have custom-made to our
designs (parts such as toroidal transformers, magnets, and wiring harnesses,
for example). The cabinets, drivers, bass port designs, amplifiers, and
crossovers are all painstakingly tuned together for each Audioengine model.
This, in turn, makes for a much more efficient system that requires much less
power than AV stereo receivers and passive speakers.
Based on Studio Monitor Designs
Studio monitor speakers are used by producers and engineers in recording and
production studios. They are designed with a theoretical flat frequency
response which allows the engineer to create a final mix in such a way that
the recorded music will sound good on most other speakers. Although
Audioengine speakers are not designed to be up-close "nearfield" studio
monitors, we do carry over much of the same higher-end technology,
components, and design philosophy for Audioengine speakers.
Drivers
Audioengine uses audiophile quality, ferro fluid cooled, silk dome tweeters
with Neodymium magnets. Silk tweeters hold up well under high power and the
edge-driven design gives very smooth response. The woofers are Kevlar woven
glass aramid composite with rubber surrounds. Kevlar is obviously very
strong, which means that the woofer retains its shape when being driven at
high levels. The speaker materials and construction are robust enough to
stand up to some serious thrashing, so speaker grills aren’t needed. In
other words, we did our homework on the speaker drivers and they will sound
and look great after many years of use.
Cabinets
To minimize unwanted resonances and distortion, Audioengine cabinets have
thick high-resin MDF walls with extensive internal bracing. Heavy internal
sound-damping material is used to reduce unwanted sound reflections inside
the cabinet. All cabinet edges are rounded which look great and reduce
high-frequency diffraction effects on the front baffles. Each cabinet
contains tuned, rear-firing ports. Both speakers are tuned and tested
together and sold in pairs.
Power Amplifier
The amplifiers in Audioengine speakers are located in the left speaker and
are a very conservatively rated all-analog design. All components are tuned
together for each model, which provides a much more efficient system
requiring less power than passive speakers and separate amplifiers. Circuit
boards for the power and preamp sections are vertically mounted for maximum
mechanical shock protection (a good thing).
Power Transformers
Power transformers are a large contributor to the overall audio performance,
especially in the low end. Again, no off-the-shelf parts here. Audioengine
uses gapless core toroidal transformers which have a tighter radiated
magnetic field, directly translating to lower noise. They are lighter than
standard, lower-cost "EI" transformers and also generate less heat. In other
words, toroidal transformers do make a difference.
Shielding
Both drivers are directly video shielded and allow the user to place the
speakers within a few inches of a video monitor. This shielding also offers
protection for hard-drive digital music players.
USB Power
5V@1.2A USB power supply powers the latest generation iPods and most other
USB "bus-powered" devices. The USB port is for charging only, not for data
transfer or music syncing. Available on Audioengine 5.
FAQs:
Can audio be played through the Audioengine USB
charge port?
The USB port on Audioengine speakers was designed to be for power charging
only, but don’t despair - we’ve also included an audio input next
to the USB port to plug your music into.
Why do my A5 speakers sometimes turn off when
I'm listening to music at low volumes?
This is a basic property of the auto-sleep feature. The sleep feature
reacts to the amount of input signal being fed to your speakers. If the
input signal is too low, the speakers will not recognize the source and power
themselves into sleep mode. A quick fix for this is to turn up the
volume on your source and turn down the volume on your speakers.
When I listen to my music at night I keep the A5
speakers at a low volume. However, it seems that the left speaker is
louder than the right speaker when at a low volume. Is there a way to
fix this or is it normal?
This is a common property of speakers using dual-analog style amplifiers.
A quick fix for this is to increase the volume on your speakers and
decrease the volume on your source.
What is the voltage on the A5 rear panel AC
outlet when the unit is switched to AC input of 240V 50Hz?
The voltage of the AC power plug on the A5 rear panel follow whatever the AC
input voltage selector switch is set to.
Are the A5 accurate enough to serve as studio
monitors for mixing music tracks?
The A5s were designed with the user's listening experience in mind and are
not marketed as studio monitors. However, Audioengine technology has it's
roots in the studio monitor world and the A5 is quite good for this purpose.
We've had customers tell us that they use these for near field listening and
music editing and enjoy the experience.
Just how easy is it to set up Audioengine
powered speakers?
Unpack and place them where you want and plug in the AC cord. Connect the
included speaker wire from the active speaker to the right passive speaker.
Then plug in your music (iPod, CD player, TV etc.) with the supplied cables
and you're ready to go. Our powered speakers are an all-in-one solution with
no extra amps or components needed!
Will Audioengine speakers work with a PC or
Mac?
Absolutely! Use the computer's headphone output, soundcard, or DAC audio
output from your Mac or PC directly into Audioengine speakers and you're good
to go. PC, Mac, laptop or any computer.
How can such small speakers have so much
clean-sounding, deep, tight bass?
One of the reasons Audioengine active and passive speakers have such amazing
bass in such a small package are the designs of the bass ports on each
speaker. These aren’t just holes or slots in the cabinets, but
specifically shaped openings with tubes designed with precise calculations.
The result is incredible low end with minimal audible air turbulence. These
are effectively mini-subs built into each speaker, allowing Audioengine
speakers to be used with or without a separate subwoofer. It's also worth
mentioning that we don’t use any enhancement circuits to add fake bass,
so what you’ll hear is real bass, really low and clean.
Why do I have to plug one speaker into the
wall?
Audioengine powered speaker models have a built-in power amplifier in the
left speaker so you won’t need a stereo receiver or other extra
components for power. In addition to built in amps, we’ve also added an
extra “always-on” AC outlet on the A5 speaker rear panel, which
just happens to be perfect for plugging in an Airport Express or Squeezebox.
The perfect wireless-ready speakers!
What is the difference between powered and
active speakers?
Both are basically the same. “Active” and “powered”
speakers refer to speakers with power amplifiers built into either one
speaker or both. Audioengine speakers were designed with the power amps in
the left speaker to make connections easier as they only require 1 power cord
and all connections are on the same speaker. It’s time to sell that big
old stereo receiver and make the switch!
Will I get buzz from the speakers if I place my
iPhone near my Audioengine speakers? I don't see any mention of GSM shielding
in the speakers in the setup guide.
All Audioengine speakers are video and magnetically shielded but the really
good news is Apple has fixed the GSM buzz issue with 3G iPhone so you won't
get any interference regardless of how close the phone is to your powered
speakers.
The headphone jack on my computer is noisy but I
want to connect my Audioengine speakers to my Mac. What do I do?
Some computer headphone outputs are noisy and have poor audio quality. If
this is your computer, we check out our AW1 wireless adapter (basically a
wireless DAC with an analog output). Also a Google search for "USB audio
interface" or similar will yield some good results.
I'd like to connect an Apple Airport Express to
my A5 speakers to stream music from my Mac. I also wish to connect the
speakers to my Samsung LCD TV. Is it possible to have simultaneous
connections to the A5 (or the smaller A2 speakers)?
Yes, there are 2 audio inputs on Audioengine powered speakers so connect the
Airport Express to one input and the variable output from your TV into the
other. Both inputs are "open" or active so you can leave 2 audio sources
plugged in at the same time with no need to flip any switches.
If I connect my Audioengine speakers to a Zune
MP3 player what volume level should I set on the player and speakers? What is
the ideal overall volume level on the music source to get the cleanest
distortion-free sound?
Every setup is different but we generally recommend leaving your speaker
volume at around 11 or 12 o'clock and then using your music source (iPod,
computer, TV, etc.) to set the volume and as the master volume control.
It is true that speaker placement really can
make a difference in sound quality?
There are different theories but rooms and tastes are different so it's tough
to specify a correct placement. We suggest you experiment with
different locations to see what works for you. As a general rule of thumb for
the best sound stage balance, the speakers should be equi-distant from side
walls and a different distance from rear walls. For the best bass response on
rear-ported speakers (like Audioengine 5), we recommend that you keep a
minimum distance of 6-12" between the rear of the speakers and the rear wall.
Our front-ported speakers (such as the Audioengine 2 or P4) do not need any
rear panel clearance for better bass but recommend keeping them a few inches
from the rear wall for adequate ventilation.
Will the sound be affected if I place the left
(active) speaker on the right side and the right speaker on the
left?
Swapping sides will not have any negative effect on the soundstage or
quality/clarity of the speakers. This will simply give you the reverse of
what the artist intended for you to hear.
Can I drill holes in my powered Audioengine
speakers and mount them to a wall?
Due to the electronics, cabinet materials and high-end finish it's not a good
idea to drill into your speakers but there are a few side-clamping wall mount
designs that work great for our active speakers. We don't endorse any
specific models but here are some recommended by customers:
- Vogels VLB200 Speaker Wall Mount
- Sanus WMS2 Speaker Wall Mount
- BTECH BT-77 Side Clamping Wall Mount
Can I increase the length or change the speaker
wire between each speaker?
Sure. For the best audio performance we’ve included 12 feet of 16 gauge
wire with each powered speaker system but any "stranded" speaker wire will
work. The speaker binding posts on the back of each cabinet will accept bare
stranded wire, however if you want to terminate the wires we recommend using
spade type terminals.
Is it OK to connect Audioengine active speakers
to my stereo receiver or integrated amplifier?
We’ve built amplifiers into our powered speakers but if you wish to use
Audioengine speakers with an existing receiver take the “preamp
out” from your receiver and connect it to one of the Audioengine inputs
(if you need to, use the included RCA stereo “Y” connector to
1/8” mini plug cable). We also make a pair of passive speakers called
P4 so check those out as well!
Do higher power output ratings for audio gear
mean louder or better sounding speakers?
Not necessarily. Audioengine speakers and amplifiers are very efficient and
designed together as a system so therefore we get more volume output than
stereo receivers or amplifiers that might higher wattage or power numbers.
Due to this tuning we achieve big sound outputs with a fraction of the power
required by other systems.
Are two separate speakers really better than one
boombox or soundbar?
We are firm believers that two quality speakers will always sound better than
one or more speakers together in a single cabinet, regardless of the
amplifier or sound enhancing technology used. There are some decent one-piece
speaker systems that simulate stereo and surround sound from a single source,
but most fall way short as they can’t accurately duplicate a wide sound
stage with imaging as complete and rich as Audioengine speakers.
Can I use a subwoofer with Audioengine powered
speakers?
Even though Audioengine speakers have big and tight low end which will easily
fill a room and rival floor standing speakers many times their size, you can
also connect an external sub if you wish (or connect Audioengine speakers to
your sub's line-level output). You can even connect our wireless AW1 adapter
to the A2 or A5 powered speakers for a wireless subwoofer!
How can I stream music from my computer to
multiple Audioengine speakers or other stereo systems?
Check out our AW1 Wireless Adapter set. These adapters allow you to stream
wireless audio from any program/website/player to our speakers and subwoofer.
Apple's AirPort Express is another higher-quality option to send music from
iTunes out to multiple speakers in other rooms.
Why do digital music files sound better with
Audioengine speakers?
Audioengine speakers were specially designed and tuned to make MP3 and other
digital music files sound great. We spent many months tuning each speaker and
almost exclusively used various compresses and lossless files types encoded
at different bitrates during this process. Even though we are big fans of
digital music your turntable or reel-to-reel tape player will sound equally
as good.
Why don’t Audioengine speakers have a
built-in iPod dock?
Audioengine speakers not only work well with iPods and iPod docks, but were
also designed to connect easily to all other audio products. iPods connect to
Audioengine speakers with or without a dock. We feel that Apple docks do an
excellent job so we didn’t want to waste resources trying to design and
integrate a dock into our speakers only for it to become quickly obsolete. If
you have an iPod but don’t yet have an Apple Dock or one of many other
great dock systems on the market, pick one up, sit it on top of our speakers,
plug it in and you’ll see what we mean!
Some people want to upgrade the audio on their
TV's but aren't necessarily interested in surround sound. Can I hook up A5's
to my TV instead of buying a surround sound system or soundbar?
Audioengine's A5 and A2 speakers can be easily connected to the audio output
on your TV set. Either model of speaker will provide for an easy setup and a
greatly enhanced TV audio experience with a wider soundstage and better
imaging than most soundbars!
Can I control Audioengine speakers with my TV
remote control?
Although many TVs have only one L/R audio output, which typically defaults to
fixed, this setting can be sometimes be changed via the on-screen menu so
please check your manual to see which outputs are variable. Also try the
headphone output.
If I have 2 inputs plugged in at the same time,
how does Audioengine switch between audio sources?
Both inputs are "open" or active, so you can leave 2 audio sources plugged in
at the same time with no need to flip any switches!
Why only analog inputs on your powered
speakers?
Audioengine speakers contain all-analog circuitry. The analog outputs from
Sonos, the Airport Express, and Slim Devices Squeezebox, for instance, are
very high quality and are great examples of why we didn’t feel the need
for digital inputs.
Are Audioengine speakers portable?
There are so many cheap plastic portable disposable iPod speaker toys on the
market that we decided to create a line of real speakers that are
self-powered, sound great, and don’t have a handle or run off 25 AA
batteries. In other words, Audioengine speakers are not really portable but
are durable enough that you could carry them around in bags or backpacks like
we do when we’re out on the road.
Do Audioengine speakers come with speaker
grills?
Our woofers are made of Kevlar and our tweeters of silk. Both of these
materials are very robust and can handle anything that may happen to them
during a normal day. We decided against grill covers as they tend to
negatively color the sound; sometimes less is more. Cat and
kid-friendly.
Can I take my Audioengine speakers to another
country with a different voltage?
Yes, you can switch the voltage selector on the A5 rear panel to match the AC
power in your country. The A2 speakers use a switching power supply so it
will automatically convert to the different voltage. The power cable is also
detachable on our powered speakers which makes it convenient to replace the
AC plug with a different type if you don’t want to use an adapter plug.
Can Audioengine speakers be placed on their
sides?
Yes, and we recommend that you position each so the tweeters are facing
outward.
Why do my A5 speakers sometimes mute when I'm
listening to music at low volumes?
If the input audio signal is at too low a level, the sleep circuit mistakes
this as no signal and turns the speakers off. If this happens, simply
increase the level of your audio source and decrease the volume of the
speakers accordingly.
Are these speakers designed for use only with
computers or iPods? I would like to connect them to my Panasonic DVD player
or TV or even my Denon stereo. Is this possible?
Yes, absolutely. All your A/V gear with an RCA or mini-jack 1/8" connector
(even a headphone jack!) will work great with Audioengine powered speakers.
If I have a subwoofer of my own, how would I use
the A2s with it?
Connect the line-level output from your subwoofer into one of the A2 inputs.
Very simple.
What if my TV only has one audio output that
cannot be controlled with the TV remote?
Although many TVs have only one L/R audio output, which typically defaults to
fixed, this setting can be sometimes be changed via the on-screen menu. Also
try your TV's headphone output or the audio outputs from your satellite or
cable box.
How would I connect a NuForce Icon amplifier to
the A2 or A5 speakers?
Connect the NuForce line out into the A2 (or A5) mini-jack input. Simple to
connect and sounds great!
What if my speakers or subwoofer have a hum or
buzzing sound?
Hum or buzz in the speakers is usually caused by something external to the
speakers which is coupling noise into the speaker system, either through the
AC lines, cordless phone, wireless router, or directly from the source input.
A common reason is that the entire system is set up such that a "ground loop"
results. Basically, a ground loop occurs when the AC power grounds and the
system signal grounds are not at the same electrical potential. Refer to our
online Setup Guides for a list of things to try.
Do Audioengine speakers have an auto-sleep,
idle, or auto-power-off function? Can I leave them on all the
time?
The A5's are equipped with a power-saving circuit that turns off the
speaker's final stage amp when there is no input for about 15 minutes.
The A2 has a idle mode with actives right after you stop playing music.
Due to this power-saving function we recommend that the speakers stay on all
the time.
If my speakers are "asleep" or in idle mode why
can I still hear a faint hum or hiss if I put my ear very close to the
speaker?
Even though the final amp stage is shut down during sleep, the pre-amp stage
is still powered up and the front panel power LED will remain illuminated
which takes very little power.
What is the AC power cable type for Audioengine
powered speakers?
We use 2-Pin IEC 320-C7 cables. The A5 uses a polarized cable for A5, but
most higher-end cables are non-polarized and these will work just fine.
I've had my Audioengine 5 speakers for a few
months and am quite pleased with their performance but they have a tendency
to automatically mute every so often. They remain powered on but there's no
volume/output. What's going on?
This sounds like the A5 sleep circuit turning on. Your speakers have a sleep
circuit built into them which is designed to reduce the power usage when the
speakers are not in use. The sleep circuit reacts to the level of signal from
the source so the fix for this is to turn down the volume on your speakers
and turning up the volume on your source. We recommend leaving the volume on
the speakers at around 11 or 12 o'clock and using your input source as the
main volume control.
Can I use a power inverter with Audioengine
speakers?
Sure, for A2 you will need about 50-60 watts and for A5 about 100-120W.
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