1 00:00:00,240 --> 00:00:06,640 We have finally arrived. The Audio Engine A5 Plus is the last in my 2 00:00:04,640 --> 00:00:11,599 five-part series of speaker reviews that marks my entry into the category from a 3 00:00:09,120 --> 00:00:15,759 review perspective. They're not perfect, and there are still some compromises 4 00:00:13,440 --> 00:00:22,540 that are being made here, but there is a lot to love about this pair of classic 5 00:00:18,560 --> 00:00:27,439 looking powered desktop speakers. 6 00:00:27,439 --> 00:00:33,280 The CM Storm SF17 uses a massive 18cm 7 00:00:31,199 --> 00:00:38,239 fan to cool your gaming notebook, and it adds a four- port USB hub. Click now to 8 00:00:35,760 --> 00:00:41,520 learn more. Because it's a shorter list than the things I liked, I'm going to 9 00:00:39,680 --> 00:00:47,280 start with the things I didn't like about them. Number one is the size. The 10 00:00:44,320 --> 00:00:51,120 A5 Plus's by a wide margin, like literally they're wider than anything 11 00:00:48,719 --> 00:00:54,079 else, took up more space on my desk when I was doing my listening testing than 12 00:00:52,640 --> 00:00:59,600 any of the other solutions they were up against, including the Simple Audio Listen, Bowers and Wilkins MM1s, Bose 13 00:00:57,920 --> 00:01:03,600 Companion Fives, and Audio Engine A2 Pluses. Whether or not you are able to 14 00:01:02,079 --> 00:01:07,600 consider buying these speakers may simply come down to whether you have 15 00:01:05,360 --> 00:01:13,200 enough physical space next to your monitor to fit them. Number two is the 16 00:01:10,560 --> 00:01:17,280 features or lack thereof. Compared to other speakers in this roundup, the A5 17 00:01:15,280 --> 00:01:21,680 Pluses do not feature Bluetooth wireless music playback or an integrated DAC if 18 00:01:20,080 --> 00:01:26,159 you want to use them with a computer that has crummy analog output. The 19 00:01:23,840 --> 00:01:30,240 redeeming quality here is that at $100 cheaper than some of the lesser sounding 20 00:01:27,920 --> 00:01:33,840 sets on the roundup, you can pick up a DACK or an Airport Express for wireless 21 00:01:32,159 --> 00:01:37,200 speaker action or whatever else if you really wanted to to make up for at least 22 00:01:35,439 --> 00:01:40,799 one of these shortcomings with that money you saved. The third thing I 23 00:01:38,960 --> 00:01:45,119 didn't like about them was the fact that this short list of dislikes makes my 24 00:01:43,200 --> 00:01:48,640 video a lot shorter than it otherwise would be. And the way I evaluate my own 25 00:01:47,200 --> 00:01:53,920 self-worth is by seeing how long I can get you guys to listen to me while I talk about a pair of speakers. That's 26 00:01:51,759 --> 00:01:57,840 it. Everything else fell into the liked it or was neutral about it because I 27 00:01:56,240 --> 00:02:02,479 felt like it was a fair trade-off category. The build quality is up to the 28 00:02:00,159 --> 00:02:06,079 audio engine standard, so great. And while it's right on their site that they 29 00:02:04,079 --> 00:02:10,399 don't claim that the AX Plus series are studio monitors, they do borrow design 30 00:02:08,399 --> 00:02:14,480 elements and build quality cues from these professional-grade products. So 31 00:02:12,480 --> 00:02:18,480 that's where we get the custom 5-in Kevlar woofers and silk dome tweeters 32 00:02:16,480 --> 00:02:23,599 with neodymium magnets that are mounted in the handbuilt MDF cabinets, the 33 00:02:20,879 --> 00:02:28,080 customuilt internal electronics, and the satisfying near field listening 34 00:02:25,840 --> 00:02:32,000 experience from. In terms of included accessories, the retailer I bought mine 35 00:02:29,920 --> 00:02:36,480 from threw in some nice thick gauge speaker wire, but Audio Engine normally 36 00:02:34,319 --> 00:02:40,480 includes a 12T 16 gauge wire to connect your right speaker to the left one that 37 00:02:38,239 --> 00:02:43,840 contains the amplifier for both as well as the rest of the I/O. And I guess 38 00:02:42,400 --> 00:02:48,239 since we're on the subject, here's all the stuff you'll find back there. A base 39 00:02:45,840 --> 00:02:51,680 port that you should keep at least 6 in from anything behind the speaker. A 40 00:02:50,160 --> 00:02:55,200 massive heat sink that you should also keep away from any airflow impeding 41 00:02:53,599 --> 00:02:59,280 obstructions. a three and a half millimeter input jack next to a USB 42 00:02:57,200 --> 00:03:04,000 power output for convenient use with an MP3 player or phone. A standard RCA 43 00:03:02,319 --> 00:03:08,560 input for convenient use with almost anything else. An RCA output for an 44 00:03:06,400 --> 00:03:12,319 optional subwoofer or audio engine's own wireless music sharing dongle. The 45 00:03:10,720 --> 00:03:15,920 standard speaker wire outputs to the right speaker, an on-off switch, a 46 00:03:13,840 --> 00:03:20,400 voltage select toggle, a fuse access cover, and finally an AC power input. On 47 00:03:18,879 --> 00:03:24,640 the front of the left speaker, you'll find a thankfully front mounted volume 48 00:03:22,800 --> 00:03:28,720 knob. I mean, seriously, what were they thinking on the A2 Plus with that 49 00:03:26,239 --> 00:03:32,480 rear-mounted volume control as well as an IR sensor that can be used with the 50 00:03:30,799 --> 00:03:36,879 included fairly basic remote? I guess I forgot to mention that was included. Or 51 00:03:34,799 --> 00:03:41,120 with a learning universal remote, or with an Android app called Zap IR or 52 00:03:39,280 --> 00:03:47,120 Zapper if you have a phone with an integrated IR blaster. Very cool. On to 53 00:03:43,840 --> 00:03:49,519 listening tests. The A5 Pluses get loud. 54 00:03:47,120 --> 00:03:52,959 House party loud. Even before these puppies were burned in, they were ears 55 00:03:51,280 --> 00:03:56,640 shatteringly loud without audible distortion at max volume or even I 56 00:03:54,959 --> 00:04:00,400 didn't even turn them up to max volume for near field listening. Although 57 00:03:58,560 --> 00:04:04,720 arguably since my ears were shattered by that point, it would have been hard to pick out any subtle problems with my 58 00:04:02,799 --> 00:04:08,959 favorite songs. After turning them down to more reasonable levels, I used my 59 00:04:06,720 --> 00:04:12,959 usual mix of top 40 Titanfall game streams on Twitch and the bass alla 60 00:04:11,040 --> 00:04:17,359 action sequence from Captain America to do my evaluation of these speakers. And 61 00:04:14,560 --> 00:04:21,280 I came away really, really impressed. The fact that they're on a desk in front 62 00:04:19,199 --> 00:04:25,520 of you does give the bass a bit of a sort of weird blowing into your chest 63 00:04:23,600 --> 00:04:28,800 quality compared to having a subwoofer sitting on the floor. So, you can like 64 00:04:26,880 --> 00:04:32,400 really feel it in your gut. But aside from that, it just sounds really, really 65 00:04:30,720 --> 00:04:36,800 good. I mean, explosions, rumble, and action sequences. Mid-range vocals come 66 00:04:34,880 --> 00:04:40,960 through with fantastic clarity. And aside from like every other set of 67 00:04:38,880 --> 00:04:45,759 speakers in this roundup, losing to the BMW MM1s when it came to stereo imaging 68 00:04:43,759 --> 00:04:50,960 and clarity in the highs, they're just the best allround option that I've used 69 00:04:48,400 --> 00:04:56,560 so far out of the box. They feel like the A2 Plus without compromises. As much 70 00:04:54,320 --> 00:05:00,720 as I can appreciate the way Audio Engine steadfastly holds to the belief that 71 00:04:58,880 --> 00:05:05,600 software tricks to improve bass performance are unnatural and inherently 72 00:05:03,120 --> 00:05:11,080 worse, the A2 Plus could have benefited from some trickery. While the A5 Plus 73 00:05:07,759 --> 00:05:13,360 with its larger cabinets just sounds 74 00:05:11,080 --> 00:05:17,039 fantastic. So, there you have it, a recommended buy. If you want a great 75 00:05:14,960 --> 00:05:20,080 listening experience and for some reason you don't like headphones, which will 76 00:05:18,479 --> 00:05:23,280 invariably give you better bang for your buck, the A5 Plus is available in a 77 00:05:22,080 --> 00:05:26,800 variety of different colors, black, white, and a sexy bamboo finish that was 78 00:05:25,120 --> 00:05:30,320 too expensive for me to bother buying it just for to do a review. But there you 79 00:05:28,479 --> 00:05:33,199 go. You might want to check it out. And just like with all of my videos, you can 80 00:05:32,080 --> 00:05:38,479 find a link with pricing and availability that includes my affiliate code in the video description under the 81 00:05:36,320 --> 00:05:41,520 like, share, and dislike buttons, which I would love for you to use accordingly. 82 00:05:40,160 --> 00:05:46,320 Also in the video description is a support link where you can give us a monthly contribution. Buy a t-shirt or 83 00:05:44,800 --> 00:05:51,440 change your Amazon bookmarks to ones that include our affiliate code so we get a small kickback whenever you buy 84 00:05:49,520 --> 00:05:54,160 underwear or whatever. Thanks for watching guys. I hope you enjoyed this 85 00:05:52,720 --> 00:05:59,120 video as much as we enjoyed making it. Don't forget to mash that subscribe button if you haven't already. And I 86 00:05:57,520 --> 00:06:03,520 think that is pretty much it. I will see you next 87 00:06:00,680 --> 00:06:19,160 time. Well, I won't see you. You'll see me because that's how YouTube works.