WEBVTT 00:00:00.240 --> 00:00:06.640 We have finally arrived. The Audio Engine A5 Plus is the last in my 00:00:04.640 --> 00:00:11.599 five-part series of speaker reviews that marks my entry into the category from a 00:00:09.120 --> 00:00:15.759 review perspective. They're not perfect, and there are still some compromises 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 00:00:18.560 --> 00:00:27.439 looking powered desktop speakers. 00:00:27.439 --> 00:00:33.280 The CM Storm SF17 uses a massive 18cm 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 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 00:00:39.680 --> 00:00:47.280 start with the things I didn't like about them. Number one is the size. The 00:00:44.320 --> 00:00:51.120 A5 Plus's by a wide margin, like literally they're wider than anything 00:00:48.719 --> 00:00:54.079 else, took up more space on my desk when I was doing my listening testing than 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 00:00:57.920 --> 00:01:03.600 Companion Fives, and Audio Engine A2 Pluses. Whether or not you are able to 00:01:02.079 --> 00:01:07.600 consider buying these speakers may simply come down to whether you have 00:01:05.360 --> 00:01:13.200 enough physical space next to your monitor to fit them. Number two is the 00:01:10.560 --> 00:01:17.280 features or lack thereof. Compared to other speakers in this roundup, the A5 00:01:15.280 --> 00:01:21.680 Pluses do not feature Bluetooth wireless music playback or an integrated DAC if 00:01:20.080 --> 00:01:26.159 you want to use them with a computer that has crummy analog output. The 00:01:23.840 --> 00:01:30.240 redeeming quality here is that at $100 cheaper than some of the lesser sounding 00:01:27.920 --> 00:01:33.840 sets on the roundup, you can pick up a DACK or an Airport Express for wireless 00:01:32.159 --> 00:01:37.200 speaker action or whatever else if you really wanted to to make up for at least 00:01:35.439 --> 00:01:40.799 one of these shortcomings with that money you saved. The third thing I 00:01:38.960 --> 00:01:45.119 didn't like about them was the fact that this short list of dislikes makes my 00:01:43.200 --> 00:01:48.640 video a lot shorter than it otherwise would be. And the way I evaluate my own 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 00:01:51.759 --> 00:01:57.840 it. Everything else fell into the liked it or was neutral about it because I 00:01:56.240 --> 00:02:02.479 felt like it was a fair trade-off category. The build quality is up to the 00:02:00.159 --> 00:02:06.079 audio engine standard, so great. And while it's right on their site that they 00:02:04.079 --> 00:02:10.399 don't claim that the AX Plus series are studio monitors, they do borrow design 00:02:08.399 --> 00:02:14.480 elements and build quality cues from these professional-grade products. So 00:02:12.480 --> 00:02:18.480 that's where we get the custom 5-in Kevlar woofers and silk dome tweeters 00:02:16.480 --> 00:02:23.599 with neodymium magnets that are mounted in the handbuilt MDF cabinets, the 00:02:20.879 --> 00:02:28.080 customuilt internal electronics, and the satisfying near field listening 00:02:25.840 --> 00:02:32.000 experience from. In terms of included accessories, the retailer I bought mine 00:02:29.920 --> 00:02:36.480 from threw in some nice thick gauge speaker wire, but Audio Engine normally 00:02:34.319 --> 00:02:40.480 includes a 12T 16 gauge wire to connect your right speaker to the left one that 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 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 00:02:45.840 --> 00:02:51.680 port that you should keep at least 6 in from anything behind the speaker. A 00:02:50.160 --> 00:02:55.200 massive heat sink that you should also keep away from any airflow impeding 00:02:53.599 --> 00:02:59.280 obstructions. a three and a half millimeter input jack next to a USB 00:02:57.200 --> 00:03:04.000 power output for convenient use with an MP3 player or phone. A standard RCA 00:03:02.319 --> 00:03:08.560 input for convenient use with almost anything else. An RCA output for an 00:03:06.400 --> 00:03:12.319 optional subwoofer or audio engine's own wireless music sharing dongle. The 00:03:10.720 --> 00:03:15.920 standard speaker wire outputs to the right speaker, an on-off switch, a 00:03:13.840 --> 00:03:20.400 voltage select toggle, a fuse access cover, and finally an AC power input. On 00:03:18.879 --> 00:03:24.640 the front of the left speaker, you'll find a thankfully front mounted volume 00:03:22.800 --> 00:03:28.720 knob. I mean, seriously, what were they thinking on the A2 Plus with that 00:03:26.239 --> 00:03:32.480 rear-mounted volume control as well as an IR sensor that can be used with the 00:03:30.799 --> 00:03:36.879 included fairly basic remote? I guess I forgot to mention that was included. Or 00:03:34.799 --> 00:03:41.120 with a learning universal remote, or with an Android app called Zap IR or 00:03:39.280 --> 00:03:47.120 Zapper if you have a phone with an integrated IR blaster. Very cool. On to 00:03:43.840 --> 00:03:49.519 listening tests. The A5 Pluses get loud. 00:03:47.120 --> 00:03:52.959 House party loud. Even before these puppies were burned in, they were ears 00:03:51.280 --> 00:03:56.640 shatteringly loud without audible distortion at max volume or even I 00:03:54.959 --> 00:04:00.400 didn't even turn them up to max volume for near field listening. Although 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 00:04:02.799 --> 00:04:08.959 favorite songs. After turning them down to more reasonable levels, I used my 00:04:06.720 --> 00:04:12.959 usual mix of top 40 Titanfall game streams on Twitch and the bass alla 00:04:11.040 --> 00:04:17.359 action sequence from Captain America to do my evaluation of these speakers. And 00:04:14.560 --> 00:04:21.280 I came away really, really impressed. The fact that they're on a desk in front 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 00:04:23.600 --> 00:04:28.800 quality compared to having a subwoofer sitting on the floor. So, you can like 00:04:26.880 --> 00:04:32.400 really feel it in your gut. But aside from that, it just sounds really, really 00:04:30.720 --> 00:04:36.800 good. I mean, explosions, rumble, and action sequences. Mid-range vocals come 00:04:34.880 --> 00:04:40.960 through with fantastic clarity. And aside from like every other set of 00:04:38.880 --> 00:04:45.759 speakers in this roundup, losing to the BMW MM1s when it came to stereo imaging 00:04:43.759 --> 00:04:50.960 and clarity in the highs, they're just the best allround option that I've used 00:04:48.400 --> 00:04:56.560 so far out of the box. They feel like the A2 Plus without compromises. As much 00:04:54.320 --> 00:05:00.720 as I can appreciate the way Audio Engine steadfastly holds to the belief that 00:04:58.880 --> 00:05:05.600 software tricks to improve bass performance are unnatural and inherently 00:05:03.120 --> 00:05:11.080 worse, the A2 Plus could have benefited from some trickery. While the A5 Plus 00:05:07.759 --> 00:05:13.360 with its larger cabinets just sounds 00:05:11.080 --> 00:05:17.039 fantastic. So, there you have it, a recommended buy. If you want a great 00:05:14.960 --> 00:05:20.080 listening experience and for some reason you don't like headphones, which will 00:05:18.479 --> 00:05:23.280 invariably give you better bang for your buck, the A5 Plus is available in a 00:05:22.080 --> 00:05:26.800 variety of different colors, black, white, and a sexy bamboo finish that was 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 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 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 00:05:36.320 --> 00:05:41.520 like, share, and dislike buttons, which I would love for you to use accordingly. 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 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 00:05:49.520 --> 00:05:54.160 underwear or whatever. Thanks for watching guys. I hope you enjoyed this 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 00:05:57.520 --> 00:06:03.520 think that is pretty much it. I will see you next 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.