Audioengine A5 Bookshelf Speakers

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Max Slowik
Beth
Audioengine
Jan. 25, 2008

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Introduction

Do you have any idea what it takes to rock, every night, every day, every night?

On the floor, with my head between the speakers, I listened to my library for hours. I heard things I'd never heard before: spittle hitting the mic, catching on its wires; each of the conductors' deep, concerto-bracing breaths, the taps of the baton, the misplaced stabs at the high-hats, the time-keeping footwork too close to the bass' pickup, and heavy pick-scrapes across steel.

I rocked out on my back, staring at the careful brush-strokes on my wooden ceiling, under the new coat covering the old, nicotine-stained lead paint. I couldn't get enough–the amp sizzled under its own electrical weight, scalding-hot to the touch, and I was enchanted.

These are the Audioengine A5s. By listening to them, they're more akin to studio monitors than poorly home-theater equipment, loud enough to fill a room but with the clarity of a sound-engineer's earbuds. I'd say that the only catch is the price, but I think Audioengine's spot-on in more ways than one.

First Looks

If I walked past these on a shelf I'd probably just keep going. There's nothing on the box that'll grab your attention, and the speakers are kind of small (10.0" H x 7.0" W x 7.75" D) and not-at-all comely. They're black, bubbly-cornered squares with rounded, different-shade-of-black bezels around each driver. They're asymmetrical and utilitarian. They look like miniature concert monitors… which, in hindsight, is pretty fitting.

The speakers are sacked in cloth bags and pulled shut with drawstrings, just like the cables.

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Page 1: Introduction & First Looks
Page 2: Taking a Closer Look & Setup
Page 3: Features & Sound Quality
Page 4: Conclusion

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2 User Comments

1 - Posted by Vivek on October 27, 2009 - 2:36 pm

What would you suggest buying the A5 or Logitech Z5500????

2 - Posted by Max Slowik on October 27, 2009 - 5:11 pm

A5s. Kurtis and I both own them now.

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