Audioengine A2+ Wireless Speaker Review
Audioengine A2+ Speaker with white finish
The Audioengine A2+ Wireless speakers we are reviewing today claim they can improve your desktop audio experience. It’s one of the most popular monitors on the market right now, so we will put it through the same testing procedure we put all speakers through to see if it’s still worth buying.
Pricing & Availability
Audioengine is a fairly large brand at this point, so it finds itself available via many online retailers and has a presence in some brick-and-mortar stores. Availability is usually immediate, and the A2+ usually doesn’t require a wait or lead time in its color options. For an idea of pricing, please feel free to check the links below.
Who is Audioengine?
Audioengine is a small audio company based in Austin, Texas. They were started by two engineers who had experience working with Harmon and Apple, among other audio companies, before starting their joint venture.
The company gained notoriety when they released the A5-powered speaker, and that seems to be a category they have made the core of their business. Powered speakers are built from the ground up and not adapted from existing lines like many bigger brands do by adding amps and receivers to something already on the market.
In 2022, the company has a well-fleshed-out catalog of passive and active speakers, but also speaker stands and subwoofers.
What is the Audioengine A2+?
The A2 Plus is a desktop speaker at heart, although it still performed well in our tests over larger areas. It’s an active speaker, meaning you do not have to attach external components like amplifiers or receivers. The speakers are self-powered and as close to a plug-and-play system as possible.
The A2+ sits second in the A lineup, with a cheaper and far inferior A1 model below it and the legendary A5 above it. It is there to strike a happy balance of performance and price and, in our opinion, does that well.
Regarding competition, I would put them against the Audioengine HD3 and the Edifier S1000Mk2. The former is more of a desktop monitor, while the latter is a full-size bookshelf with excellent reviews. I own the Edifier and do vouch for them, but there is a very nice level of composure on the A2+ where the feel just as tight and composed despite costing roughly $100 less.
They are small, so they can fit on a desktop and be used for near-field monitoring. To get the size down, there is a two-way design with a small 0.75-inch tweeter and a 2.75-inch woofer providing the sound.
They have multiple input support options, such as 3.5mm auxiliary, Bluetooth 5.0, RCA, and USB.
You can buy the Audioengine A2+ in three color options (Black, White, and Red). They all have a high gloss finish and look great, but the red stands out as something special.
How do you use the Audioengine A2+?
To get started, remove the speakers from the box and place them in your intended location. Connect the two speakers using the speaker output on the main control to attach to the slave unit. When connected, insert the power cable and plug it into the mains. It’s that simple. The speakers will be powered on and ready to receive inputs.
How do I play Audio on the Audioengine A2+?
Depending on the source you intend to use, you must ensure it is set up correctly. Wired connections in our test showed no latency, so attaching the 3.5mm aux input to your phone or computer’s headphone jack works well.
Alternatively, you can attach a device using RCA, providing it has the correct outputs. The final wired connection would be to hook up your PC via the USB input.
Wireless connections are limited, and you have to pair via Bluetooth. This is a relatively modern standard Bluetooth; however, at 5.0, it supports lower latency playback and APTX for higher-quality streaming.
To pair Bluetooth, you need to press and hold the pair button on the back of the speaker. Once in pairing mode, use your source device or phone to search for the Audioengine A2+ speaker and hit connect.
Again, all are fairly simple and intuitive. We experienced no drops of connections or degrading of the signal as long as we kept the source device inside the same room.
Do they sound good?
Red Audioengine A2+
We consider this a near-field listening speaker designed for you to be sitting directly in front. It’s perfect for desktop listening, but the truth is told, it works well in bedrooms and other areas like kitchens with limited space. If I were looking for a living room speaker, I would definitely up the size to a full-size bookshelf, but for its size, this speaker gets loud and sounds great.
The sound description would have to be punchy, tight, and controlled. No one area of the sound seeks to dominate the other, and there is a balanced and neutral tuning to them.
The highs have a good extension with crisp clarity but not to the point they become sibilant. They are brighter than what I would consider a laid-back speaker, but this is the most versatile tuning for people wishing to monitor audio tracks.
The midrange is clear and displays great detail, but its neutrality sometimes can make certain songs sound a bit dry. Again, this is a technical tuning, so they aren’t trying to add flavor to the sound instead of presenting it as accurately as possible. This makes them great at the mids for editing and other tasks, but more warmth that sits slightly out from neutral is better for pure listening. Therefore, it depends on whether you want an accurate speaker like this or one with coloration.
The lows are, of course, going to be limited by the size of the drivers, but for their size, they bang. The bass is impactful, tight, and controlled, with admirable detail and texture in the mid-bass. I can easily listen to these near EDM and Rap without being bothered by the lack of a subwoofer. I like that they didn’t try to bloat the bass beyond the driver's capability.
There is minimal distortion until you reach 85% of the speaker’s maximum volume. That’s the area where most speakers start to degrade the sound quality, and it’s no different here. The difference is that you sit so close to these speakers that I can’t think of a suitable time to listen to them anywhere near that volume because the A2+ gets extremely loud for their size. If you keep them in the sweet spot, they are remarkably free from distortion.
Final Verdict
I think you struggle to find a desktop speaker at this price. The Audioengine A2+ hit all the right marks with good looks, great build, and a wonderfully neutral sound. The detail retrieval differs from Logitech and Sony monitors but also holds up well against the big brother, the A5. The bass is light in quantity, but the detail and texture are excellent.
I must stop working from a laptop to enjoy them more in my home setup. It is an excellent little near-field speaker that delivers, especially for people serious about audio.
