Herculodge

Audioengine A2 Speakers Pack a Lot of Muscle in a Small Package

 

I was suffering from low quality speaker depression while listening to cheap Logitech $45 speakers in my office via the Dell laptop over the last year. I needed to make a change. I didn't want to buy the $90 M-Audio AV30s again. They sounded great but ran hot and blew a fuse within two years.

So my eyes had been on the Audioengine A5 (recommended by a reader 3 years ago). I didn't think I needed those, about $325, but I felt $200 wasn't excessive for the Audioengine A2s. I finally pulled the trigger and am listening to them in my office for the first time, listening to KJAZZ through iTunes.

After an hour, no heat on these speakers. I use M-Audio AV40s at home (haven't died after 3 years) and the sound is much different. The A2s are a little flatter (bear in mind they haven't opened up yet) but in my mind vastly superior: The sound is cleaner with far better separation. Lead instruments, whether a horn or a guitar, stand out and really this separation makes you get the essence of the music in ways the M-Audios do not.

One thing that impressed me was taking these A2s out of the box. You could feel the build quality, even the velvet bags. These scream quality.

Another thing that makes these A2s more appealing than the M-Audios: The A2s are far smaller, less of a footprint. I was surprised at how small the A2s looked out of the velveteen sacks. In fact, they are only 6 inches tall and 5 inches across.

Four hours of straight play time and speakers are as cool as they were out of the box. Unlike the M-Audios, the A2s do not run hot.

When my M-Audio AV40s need to be replaced at home, I'll happily buy another pair of A2s. Highly recommended.

Pulled the Trigger on the Audioengine A2 Computer Speakers Today

 

I know the Audioengine A2 computer speakers are a bit pricey, especially for my work office, but I do play Internet radio jazz music in that office for hundreds of hours a semester, so I wanted something nice. I hope I like them. I suspect I will. 

On a related note, I don't use my home computer speakers, M-Audio AV40s, as much as I'd like, probably because I'm busy with twin toddlers. Perhaps the limited use has kept my AV40s alive. My AV30s died after 2 years of use at work. 

Thank You All for the Computer Speaker Recommendations

 

 

 

Your many recommendations gave me a lot of valuable information. In the end, I think I'll end up getting (eventually) the Audioengine A2 speakers. They're not cheap, but the heart wants what the heart wants. 

Contender for My Computer Speaker Replacement: Genius SP-HF1800A

 

 

Ted saw my earlier post about wanting a speaker replacement for my laptop at work and recommended the $40 version of Genius. But I think I'm more drawn to the $70 version, the 50 watt Genius SP-HF1800A. 

Replacing My Abysmal Logitech Z320 Computer Speakers

I'm home sick today shopping online to replace my woeful, cheap Logitech Z320 speakers, which I use at work with a Dell laptop (provided by my employer). 

I notice Amazon has a good price on the M-Audio AV40, $115, and I  own and enjoy those with my home computer, an Apple. 

My only doubt is that I had some M-Audio AV30 speakers at work (replaced, sadly, with the aforementioned Logitech) and they blew a fuse after two years. An Amazon reviewer had the same experience twice with his M-Audio AV40s, so I'm a bit cautious.

I could buy $200 Audioengine A2 speakers, hook those up to my home computer and use my old M-Audio AV40 at work, but honestly I don't need that much power for close listening. 

Last night I cancelled an Amazon order for some Creative T40 speakers, about $90, after I read on Digital Trends a review that says they're a bit shrill and not as good as the AV30.

Any recommendations?

How Engineers Modify Music for iTunes and iPods

 

 

Thanks, Paul, for this new article that addresses a concern about iPod sound quality from a few years back:

Mastered for iTunes: how audio engineers tweak music for the iPod age
http://arstechnica.com/apple/news/2012/02/mastered-for-itunes-how-audio-engineers-tweak-tunes-for-the-ipod-age.ars

Looking for Some Vintage Suitcase Speakers?

 

Regarding my post about the Boomcase Vintage Suitcase Speakers, Ken writes:

Those Boomcase speakers sure do look vintage. Attached is a pic of my Dad, circa 1940, changing a tire while on vacation somewhere in upstate NY. Note the luggage.

 

 

Samsung Unveils Hybrid Vacuum Tube Amplifier

 

Thanks, Brandon:

Samsung unveils a new "hybrid vacuum tube amplifier" in both an ipod dock and a blu-ray home theater system.

http://www.engadget.com/2012/01/03/samsung-htib-audio-dock-soundbar-ces2012/

That DA-E750 Audio Dock looks pretty slick.

 

Does the iPod Significantly Compromise Your Sound Quality And Render Buying High-Grade Speakers a Waste of Time??

(Re-post)

 

I've always enjoyed the convenience of the iPod, calling up huge playlists and in essence creating my own "radio stations." But yesterday on the April 4, 2008, broadcast of Larry Mantle's Air Talk on 89.3 KPCC Mantle said he will not listen to iPod music, only CDs, because the compression seriously degrades the music quality. Is he being over sensitive and maybe showing a predisposed bias about his music? In a blind test, would he be able to tell the difference? Perhaps Mantle's distaste for iPod sound, generated from AAC format, is more subjective than anything because according to Sam Costello Sound Comparison the iPod sound is fine and any compromise is indiscernible. But challenging my philistine ears and supporting Larry Mantle's claim that the iPod seriously does degrade music, Ed states the following:

It's easy enough to demonstrate. I'll plug your ipod into my audio system and play it in synch with a CD of the same music, switching back and forth in blind-blind fashion. I find the difference obvious, and think you would too. Of course, ipods sound fine on those dinky earbuds. Playback on a high-end system with speakers is where the inferior quality of mp3 can be heard.

Since I trust Ed's appraisal of the differences, I have to conclude that getting a high-end speaker system for an iPod may indeed be a waste of money. There must be a point where a good speaker system actually emphasizes the iPod's degraded sound. With an iPod, you almost want a mid-range speaker system in order to hide the sound degradation.

 

 

Amazon Price Drop for the Soundfreaq Audio System

 

Thanks, Paul:

Amazon price drop:

Soundfreaq SFQ-1 Sound Platform Bluetooth Wireless Audio System

http://www.amazon.com/dp/B004E0ZLZQ

Review:
http://www.ilounge.com/index.php/reviews/entry/soundfreaq-sfq-01-sound-platform-for-ipod-iphone/

Soundfreaq's Sound Platform delivers high-fidelity sound performance with the convenience of Bluetooth wireless. The Sound Platform is compatible with any A2DP Bluetooth devices including the iPod touch, iPhone, iPad, and most Android and Blackberry smartphones.