Audioengine has built up its reputation as a go-to brand for consumers that seeks to build and invest in quality, aesthetically appealing and highly functional audio systems within home and pro audio markets. The Audioengine A1 Wireless Powered Bookshelf Speakers are the current generation of such speakers and are capable of high definition sounds in small rooms with wireless connectivity. Developed to deliver impressive sound quality in a compact size required, the A1 can be placed in home offices, small living rooms, or anywhere customers want great sound without a large number of associated devices. For this review, the featured product is Audioengine A1; we will be exploring its design, the quality of sounds produced, connectivity and the value it comes with in hopes that at the end, buyers can be able to decide whether this speaker fits their needs or not.
Design and Build Quality
The initial thing about the Audioengine A1 speakers that you will probably observe is that they are stylish and compact. These designs are not large at 6″ H x 4″ W x 5. 25″ D, so they can sit well on a bookshelf, desk or even a side table. It arrives in classic matte black color that will give the enhancing elegant look, undermining any interior design preference; modern or classical. It means that the speakers do not at all dominance the look or style of the room and still complement your existing furniture.
With the utilization of MDF wood for the cabinets, the A1 speakers are designed with low vibrational qualities thereby reducing resonance component that might interfere with the sound quality. The grills also create a magnetized imaging to the speakers and they are also easily retractable to give way to the drivers if one wishes to have a technical looks. Instead of having buttons placed on the front or side of the speaker, the volume, power and input selector knobs are located at the back panel of the primary speaker and this makes the speakers stylish without being heavily encrusted with controls. Audioengine also pay good attention on them and do not neglect to build these speakers for a long time use rather than design.
Sound Quality
The main component of any audio product is the sound quality and the Audioengine A1 has got this aspect perfectly. Despite the fact puters have got quite a small size, they are able to produce rather bright, clear sound that could be considered to be a result of work of far bigger and considerably more costly systems. Audioengine has incorporated into the A1 speakers its very own custom designed 2. Two 75mm aramid fibre woofers and 0. 75” silk dome tweeters. This gives the speakers an overall even response in terms of frequency, high accuracy and clarity in the treble, mid-range is also very good while the bass, despite is not being overwhelming for the size of the speakers, it is very powerful.
Frequency response range in the A1’s maxes at 65Hz to 22kHz, meaning that the speakers provide bass sounds as well as the authentic notes from mid, treble, and soprano ranges. The midrange is very balanced the vocals sound natural while instrument sounds very clear and well-separated. Concerto music, electronic bass, and rhythmic podcasts are easier to listen to and come out very nicely when using this A1 model. The speakers provide detail and balance at moderate volumes, more than acceptable even in a Home Theater environment. If encouraged to work at higher powers, they remain polite without adding harmonic distortion as their internal power amplification attests to.
Thus, the situation of performance in the different listening scenarios can be summarized.
Another aspect is one of the Audioengine A1’s strengths: the ability to work with different types of audio and music. As expected, the speakers perform incredibly well in ways that will definitely interest music lovers with how the sound stage comes out so vivid. For example, Jazz and classical music; due to the A1’s clear mid and sharp highs, it is easy to identify the different instruments. Rock and Pop tracks also seem bright, vocals are clear and no problems with them are heard.
Speech and language materials such as podcasts and audiobooks are rich in dialogue and, therefore, the A1 makes these varieties enjoyable and easy to follow. To the movie lovers, the enhancement in the sound quality by the A1 gives a richer feel and view but they are not a substitute for a home theater system. There is not as much oomph and bass headroom in this setup as on larger ones, but enough is given to provide me with some enjoyable low end which complements most types of audio without standing out too much.
Wireless Connectivity and Setup
The Audioengine A1 feature Bluetooth 5. 0 and with aptX technology, which allows it to work with the majority of today’s smartphones, tablets and computers. aptX is included in order to provide you with CD like sound quality with low latency which is very important while listening to music along with watching videos or playing games. Bluetooth compatible – the receiver has the Bluetooth range of approximately one hundred feet making it possible to place the receiver within the room without worrying about the connection being dropped.
Physical installation of the A1 speakers poses no difficulties: the speakers are friendly to install on their own. The main speaker only needs to be plugged in and the device can be connected via Bluetooth and you will enjoy the very best in wireless audio. Connecting is easy in the first instance and the Linn speakers automatically connect with the powered on devices after that. On the back side of the main speaker there is at the same also a 3. 5mm input If you are using a device that does not come with Bluetooth or if you wish to have the best quality cable connection for audio then you have an option of using this wire to connect the device.
Amplification and Power
The A1 speakers have an in-built 30-watt per channel Class D amplifier for a total power of 60 Watts peak. This amplification is integrated, meaning that the user does not have to worry about connecting an additional amp while at the same time, adjusting the speakers to give the best output is easy, thanks to this integrated system. The class D amplifier is a powerful amplifier, yet it uses very little power to perform its function; providing good sound quality.
As mentioned before, the amplifier is tuned specifically to the custom drivers of the A1, which makes for very good dynamic range, and head room. This is a speaker system which can effortlessly cover a small to medium sized room with clear and dynamic sound pressure without much of a fuss. Regardless of whether you’re having a party for several people or just watch a movie at home, the A1 has enough watts to delight fans of powerful sound.
Inputs and Versatility
Nevertheless, the features list of the Audioengine A1 includes a versatile 3. Auxiliary input in the form of standard 5mm stereo mini-jack which makes the usage of the speakers not only limited to wireless transmission of sound. This input makes it possible to hook non-Bluetooth devices like traditional MP3 players, record players with a pre-amp or analog output TVs. It would be useful for those would like to incorporate a high end audio system into their existing system without the need to worry about complex wiring.
The A1 also supplied speaker wire to hook up the active speaker to the passive speaker so that the A1 can amplify both and produce stereo sound. Lack of complicated controls and features which are often present in more advanced audio technologies makes the A1 easy to understand and use for various customers, starting from tech-advanced representatives of the younger generation and ending with the audience who does not want to complicate their life with digital technologies.
Portability and Power Efficiency
The Audioengine A1 speakers are not portable like most Bluetooth with battery power but their size allows them to be easily moved from one room to the other. In case you feel that they are no longer suitable for your living room but will be quite appropriate in your office or bedroom, then that is a small task that you can easily accomplish. Also, Audioengine has incorporated an auto-sleep mode which without any control from the user, shuts down the power of the speakers when they are not in use in order to save power.
Price and Value
Despite the performance levels of the Audioengine A1 speakers and elegant appearance, they do alot and will be a good deal for the kind of money they would be sold for. Falling in the mid-price category of the bookshelf speakers, it is the best sounding and most feature-packed bread-and-butter line of the brand. When compared with the other speakers in the same category, A1 has more detailed sound that is fuller, better built and easier to set up.
Pros and Cons
Pros:
Intuitive control layout, ability to break away from the game or song you’re processing, and more importantly, great sound quality with accurate highs, nice mids and decent bass response.
Small in size and these also come in a trendy design to suit any interior décor arrangement.
Bluetooth 5. 0 with aptX for wireless audio with high quality and with very little delay.
Integrated power amplifier provides sufficient output without additional components in the system.
Wireless versatility in connectivity in addition to the wired connectivity.
The operation of this device is easy and does not require any special skills, due to this all people can use it.
Cons:
Low frequency deep bass is not as well developed as that of a large loudspeaker or systems comprising of subwoofers.
A weakness is there is no remote control and it could be an inconvenience for some of the users.
It is not for large rooms or for those who are looking for audio with deep bass home theatre like experience.
Frequently Asked Questions (FAQs)
1. Are the Audioengine A1 speakers Bluetooth only or can they be used as normal speakers which do not require Bluetooth connectivity?
Yes they support Bluetooth but you don’t have to use it the Audioengine A1 speaker can work without Bluetooth. It comes with a 3 * . It also has a 5mm stereo mini-jack input through which you can interface your gadgets using a jacks. This is good for linking up the old devices such as turntables, cd players, or TVs that have no compatibility with Bluetooth.
2. How aural dynamics are the Audioengine A1 as a bass speaker?
Therefore, the Audioengine A1 offers a reasonably neutral listen experience with reasonable amount of bass for portable speakers of this magnitude. However, the bass is not likely to be as deep or will deliver as much oomph as the bigger speakers or systems featuring an actual subwoofer. For more deep bass tuning needs, you could hook up the system with an external subwoofer or go for bigger models such as the Audioengine A5+.
3. Do the Audioengine A1 speakers have an amplifier built-in and therefore do not need external amplification?
No, the Audioengine A1 speakers comes with a bass reflex enclosure with built in thirty-watt per channel timeless class D Amplifier that is sufficient to power the speakers. This built-in amp is the one of the key features of it because it integrates with drivers for the best sound no tuning needed.
4. Specifically, understanding how easy it is to set up the Audioengine A1 speakers will be reviewed below.
The connectivity of the Audioengine A1 speakers is very simple since you only need to plug in the speakers into the power source and the other end of the cable into the audio output of your source. All that is required with the powered speaker is to plug it into a power source, pair it with your device through Bluetooth, or even use a cable through the 3. 5mm input. They don’t come with any complicated setting or calibration that is required, thus suitable for users with different level of experience on audio equipment.
5. Is Audioengine A1 good for large room?
An ideal environment for speakers is small and medium rooms and Audioengine A1 is designed for households of this type. Although they are capable of producing good clean and powerful sound they are relatively small and not very powerful that they may lacking in large or open spaces as compared to the large powerful speakers. However, depending on the size of the room you are going to install your speakers you might need to invest in speakers with more power or additional elements.
Conclusion
The Audioengine A1 Wireless Powered Bookshelf Speakers are truly commendable and stand highly recommended for anyone who wants to take a step up in sound quality in a stylish small form factor design. From the design, look and feel to the quality of sound these speakers got it right all round from wireless connectivity to sound quality. They are great for small and mid-sized spaces and will work well regardless of the type of audio that is being delivered, whether it is music and podcasts or movies and video games. When looking for budget-friendly yet powerful bookshelf speakers the Audioengine A1 is a strong contender to be considered.