Audioengine 5 Speaker System

The Audioengine 5 system represents a new breed of stereo systems - standalone systems with integrated amplifiers that are specifically designed to produce the highest sound quality possible from MP3 players and other sources of digital music (such as a laptop). Traditional laptop speakers, MP3 docking stations with speakers, and PC speaker systems fall short in many areas - most notably in sound quality and low-end bass reproduction. The Audioengine 5 is specifically targeted to those discerning listeners who are not satisfied with the bland sound produced by your typical $25 speakers or headphones. Let's take a close look at the Audioengine 5 system to see how it stacks up against the competition.

Look and Feel

Upon opening the box and carefully unwrapping the contents, it is quite obvious that the folks at Audioengine take pride in making sure that no detail is overlooked. Each speaker was carefully wrapped in a drawstring bag and securely packaged in the box. All of the cables and connectors were bagged in a drawstring bag and tied with twist-ties to prevent tangling. Even the setup guide was wrapped in a clear, plastic bag to prevent it from getting wet or folded during shipping.

Each of the speakers are finished with a black, high-gloss material that gives them a classic upscale appearance. They are housed in a 1" thick MDF cabinet to prevent resonance at high volume levels. Both speakers are very sturdy and weigh in at 14 lbs. for the left speaker (which houses the amplifier) and 9 lbs. for the right speaker. The face of the speakers highlight the 5-inch Kevlar woofer and the 1-inch silk dome tweeter. In the lower-right hand corner of the left speaker is the volume control knob. Neither of the speakers has a grille-cover, which is a little bit unusual for bookshelf sized speakers. If you use the speaker systems in your kitchen, you'll want to make sure to keep it far away from any food or liquids that might accidentally spill on the speakers.

Included in the Box

• Audioengine 5 Left and Right Speakers
• AC power cable
• 1/8" audio cable, 2 meters (approximately 6.5ft)
• (2) 1/8" audio cables, 20cm (approximately 8")
• 1/8" to RCA "Y" cable
• USB power extender cable, 1 meter (approximately 3.28ft)
• Speaker wire (16AWG), 3.75 meters (approximately 12.3ft)
• Drawstring cable bag
• Drawstring speaker bags
• (2) High-density foam isolation pads
• Setup Guide

Features

• iPod power charger port
• 2 audio inputs
• Built-in power amplifier, no receiver/amp needed
• Power outlet for Airport Express
• Front panel volume control
• Custom 5" Kevlar woofer
• 1" silk dome tweeter
• Built-in subwoofer ports
• Hand-built and tuned cabinets w/high-gloss furniture-grade finish
• Magnetically shielded for placement near video monitors
• 3 year transferrable warranty
• All cables included

5" Kevlar Woofer	1" Silk Dome Tweeter	Hooked up to iPod Nano

Setup of the Speaker System

I was pleasantly surprised to find that the installation and setup of the speakers was incredibly easy. After I connected the left and right speakers using the included 16-gauge speaker wire, the only other thing to do is connect the power cord and plug in the iPod using the included 1/8" audio cable. Also included is a 1/8" to RCA "Y" cable, a USB extender cable and the Setup Guide. If you've ever had one of those "Aww $%*#!" moments where you realize that you needed to buy some sort of connector cable --- AFTER you've gotten home from the store and started setting up your new electronics purchase --- you'll understand just how nice it is to find that all of the needed wires and connectors are included with the Audioengine 5 speaker system.

It is important to note that control of the music functions, such as Play, Pause, Skip/FF, etc., is all controlled from the music source itself. So, for example, to play music from an iPod you would use the iPod click-wheel just as you normally would use it. This gives you the flexibility to use any docking station, remote control or other device without being tied to specific functions that are built into the speaker system. With the development of new iPods, new MP3 players, Squeezeboxes, etc. this makes the speaker system much less likely to become obsolete in the future.