Wireless powered bookshelf speakers are always my favorite setup in the living room. Although they are not as convenient as soundbars, the bookshelf speakers often sound a lot better. The Audioengine A5+ Wireless is the Bluetooth version of the Audioengine A5+ that was released 7 years ago.
Unboxing Video
Design & Features
The Audioengine A5+ Wireless has exactly the same design as its wired version. You can’t distinguish the two systems just by looking at the front. The only difference is that there is a removable antenna on the back of the left speaker. The speaker is equipped with Bluetooth connectivity and that’s an important upgrade. However, it would cost you $100 more; The wired version costs $399 while the wireless one is priced at $499.
The speakers feature a minimal design that is suitable with modern furniture. Each comes in an all white enclosure and there is no speaker grille on the front. We just have a Custom Kevlar woofer, a silk tweeter, a volume knob, a power indicator, and remote receiver.
The product comes with a remote control with just a few buttons to adjust volume, mute, and enable power-saving Sleep Mode. You can also enable this mode by pressing the knob on the front of the left speaker. The remote control has a very well build with an aluminum body. I hardly use the remote control but it feels really great in my hand. It could become much more useful if they added the track skipping buttons.
Audio Quality
My first impression with the speakers was not so good since they sounded too muddy for my taste. The bass lacked punch and became overwhelming in some bass-heavy tracks. The mids were harsh and dry. The soundstage was also not that good and honestly, I didn’t enjoy the speakers at all, either for listening to music or watching movies.
However, everything has changed after 1 month. I gave the speaker about 50 hours of burn-in time and recognized the audio quality is improved gradually. I’m not sure it is the psychological effect of getting used to your speakers or they really sound better but I totally can enjoy music with these speakers at the moment. You can check out the audio sample in the video below.
The bass has become cleaner and punchier, however, you might need to use a subwoofer if you want it to go deeper and tighter. In case you are using the system in an average room, the two speakers are good enough. They can play fairly loud without distortion; Each channel delivers 50 watts RMS, combining for 100 watts.
The mids and highs don’t have significant changes. The mids are still dominant and you might enjoy them when listening to vocals or watching movies. I found the sound a little harsh because the upper mids and highs are recessed. The treble is not that bright and open, therefore, the whole sound feels boomy for my taste. I prefer a clearer a wider sound. Having said that, these are still among the best-sounding bookshelf speakers in such a compact size.
Conclusion
Pros
- Modern and compact design
- Consistent Bluetooth connection
- Sound is improved after burn-in period
Cons
- Expensive
- The mids and highs should be smoother
I find it difficult to recommend the wireless bookshelf speakers because of its premium price tag. I tested some better-sounding systems like the Edifier S2000 Pro that cost at least $100 less. The advantage of the Audioengine A5+ Wireless is its compact size and modern design.
Rahul Rana says
a big con is this beast is expensive but audio quaily is lit and it looks cool.