REVIEW – I’ve said it before that one of the more fun pleasures in reviewing products is finding that true bargain—something that is way better than the price would indicate. This time around, it’s the Audioengine A1 Home Music System. Along with the Tribit Stormbox micro speaker, the A1 speaker could be another bargain of the year.
What is it?
The Audioengine A1 Home Music System is a traditional two-speaker setup made for a smaller room or studio apartment. The speakers can be connected via traditional hard-wiring (3.5mm stereo mini-jack) or built-in wireless Bluetooth. They feature a digital hybrid amp, aramid fiber woofers coupled with silk tweeters. The amp and built-in digital audio converter (DAC) can handle digital files up to 48KHz sample rate at 16-bit depth—basically CD quality audio. The A1 handles Bluetooth 5.0 with up to 100 ft wireless distance. Nice.
Design and features
When I first read about them, I couldn’t figure where the Audioengine A1 speakers would fit within the Audioengine lineup. After all, the specs for the A2+ wireless speakers are nearly identical, yet the A1 is $70 cheaper. It turns out that all Audioengine did was take some of what they learned with the A2+ speakers and apply it to the A1—at a lower cost. Some may argue that the A2+ speakers still sound better, but unless you can do a side-by-side comparison, it may not be noticeable. Yes, there are fewer input options, a different amp setup, and no microfiber bags that other Audioengine speakers come wrapped in, but those are about the only noticeable changes.
