Audioengine A5/A5+ - Sound & build quality?

[rraghuram]

Hi Audioengine owners.

I plan to purchase AE A5/A5+. Just wanted to check with you if you faced any problems with your units - malfunctioning electronics, heat issues, left channel being louder than right ch., reliability etc.? In general, howz the engineering & after-sale service behind the speakers? I see rave reviews for the SQ of these speakers, so I am expecting them to be really good. Not sure if I can audition them, here in Hyderabad!? Can I buy them with confidence?

Appreciate your insightful comments. Thanks.

Raghuram

 

[aashish351]

Hi Raghuram,

I have used Audioengine AE2 for a long time. Although they had very good sound quality, I did run into two issues - 1) the power supply konked off within months (could be a voltage issue although there was stabilizer on the main line) and the distributor took almost 2 months for the replacement power adapter, 2) Left mid/bass speaker coil got fried (surprising as these are active speakers and there is no chance of using bad amplification to spoil the driver).

However, I would not conclude that it is a bad product. I may have been unlucky with a faulty piece which is normal once in a while. Read more forums and user experiences before writing them off.

 

[rraghuram]

Hi Aashish

Nice to hear from you and thanks for your comments. I have scoured the net for issues relating to A5 and I have not come across many. I did come across some HFV posts mentioning the flaky power brick these units come with and the subsequent hassle owners had to go through to get them replaced! Did you buy the speakers from an online dealer like bajaao.com or your local city dealer?
I don't suppose any dealer in Hyd is selling there so I may have to order online. I read good reviews of Bajaao.com - just wanted to further check with you!

Thanks mate.

 

[marsilians]

Active monitors generally are susceptible more to hiss and hum than passive ones. So, you will see lots of posts on the net talking about speaker heating, channel drops etc. This is because relatively speaking the amps in active speakers are cheap compared to what you would typically use (AVR or integrated or separates). Otherwise the speakers will become very heavy if they use the same components and power supply as standalone amps. Now, that is not the issue.

The real problem is fixing once something is blown. As prev. user has suggested its a painful process both from time and money perspective. (you wont have an alternate set of speakers to use when its at the repair shop).

For the record AE is not alone in this, most other speakers have similar issues though one manufacturer may have it occur rarely than others.

 

[aashish351]

I ordered it on phone from the distributor is bombay.. but this was years ago. can't even recall the name. check AE website for more info. bajaao has been selling it for years too. seem like a safe bet.

But, I would still recommend a standard amp+speakers setup.

 

[shrjun]

Did you buy the speakers from an online dealer like bajaao.com or your local city dealer?
I don't suppose any dealer in Hyd is selling there so I may have to order online. I read good reviews of Bajaao.com.

A short review of my experience dealing with Bajaao.com when my AE subwoofer conked off after a year ( possibly because of the infamous Hyderabad power fluctuations ) - http://www.hifivision.com/dealer-feedback-review/20584-audioengine-bajaao-com-rma-policy.html

The AE A5s sound wonderful , although I added the AS8 subwoofer to the setup quite early on as I listen to a lot of contemporary music.I have also mounted them on stands made by SoundFoundations (Magma - his hifivision handle).

... and touchwood - I have not had any problems with the AE5

 

[rraghuram]

A short review of my experience dealing with Bajaao.com when my AE subwoofer conked off after a year ( possibly because of the infamous Hyderabad power fluctuations ) - http://www.hifivision.com/dealer-feedback-review/20584-audioengine-bajaao-com-rma-policy.html

The AE A5s sound wonderful , although I added the AS8 subwoofer to the setup quite early on as I listen to a lot of contemporary music.I have also mounted them on stands made by SoundFoundations (Magma - his hifivision handle).

... and touchwood - I have not had any problems with the AE5

Hi Shrjun. Thanks for that link. Good to know about your exp. with Bajaao.com. This definitely goes a long way in building confidence in online shopping, especially for expensive stuff. Now, I gotta decide.