Just got some AudioEngine A5+ speaker and they blow my mind

Yes, while I have a headphone system, I only use it late at night when other are sleeping.  

The spacial qualities of a well set up speaker system is IMO a superior experience. 

I love the sound of audioengines for my desktop.  I have the HD3s at one desk and just bought the HD4s for the other.  HOwever, the HD4s have trouble attaching to my computer so I just returned them.  Got tired of troubleshooting. Can be a real pain when you join a meeting at the last minute and the speakers aren't connected.  Audioengine said, "yeah, we've had a few complaints about that.  Hopefully an update will fix it eventually."

I ordered some PSB Alpha M3s and hope they sound as good.  

Jerry

I went the opposite direction. I have a $25k “big rig” and, due to family/life situations ramped up a good HeadFi system featuring Hifiman Arya Stealths ‘phones, Singxer SA1 amp, Musician Pegasus DAC, Lavri and Acoustic Zen Silver Ref cables, and an Audience AR1p power conditioner. While it cost a helluva lot less than my big rig and captures many of that system’s qualities, it pales in comparison to listening to to my home system. I think you’re now finding the same in reverse. Headphones just can’t reproduce the scale and 3D soundstage of a decent home system. Not that a headphone system can’t sound great, but it’s just a different experience. It really just comes down to physics. Now, I have to tell you, if the A5+ are blowing your mind then you should consider upgrading everything because there’s MUCH more performance to be had that will blow your mind WAY further. If you have any decent high-end audio dealers nearby I’d highly suggest taking some of your music to them, even if you have to travel a bit, and I think you’ll be amazed at what’s possible. Bad news is you’ve apparently caught the audiophile sickness, and it never goes away or costs less. FWIW.

Have they fixed the recessed top end yet? 

I recently spent some weeks with the A5+. I agree that they are good, especially for the price - and I found that they sound much better on stands, precisely positioned. Actually it was fun how even small changes shifted the sound picture, and this re-positioning was much easier than with my big speakers at home.

OK, there's something very fishy going on here.  At least 4 Audioengine threads in the last two days, all started by absolute newbees.  I smell a rat.

I had a high end electrostatic headphone system before moving to speakers. The headphones may have had more resolution, but in every other aspect the speakers are better. Headphones have their place if isolation is critical or if space is lacking.

Headphones are Hi-Fi, speakers are much closer to real music.

I smell a rat.

I agree. When something like this happens, it is always a suspect. Now-a-days this forum is infested with a lot newbies pushing products…..some agenda or motive. I have seen this happen with a certain speaker company a couple of years ago and a new DAC currently. Such posters harm the brand image rather than promote them.

I agree.  I’ve seen more Audio Engine posts over the past week than I’ve seen in ten years.  Hmmm. 

To be fair the OP is comparing them to headphones, so their enthusiasm could be legit. A decent pair of speakers will be a revelation to a newbie.

"I smell a rat"

what thats to mean? We are idiots, finding some good qualities with the speakers? I actually tested for some weeks. I only wrote, try them on stands.

I don’t like that kind of comment. You seem to devalue actual user experience, like snobs, out of hand. My Aurum Cantus 2 speakers (similar size two-way) are better than the A5+ in many ways, not to speak of my friend’s Magicos, or my own floorstander Audiokinesis Dream Makers. My point was only, these speakers are very "tuneable". No more, no less. No rat.

Simmer down Suzy. I don't think he was referring to you........

Thanks ozzy62. Just felt the need to say. Audiogon is about people who actually listen, and test - I hope.

there is no algorithm that figures out what posts will get responses. Was there a question here? I had several posts where I asked for feedback, buying advice, and I got 0 response. Once it even got removed, when I asked for speaker buying advice, It's one of the most frustrating places on the web, but, for people who love audio, there aren't many 

@o_holter Simmer down.

The OP just joined Audiogon, has just one post/thread on the site, this one, and has not returned to this thread.

Within the space of a couple of days either side of this post, THREE other threads on AudioEngine were started by other brand new members (at least, they had different user names).

As others have already pointed out, not all threads started on Audiogon are "innocent". I was alerting people reading this to take it with a larger than usual pinch of salt.

Just like the fake reviews that get posted on Amazon, not all threads on A’gon are created equal. My suspicion is that this is one of them, though of course it can’t be more than a hunch.

Caveat emptor, or rather, caveat lectorem.

Thanks, twoleftears. Noted. Not always easy to see what is what.

Salt.

Ive been listening to headphones, DT 880’s and IEM’s shure 846’s with either the Fiio 17 or the Cambridge Music DacMagic + ( dacmagic wins ). I just got the audioengine bookshelf speakers and running them through the fiio has blown my mind compared

 to the headphones. Closing your eyes you can point to where every instrument is being player on the stage in front. My mind was and is still being blown. I am now a speaker person

I got this,...

onkey

you do get a little bit of hi fi with. the Audio engine

Toys

Years ago I got the A2+ to check out what the hype was about. Complete rubbish. There was an audible disconnection between the woofer and tweeter, it was not seamless at all. I had them sitting in free space with the little stands for them and everything.

The Creative Labs T3 2.1 killed it for bass (no surprise because its a sub/speaker 2.1) but more importantly killed it on clarity, clean highs and transparency. All the audiophile stuff we look for.

So I did not bother with the A5. But I don't want to write it off as its a different product and gets reviewed very well. Maybe those who have had the A2 and A5 can let me know what they thought comparing them.

So Far the best headphones in my opinion SteelSeries Arctis 7P Wireless Best Gaming Headset PS4

these headphones are also awesome but for me i go for customized headphones and i don't think that i have to use ordinary ones when i have an option to customize them. 

Ive been listening to headphones, DT 880's and IEM's shure 846's with either the Fiio 17 or the Cambridge Music DacMagic + ( dacmagic wins ). I just got the audioengine bookshelf speakers and running them through the fiio has blown my mind compared https://speedtest.vet/ to the headphones https://showbox.tools/. Closing your eyes you can point to where every instrument is being player on the stage in front. My mind was and is still being blown. I am now a speaker person 

I got this,,..