[shusty]

Hi all,
 
First and foremost, I'd like to say that I've been lurking around these forums for a good bit now and thoroughly enjoy the community and wealth of information available here.  That being said, I've been researching powered speakers for a while, and after all things considered (space/price/reviews etc.) I had decided on the Audio Engine A5+'s .  
 
However, after reading more and more, I'm questioning my decision in sticking with powered speakers and am exploring passive speaker / external amp combinations.  I've done a fair bit of reading, but am having trouble finding any conclusive information.  As far as amps go, I've read a lot of good things about the Dayton DTA-100a, but am not sure which speakers to pair with it. 
 
I listen to a wide variety of music ranging from occasional classical, to trance/techno, R&B, and classic rock.  I'd like to keep the budget within the same scope as the A5+'s , so <$400, and although I'm planning on adding a subwoofer at some point along the line, I'd like to find a pair of speakers with decent enough bass extension to hold me over until that time comes. 
 
I also plan an adding a DAC at some point in the near future, but for right now I'd like to tackle the amp/speakers.  I'm open to any and all suggestions (including an amp/DAC combo),  and if anyone could suggest an amp/speaker combination for me to look into further, I would greatly appreciate it. 
 
Thank you for all of your help.
 
P.S.  Unfortunately, I live in a small town where it is not possible for me to audition any speakers, so I'll have to take your word for it. 
 

 

[trog]

As far as T-Amps go the DTA-100A is fairly beefy and peeps have paired these with somewhat efficient speakers like the Infinity Primus P162 with great results

What u end up buying depends on what's available where u at i guess For DAC : do u intend to have a set up catered to cans as well?

 

[shusty]

Appreciate the response!  I'm looking for a setup mainly for speakers.  Eventually may add some phones but that's not a priority right now.  
 
I guess my biggest question is: At this price point, are the A5's a good choice?  Or is there an amp/speaker setup that is considerably better?  Assuming I spend less than half of my budget on an amp, are there any speakers out there for around 200-250 dollars that can compete with the A5's? 
 
Also, I'll be using this setup for near-field listening the majority of the time, will the A5's still perform in that application?  I've read countless reviews that argue yes, and no.  
 
Sorry for all the questions, but I've read so many conflicting reviews for everything that my head is spinning at this point. 
 
Thanks again. 
 
EDIT: And I forgot to mention it, but I'll be purchasing online so anything is an option.
 

 

[hanglee65]

I got the Audioengine N22 integrated desktop amp with some classic ads L-300 speakers, a terrific combo without the DSP or pther additives. Just pure neutral music and voice coming out of this system. I am using this combo for a year.  

 

[mtkversion]

Overall for sound quality you'd probably be best off going with a separate amp/bookshelf combo. Just have to find an amp/speaker that pairs up well.
 
The benefit of the actives is obviously it's all in one, takes up less space and the sound will be best 'tuned' for the particular speaker/enclosure.
 
I've only heard the A5's so can recommend those but there are options in the KRK Rokit 6, Swan M200MkIII, Adam A3 (these will run over your $400 budget though). M-Audio AV40 seem to get good reviews and can be had for under $200. The remainder could be spent on a DAC if you went that route.
 
HeatFan12 did an excellent writeup comparing the KRK Rokit 6 vs. Audioengine A5. Definitely something to check out to get some opinions.
 
All 4 companies make subwoofers which should pair up to their respective speakers as well so you're futureproofed there when you decide to add one.
 
I know you can find vendors to audition the KRK, Swan, Audioengine speakers in the U.S for 30 days. I'm not sure about the Adams but if you do some searching you might find a U.S vendor with a return policy if you want to try them out. Best advice is to read some more reviews, try the 2 pairs that interest you most and then eat the $20-30 in return shipping on one pair and keep the pairs you enjoy the most.
 
When it comes to the A5's, the negative feedback I've heard about them is that they tend to sound muddy and have sloppy bass.  I don't have anything to compare their sound against so I can't tell you if that is true or not. I do enjoy their sound though and their versatility is something that appealed to me initially and why I chose them.  In reading others reviews I've come to opinion that their sound signature is akin to the Grado sound (bright/forward/fun sounding) .. if you like the Grado sound these might be a good choice.  But read HF12's review where he says the KRK Rokits have a fuller overall sound.  The Rokits are a bigger enclosure and have a 68w amp compared to the A5+ 50w amp though.
 
Ultimately there's lot of intangibles when it comes to picking the right speaker for your ears, room, setup etc. Best way again is to audition the speakers you think fit you best in your setup and go from there.
 
Good luck in your decision.

 

[JRG1990]

The problem with the audio engines is there overpriced $400 for a pair of a5+ what a rip-off they don't sound bad they do muddy up when having to handle alot of bass , and some users report they over heat when pushed , I would expect much more sound quality for $400/£300.
 
You'd be better of with a passive set-up amp http://www.amazon.com/Dayton-DTA-100a-Class-T-Digital-Amplifier/dp/B004JK8BDK/ref=sr_1_4?ie=UTF8&qid=1325172108&sr=8-4 ,
 
speakers
http://www.amazon.com/Polk-Audio-TSi200-Bookshelf-Speakers/dp/B0018QROCC/ref=sr_1_21?ie=UTF8&qid=1325172212&sr=8-21
 
http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-BS41-LR-Bookshelf-Loudspeakers-Black/dp/B0045US6DE/ref=sr_1_55?ie=UTF8&qid=1325172288&sr=8-55
 
http://www.amazon.com/Infinity-Primus-Two-way-Bookshelf-Satellite/dp/B0045NCB32/ref=sr_1_93?ie=UTF8&qid=1325172365&sr=8-93