Pull up a seat, boys and girls. This post is going to take a while.
Earlier this week, qba182 (or Kuba) contacted me about pairing the D1 and A5 speakers, which I both own. Unfortunately, I've kept both components separate--until now. A few DMs and emails later, and I'd set up a very simple, very subjective test to see how well the Maverick Tube Magic D1 and Audioengine A5 played with each other, via USB out from a laptop.
First, some disclaimers:
- Where possible, stock interconnects & cables were used.
I'm not a big believer of custom cables; if you are, then what I've tested is the base configuration and things can only get better if you use better cables. So, for the A5, I used all the interconnects bundled with it--the mini-to-mini (1/8" to 1/8"), and mini-to-RCA adapter. For the D1, I bought them secondhand and am not sure if the USB cable I was using comes with a new unit; I just used the cable that the D1's previous owner was kind enough to throw in for me. Cheap RCA-to-RCA cables were used for the D1's Line Out.
- Power: mains power.
Yes, I know that mains power is 'dirty'. Yes, I have my doubts that this is audible. Anyway like the interconnects, take this as a base configuration, and if you have a conditioner then all the better.
- These impressions are from a layman's perspective. If my conclusions seem shallow or misguided, pardon me. I'm a simple guy with no golden ears, no formal musical training (well, the last time I took piano lessons was...10 years ago), no knowledge of electrical engineering, and no experience mixing/producing music. I also sit squarely in the Mid-Fi category of Head-Fi--my Sennheiser IE8 is, and will probably ever be, my most expensive audio purchase.
- Only Queen's "Prophet's Song" and "The Millionaire Waltz" were used. Kuba informed me that he spends most of his time listening to Queen, and 'loaned' me the 2 tracks for testing purposes (I have since deleted them). I have never heard these tracks before, but FWIW, the bit rate was high (700+ kbps each).
Onto the test!
A5 speakers were placed flat on a wood, built-in cupboard. No noticeable vibration has ever been heard from the speakers, not even during loud sections of movies or games. They were positioned such that they pointed inwards, (more or less) at the listener's head. Listener's ears were approximately 1.6-1.8m (5' 3" to 5' 11") from the speakers, and about 2.5cm (1 inch) higher than the tweeters. Listening environment was a living room, with a window on one side, and has not been acoustically treated in any way.
As you can see, the right speaker doesn't have a lot of space.
Audioengine's own FAQ states that "
the speakers should be equi-distant from side walls and a different distance from rear walls." Oops.
On the plus side, this placement does allow for sufficient clearance from the rear wall (6-12" as recommended on the same FAQ).
First configuration: Laptop-->A5
Yes, that's a MacBook Pro. Since each laptop has a different soundcard, these impressions may be limited in their usefulness. Nonetheless, they are an important reference point for the D1/A5 combi later.
On "Prophet's Song", the guitars (both electric and bass, but especially electric) sounded muddy/muffled. I'm not sure if this was meant to be the case, as I'm unfamiliar with the track. "Centre" imaging of Freddie's voice was excellent though. Other than the perceived muddiness of the guitars, the sound was generally ok, with no major or definite complaints.
**Note that laptop volume was maxed.
Second configuration: Laptop-->D1-->A5
As mentioned, the laptop and D1 were connected via USB. While the MacBook is capable of Optical output, not all laptops/computers are, and I suspect that most users with a computer as source will be utilising USB out. Also, the D1's amp was bypassed entirely by using the Line Out (not Tube Pre) and volume control was bypassed by switching the "Direct" button on. Confused?
Don't be.
The bad news is there isn't much to say about this configuration, as opposed to running audio straight out of the laptop into the A5. The good news is that what there is to say is all good:
Overall, there was much greater clarity. Imaging was still excellent. A5's volume knob was about midway between 8 and 9 o'clock, and was loud enough to hear a fair amount of detail. At 9 o'clock, music was blasting at listener's head--plenty of detail at this volume, but neighbours might complain if walls are thin. The improvement of general clarity may have led to bass being perceived as more distinct.
Third configuration--using D1's Tube Pre
Out of curiousity, I ran a very brief test with the Tube Pre. Given that tube amps require warm up time, it's worth noting that the D1 was powered for 15 mins prior to this Tube Pre test, but was switched off and then immediately on again. I'm not sure if this affected tube in any significant way.
A very quick listen to the intro of "Prophet's Song". Freddie's voice seemed like it was coming from right in front of listener, and bass guitar on opening of Prophet's Song now much more distinct, with the overall sound quality being extremely pleasant...until the electric guitar came in. The electric was very muffled--perhaps Tube Pre cuts off some of the higher frequencies--and in fact was muddier than without the D1 altogether. If Queen's repertoire employs a great deal of "orchestral electric guitar" as they do in these 2 tracks, using Tube Pre does NOT seem like a recommended option.
Conclusion
Well, I started out the test being only half-convinced that a DAC made that much of a difference, and that the D1's Tube Pre would really be all that. I was also quite unsure just how well the A5 would scale with source.
I'm now quite happily convinced that both the D1 and the A5 do work as advertised, and appear capable of reproducing good music quite well indeed. More importantly, the pairing showed no problems, and should be a significant step up from using the speakers without the D1's DAC.
Are there better options for the money? Does it make more sense to stick to headphones? Are they worth the prices of admission at all? Kuba, I'm afraid you'll have to work that out for yourself, given your own budget and your own needs. Nonetheless, I hope I've helped somewhat and I hope you eventually settle on a setup you're happy with!
