[Mediahound]

I'm thinking about buying these powered computer speakers but am wondering if I also need a subwoofer?:

Audioengine | A5 Bookshelf Speakers (Black) | A5B | B&H Photo

I currently have a Klipsch computer speakr satellite and sub system but the speakers are quite small and I'm looking for something a but more musical. I do like bass quite a bit and I listen to mostly rock and electronica/dance.

Any input? Also, how are these speakers? Anything else I should be looking at?

 

[Mr. B]

For bass-heavy music you might find the A5's inadequate without a sub. Personally I think they're just fine by themselves.

 

[Mediahound]

Thanks. Sounds like I may need a sub.

 

[Lazerboy2000]

How would the Polk PSW10 sub match up with the A5's? I know they're cheap, but they've gotten good reviews and I'm curious as to whether they'd give the A5's a good boost without breaking the bank.

 

[Aiml3ss]

The A5's have a decent amount of bass that is very crisp and well detailed ONLY if they are placed right. Mine sit on my desk and the bass sounds hallow and horrible. I am going to be building some speaker stands that make the A5's stand at least up to my head and they will be 12" away from the wall pointing towards me. I did a test with a chair and they sounded x10 better then on my desk.

Quote:

How would the Polk PSW10 sub match up with the A5's? I know they're cheap, but they've gotten good reviews and I'm curious as to whether they'd give the A5's a good boost without breaking the bank.

I too am a bit interested in this sub. Some of my bass heavy songs don't quite sound right with the lack of bass on the A5's (I'm talkin some serious bass!).

 

[Mediahound]

Interesting. I may consider the A2s instead. It seems they are more forgiving in terms of placement. Plus, I may not even have enough desk space for the larger A5s.

 

[backtoreality15]

Quote:

Originally Posted by phototristan /img/forum/go_quote.gif Interesting. I may consider the A2s instead. It seems they are more forgiving in terms of placement. Plus, I may not even have enough desk space for the larger A5s.

The A5s on stands are VERY nice. Full sound and bassy without overdoing it. Unless you want your music to be a little colored to be bass-heavy, then a separate sub will be needed. I personally thought I needed a sub for the first couple weeks I had them. But I came to realize this controlled bass was much better sounding and accurate. Is there anyway you can put them around your desk? You can just get the A5s without a sub and skip the A2s.

 

[Hookem]

My setup consist of AudioEngine 5's sitting on MoPads, AudioTrak Prodigy HD2 with 2 OPA2604 opamps with a AD8022 sitting on a Brown Dog adapter.

In comes the sub...Very inexpensive Velodyne VX-10.

I go RCA from the sound card and into the sub which has a crossover that chops anything under 80mhz from getting to the A5's.

I am not a bass head...But the VX-10 allows me to play music at pretty high volume levels and still stay very clean.

I am a clipping freak...As in no tolerance what so ever.

I agree that the A5's have good bass reproduction...But if you are a bass head using an inexpensive sub would probably be a good idea.

I had the A2's and exchanged them with AudioEngine for the A5's before I got my hands on the VX-10.

But to my way of thinking the A2's have the same tweeter and sound really, really good and because they are front ported are not as sensitive to placement versus the rear ported A5's.

If money is a sticking point you could probably get the VX-10 and some A2's for not much more than a pair of A5's.

Great upgrade path in getting the A5's and adding a sub down the road.

You might also look at the Mackie MR5's...Priced in the ball park with the A5's and they sound pretty darn good.

A word of advice here...B&H is selling them for 325.00 dollars...Do yourself a favor and buy them directly from AudioEngine.

When I purchased mine there was a coupon floating around out there that made them right at 300 bones...Might still be available.

Another plus for ordering from AudioEngine is the 30 day free trial...Just keep all the packing and if you do not like them they will gladly return your money.

And their customer service is the best I have ever experienced...Easily.

Second place is way...And I mean way back there, as far as customer service.

 

[Shahrose]

Quote:

Originally Posted by phototristan /img/forum/go_quote.gif I'm thinking about buying these powered computer speakers but am wondering if I also need a subwoofer? I currently have a Klipsch computer speakr satellite and sub system but the speakers are quite small and I'm looking for something a but more musical. I do like bass quite a bit and I listen to mostly rock and electronica/dance. Any input? Also, how are these speakers? Anything else I should be looking at?

Judging by your listening habits, you'll be unsatisfied with the bass output of the A5's in terms of quantity.
You should invest in a pair of stands for sure as these speakers sound meager without them IMO.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Lazerboy2000 /img/forum/go_quote.gif How would the Polk PSW10 sub match up with the A5's? I know they're cheap, but they've gotten good reviews and I'm curious as to whether they'd give the A5's a good boost without breaking the bank.

Stay away from that sub unless you have a small room (smaller than 12x12 feet). Its quality is average and you really will get what you pay for here, so don't expect to be blown away in any regard. I personally use the PSW111, and after trying several subwoofers, have been impressed by their musical, tight bass, not to mention their contemporary sleek look/size.

Quote:

Originally Posted by Aiml3ss /img/forum/go_quote.gif The A5's have a decent amount of bass that is very crisp and well detailed ONLY if they are placed right. Mine sit on my desk and the bass sounds hallow and horrible. I am going to be building some speaker stands that make the A5's stand at least up to my head and they will be 12" away from the wall pointing towards me. I did a test with a chair and they sounded x10 better then on my desk. I too am a bit interested in this sub. Some of my bass heavy songs don't quite sound right with the lack of bass on the A5's (I'm talkin some serious bass!).

Good stands produced a dramatic improvement with the A5s in my setup, but I still found their bass lacking for many genres of music. I always use my headphone setup as a reference and the A5's were nowhere close, until I added a sub. Read above for my sub recommendation.

 

[iriverdude]

For music don't need a subwoofer but for movies you will, and want to filter out the low stuff from the stereo pair to the sub.

 

[Mr. B]

Quote:

Originally Posted by backtoreality15 /img/forum/go_quote.gif I personally thought I needed a sub for the first couple weeks I had them. But I came to realize this controlled bass was much better sounding and accurate.

Same here. My last computer speakers was a Logitech 5.1 system that shook the earth at every opportunity. It took a bit to adjust.

 

[Shahrose]

I think most people associate subwoofers with boomy out-of-place bass. A properly calibrated, placed, damped, and most importantly, integrated, subwoofer makes a huge difference in music. In my setup, I can't tell if the bass is emanating from the speakers or sub unless I can feel the floor vibrating at high volumes. The bass is tight, and not at all intrusive. It makes a world of difference with the A5s when the crossover is set correctly. Not only that, but I've found through using EQ's that the A5's benefit from reduced bass output, in terms of detail, soundstage and coherence. For example, try doing the opposite, that is, boosting the bass on the A5's. It will totally overload the driver and amp, and thus obscure detail and make the sound muddy and indistinct. Using good small sub to take control of the lower end (< 100-120hz say) really brings out the best in the A5's.

OTOH, if you don't have the patience to properly integrate/place a sub in your setup, then don't bother as you'll get bass that's worse than what the A5's alone produce.

 

[kite7]

Doesn't the Polk PSW10 have high output levels? A2 and A5 being active speakers, low output levels from the sub is ideal no? What happens if they were connected to the high outputs from the sub?

 

[iriverdude]

If you have active speakers, you'd want to route line level through the subwoofers line level input, using the subwoofers own (low or high not sure) pass so >50hz or so frequencies are passed to the speakers, and the subwoofer filters out below that and directs it to the sub amp. The SVS SB12+ has this feature but it's fixed at 80hz you may want to buy a subwoofer that has variable low/high pass rather than fixed. Do not confuse this with the crossover filter, which is used when you send full range to the sub so the subwoofer only plays below those frequencies. It just discards the high frequency signal. The first one as I said directs it to the line level outputs (also high level but since talking about active speakers won't go into that, but basically the same send full range audio via speaker cables to the sub, sub passes high frequency to speaker terminal outputs on the back of the sub, you then connect your passive speakers to those)

You don't want to connect high level outputs to active speakers not unless you want to blow the inputs, and probably damaging your sub and amplifier in the process.

If you send already filtered LFE signal (from av amp LFE output) you disable the subwoofers own crossover basically you just want sub pre-amp in the path, no high or low level filters (perhaps sub sonic filter read up on that)

 

[alister]

Hi there. Am a Complete Noob.
Have recently order Audioengine 5+ Wireless speakers but just Found my father's old Jamo SW3 Passive Sub.
Im guessing there's no way to link a sub unless its active.Is that correct?