Performance
Multimedia speakers generally don’t require breaking-in, but I gave the Audioengine 2 time to warm up, considering its audiophile pedigree. We started off with MP3s; lots of genres from rock to trance.
The first thing that struck me was the humongous bass, which was absolutely tubthumping. I looked down to see if a sub was connected but there was no sign of one, just pumping bass from the small speakers.
One good thing is that the response is very rounded and neutral level-wise, no boominess anywhere. If I were to nitpick, I might say the timing of the lows could have been a bit better.
The highs were crystal-clear and the mids sounded as if they were right out of a B&W bookshelf. We quickly switched to audio CDs – some well-recorded pieces of music like Diana Krall and Prince Musicology. We cranked up the volume and sat back.
The sound was large. Not as large as floorstanders, though very open and spacious with good depth. Percussion sounds and staccato instruments were clear and tight, while the funk stuff we were testing momentarily transformed the room into a disco.
Yeah, the disco balls came down and neon lights started darting around. And the boss came in dressed in a 70s-style frilly full-sleeved suit and asked us to leave the room. (This might conceivably be my last review...)
Conclusion
It's been a while since a product has come my way that I was seriously impressed with. The price of the Audioengine 2 speakers is very good considering the quality, living up to the marketing claim of 'bridging the audiophile gap'. Yes, this is the cheapest 'mid-end' range there is.
In India the speakers are distributed by APS co., for Rs. 9999 per pair, who said it would debut at the Times AV exhibition in Mumbai on October 26, after which it should start retailing in the country just before Diwali. But if you're desperate already you could write to audioenginesales@gmail.com.
>>HI Sid. Can these be used as PC speakers??
URBANEYE