Gadgetory

hi I'm David karna and I'm here with the new plus version of audio engines a two speaker which came out a few years ago and got high marks from CNET cosmetically the a2 plus looks the same but it adds a USB digital converter so you can plug the speaker's right into the USB port on your computer the key thing to note about these speakers and audio engines step up a five-plus is that their bookshelf style speakers masquerading as PC or multimedia speakers but unlike classic bookshelf speakers these audio engine models are powered so there's no need for a separate receiver or amplifier and you can use them with any audio source this smaller model is more stylish looking than the five series and has a sleek glossy finish that gives the speaker a swanky appearance it comes in the white you see here or black beyond the USB digital connection what's also new on the a2 plus is the inclusion of a variable RCA output which allows you to connect a subwoofer and the company says it's upgraded the speaker's connectors improve the included accessory cables and redesign the power supply it's smaller now which is good luckily the appeal of these speakers is that you can do without the sub for their size the two pluses deliver good type bass and offer excellent detail and relatively big sound so they can't fill a room like the larger a5 plus does since the a2 plusses digital converter is the biggest change from the a2 which only had analog inputs we alternated between listening via the a2 plusses USB input and analog RCA connections there was some small loss of bass detail and texture the sound from the analog collection and the stereo soundstage forfeited some dementia ality so if you're using the a2 plusses with the computer we definitely recommend using the USB input I wouldn't call the audio engine a 2 plus a steal at $249.99 but it seems fairly priced the big question is whether it's worth spending the extra $50 for the enhancements the newer model offers with the a2 remaining on the market for now anyway at 1 9999 you don't get a big bump in sound quality when moving to the a2 plus but it does make a small difference when you connect the speakers via a USB I think I'd probably spend the extra $50 on the newer model but I tend to go with the latest and greatest so long as they don't have to pay too much of a premium to do it but not everybody feels the same way I'm David karna and that's the audio engine a 2 plus multimedia speaker thanks for watching