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Looking for a speaker upgrade for listening to high quality lossless music. (FLAC, AAC) I currently own the Audioengine A5+ and they are working fine however I am looking for an upgrade. My room is a medium sized room with 20ft on each side! (estimated) Which from the following two speakers have better specs and which one should I go for? I read the Klipsch sixes has a inbuilt DAC so does that mean I won't need a DAC for high quality audio or I can still use a DAC with the speakers and get better SQ by combining both. Currently planning to buy the Topping D50 DAC. Apologies if the questions are silly, I'm fairly new to this. Thank you all for the help in advance! ☺️🙏🏼

Speakers such as the Audioengine HD6 and Klipsch The Sixes have in built DAC for HiRes music support and Bluetooth 5.0 for HQ streaming. Anymore speakers as such under $1000? Specifically looking for a built in DAC better than the Topping D50s! Thank You 🙏🏼☺️

I have my AudioEngine A5+ speakers with Yamaha YST-SW515 connected to the default sound card of my pc. I want to use an external DAC to play FLAC or DSD HiRes audio. From the options below, which do you suggest? My budget is below $150! AUDIOENGINE DAC AND ACCESSORIES NOT AVAILABLE IN MY COUNTRY AS OF NOW SO THAT'S NOT AN OPTION! Picks Topping D50 Topping DX3 Pro Khadas Tone Board 😊

Which is better for high quality music streaming?

I have my AudioEngine A5+ speakers with Yamaha YST-SW515 connected to the default sound card of my pc. I want to use an external DAC to play FLAC or DSD HiRes audio. From the options below, which do you suggest? My budget is below $150! AUDIOENGINE DAC AND ACCESSORIES NOT AVAILABLE IN MY COUNTRY AS OF NOW SO THAT'S NOT AN OPTION! Picks FiiO K3 SMSL M6 XDUOO XP-2 😊

Youtube review: Audioengine B1 aptX Bluetooth Music Receiver review by Dale - YouTube Photos: http://dalethorn.com/Photos/Leica_Dlux6/Headphone_Audioengine_B1_Receiver_01.jpg http://dalethorn.com/Photos/Leica_Dlux6/Headphone_Audioengine_B1_Receiver_02.jpg Sources: MacbookPro Retina with Portaphile Micro/PA2V2/Decware Zen Head external amps (I did not use the Audioengine B1 digital/optical out to an external DAC). Summary of process: I unpacked the B1, glanced over the booklets, set the MacBook's System Preferences/Bluetooth to 'On' and 'Discoverable', set the computer System Volume to 50 percent, set the iTunes player volume to 100 percent, connected the B1 to power** and to my favorite headphone amp with a dual-RCA to miniplug cable, and connected my favorite premium headphone. I've had a long-term concern about whether I could use Bluetooth for hi-fi listening without suffering sonic 'glitches' or interruptions. I'm not concerned any more. I carried my Mophie** pack, B1, and headphone amp into every corner of my flat, about 35 feet from the computer each direction with multiple walls between the computer and the B1, and didn't experience a single glitch. I need to mention that while the B1 worked flawlessly then, I've gotten 2 or 3 one-second glitches per 4-hour average listening session, which is typical for computer listening anyway due to the computer's constant polling for activity. **Instead of plugging the provided power cable into an AC-to-USB adapter, I plugged it into my heavy-duty Mophie battery pack, which works perfectly, and which draws very little power from the Mophie. Audiophiles who may be interested in the B1 Bluetooth Receiver, normally to drive speakers (or possibly a headphone if not convenient to run a headphone cable directly from the computer), would want to know how much quality is lost in the Bluetooth connection. As I write this I'm listening to a bit-perfect rip of Dave Brubeck's Take Five from a K2HD Sony Japanese release, using the Decware Zen Head amp and AKG K812 headphone. The K812 has some bright areas which I smooth out somewhat using the iTunes equalizer. I mention this only because I have the K812 tuned for best neutral response on my system, and I wanted to compare my "best case" sound when listening with the Macbook using an external DAC/amp, to using the B1 with the Zen Head amp. There's a noticeable difference, but I would judge it to be minor in most respects except for the upper harmonic tones, where the quality tapers off. I expected a distinct loss of fidelity over Bluetooth as compared to wired, but my experience has been very good so far. Additional audiophile note: Since experienced and expert audiophiles can often hear differences between the best DACs and amps costing thousands of dollars (and I hear many of those differences as well), someone who reads this might be aghast at the notion that the B1 can produce near-audiophile-quality sound from its DAC, let alone over the Bluetooth connection. It's better than I expected. Here's a suggestion: Listen to it with an amp and headphone (or speakers) that you're intimately familiar with, which have excellent reproduction quality, and try to pick out any particular distortions or changes in tonality. Then list those music tracks and the particulars, and I'll have a go at them myself. Whatever the final judgement, I'm satisfied that a high-quality sound is possible with the B1, especially for its intended use. The B1 Bluetooth Receiver is a very well-made aluminum box about the size of an average portable headphone amp, which makes it especially attractive to me in being able to instantly move it across a room, using the Mophie power pack, for ultimate convenience. I haven't used the digital/optical out to connect it to an external DAC, but given that it's Bluetooth, I doubt that I would need higher quality amplification than I'm already using. But the feature is there for maximum system compatibility. The Bluetooth antenna is short, but works well as described above. The RCA analog output jacks are top-quality and gold-plated, so using an interconnect cable with gold-plated RCA plugs will assure a perfect connection. I've seen, handled, and even owned a lot of gear that wasn't well made, that didn't inspire confidence even if it never failed when I had it, so it's gratifying to have a little box like the B1 that looks and feels like premium audio gear, but doesn't cost a small fortune. Pairing the B1, i.e. getting the Bluetooth connnection from the computer, was easy enough once I learned to ignore the blinking light on the front panel (which usually indicates that it's searching for a connection) and just started the music playing. As long as the computer is working properly and sending out a Bluetooth signal, the B1 should start working pretty quickly once you provide some data by playing a music track etc. I don't know why the light blinks longer than would seem necessary, but maybe it's just asking me to "get started". The accessories supplied include an AC-USB adapter, power cord, RCA interconnect cable, and a microfiber travel bag. The comments in the music tracks listed below can be compared to other users' experiences with the B1, to get an idea of how good the sound quality is with these sample music tracks. I also invite other users to list any music tracks that they've played, along with any particulars, to highlight the positive or other experiences that they've had with the B1's Bluetooth sound. Bauhaus - Bela Lugosi's Dead (~1980): Strong midrange sound effects - this is a good worst-case test for resonant-type sounds in the most sensitive midrange area. Handled very well by the B1. Beethoven Symphony 9, Solti/CSO (1972): Excellent overall sound. Of special note here are the bass impacts beginning around 10:30 of the fourth movement. Those impacts are soft and well in the background, but you can feel the weight they carry with the B1. Boz Scaggs - Lowdown (1976): Very good sound quality - this is a great test for any nasality in the midrange. Handled extremely well by the B1. Cantus - Danny Boy (Traditional/Male Choral/Acapella): The B1 plays the voices with enough low end warmth and weight to sound very natural, yet there is no added emphasis of the lower register of the male voices on this track. Chromatics - I'm On Fire (Synth-Pop, female lead): This track has a good amount of space around the voice and instruments, making for a very pleasant stereo image. The voice is very good, and the tambourine sound is excellent. David Hazeltine - Fur Elise (Jazz): A very high-quality recording from HDTracks. The B1 reproduces the instruments smoothly with a spacious ambiance, but where the better amps I have reproduce the wire-brush-on-cymbal harmonics as very extended and detailed, the uppermost harmonics aren't quite as cleanly detailed with the B1. Hans Zimmer - Dark Knight-Aggressive Expansion (Soundtrack): The percussion in this track hits really hard, and the bass tones beginning around 0:45 have the ultra-deep "shuddery" kind of sound and feel that indicates a good deep-bass response. The B1 plays this music very well. Hugo Audiophile - 15-16 (Electronic): I'm not sure what the 15-16 stands for - perhaps track numbers from a CD album. The deep-bass tones that start around 33-34 seconds into the track reproduce very well with the B1. This is a great recording for evaluating whether a device's bass reproduction is accurate. Jimmy Smith - Basin Street Blues (early 60's): This track has several loud crescendos of brass and other instruments that don't sound clean and musical with some headphones. The B1 provides excellent detail. Listen particularly to the second crescendo at 15 seconds in for maximum detail effect. I'd like to emphasize that these crescendos are probably the worst-case test I have for instrument separation and detail, and the B1 plays those extremely well. Kellogg Auditorium, Battle Creek Michigan, Aeolian-Skinner Organ (1933) - Pedal, 32', Resultant, Arpeggio: This 16 hz organ pedal tone differs from other music tones in that you won't "hear" the tone - you'll only feel it. Although most music tones have harmonics (including this one), the harmonics from this tone will be too weak to provide any "feel", so whatever you actually hear would not be part of the fundamental 16 hz tone. There are ~30 hz sounds in the outdoor environment in big cities, generated by large trucks, buses, and subway trains, and they have a quality of "rumble" that's similar to some deep-bass tones found in music. This 16 hz organ tone is easily distinguished from those sounds when compared on a headphone that has good undistorted response at 16 hz. The B1 reproduces the fundamental tone clearly enough, yet most audiophile headphones struggle with very strong ultra-low frequencies in this range. Michael Tilson Thomas - Rhapsody In Blue (20th Century Classic): Great sound and soundstage, and terrific piano playing and tone. There are some very deep bass impacts starting around 38 seconds into the 17:24 length track, and the weight of those impacts is impressive with the B1. Richard Strauss (Mester-Pasadena) - Also Sprach Zarathustra (opening) (Classical): The granddaddy of bass is in the opening 1:50 of this recording, and I've heard it only once on a large and expensive loudspeaker system in Cleveland. For most people, that experience would be indistinguishable from being in a fairly strong earthquake. The B1 provides that experience to the degree that I expect when listening with my best headphones. Scarlatti-Kipnis - Sonata in E Major K381 (Classical, Harpsichord): The harpsichord here is fairly bright and highly detailed, and the B1 renders the tones and transients extremely well. Tiger Okoshi - Bootsman's Little House (Jazz): The trumpet here is recorded fairly close up and is somewhat bright with a significant "bite". The B1's reproduction is excellent, and the close-miked piano is also a treat. For comparison, I have several Maynard Ferguson tracks that feature a similarly strong trumpet with lots of brassy bite. Trombone Shorty - Backatown (Jazz-Funk): The deep bass impacts here are strong and work very well with the horns and other instruments. The B1 delivers the impacts with decent weight and great detail, and the horns have the kind of bite that gives them a wonderfully realistic sound.

Audioengine HD6 Wireless Music System + Pro-ject Turntable Package and Audioengine HD3 Wireless Music System + Pro-ject Turntable Package If you're looking for one of the most versatile, stylish and complete music systems available, then look no further than our Audioengine HD3 or Audioengine HD6 + Project Debut Carbon DC w/ Pro-ject Phono Box S Packages. With either of these systems you'll be able to enjoy streaming music from any device, as well as play your favorite vinyl records on one of the highest value turntable systems available. Audioengine HD6 Wireless Speakers ($749/pr) Audioengine's HD Series was designed for the way people listen to music today— streaming wirelessly, digital downloads, vinyl, etc. They’ve included features from some of our best-selling products making HD6 quite possibly the most versatile powered speaker available. Stream TIDAL, Spotify, Pandora, YouTube - or any streaming service or media player - wirelessly from your smartphone, tablet or computer. For the highest resolution connect to the optical input, which is perfect for network music players. It can also be used to connect any component with an optical output, including your TV system. You can also connect your favorite turntable or a subwoofer, so no matter how you connect and listen, HD6 has you covered. Features Built-in analog class A/B monoblock power amplifiers Dual audio inputs and full-range variable output High-fidelity advanced Bluetooth® with aptX®, simplified setup, extended range, and 24-bit upsampling 24-bit digital optical (SPDIF) input Custom 5.5” Kevlar woofers with die cast aluminum woofer baskets Custom 1” silk tweeters with neodymium magnets and ferrofluid-cooled voice coils Hand-built cabinets with furniture-grade finishes Detachable magnetic speaker grills Threaded inserts to secure speakers to stands Passive crossovers with upgraded components Solid aluminum remote control Audioengine HD3 Wireless Speakers ($399/pr) Audioengine's HD Series was designed for the way people listen to music today— streaming wirelessly, digital downloads, vinyl, etc. HD3 sets a new standard for compact mini music systems because of its versatility and; ability to play all of your music from any device. Connect to HD3 any way you like: wirelessly or wired, digital or analog. Stream your music library, TIDAL, Spotify, Pandora, YouTube, etc. to HD3 from just about anywhere in your house without dropouts. Wireless setup is a; breeze and only takes about a minute. And if you’re using HD3 on your desktop, connect up with a USB cable.; The USB input bypasses your computer’s built-in low-quality headphone jack for a high-end listening experience. But if you’re not keen on USB or wireless you can still use any audio cable to connect. Features Built-in stereo power amplifiers High-fidelity Bluetooth® with aptX® + extended range USB computer audio input Front panel headphone output + volume control Custom Kevlar woofers and silk tweeters Detachable magnetic speaker grills Hand-built cabinets with furniture-grade finishes Available in Walnut, Cherry, and Satin Black Pro-ject Debut Carbon DC - The best-buy turntable with carbon tonearm and DC Power Supply ($399) The first Debut turntable, introduced in the late 1990s, was a revolution for the hi-fi industry. For the first time after the arrival of Compact Disc and the assumed demise of vinyl records, an analogue product re-emerged in the “mass market” – something all music lovers could afford. The new DEBUT Carbon DC has been designed to set new standards in this category for the coming decade – perfectly timed as analogue today is again a respected source, while the demand for good turntables is growing again!The most obvious improvement is the inclusion of a CARBON TUBE for the tonearm, which increases stiffness and decreases unwanted resonance. This material normally is extensively used in high-end tonearms, but – because of cost reasons – was never used in products at lower price levels. Together with other improvements like an increase in platter size and weight to realize even smoother rotation, the overall sound quality is greatly improved. The approved belt drive design offers low noise AC motor with effective motor decoupling (utilizing TPE-damping) and ultra precision frequency DC-driven AC generator (like Speed Box) for ultimate speed stability without unwanted vibration. Pro-ject Phono Box S - Value-based audiophile MM/MC phono stage with adjustable cartridge loading ($199) In order to play a turntable trough any speakers or stereo system, a phono preamplifier is needed. The Pro-Ject Phono Box S is an audiophile grade phono stage featuring dual-mono circuit topology, high-grade component parts and precise RIAA equalization. Four adjustable gain levels, input impedance and capacitance settings are available to best match your phono cartridge for performance optimization. A switchable subsonic filter eliminates rumble below 20 Hz. High-quality parts and adjustment flexibility give the Phono Box S true class-leading performance. An outboard power supply is included. High End Audio Store NYC - Experience Ciamara 1.844.CIAMARA (1.844.242.6272)

Hey guys, I'm currently in the process of upgrading my sound system for my computer and at the moment I have narrowed it down too either Aktimate Mini+ or Audioengine A5+. Happy to spend around $500 give or take a bit. I am tending heavily towards the Aktimate Mini+ but have some concerns. From all reports, I understand the Aktimate speakers to be superior in terms of sound quality, but I was wondering if anyone had any opinions on this? I will be using these pretty much only for music but an odd movie here and there may be thrown in. Depending on what im doing, what im listening to varies a lot. Dubstep/electronic stuff when I'm studying, classic rock/heavy metal when Im relaxing along with various other stuff like muse, queens of the stone age, the white stripes etc etc along with some other alternative music as well. I will probably want to add a sub later on down the track (particularly for the dubstep), are there good subs that can be coupled with the Aktimate? Also is there anyway I could mount the Aktimates on a wall, I know the AE5+ FAQ suggests several wall mounts that might be appropriate, could these work with the Aktimate as well? So any advice? Ideally everyone will just reassure me that the Aktimates are worth it and will pretty much suit my purposes lol. (I just need that last little push to bite the bullet and buy the thing haha). So....thoughts? Extra Info: I should point out that I have a Xonar Essence STX card in my comp too. The room in reasonably small (3.5x5.4m and 2,4m ish high) half of which is a kitchen which is divided off my a waist high counter bench and has thin walls and big windows . Where I sit, my head is only 0.8m away from the wall and all that space is taken up by computer monitors so Im hoping to mount them on the wall and angle them down at me. (they will have to sit at least 0.3m above ear level due to the computer monitors etc if I wall mount.)

My digitial audio server (iMac) resides in one of the bedrooms (office) in my house and of course, the audio system is elsewhere (living room). I having been trying to graduate from using Airport Express for this connection to benefit (or at least determine if there is a benefit) from higher def music files. My first attempt has been with an AudioEngine D2 wireless system to connect with BitPerfect on the source end. Although I've followed their guidelines on placement of the transmitter (away from other 802.11 wireless devices, setting the 802.11 network to channel 1 or 11, etc.), I still get sporadic cut-outs. Sometimes it makes the music unlistenable and other times I may get a single cut-out during hours of listening. There is also some weird noise that I can't really quite hear, but seems to come and go, that is never present when playing material directly on the audio system, such as from a CD or LP. This may simply be a lower impact result of a bad connection that doesn't occur as a cut-out. While the folks at AudioEngine have attempted to help, I'm not confident that wireless is the way to go. I found another product made by Vanco that converts digital audio (coax or TOSLINK) to something that is are transmitted over ethernet and then converts back to usable digital audio at the other end. It's very inexpensive (~$100), but I'm thinking I may end up with a different set of problems than I've already got, but more subtle and difficult to resolve. Does anyone have experience with such a device? On paper, it seems like a really good idea as it supports up to 96kHz bit rate. I'm just a little suspicious that something this inexpensive has some downside I haven't thought of. Thanks Jim If you want to see my audio system, it's posted here.

I have aktimate mini+ monitors and am looking to add a sub. Im am looking to spend $400-500 but will stretch a fair bit (maybe up to a grand if the sub is phenomenal and you can convince me its worth going broke for lol) At the moment I am leaning towards a wharfedale diamond 9 SW-150 (400bucks). But am also considering the AS8 and krk 10s (500 odd each). Its a smallish room and I want it pretty much just for music. I listen to a huge variety of stuff classic rock (acdc, slade, black Sabbath) to alternative stuff (some other stuff: System of a down, queens of the stoneage, muse, florence and the machine etc etc) etc etc but I am guessing it will be most beneficial for my guilty pleasure (cough *dubstep*cough). any advice?

Hello. I've got a pretty huge music collection (FLAC) on my computer, the Audioengine D1 and recently purchased the Pioneer SP-BS41's. However, what I am not happy with is my crappy receiver. Can someone recommend a receiver which will couple well with my existing set-up? Also, once all set up, should I adjust anything on the receiver (stereo/mono, bass, treble, etc...) or, not mess with it? Please, someone answer me!!! Thank you. VadersSon

For those of you who own Audioengine A5 speakers, what sort of cable are you using to connect them to your computer or DAC? Unlike the A2s or the A5+, the only audio input appears to be a mini-jack. Are you using the included RCA to mini-jack cable or did you replace it with an upgraded cable? I'm asking because I'd ideally like to upgrade this cable with something shorter and was wondering where to look.