Audioegine takes it time in rolling out new products, and wireless versions of its speakers may not appear for years after the wired versions hit the market. Luckily, the $269 A2+ Wireless speakers were well worth the wait. They deliver a rich, bright frequency response, free of dynamics-squashing digital signal processing (DSP), and there's a subwoofer output for those who want to dial in some deep lows. The design is classic, the quality is top-notch, and the audio is accurate. If you're seeking a quality stereo sound signature in the age of Bluetooth, you won't be disappointed with the A2+ Wireless.

Design

Available in matte black, glossy red, or glossy white models, the A2+ Wireless consists of two 6.0-by-4.0-by-5.3-inch speakers, equally appropriate for desktops, counters, or bookshelves. The caveat is that, unlike most of the wireless speakers we test, this is a stereo pair, and still requires a connection between the two speakers for power to go from the left unit to the right. So yes, the speakers are wireless, but there is still some cabling to deal with. That said, the piano-like finish of the speaker enclosure is attractive (we tested the white model), and the exposed, grille-free black drivers look great, too.

Each speaker houses a 0.75-inch silk dome tweeter and a 2.75-inch aramid fiber woofer, with the left speaker weighing in at 3.5 pounds and the right at 3.2 pounds. The system combines for 60 watts of peak power and a frequency range of 65Hz to 22kHz.

As mentioned, an included speaker wire connects from the rear panel of the left, powered speaker, to the right, passive speaker. The back panel of the left speaker also houses connections for the included power supply, as well as an RCA input and output (for a subwoofer), and a 3.5mm aux input (cable included). There's even a micro USB input. In other words, the system has excellent connectivity, considering it also connects via Bluetooth. There's a Bluetooth pairing button on the back panel, and a volume knob that also acts as the power switch.

The volume knob works independently of paired sound sources, so you can have the volume on the speakers maxed and the overall levels will sound low if your mobile device's master volume is turned down. While this is atypical in most Bluetooth speakers we test, it does give you an opportunity to protect the speakers from loud bursts with a second volume stage—though one integrated volume control is arguably more efficient.

If there's a gripe about the design, it's that the speakers are so short, you need to elevate them or angle them upward in order to hear their true potential. There are elegant ways to do this, of course, but Audioengine would get extra points for including wedges or anything that mimics a kickstand for each speaker, so that the tweeters align more closely with your ears. In a desktop scenario, without being angled up, the tweeters will fire at your ribcage.

The A2+ Wireless isn't a portable set, and has no speakerphone or multi-room functionality. There's also no included app, but given the simplicity of the design and the transparent audio performance that Audioengine strives for, it's hard to imagine what an app would add.

Performance

We tested the speakers on a desktop, angled slightly upward. Without the upward angling, the highs are notably muted—so whether you angle them up or screw them into stands using the threaded screw holes on the bottom rubberized panel, we recommend it. This review refers to audio when the tweeters are more or less aligned with the listener's ears. Typically, we tested at roughly 75 percent-to-maximum volume on the speakers, and varied the volume on our sound source, an iPhone 8.

See How We Test Speakers

On tracks with intense sub-bass content, like The Knife's "Silent Shout," the A2+ Wireless speakers deliver a full-sounding low frequency response. At maximum volume on the speakers and roughly 75 percent on the phone, there was no distortion here, but when maxing out both the speakers and the phone, distortion creeps into the mix a bit. Given the lack of DSP, a smidge of distortion on deep bass at top volumes is forgivable. Anyone looking for a huge, bass-forward, subwoofer-like sound, however, should look elsewhere. Audioengine is more about accurate sonic delivery, and true sub-bass is below or on the edge of the frequency response.

Bill Callahan's "Drover," a track with far less deep bass in the mix, gives us a better sense of the general sound signature. The drums on this track can sound overly thunderous on bass-forward systems, but through the A2+ Wireless, the drums sound relatively tame. Again, things are neither weak nor brittle, but we hear far more low frequency and low-mid richness in Callahan's vocals than we do the drums. The higher register percussive hits, as well as the acoustic guitar strums, receive a clear, bright presence through the tweeters—this is a balanced, accurate sound signature. It's the type of setup you can imagine a subwoofer complementing nicely, but you still get plenty of low-mid richness through the woofers—electric bass and deep vocals stand out in particular.

On Jay-Z and Kanye West's "No Church in the Wild," the kick drum loop receives an ideal measure of high-mid presence, allowing its punchiness to remain front and center in the mix, while the vinyl crackle and hiss often relegated to background status is pushed forward slightly. The sub-bass synth hits that punctuate the beat are delivered without the thunder they are capable of—again, this is a system that doesn't deliver the truly deep lows—but the overall sound signature still packs some bass heft in the drum loop itself. The vocals on this track are delivered with excellent clarity—they have a hint of added sibilance in spots, but not in an unpleasant way. There's excellent balance here, with perhaps a touch of added brightness, as well as added richness in the low-mids, but nothing over-the-top in either case.

Orchestral tracks, like the opening scene from John Adams' The Gospel According to the Other Mary, sound excellent through the A2+ Wireless—lower register instrumentation is delivered with a lovely richness, while the higher register brass, strings, and vocals retain their bright, immediate presence. Generally speaking, classical and jazz tracks, with their dynamics showcased by the DSP-free output, sound most at home through the speakers, but modern pop mixes also sound excellent—they just lack that extra depth some listeners will be looking for.

Conclusions

Audioengine's A2+ Wireless speakers deliver something much of the competition can't: stereo separation. That, along excellent accuracy, makes for a clean, transparent sound signature you don't find among most wireless speakers. In this price range, we're also fans of the Fluance Ai60, another stereo pair that works with an optional subwoofer, as well as the all-in-one Marshall Kilburn and JBL Boombox, both of which offer a more robust bass experience but less accuracy. Of these models, Audioengine is the clear audiophile's choice.

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