I would like to thank DIY Master Anthony and Guru Nelson de Leon for giving me the opportunity to test and review this product (A-Audio’s new bookshelves).
I took out most items in my signal chain for a shorter path and a cleaner signal. Here’s what I had left:
Cambridge Audio Azur 840C CD Player
Cambridge Audio Azur 840A V2 Integrated Amplifier
Cambridge Audio Azur XLR Balanced Interconnect
Van den Hul – “The Teatrack Hybrid” bi-wire speaker wires
This combination is naturally fast, forward, lean and fairly dry. I will compare the A-Audio 8” bookshelves with a pair of bookshelves that I have lying around. Incidentally, they also have 8” woofers and same-sized textile dome tweets. The similarities don’t end there. Both have polypropylene bullet cones and 180degree tweeter waveguides. Both are front ported and bi-wirable.
2.5’ stands were used to keep the tweeter plane at ear level. 15 degrees of toe-in was dialed in on each side. Speakers were 2.5’ from the nearest side wall, and 3.5’ from the back wall. Speakers were 9' apart and 10' from the listening position. Listening position is 2' from the back wall.
Materials used: IASCA Sound Quality Reference CD (2009), JM Lab Le Grand Spectacle du Son CD No. 3, London Symphony Orchestra Highlights (Prestige), Josh Groban Awake Live (Reprise), Reference Vocal (Rockinmusic), Triangle Electroacoustique – CD de Demonstration (Edition 2003-2004), Acoustic Audiophile Voices (Premium).
STAGE
Distance: The stage was exactly at the speaker plane; same as the reference speakers.
Width: Extended 1 foot to each side beyond the actual location of the speaks; same for both sets. Some speaker localization was evident (not a fault at this price range).
Height: The A-Audio speaks planted everything at ear level. The reference pair had some instruments like trumpets, violins and female vocals hanging a foot above the speaker level.
Depth: Stage was quite shallow (about 1.5’ to 2’ deep) with most recordings, but extends to about 4’ to 5' deep with Josh Groban’s Awake Live at elevated levels. This is okay since realistic stage depth is something that I don’t expect from bookshelves below 20k in price (or towers below 40k). The fact that there was some perceived depth is commendable. Layering was great for the price, quite a bit better than the reference speaker.
Ambience: Walls in the recording venue were a bit more audible with the A-Audio, and audience chatter was more natural-sounding. Reference speakers had more air around instruments and arguably projected a more intimate stage (similar sound to near reflections, or putting your speaks close to walls).
IMAGING
Position: Tie. Both speakers did this perfectly, with uniform spacing.
Focus: A-Audio has a good and tight focus, with realistic instrument size. Reference speaker has a bigger and more diffused sound.
TONAL ACCURACY
Sub Bass: Reference speaker provided much more output, but was peakier (seems like a strong 40hz - 60hz). A-Audio has a smoother but weaker response, and can be a tad slow. Absolute low end extension was comparable.
Mid Bass: Reference speaker had a more impactful midbass. A-Audio had a well-judged output that was taut and pleasant.
Midrange: Reference speaker had lush and chesty voices. Instruments had more weight and bloom. A-Audio had a more neutral tone with realistic depth and less emotion.
High Frequencies: A-Audio was more revealing and accurate. It also had less difficulty reproducing metallic timbres, which was fascinating for a soft dome. Reference speaker was sweet and tame in comparison, thereby balancing the natural brightness of my test gear. High freq extension was adequate for both (don’t take my word for this, because my hearing clearly dips beyond 16kHz).
SPECTRAL BALANCE
Low Volume: A-Audio had difficulty delivering a sense of scale at lower volumes, but retained most of the details present in the music. Reference speaker had better balance at lower volumes, but tended to hide details at this listening level.
High Volume: A high playback volume typically neutralizes some deficiencies, and both A-Audio and the reference speak did well in this test. The A-Audio showed its leaner melodic balance and revealed nuances in the music, while the reference pair continued to sound larger (reminded me of FS speaks) and began to define the details.
LISTENING PLEASURE
The reference speakers delivered a big sound with lots of scale for bookshelves. It also had a driving and forceful quality that can be quite exciting. The larger than life lush vocals and sweet highs were also very easy to listen to.
The A-Audio pair is a neutral sounding set, thereby presenting the natural lean and dry sound of my gear. It is nicely detailed, and is a what-you-see-is-what-you-get speaker. I’ve had 3 PSB pairs, and this A-Audio seems to have acquired some similarity in the mid-band, though the PSBs had a slight tilt towards warmth.
NOISE FLOOR
No significant difference. Both speakers hid whatever junk my gear threw out during silent portions in music (no audible hiss).
OVERALL
Things can go either way, depending on partnering gear. This is the best A-Audio pair I’ve heard, featuring neutral response and a delicate and textured mid-band. It’s a jack-of-all-trades speaker that is revealing and flexible. My reference speakers sound great in my bright and lean system, but it could surely be dark and overpowering in many others.
CONCLUSION
Again, mix and match to achieve synergy. Don’t mind what brand you have in front of you, just let your ears decide.
