In this review, we will be comparing HD6 and HD5, two Powered Bookshelf speakers by Audioengine. Being Powered speakers, they both have built-in amplifiers so you don't need an external power amp or an integrated amp to power them.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Audioengine HD6 and Audioengine HD5 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Audioengine HD6 | Audioengine HD5 |
|---|
| Brand | Audioengine
United States · founded 2005 | Audioengine
United States · founded 2005 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Built-in amplifier | 100-watt RMS (200-watt peak) | 100-watt RMS (150-watt peak) |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft-Dome | 0.75" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5.5" Kevlar | 5" Aramid |
|---|
| Frequency response | 50-22k Hz | 55-22k Hz |
|---|
| Max depth / sample rate | 24-bit / 192 kHz | 24-bit / 192 kHz |
|---|
| Bluetooth | Built-in 5.0 | Built-in 5.0 |
|---|
| Weight | 5.50kg / 12.1lbs | 5.70kg / 12.5lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 12.375" x 7.1875" x 12.5"
314.3 x 182.6 x 317.5mm | 11.125" x 7.1875" x 10.4375"
283.0 x 183.0 x 266.0mm |
|---|
HD6 and HD5 are members of Audioengine's HD series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both HD6 and HD5 are 2-way speakers.
Audioengine HD6Audioengine HD5
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Audioengine HD6 |
Audioengine HD5 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
0.75-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5.5-inch
|
1 x 5-inch
|
HD6 features a 1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.5" Kevlar Woofer. On the other hand, the HD5 features a 0.75" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Aramid Woofer.
Frequency Response
HD6 has a frequency range of 50-22k Hz whereas HD5 has a frequency range of 55-22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 50Hz, the HD6 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the HD5's min frequency of 55Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both HD6 and HD5 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare Audioengine HD6's and Audioengine HD5's external dimensions. Audioengine HD6 has external dimensions of 314.3 x 182.6 x 317.5mm (12.375 x 7.1875 x 12.5inch) whereas Audioengine HD5 has external dimensions of 283.0 x 183.0 x 266.0mm (11.125inch x 7.1875inch x 10.4375inch).
Audioengine HD5 is 31.3mm shorter and 51.5mm less deeper than Audioengine HD6 but it is also 0.40000000000001mm wider.
Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited.
The base surface area of the Audioengine HD6 is approximately 579.8cm2 / 89.9inch2 and base area of the Audioengine HD5 is approximately 486.8cm2 / 75.5inch2. The HD6 requires 19% more surface area than the HD5 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The Audioengine HD6 weighs 5.50kg / 12.1lbs and the Audioengine HD5 weighs 5.70kg / 12.5lbs. This makes the HD5 4% heavier than the HD6.
Here is a comparison of how HD6 and HD5's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Audioengine HD6?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of HD6:
- Powered speaker
- Passive speaker
- 2 Grilles (pre-installed)
- 6-feet AC power cord
- Bluetooth antenna
- Remote control
- 13-feet Speaker cable (w/ banana connectors on each end)
- 6.5-feet Stereo minijack cable
- 2 Microfiber speaker bags
- MIcrofiber cable bag
- Quickstart Guide
- Product Line Brochure
What's in the Box of Audioengine HD5?
Here are the items that come with the HD5:
- Powered speaker
- Passive speaker
- 2 Grilles (pre-installed)
- 6-feet AC power cord
- Remote control (CR2025 battery installed)
- Bluetooth antenna
- 13-feet Speaker cable (banana connectors on each end)
- 5-feet Stereo minijack cable
- 6-feet Stereo RCA cable
- 2 Microfiber speaker bags
- MIcrofiber cable bag
- Quickstart Guide
- Brochure
 Woofer Size |
5.5 inches
vs
5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
50 Hz
vs
55 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 RCA Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via RCA input |
 Height |
283mm
vs
314mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
486cm2
vs
579cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
549USD
vs
699USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Audioengine HD6 |
Audioengine HD5 |
| Brand |
Audioengine |
Audioengine |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
| Frequency Response |
50-22k Hz |
55-22k Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
100-watt RMS |
100-watt RMS |
| Watts Peak (Max) |
200-watt RMS |
150-watt RMS |
| Max Bit Depth |
24-bit |
24-bit |
| Max Sample Rate |
192 kHz |
192 kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5.5" |
5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Kevlar |
Aramid |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
0.75" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Soft-Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
314.3mm (12.4") |
283.0mm (11.1") |
| Width |
182.6mm (7.2") |
183.0mm (7.2") |
| Depth |
317.5mm (12.5") |
266.0mm (10.5") |
| Weight |
5.50kg (12.1lbs) |
5.70kg (12.5lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Available Colors |
Black, Walnut, White, Cherry Wood |
Black,Walnut,White |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Aux Inputs |
3.5mm, RCA |
RCA,3.5mm |
| USB Port |
No |
No |
| Phone Input |
No |
No |
| Subwoofer Output |
Wired |
Stereo RCA |
| Digital Input |
Optical |
Optical |
| HDMI Input |
No |
No |
| Headphone Jack |
No |
No |
| Ethernet Port |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
3 Years |
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
3 Years |
3 Years |
Siblings in Audioengine's HD series, so they share a family sound. It comes down to size, output and price.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Audioengine HD6 digs deeper - 50Hz against 55Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Built-in power | evenly matched | Similar onboard amplification (100W vs 100W RMS). |
| Connections | evenly matched | The same set of inputs and streaming options. |
| Size | depends | Audioengine HD5 is easier to place; Audioengine HD6 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Audioengine HD6: a sub output; Audioengine HD5: a sub output. |
| Price | B | Audioengine HD5 is cheaper - $549 against $699, about 21% less. |
A Audioengine HD6 B Audioengine HD5
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.
Which should you choose?
The usual trade-off: Audioengine HD6 measures better, Audioengine HD5 costs about about 27% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 55Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper Audioengine HD5 much easier to justify.
And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.