In this review, we will be comparing Ai41 and A5+ Wireless, two Powered Bookshelf speakers from Fluance and 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 Fluance Ai41 and Audioengine A5+ Wireless first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Fluance Ai41 | Audioengine A5+ Wireless |
|---|
| Brand | Fluance
Canada · founded 1999 | Audioengine
United States · founded 2005 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Built-in amplifier | 90-watt RMS | 100-watt RMS |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Soft Dome | 0.75" Soft-Dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 5" Woven, Glass Fiber Composite | 5" Kevlar |
|---|
| Frequency response | 35-20k Hz | 50-22k Hz |
|---|
| Power range | up to 90 watts | — |
|---|
| Max depth / sample rate | 16-bit / 48 kHz | 24-bit / 44.1 kHz |
|---|
| Bluetooth | Built-in 5.0 | Built-in 4.0 |
|---|
| Weight | 3.37kg / 7.4lbs | 4.40kg / 9.7lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 10.9" x 6.5" x 7.6"
27.7 x 16.5 x 19.3 cm | 10.875" x 7.1875" x 9.75"
276.2 x 182.6 x 247.6mm |
|---|
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
Drivers
Both Ai41 and A5+ Wireless are 2-way speakers.
Fluance Ai41Audioengine A5+ Wireless
TweeterWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Fluance Ai41 |
Audioengine A5+ Wireless |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
0.75-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 5-inch
|
1 x 5-inch
|
Ai41 features a 1" Silk Neodymium Ferrofluid Cooled Soft Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Woven, Glass Fiber Composite Woofer. On the other hand, the A5+ Wireless features a 0.75" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5" Kevlar Woofer.
Frequency Response
Ai41 has a frequency range of 35-20k Hz whereas A5+ Wireless has a frequency range of 50-22k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the Ai41 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the A5+ Wireless's min frequency of 50Hz.
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 Ai41 and A5+ Wireless 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 Fluance Ai41's and Audioengine A5+ Wireless's external dimensions. Fluance Ai41 has external dimensions of 27.7 x 16.5 x 19.3 cm (10.9 x 6.5 x 7.6 inches) whereas Audioengine A5+ Wireless has external dimensions of 276.2 x 182.6 x 247.6mm (10.875 x 7.1875 x 9.75inch).
Fluance Ai41 is 17.6mm narrower and 54.6mm less deeper than Audioengine A5+ Wireless but it is also 0.80000000000001mm taller.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Audioengine A5+ Wireless needs about 42% more floor or shelf area. Audioengine A5+ Wireless is 55mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall.
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 Fluance Ai41 is approximately 318.0cm2 / 49.3inch2 and base area of the Audioengine A5+ Wireless is approximately 452.1cm2 / 70.1inch2. The Ai41 requires 30% less surface area than the A5+ Wireless which gives it a small advantage 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 Fluance Ai41 weighs 3.37kg / 7.4lbs and the Audioengine A5+ Wireless weighs 4.40kg / 9.7lbs. This makes the A5+ Wireless 31% heavier than the Ai41.
Here is a comparison of how Ai41 and A5+ Wireless's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Powered Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
What's in the Box of Fluance Ai41?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Ai41:
- Ai41 Powered Bookshelf Speakers (pair)
- Remote Control
- 1x CR2032 Battery
- 6ft Power Cable
- 8ft 18 Gauge Speaker Wire
- Quick Start Guide
- Fluance Catalog
- Lifetime Customer Support
- 2 Year Manufacturer’s Warranty
What's in the Box of Audioengine A5+ Wireless?
Here are the items that come with the A5+ Wireless:
- Powered left speaker
- Passive right speaker
- 6-feet AC power cord
- Remote control (with installed CR2025 battery)
- Antenna
- 12.5-feet Length of 16 gauge speaker wire
- 6.5-feet Stereo minijack cable
- 6-feet Stereo RCA cable
- Cloth drawstring cable bag
- 2 Cloth drawstring speaker bags
- Setup guide
- Audioengine product brochure
 Low Frequency Response |
35 Hz
vs
50 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Base Surface Area |
318cm2
vs
452cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
249USD
vs
499USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Digital Input |
Optical
vs
No
|
Connect digital inputs directly |
 High Frequency Response |
22k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
276mm
vs
277mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 3.5mm Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via 3.5mm AUX input |
 RCA Connection |
Yes
vs
No
|
Connection via RCA input |
| General |
Fluance Ai41 |
Audioengine A5+ Wireless |
| Brand |
Fluance |
Audioengine |
| Speaker Type |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
Powered Stereo Speakers |
| Frequency Response |
35-20k Hz |
50-22k Hz |
Amplifier |
|
|
| Watts RMS (Continuous) |
90-watt RMS |
100-watt RMS |
| Max Bit Depth |
16-bit |
24-bit |
| Max Sample Rate |
48 kHz |
44.1 kHz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
5" |
5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Woven, Glass Fiber Composite |
Kevlar |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Butyl Rubber |
n/a |
| 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 |
277.0mm (10.9") |
276.2mm (10.9") |
| Width |
165.0mm (6.5") |
182.6mm (7.2") |
| Depth |
193.0mm (7.6") |
247.6mm (9.7") |
| Weight |
3.37kg (7.4lbs) |
4.40kg (9.7lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF wood |
n/a |
| Available Colors |
Black Ash,Lucky Bamboo,White Walnut, Natural Walnut |
Black, Bamboo, White |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Aux Inputs |
RCA |
3.5mm, RCA |
| USB Port |
No |
No |
| Phone Input |
No |
No |
| Subwoofer Output |
Wired |
Wired |
| Digital Input |
Optical |
No |
| HDMI Input |
No |
No |
| Headphone Jack |
No |
No |
| Ethernet Port |
No |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
3 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
3 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Audioengine A5+ Wireless costs roughly 2x what Fluance Ai41 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | A | Fluance Ai41 digs deeper - 35Hz against 50Hz. |
| Built-in power | evenly matched | Similar onboard amplification (90W vs 100W RMS). |
| Connections | A | Fluance Ai41 adds digital inputs. |
| Size | depends | Fluance Ai41 is easier to place; Audioengine A5+ Wireless is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Fluance Ai41: a sub output; Audioengine A5+ Wireless: a sub output. Audioengine A5+ Wireless sits in a wider range (6 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price | A | Fluance Ai41 is cheaper - $249 against $499, about 50% less; arguably a different class. |
A Fluance Ai41 B Audioengine A5+ Wireless
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?
Fluance Ai41 is the easier recommendation: it leads on most of the measured areas and costs less. Take Audioengine A5+ Wireless if its size, looks or fit in your room suit you better. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 50Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. In a large or open-plan room, Audioengine A5+ Wireless has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, Fluance Ai41 is the easier speaker to get right.
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.