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.
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the Fluance Ai41 and Audioengine A5+ Wireless compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
Both Ai41 and A5+ Wireless are 2-way speakers.
| 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.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
High Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. 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
Size of a speaker can sometimes become 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.
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 Control1x CR2032 Battery6ft Power Cable8ft 18 Gauge Speaker WireQuick Start GuideFluance CatalogLifetime Customer Support2 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 speakerPassive right speaker6-feet AC power cordRemote control (with installed CR2025 battery)Antenna12.5-feet Length of 16 gauge speaker wire6.5-feet Stereo minijack cable6-feet Stereo RCA cableCloth drawstring cable bag2 Cloth drawstring speaker bagsSetup guideAudioengine product brochure
 Low Frequency Response |
35 Hz
vs
50 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Base Surface Area |
318cm2 (165x193mm)
vs
452cm2 (182x247mm)
|
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 |