Fantastic speakers! I have 5 sets along with 4 of the Audioengine S8 8-inch Powered Subwoofer: Audioengine S8 Black 8-inch Powered Subwoofer. Formerly I was using the Bose Companion 20 speakers and obviously the Audioengine blow the Bose away. I also have quite a few of the Bose SoundTouch 30, 20 and 10's and I prefer the Audioengine A5+. (I use one set in a small bathroom without the subwoofer.)

If you share a wall with a neighbor you might not be able to use the subwoofer much. Without the subwoofer in my small bathroom the bass is so-so but for sure not strong enough for my taste - it's MUCH better with the subwoofer.

As you can see in the pics it's a bit much to fit on my master bathroom counter but I wouldn't be happy with less.

Two small downsides on the subwoofer:
"¢ A remote would be very helpful to adjust the subwoofer volume.
"¢ It's difficult to see the notch on the dials to make adjustments. I made a white mark with a white Sharpie (Sharpie Extra Fine Point Poster Paint Marker-White).

Other products pictured that I recommend:
"¢ Adjustable standing/sitting desk: Crank Adjustable Sit to Stand Up Desk with Heavy Duty Steel Frame (60", Silver Frame/Black Top)
"¢ Tripp Lite Isobar Surge Protector Power Strip: Tripp Lite Isobar 4 Outlet Surge Protector Power Strip, 6ft Cord Right Angle Plug, & $50K INSURANCE (ISOBAR4ULTRA)
"¢ Motion Sensor USB Rechargeable Lights: Wardrobe Light, OxyLED Motion Sensor Closet Lights, 20 LED Under-Cabinet Lightening, USB Rechargeable Stick-on Stairs Step Light Bar, LED Night Light, Safe Light with Magnetic Strip, 3-pack, T-02U
"¢ Pyle Subwoofer Sound Isolation Platform: Pyle PSi15 Acoustic Subwoofer Sound Isolation Platform Dampening Recoil Stabilizer Speaker Riser Platform Base (for Studio Monitor, Subwoofer, Loudspeakers, Shelf Speakers, etc.) 15'' x 15'', Single Unit
"¢ Audioengine Desktop Speaker Stands: Audioengine DS2 Desktop Speaker Stands (Pair)

I'm not too hung up on audio as far as other essentials go, but I recently decided to buy these speakers for a PC upgrade and it ended up being one of the best buys I made in a while. The audio is so much clearer than my previous speakers. My only warning is that you pay attention to that actual size of these speakers if you are planning on buying these for your pc. These speakers are about twice the size as normal front facing speakers you put on your desk so if you have the room it I'd highly recommend it.

Waited a few months before writing this to really let them come into their own. Not really sure how/why these bad-boys are classed as 'computer speakers' - they're more on par as actual fidelity-listening speakers. If you're looking for a (decent) set of speakers to squeeze in the usually cramped spaces on either side of your monitor, you'd be better served with Logitec or Klipsch's offerings for about 1/3 the price (I upgraded to these from the Klipsch 2.1s).

If SQ is paramount, you're going to want to go with AE's recommended spacing of 6ft - yeah, I know...who's desk is that big, right? Like I said, these things don't want cramped spaces (IF you want to get the most out of them). I bit the bullet and got a pair of stands for them (also available on AE's site - can be had for a few dollars less elsewhere if you look around) - made all the difference in the world.

If you listen to a lot of bass-heavy music, consider getting a stand-alone sub for that extra low-end extension - I find the bass to be lacking from them (for my tastes), but that's a matter of preference. AE also carries a sub to mate to them, but I went with one from JL Audio.

Regardless of their classification, these are top-notch speakers - you'd be hard-pressed to find better for the price. Buy with confidence.

The first A5+ speaker pair to arrive were heavily muted with a sound output about 1/10 of what was expected. I tried all combinations of adjustments, changing the input source, changing the cables, and more. I consulted both Amazon and Audioengine with no solutions to the trouble other than to return the speakers. Because these speakers were so highly recommended from multiple sources I tried again, returning the speakers to Amazon and ordering a second set. (Amazon and Audioengine were very open to helping with this solution and very responsive) Well, the second set is all that the best reviews say they are. I am very pleased. What seems clear to me is that Audioengine has a quality control issue. Surely the first pair of speakers could not have been tested before leaving the factory. If they were they would not have found their way to me. I believe that these are made in China. I would suggest that Audioengine rework their quality control process. I would guess that this might bring their 77% 5 star rating up to 100% 5 star rating. If you are not happy with your Audioengine speakers I would suggest that you return them for another pair. Don't give up, because a quality pair is exceptional for the size and price!

Prior to purchasing the 5+, I had owned the Audioengine 2+ coupled with the Audioengine S8 sub for several years. The 2+ did a relatively good job at reproducing music at lower volume, especially mids and highs. But at higher volume they struggled.

I've recently worked on improving the sound quality of my audio system in my home office. I ripped all of my CDs into AIFF format via iTunes, and I purchased the Schiit Modi 2 Uber DAC and Schiit Magni 2 Uber Amp to condition the sound between my Mac Pro and the speakers. But, the 2+ didn't seem to churn out the clarity and depth of the music in the way I had hoped, so I decided to do some research on a new pair of desktop computer speakers.

I was looking for a pair of high quality speakers that wouldn't leave a permanent scar on my wallet. I settled on the Audioengine 5+ as a good balance of quality vs. price.

I'm very pleased with the purchase. As I had hoped, the 5+ do a far better job at higher volume than the 2+. The 5+ produce a nice, crisp and clear reproduction of my music throughout the sound range.

They aren't small speakers...for a pair of "desktop" computer speakers, they are quite large, probably about three times the size of the 2+. But if you have the space on your desktop, they do a fantastic job of producing a deep wall of sound which wraps around your computer screen.

I like that the 5+ has a volume knob on the front of the main speaker, although it turns without a stop...so you don't really know how low or high the volume is until you listen to the output. Not a big deal, but worth mentioning nonetheless.

If you purchase these, I strongly recommend getting the Audioengine S8 subwoofer...it nicely rounds out the low end and allows the 5+ to do what they do best: produce mid and high range sound. I tried using these without the sub just for comparison purposes, and the difference was striking. The 5+ alone do not do an adequate job driving the bass once you've heard them with the S8.

Also, I'd recommend getting an external amp to hookup between your computer and the speakers. For only around a hundred bucks, an external amp (like the Schiit Magni 2 Uber) nicely boosts the sound through the 5+.

These speakers were designed to handle relatively high volume, but the built-in amp in the main speaker doesn't adequately drive the sound. At least not to my untrained ears. An external amp swiftly solves that issue.

If you value high-quality reproduction of your music while working at your desktop computer, you can't go wrong with the 5+.