Passivists rejoice, Audioengine P4 bookshelf speakers now on sale
We gave the sound quality Audioengine packed into its powered A2 speakers big thumbs up, but because there's different strokes for different folks, the company has added the more conventional P4 passive speaker to its virtual shelves. Whether you want to use a "spare" receiver, don't want to pay for an onboard amp, or think you can match up a system better than Audioengine's engineers, the P4 might be for you. No blow-molded plastic here, these $249/pair two-ways weigh in at 6-pounds each and have a 4-inch kevlar mid/woofer and a 0.75-inch silk tweeter. The price is right between Audioengine's powered A2 and A5 speakers, but we suspect the performance is closer to the bigger A5s. Available in black, white or bamboo, and with threaded inserts on the back and bottom, you could sprinkle these throughout the homestead. Full PR after the break.
Audioengine today announced the release of the Audioengine P4 Premium Passive Bookshelf Speakers.
The Audioengine P4 (AP4) is a high-performance bookshelf speaker pair with the same great looks and sound as Audioengine's award-winning powered speakers. Beautiful, small, and affordable, AP4 is the perfect choice for your living room, bedroom or office and an ideal surround speaker for use with other Audioengine speakers in your home theater or stereo system.
"The goal was to design a small but powerful bookshelf speaker for people that already have receivers or amps and are looking for the same Audioengine sound and quality in a passive loudspeaker." explained Dave Evans, Audioengine co-founder. "The AP4's work great with Class D desktop amplifiers, stereo receivers and tube amplifiers."
The AP4 passive speakers are full-sounding bookshelf speakers in a small satellite-sized package. The AP4 has excellent bass response for its size, which is obvious when it's used either as stereo speakers or satellite surrounds. AP4 sounds great sitting on stands, on a bookshelf, or mounted on a wall using the integrated threaded inserts, which are compatible with most wall or ceiling mounting systems.
"We designed the AP4 to share a similar voicing and tuning with our active speakers so you're assured a matched system no matter which speakers or our wireless products you add to your system." said Brady Bargenquast, Audioengine co-founder.
Key Features
4" 2-way passive, front ported design
Hand-built and custom finished cabinets
5-way gold-plated binding posts
Silk dome tweeters and Kevlar woofers
Magnetically-shielded
Excellent performance for music and movies
Wall mount, stand or shelf placement
Package Contents
(2) AP4 Passive Speakers
(2) Drawstring Cloth Speaker Bags
(2) High-density foam isolation pads (attached)
Setup Guide
General Specifications
Type: 2-way passive, front ported design
Sensitivity: 88dB (2.83v@1m)
Frequency Response: 58Hz-22kHz
Nominal Impedance: 4-8 Ohms
Crossover Frequency: 2.8 kHz
Recommended Amplifier Power: 10-125W per channel
Tweeter: 3/4" (20mm) silk dome with neodymium magnets
Woofer: 4" (101mm) Kevlar cone
Enclosure: 3/4" MDF
Inputs: Gold-plated, 5-way binding posts
Magnetically Shielded
Weight each: 2.75 kg (6 lbs)
Total shipping weight: 6.5 kg (14 lbs)
Dimensions each (HxWxD): 228x140x165mm (9x5.5x6.5")
Shipping box dims (HxWxD): 330x460x228mm (13x18x9")
Finish Options: Satin Black, Hi-Gloss White, Solid Carbonized Bamboo
Pricing and Availability
The Audioengine P4 (AP4) Premium Passive Bookshelf Speakers start from US$249 per pair and are available from an authorized Audioengine reseller or online direct from www.audioengineusa.com