Audioengine N22 Amplifier Review

[AndreaT]

From Audioengine N22 website:

“Hand-finished wood enclosure”

Furthermore, the PS states: 17.5 volts and 1.8 A (or so it seems in the Amir’s pic). Does this means the total available watts of PS are 17.5 x 1.8 = 31 W? Compare with the PS of the Loxjie A30 24 volts and 6.75 A (24 x 6.75 = 162 W).

Thank you Amir for this impeccable review of an obsolete offer for desktop amplification.

 

[Koeitje]

This was released in October 2010 people!

Still for sale though, so should be considered a current offering.

 

[enricoclaudio]

Thanks @amirm for another great review. Honestly, I'm not shocked by the bass boost. I think the bass boost is totally intensional because you need it if you are going to power their P4 passive speakers.

 

[ocrazor]

I own this amp and use it on my desktop with a set of KEF Q100 speakers. I've always thought it sounded pretty good in this setup, but wondered about how it measured.

A couple observations about the bass boost: Audioengine specifies a +/-1 db freq range for the N22, which is pretty wide. It also seems like this amp was really tailored for use with their P4 passive desktop speakers, which have a tiny 4" woofer. Such a speaker may benefit from bass boost, especially if used in nearfield at low volume, where some "loudness eq" may be necessary to achieve an equivalency to a flat sound at higher volume. But yeah, that should be built into a tone knob, or loudness button, not the amp.

This amp does have a completely separate internal headphone amp though, so it would be interesting to see if that measured any better.

 

[Putter]

https://www.theabsolutesound.com/ar...troduces-n22-premium-desktop-audio-amplifier/ The Audioengine N22 Premium Desktop Amplifier retails for US$199 and the companion P4 Passive Speakers start at US$249 per pair.

The website implies it's primarily designed to be used with their P4 speakers to which it will provide a needed if too small bass boost to these 4 inch woofers. They also provide a line out which can be used as a sub out. Notwithstanding there are better values even within their product line. The A2+ is only $70 more and is both amp and speaker.

 

[OldenEars]

Nonsense!

This is a commonly held belief, at least in the UK.

Obviously without some wide ranging testing, it's difficult to say for sure.

It might be similar to our disdain for 6 litre v8 engine make 210hp. It's a crap specific hp, but big yank v8s are likeable despite that?

 

[Billy Budapest]

OK, let's get one thing straight, this is a bad amplifier. The frequency response, degradation, etc are all terrible. But the <100dB noise floor and 2nd harmonic distortion reaching -60dB, I do have to wonder. Is it going to sound like an exciter?
It doesn't belong there (it belongs in an effect box) and I feel like I might get a lot of hate for saying it but I do think that a little harmonic exciter and a lift in bass can sound quite pleasant to some.

Edit: For those wondering what added upper harmonics sound like and figure out if you like it, check out this video.

There’s a big difference in applying distortion during the recording or mixing process for making a track than to have your playback equipment add that distortion in ways the artist never intended. That’s called low fidelity to the source material.

 

[CDMC]

I literally Belly-laughed when I saw a bass boosted FR - in an amp....

It is a bent wire with gain.

 

[phoenixdogfan]

This is what happens when a designer decides to "voice" an amplifier in his garage late at night after a few beers.

 

[ROOSKIE]

This is a commonly held belief, at least in the UK.

Obviously without some wide ranging testing, it's difficult to say for sure.

It might be similar to our disdain for 6 litre v8 engine make 210hp. It's a crap specific hp, but big yank v8s are likeable despite that?

Yah.
Reminds me of how 'expert' people beleived California wines were crap, absolutely unequivocally inferior, and then solidly picked them in blind testing.

Interestingly some of the best British speakers now follow some of the most prominent evidence based American and Canadian design strategies. (KEF) I wonder why?

In the end the American & Canadian brands have such a wide range of design traits it sure seems like a impotent move to clump all together anyway. Plus the engineers and consultants for many companies accross the world comingle all the time with new releases and new hiring.

 

[Hart]

I listened to their powered speakers and thought they were pretty lifeless. I don't think they have updated them in a very long time. So the amp does not surprise me.

 

[ROOSKIE]

Poor performing from a technical view, likely fine in intended aplication. Appreciate the review. $35-50 amp for $200. Hopefully they update the line.

Well here's an amp you can definitely "hear". For $200, over a decade ago, it's passable I guess, but that bass boost being undocumented and locked in is pretty unforgiveable.

Strange it took almost 13 years for anyone to notice. Not one Golden Ear noticed this? Hmmm

 

[Owl]

I just pulled the amp out of my Audio Engine A5+ powered speakers and sealed up the back. The stereo separation and volume control were always terrible, but I do like the speakers. I don't know if this amp is the same as the N22.

 

[ROOSKIE]

It is sad that they do not even meet their own specification for frequency response which is 20Hz-22kHz ±1dB

Not defending the amp but it meets this spec just fine.
It is within the stated ±1dB tolerance.

 

[Multicore]

Now that's what I call a signature sound.

 

[Serg]

US standard in Audio quality is still lower than EU. That’s why I always prefer to buy EU speakers, such as U

Nonsense!

Agreed... complete nonsense.

 

[martijn86]

There’s a big difference in applying distortion during the recording or mixing process for making a track than to have your playback equipment add that distortion in ways the artist never intended. That’s called low fidelity to the source material.

No you're right. It isn't supposed to be there. I'm walking on eggs here . It is a flaw of the product because it isn't the job of a DAC or an amplifier to add anything to the sound. HOWEVER I'm just trying to make a point that to some, a device with high frequency harmonics, may be what they're looking for. It brings all the cliché audiophile subjective qualities: sweetness, air, sparkle, detail but no harshness.

 

[3125b]

@amirm
Would you mind measuring the power consumption of amps and active speakers at low listening levels (<1W actual power output)? I find that there are huge differences (sometimes more than an order of magnitude) at these conditions that apply for most people for most of the time they are using their audio gear, yet manufacturers tend to not provide any specs for it.
Especially for cheaper gear this can make a difference of more than the initial cost of the product itself over several years of use, so it would certainly be interesting to investigate.

 

[Digital Mastering System]

OK, let's get one thing straight, this is a bad amplifier. The frequency response, degradation, etc are all terrible. But the <100dB noise floor and 2nd harmonic distortion reaching -60dB, I do have to wonder. Is it going to sound like an exciter?
It doesn't belong there (it belongs in an effect box) and I feel like I might get a lot of hate for saying it but I do think that a little harmonic exciter and a lift in bass can sound quite pleasant to some.

Edit: For those wondering what added upper harmonics sound like and figure out if you like it, check out this video.

The Aphex exciter was invented when Kurt Knoppel (sp?) miswired a Dynaco St70 by accident and generated huge 2nd harmonic distortion. He liked what he heard and made a business around it.

 

[Bleib]

I bet those old ta2020 chip t-amps that used to sell for about 30 USD performs better