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Audioengine N22 Amplifier Review

Rate this amplifier:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 181 92.8%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 11 5.6%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 2 1.0%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 1 0.5%

  • Total voters
    195

amirm

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This is a review and detailed measurements of the Audioengine N22 desktop stereo amplifier. It is on kind loan from a member and costs US $199.
Audioengine N22 stereo small desktop amplifier review.jpg

Fit and finish seems quite high for the class. The volume control is analog but a reviewer said it has poor balance at low volumes.

The quality extends to the back of the unit with large binding posts and such:
Audioengine N22 stereo small desktop amplifier back panel review.jpg

Unusual in this day and age is the fact that the N22 is a class AB amplifier. It was released back in 2011 which explains the reasoning.

Audioengine N22 Amplifier Measurements
Let's start with our usual dashboard of 5 watts into 4 ohms:
Audioengine N22 stereo small desktop amplifier measurement.png


That is a lot of distortion, forcing the N22 to land in pretty poor category of our ratings:
Best desktop amplifier review 2023.png


FYI the amp took a long time to stabilize on power up:
Audioengine N22 stereo small desktop amplifier warm up measurement.png


As you see, we lost 4 dB as the unit warmed up! Pretty backward.

SNR is not bad and is typical of the desktop class:
Audioengine N22 stereo small desktop amplifier SNR measurement.png


Here is the really bad news:
Audioengine N22 stereo small desktop amplifier Frequency Response measurement.png


Instead of a flat response, we have a bass boost! It is not documented either. Maybe they thought this would distinguish the amp in a crowded feel.

Crosstalk is decent:
Audioengine N22 stereo small desktop amplifier crosstalk measurement.png


Multitone performance is poor as you would expect:
Audioengine N22 stereo small desktop amplifier multitone measurement.png


And power is quite low:
Audioengine N22 stereo small desktop amplifier pwer 4 ohm measurement.png

Audioengine N22 stereo small desktop amplifier max and peak power 4 ohm measurement.png

Audioengine N22 stereo small desktop amplifier pwer 8 ohm measurement.png



Finally, we expect good transfer function from class AB amp and we get it:
Audioengine N22 stereo small desktop amplifier power vs frequency 4 ohm measurement.png


But you also get elevated noise and very little power (just 12 watts at 20 Hz).

Conclusions
I guess we can cut audioengine some slack for N22 performance because it was produce many years before the crop of performant class D amplifiers. Still, I don't see why we couldn't have gotten flat frequency response. Or lower distortion.

Given the many better choices today, I can't recommend the audioengine N22.

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As always, questions, comments, recommendations, etc. are welcome.

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ZööZ

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Was the performance such a let down that no point of testing the headphone amplifier on it?
 
OP
amirm

amirm

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martijn86

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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.
 
Last edited:

digicidal

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This was released in October 2010 people!
So quite a bit newer/younger than THIS, and it only wins in physical footprint (as long as you consider used prices)? Definitely more powerful and transparent, many more features and inputs, etc. ;)
 
Last edited:

JktHifi

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

AdamG

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Ouch! Some manufacturers have no shame. If there were any redeeming qualities to this product, they must be contained in the product Advertisement literature. :facepalm:
 

bboris77

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It is sad that they do not even meet their own specification for frequency response which is 20Hz-22kHz ±1dB, nor their distortion spec which is
THD+N 0.02% at all power settings.
 
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