Isn't the Audioengine HD5 just a redressed old A5+ with the same old recycled drivers?

[BIDTheGreat]

Hi, all.
I own a pair of Audioengine A2+, which were damaged and sadly need to be replaced.
I am looking at the Audioengine HD5, and even the Neumann KH150 or KH-120 mkii.

The HD5 would be a potential option, however, it seems to me that the HD5 is no better than the A5.
The HD5's woofer and tweeters seem the exact-same driver as the old aging A5, and the amp as well.
If anything, the total volume of the cabinet for the HD5 seems smaller.

I can't find any update from the 20-odd-year old A5+ 5 inch woofer. I've EMail AE and asked them what update to the sound is made for the HD5 ... typical AE I get no answer.
Most audio companies update their tech every 5-10 years: They make a better driver material that is lighter and more rigid, or update amplifiers, add meta-material tech to the tweeter etc.
But not AE.
It seems to me that AE just want to sell the original A2 and A5 speaker forever. Don't get me wrong, for their size and price the little A2 and A5 were a good speaker but that was 15-20 years ago now.

So, in terms of audio quality (and leaving out the petty advantage of the HD5's TOSlink), does anyone know of any improvement to the sound between A5+/A5 and the new HD5?

I can't find a frequency response graph on the HD5 anywhere.

Any insight would be appreciated.

 

[BIDTheGreat]

Having returned the Neumann KH-120 mkii speakers I had (as they were faulty, and sold to me first-hand when they were returned seconds), I have been using a pair of AE HD5's for about 3 weeks now.

They sound a bit compressed to me, even compared with the smaller and cheaper AE A2+ speakers [7th Guest game-soundtrack 'Intro' orchestral track is very noticeably compressed].

What is the HD5, essentially?
The HD5 uses the exact same (old!) drivers as the A5+ (maybe even the same as the original A5 from 2006 or so as far as I can tell). Most speaker companies such as HEDD update their cone material and other driver characteristics for newer models and would never put 10-20 year old drivers on a “new” system. Think of KEF and their meta-material tweeter system.

I believe the HD5 is mostly a dressed-up A5+ Wireless, with mainly mere cosmetic enhancements.
One improvement over the A5+ is the HD5’s TOSlink port … but the HD5 is still using the old dinosaur DAC chip [depending on who you ask, it is the old one made in 2003/2004 or the AKM AK4396A – both old], as opposed to the newer Sabre chips AE were using for a time in the D1.
You’d think AE would have updated at least some of the technology to their latest chips for the new speakers.
Of course, this doesn’t mean a thing if you use the unbalanced analogue inputs.

So, the only real difference in the audio over the A5+ is that the HD5 uses a slightly different size and shape of cabinet, which is slightly smaller in volume than the A5+ Wireless. That’s right: smaller. As the laws of physics dictate, the natural bass on the HD5 thereby slightly less than the A5+ Wireless (and don’t try to pretend using EQ to make up that lost bass is acceptable).
The HD5 is a shallower in depth than the A5+ Wireless and so it does help having it further from the wall when used as a desktop speaker [which it is].
The HD5 also has a different (presumably better) heat-sink on the rear as well. But this is all just window dressing, I want a better and new amp and a flatter frequency response to warrant these being billed as a ‘new’ model.

I cannot condone this, it’s just selling old tech as new. It is yesterday’s technology, and while it still stands up today, it’s not going to hold up too much longer. I imagine there are better desktop options at this price point (such as from Adam or Fostex and so on). You would not buy a 2006 CPU or video-monitor for your computer, so shame on AE for this cheap move.
So, why are AE selling what is a dinosaur of a speaker in 2026 by re-badging it?
They just want to ride the A2+ and A5+ speaker wave forever by changing only their marketing.
I think AE has changed hands or lost it’s vision, or just can’t do the R&D to “keep up with the Jones’”.
I expected a new amplifier with a tighter Frequency Response curve for the HD5, perhaps it does have a better amp, but I really do not think so, and AE themselves seem to imply that on their own website.

I Emailed Audioengine and challenged them to show just one component or part that upgraded the sound from the old A5+ Wireless and AE did not respond (i.e. like they did not respond to Stereophile magazine when they busted AE marketing lies that the little A2+ doesn’t use a bass boost).

 

[BIDTheGreat]

I should say that the HD5 compressed sound is, IMO, due to the low peak power of 150 Watts compared with 100 Watts RMS power level - I would prefer the speakers were 75W RMS a channel and 150 Watts peak power or more.

I recall Cambridge releasing the CXA-80 (and simliar) amps and these had a massive maximum headroom many multiples higher than the RMS wattage of the amp.