Audioengine managed to make a great little speaker set in the A2+ Wireless. The new wireless features just sweeten an already brilliant package in the A2 and—since then—A2+ models. What we really like is the combination of size and performance. It easily bests any single wireless or smart speaker on sound quality. As a system, it is of course larger and not as portable, like a UE MEGABLAST, but it is still so small you rarely feel the loss of desk space when using them with your PC. It is as a dedicated PC system that we find it most impressive. For near field listening in a room with somewhat decent acoustics, these small speakers will bring you great bang for the buck. That said, do not expect them to be bass monsters. Audioengine clearly had a go at getting them to sound big without too many annoying compromises.

Considering the price of the set at around $269, they are of extraordinarily good value. They provide great sound quality for the buck without being perfect. Fortunately, you can get far with a few tweaks. The $29 DS1 stands are a must-have if you plan on using these speakers on a flat desk. If you are lucky enough to have shelves or racks around your desk, the stands are less essential. We found the treble and upper midrange quite a bit better once the speakers were perfectly aligned and here, the DS1s really come into play. You could of course build something, but for those not interested in DIYing stands, the $29 are a pretty good deal, and they look decent as well.