Digital Home Thoughts: A Simple Addition for AudioEngine A2 Speakers: The DS1

It's no secret that I'm a big fan of AudioEngine speakers. My first exposure to their products was the A5 speakers - and I loved them. Fantastic sound, great value. Then I reviewed their A2 speakers, and was equally impressed with the impressive sound the tiny wonders could kick out. When I built my digital wall, I went with an AudioEngine A8 sub-woofer, and it's killer - literally, it put holes in my hardwood floor. But also sounded great, so I kept it. Earlier this year I went out and bought two pairs of A2 speakers because I didn't want any of my main office computers to suffer from an audio inferiority complex. So it's safe to say that I'm biased in favour of AudioEngine products, because I spend my own money on them. There's no better reviewers endorsement than that, right?

Because I have multiple sets of A2 speakers and listen to music in front of them for many hours a day, any product that enhances that experience has my attention. The AudioEngine DS1 ($29.99 USD MSRP) stands (pictured above) are a pair of silicone rubber speaker stands designed for the A2 speakers. Because the A2 speakers are so small, the sonic sweet spot can be hard to hit depending on how close you are to your computer. If the speakers a couple of feet away from you, they'll sound great - but if you have them right next to a laptop that you hunch over, the sweet spot is going to be generated at your chest-level rather than at your ears. The DS1s raise the A2's upward at a 15 degree angle, changing the angle enough to move that sweet spot.

So the question is, does this product work? Yes, it does. The difference isn't shocking, but it's there. It's hard to describe how the sound changes - it just sounds a bit more like it should sound. Vague, right? Well, here's another reason to like the DS1 stands: they get your A2s off your desk or table and give them some protection from bumps and scratches. I plan on using the A2s I purchased for many years, and want to keep them looking as good as possible. The DS1 stands will help me do that, and they also make the A2s look even better on my desk. And hey, what more could you ask for?

Jason Dunn owns and operates Thoughts Media Inc., a company dedicated to creating the best in online communities. He enjoys photography, mobile devices, blogging, digital media content creation/editing, and pretty much all technology. He lives in Calgary, Alberta, Canada with his lovely wife, and his sometimes obedient dog. He's happy he finally surpassed 10,000 plays in the Zune Social.

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