Audioengine is mostly known for its desktop speakers. The company has announed the new Audioengine HD3 wireless speakers, intended for use both with computers and traditional setups and with smartphones and other connected devices thanks to the Bluetooth connection.
These new speakers follow the trend of companies offering products consumers can connect to their smartphones to enjoy music streamed through Spotify, Deezer, Pandora, Youtube or Tidal. That is why the Audioengine HD3 offer Bluetooth 4.0 with aptX, AAC and SBC codecs. The range is up to 30 m (100 feet) and the latency should be limited to just 30 milliseconds, as per the company’s claims. This pits them against more classical Bluetooth speakers, while retaining a more “traditional” approach and being desktop speakers – no chance to compete against portable speakers in terms of portability.
The Audioengine HD3 fall in line with the firm’s previous offerings in terms of design, with simple and modern lines and more “classical” materials. They are covered in wood (walnut, black or cherry) and the front is covered with an optional grille. They offer a volume knob and pairing button together with 3.5 mm headphone jack output on the front, while the back hosts stereo inputs and outpust, 3.5 mm jack input, wireless antenna and USB input. The Audioengine HD3 can be directly connected to a computer to bypass its integrated sound card and possibly achieve better sound.
The speakers offer a frequency response of 65Hz-22kHz ±2.0dB, 5k Ω unbalanced input impedance and 24-bits, 44.1KHz/48KHz input through USB. The left speaker weighs in at 1.8 kg, while the right one is 1.5 kg. Each speaker is roughly 17.8 x 10.8 x 14 cm.
The Audioengine HD3 are already available on the manufacturer’s site for 399$.
