Audioengine N22 100W Mini Desktop Home Stereo Power Amplifier Amp with Bluetooth AptX

Before I begin, do note that this review is on the earlier version of the N22. Audio Engine has recently released (finally) their Gen 2 version which "ups" the power output and adds blue tooth - plus some miscellaneous cosmetic improvements. As a matter of background information, I held off purchasing the N22 for a long time - for a number of reasons. The main reason being is that at the time of this initial writing, I already had a total of 8 other amplifiers (two Class AB and 6 Class D models). All of these are being used on a desktop, near-field arrangement. From time to time, for some odd reason, I kept coming across the N22 - whether on Amazon or on other sites. After all, the N22 has been around for well over 10-12 years now. My attraction to the N22 was its desktop design (small size plus it stands vertically). Since it is a Class AB amp, this design typically sounds warmer and fuller than many of the Chinese made class D models that you see permeating a variety of sites - unless you do some op-amp upgrades. So I finally decided to purchase the N22 and when it arrived, I was impressed right off the bat to see the packaging - a real work of art. Everything looks to be made of metal (I don't know where the wood is that reviewers keep talking about, unless the wood is the actual enclosure - who knows). All the accessories are an added bonus, but I made sure to use only upgraded World's Best (WBC) RCA cables, along with Blue Jeans 10-gauge audiophile level speaker cables and banana connectors. These were then connected to the KEF Q150 and Wharfedale D320 bookshelf speakers (switching between them to test the audio). For the purposes of this review, I also fed the N22 with a variety of DAC and Head Amp units - both Tube and transistor units from Schiit Audio, FX-Audio, Nobsound, xDuoo, iFi, Topping, and JDS Labs. What caught my ear right away was that upon immediately turning on the N22, it had a full and warmish sound signature. Usually, with many amps on the market, you'd have to leave them on for 12 - 48 hours (depending on model) before the sound begins to become warmer. Not so with the N22 - it was immediate. Of course, it is a class AB model so that explains some of those results. I should add that the N22 appears a bit warmer than the two class AB amplifiers that I currently own - now go figure? As an aside, this would be an excellent amp to pair with components that have a bright sound signature. Now let's talk sound qualities and overally impressions: 1. Overall sound signature/tonality: Overly warm, especially in the bass regions. Actually sounds warmer than several of the tube amps I have - now go figure? For some, this warm tonality may be too warm and I would tend to agree. However, this is an amp that you can listen to for a long, long time without getting listening fatigue. 2. Sound-Staging, Air, and Ambiance: All I can say is "exemplary" at this price-point. The sound is wide open and there is air and separation around the instruments that I previously didn't notice with some of my other amps (mostly the class D models). Instrumental placement was spot-on with sound-staging that extended beyond the left, right, and on top of the speakers I was using (both KEF and Wharfedale). With this amp, you seemingly can look right through to the performance at hand. I tend to listen to classical music and jazz only. It's as if an audio veil has been lifted and one more obstacle was removed between you and the performance at hand - uncanny really for a $200 small unit like this. Now do be aware, that the quality of the ancillary components and other accessories being used will contribute to the audio experience of the N22. Use cheap entry level cables, or less than stellar ancillary components and your sound may suffer a bit. Likewise, increase the quality of everything else in the music chain, and it winds up having a synergistic effect on the audio qualities (read "improvement" here) on the N22. 3. Bass: Here again, the performance of bass instruments is unique in that there is separation among bass instruments, and that proverbial air around the bass instruments is exemplary for such an inexpensive and small amplifier. On the bottom end, there is plenty of wallop when needed. Bass is well-defined, a bit warm, and dynamic when called upon. So you won't be lacking in the bass department. However, again - I must stress that this amp leans unusually to the warm side of things, especially in the bass department. This warmth doesn't mean the bass is mushy - rather, it is tight where it needs to be, but the overall tonality will be even warmer than what you might get with various tube amps. 4. Mids and highs: As I mentioned, I tend to listen to classical (mainly large orchestral stuff), along with jazz (prefer big band jazz). The highs among many of the classical music instruments were reproduced with a delicious silky quality, along with warm textures. Strings were silky smooth and warm - not edgy or grainy. It's not coloration, but again - it's like a veil had been lifted - truly musical. Brass instruments had that requisite bite, yet weren't harsh nor grating. Just listen to the brass chorale in Mahler's Symphony #2, and you'll be awe-struck to be sure, or Copland's Fanfare for the Common Man. Now do be aware that in some recordings/performances, instruments such as cymbals, may come off a bit rolled off in the upper registers (that shimmering sparkle lacking) due to the warmth that this amp projects. 5. Dynamic Range capabilities: What I found exemplary with the N22 is that not only does it have a full, warm bodied sound signature, but it is also very dynamic. Dynamic range comes through superbly and things don't feel compressed (unless the music you are listening to has been compressed in the recording). Dynamics can be quite satisfying, and the musical clarity holds up, especially during full crescendos of an orchestra. Now do use some common sense here. Unless you are listening to speakers that have above a 90 db efficiency rating (like most of the Klipsch speakers), the N22 is not the amp to use in a large room with huge floor-standing speakers - let's be realistic here. But it is a superb amplifier for smaller settings such as desktop environments, bedrooms, etc. So how can this be? I'm an audiophile - have been one for over 55 years - but my audiophile endeavors are now confined to a desktop arrangement. Everything I listened to with the N22 was confined to a desktop scenario with higher end cables, great gear and excellent speaker cables. I came away gob-smacked, marveling at the sound qualities of the N22 - and for a $200 compact amp that has been around for a long while? You get many qualities of great tube amps with the N22 - keep that in mind. Well, how about some negatives you may ask? Well, there is one - and it's minor - however, it can become annoying. And that involves the volume knob. There are virtually no volume level indicators either on the knob, or around the knob on the amp body, and this can get frustrating as you try to determine where to set your volume. The body of the amp is all black, and the volume knob is silver/gray. The instruction manual suggests keeping the volume knob at around 3 o'clock position and then just control your volume with your input device. Well, "no-sh_t" Sherlock - how can you determine what the 3 PM indicator is without any markings whatsoever? You can't! So if there is one recommendation that I'd like to make, it would be to add a notch on the volume knob - either a red or black mark, so you know where you're at volume-wise. The knob scenario can easily be remedied as both Amazon and eBay have tons of different style audio volume knobs for sale - and all different colors. I purchased several packs of 2 (silver, red, and black) that had the indicator lines on them from Amazon. I just changed out the volume knob on my N22, now all is fine. Also, that grainy feel that some talked about in their personal reviews when turning the volume knob, is NOT present with my N22 - it was all smooth turning. If you do have a grainy feel with the N22 you are using, just gently pull out on the knob slightly to get the end (facing the amp) away slightly from rubbing metal on metal. So color me impressed. Now I realize that all reviews are subjective, and no two folks will hear things the same way. Keep in mind that depending on all the other equipment you are using, along with the quality of your interconnect cables, your mileage may vary. My evaluation/review was done as a result of having the N22 on a desktop environment. I just enjoyed sitting there with my eyes closed, imagining I was at a live performance and that is perhaps, the finest compliment one can advance with regard to audio components. EDIT #1 - 31 March 2023. Alright, it's been quite some time now and I felt I had to chime in after having used this amp for almost a year, along with comparing it with a wide variety of other class AB and Class D amplifiers. The one variable that stuck out from the moment I purchased the N22 was it's rendering of an overall warmth in the sound signature. Of course, initially this becomes very pleasant - after all, you won't experience high frequency distortion/shrills (unless it's present in the recording), and it reminds me more of a tube amplifier. I'm still listening to the N22 through my KEF Q150's and Wharfedale D320 bookshelf speakers, and to my ears - on a desktop, near-field arrangement and adding the Schiit components, the sound signature is just right - very pleasing, a bit of warmth, plenty of definition, and powerful transients. In the end - as of this first edit - I've now tried 22 different compact amplifiers - both class D and class AB, and all I can say is that the N22 shines compared to many of them. Granted, you are not going to use this lower powered amplifier with huge speakers in a large room (which would be unrealistic). But as a smaller room amplifier, or one to be used on a desk-top near-field scenario, this delightful audio component punches, far, far above its weight. Need I say more! FINAL EDIT/ADDITION - 11 August 2023 Alright - those of you who've taken the time to read my review/comments about this remarkable N22 are probably sick of seeing additions to my earlier remarks. But sorry - I just can't help it with this amplifier. After 2-3 years of trying out and carefully listening to countless Chi-Fi (and US) branded Class D amps (some of which, admittedly, sound good to halfway good), every time I come back to the N22, I'm just stunned at how superior this Audio Engine design really is. The sound differences between this inexpensively priced and gorgeously designed N22 from the myriad of class D designs on the market, cannot be more pronounced. Coming back to the N22 is like a breath of fresh air - the warmth, the relaxing (and dynamic when called upon) qualities, just make you sigh with relief. I recently completed reviews on two highly anticipated US branded class D amps - the Rogersound Labs (RSL) ia255.1 (price: $110), and the Dayton Audio DTA-100ST (price: $139) - both designed in the US, but produced in China. They sound halfway decent, offering improved depth and sound-staging capabilities, however, both still exhibited that bright and thin sound that budget priced class D amps tend to exhibit. Returning to the Audio Engine N22 caused me to breathe a sigh of relief. There's no other way to explain this. Folks - if you haven't made up your minds yet, getting the N22 is a no-brainer, unless of course, you want to fill a large room with floor standing speakers, and want to blast them. For everything else, this N22 should do just fine! EDIT/ADDITION - 9 December 2023: Please note that the new N22 (version 2) is a class D amplifier, which changes the overall sound tonality when compared to the earlier warmer Class AB version (which is a shame). Why Audio Engine didn't keep the class AB design is beyond me. A friend of mine purchased the new version, and when I listened to it, I was struck by the cooler/thinner sound tonality of this new version - bummer.

First off, I'll echo the comments of other reviewers by confirming that the plastic base is not great, and mine does have a SLIGHT wobble to it, but it's really no big deal. Maybe I'll remove mine, since it's just screwed in, and add some feet. Because of the way the unit uses passive convection to cool itself, it needs to be up off of surfaces though, so simply removing the base and calling it 'good' is not an option. I also noticed (as did another reviewer) that if I turn the volume down to an extremely low level (like I am trying to quietly listen to something while my wife is asleep) then I only hear sound out of the left channel. This is kind of annoying, but honestly under those conditions you'd be better off using headphones, anyway. At anything approaching "normal" listening levels, the balance is balanced. In my case, the volume knob feels great; not gritty or hard to turn at all. Buttery smooth. The amp is also dead quiet. I turned the volume up all the way and I do not hear one bit of noise. I am using this amp to drive an older pair of Pinnacle AC 500 bookshelf speakers, which are serviceable but unspectacular surround speakers that I use on my desktop. The sound is pretty flat, emphasizing neither the highs or lows, which is what I wanted; just fairly accurate sound reproduction as at least part of what I use this setup for is video editing. It also sounds great when listening to music. I found the music smooth and easy to listen to. I'll have to keep putting it through its paces with different genres of music, but so far I am quite happy with it. I will also say that outside of the SLIGHTLY wobbly base, I am very happy with the build quality. The unit feels solid, and does not give off any air of cheapness. Feels nice, looks nice on the desk, and sounds nice, so I am happy with my purchase. I just took off one star to reflect the issue with the volume, because really that shouldn't happen with any piece of audio equipment, no matter how inconsequential the issue is.

Amplificatore audio di classe D di discreta potenza e dimensioni mini da scrivania. In questa fascia di mercato, si colloca una spanna sopra a tutti gli altri che potremmo definire "scatolotti" (per lo più di veloce fabbricazione cinese). Audioengine è una marca del Texas comunque con una discreta fama nel campo della alta (buona) fedeltà audio, nota soprattutto per i suoi modelli di casse attive come A2, A5, HD6 e simili. Il suono c'è e non manca, manca forse qualcos'altro... Spedizione: non il massimo, in quanto la data di consegna non è stata rispettata, e poi il corriere non ha seguito le istruzioni di consegna. Comunque nulla di troppo grave. Packaging: tutto l'imballaggio è molto curato (sempre in relazione a dimensione/prezzo), con due scatole Audioengine oltre a quella Amazon. Poi ci sono ben tre sacchetti di stoffa che contengono rispettivamente il cavo di alimentazione, i cavi di collegamento, l'amplificatore. Estetica: molto curata, si ha ha che fare con un prodotto carino, comunque piacevole da tenere sulla scrivania. Si vede la cura dei dettagli. Tutti "mini" ma comunque tutto agevole (come gli spinotti di collegamento delle casse ad esempio). La porta USB anche è mini di tipo C. L'estetica non è male quindi, curata, sobria, non eccezionale, ma pulita e bella. Mancano comunque delle griglie di aereazione il che fa pensare a se dovesse scaldarsi troppo, anche se sembra rimanerne abbastanza fresco (ma non l'ho ascoltato per ore). Questo non mi ha troppo convinto. Suono: la potenza di suono c'è, per essere un mini ampli di classe D, e da subito risulta un suono molto caldo e sicuramente avvolgente. Si percepisce subito una "qualità", e un colore per lo più caldo che di primo acchito non sono niente male e danno un bel senso di avvolgimento. Andando avanti con l'ascolto, però ne risultano forse dei bassi troppo pronunciati e in certi casi, addirittura troppo impastati e pastosi, quasi a coprire un po' tutto il resto. Ecco questo è il principale motivo che non mi è piaciuto. Tanto più che purtroppo manca la possibilità di regolare i toni o di equalizzare un minimo il suono. Andrebbe fatto con applicazioni a parte in base alla sorgente, ma l'idea di un mini amplificatore è propria quella di ridurre al minimo ogni ingombro, non solo fisico, ma anche digitale e un applicazione di equalizzazione equivale ad avere uno stadio in più di passaggio di suono, che in base al tipo di equalizzatore influirà poi sul suono stesso magari anche in maniera importante. Quello che poi manca del tutto, oltre a una equalizzazione o regolazione di toni, è il telecomando. Cosa che in questa fascia di mercato hanno anche i modelli molto più economici. Peccato perché sarebbe molto utile per regolare il volume. Ingressi: per cambiare le entrante è tutto invece "automatico". Di base le possibilità di ingressi sono solo 3 (poche in relazione a modelli simili o anche più economici): USB (Pc o simili), RCA, Aux (al solito non particolarmente utili essendoci l'RCA) . Ci sono poi una uscita dedicata per le cuffie una uscita RCA doppia (sicuramente meglio del singolo Sub out). Mancano le entrate Ottiche, ARC e collegamento Phono. La qualità del DAC: ero convinto arrivasse almeno a 24bit 192kHz, ma dal computer mi dava qualità massima da CD 16 bit 48kHZ... un po' sottotono soprattutto per chi vuole ascoltare musica non compressa o liquida in HD. Non mi ha poi fatto impazzire appunto il tipo di colore con cui tutto è improntato. Insomma: non è male, sicuramente una spanna sopra molti altri, ma non così tanto da giustificare appieno il prezzo molto più elevato e soprattutto non è detto che il suono possa convincere. Buono per una soluzione da scrivania non Hifi / audiofili, ma pratico di buona qualità per chiunque voglia un livello in più senza spendere una fortuna e comunque avere un discreto risultato audio, decente per le proprie orecchie.

This amp, with my Cambridge Audio Minx Min 22's & subwoofer, is the competent answer to all my monitoring needs. Photo shows couch-side setup for Mac desktop, music enjoyment, TV, movies & recording monitors. Very nice warm, clean, clear audio which avoids the harsh, fatiguing sound of many class D amps used by many. This one is a no brainer! Highly recommended.

Audioengine N22 (ampli) + Audioengine P4 (enceintes) + Audioengine D1 (DAC) L'ensemble fournit un son d'une très grande qualité musicale. Y compris dans les basses. Sans doute les A5+ sont-elles plus intéressantes pour le Home Cinema. Mais pour la musique, les P4 sont mieux ! Il y'a moins de basses, le son est plus clair. Je suis TRÈS satisfait. Enceintes : super Ampli : super. On peut même faire jouer source 1 et source 2 en même temps (pas besoin d'appuyer sur un bouton pour passer de l'une à l'autre) DAC : plus l'ordinateur est pourri, plus ça change tout ! Avec ça le son est bon, très bon, incontestablement meilleur que quasi partout où vous irez. Pour le DAC, si vous utilisez linux il vous faudra un "sound server" tel que "pulseaudio" (il est installé par défaut sur la plupart des distributions). En effet, la carte son du DAC n'accepte qu'une seule source à la fois (=pas possible d'émettre du son simultanément dans deux logiciels différents).

Great product

As a desktop amp this is a fantastic item. The sound quality is excellent and the build quality of the device is very nice indeed. I would have liked to have the option of maybe mounting it sideways but the stand is a built in item so that isn't an option but Im very happy with the look and the ease of use.