Short answer: the Audioengine A5+ Classic. It ranks #36 of 100 powered bookshelf speakers by sound quality, rated 4.0/5, at $399; the Focal Alpha 50 EVO ranks #51, rated 3.8/5, and costs $658, which makes this an easy call rather than a real tradeoff.
Why pick the Focal Alpha 50 EVO: Rear shelving controls and a conventional studio-monitor layout provide practical placement adjustment. It has an adjustable EQ, which the Audioengine A5+ Classic lacks. The catch: Basic shelving controls are less flexible than parametric room correction.
The Audioengine A5+ Classic is the more accurate option. ASR’s A5+ Powered measurements give 4.59 standalone and 7.06 with an ideal subwoofer, with a 2.7dB midrange span. Its measured preference score, a predictor of how neutral it sounds, is 4.59 against 1.04 for the Focal Alpha 50 EVO. It keeps a wired aux input, which the Focal Alpha 50 EVO lacks. The catch: The measured -3dB point is around 69Hz, and the upper-bass recession can reduce body in voices and instruments.
Buy the Audioengine A5+ Classic. It is rated higher for sound quality than the Focal Alpha 50 EVO and costs less, so it is the default pick unless a specific strength of the other one matters more to you.
Still deciding? The full Powered Home rankings cover every ranked option.
Specifications Side By Side
| Focal Alpha 50 EVO | Audioengine A5+ Classic | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $658 per pair | $399.00 per pair |
| Ranked | #51 of 100 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers | #36 of 100 in Medium Size Powered Bookshelf Speakers |
| Dimensions | 12.2”H x 9”W x 9.4”D (309.9 x 228.6 x 238.8 mm) | 10.9”H x 7.2”W x 9.7”D (276.2 x 182.6 x 247.6 mm) |
| Frequency Response | 45 Hz - 22 kHz (+-3 dB) (Manufacturer specified) | 50Hz - 22kHz (+/-1.5dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| Inputs | XLR, TRS, RCA | RCA, Aux |
| Weight | 13.2 lbs (6.0 kg) each | 15.4 lbs (7 kg) (left/powered), 9.7 lbs (4.4 kg) (right) |
| Drivers | 5” (127mm) woofer | 5” Kevlar woofer, 0.75” silk dome tweeter |
| App | No | No |
| Bluetooth | No | No |
| EQ | Yes (Room adjustment) | No |
| Amplifier Power | 60w Per Speaker | 50W RMS / 75W peak |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 1.04 | 4.59 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 5.70 | 7.06 |
| XLR Input | Yes | No |
| RCA Input | Yes | Yes |
| TRS Input | Yes | No |
| Optical Input | No | No |
| Coaxial Input | No | No |
| USB Input | No | No |
| HDMI Input | No | No |
| AES Input | No | No |
| Aux Input | No | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | - | 68Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | - | 50Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| DSP | - | No |
| Subwoofer Output | - | Yes |
| Outputs | - | RCA variable output (subwoofer) |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Audioengine A5+ Classic compares with other leading options:
- Audioengine A5+ Classic vs Genelec 8331A
- Audioengine A5+ Classic vs Neumann KH120 MKII
- Audioengine A5+ Classic vs Genelec 8030C
- Neumann KH80 DSP vs Audioengine A5+ Classic
- Audioengine A5+ Classic vs Dynaudio LYD 5
Prices on this page were last checked October 7, 2026 at 9:25 PM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
The Two Speakers In Full
Focal Alpha 50 EVO: $658 per pair Amazon eBay
Same family: the Focal Alpha 65 EVO (larger bookshelf, rated 4/5), the Focal Alpha 80 Evo (larger bookshelf, estimated 4/5) and the Focal Alpha Twin Evo (larger bookshelf, rated 3.8/5).
Pros: Rear shelving controls and a conventional studio-monitor layout provide practical placement adjustment.
Cons: Basic shelving controls are less flexible than parametric room correction. Careful placement is still important, especially near walls or on a desk.
Full Focal Alpha 50 EVO review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 60w Per Speaker |
| App | No |
| Aux Input | No |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| Dimensions | 12.2”H x 9”W x 9.4”D (309.9 x 228.6 x 238.8 mm) |
| Drivers | 5” (127mm) woofer |
| EQ | Yes (Room adjustment) |
| Frequency Response | 45 Hz - 22 kHz (+-3 dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| Inputs | XLR, TRS, RCA |
| Optical Input | No |
| RCA Input | Yes |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 1.04 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 5.70 |
| TRS Input | Yes |
| USB Input | No |
| Weight | 13.2 lbs (6.0 kg) each |
| XLR Input | Yes |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Independent Measurements (spinorama.org)
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review Focal Alpha 50 EVO vs Adam Audio T5V sound.DEMO More from DSAUDIOreview →
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review APS Klasik 2020 vs Focal Alpha 50 EVO sound.DEMO
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review Focal Alpha 50 EVO vs Focal Alpha 65 EVO sound.DEMO
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review Focal Alpha 50 EVO vs KRK Rokit 5 G4 RP5G4 sound.DEMO
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review Focal Alpha 50 EVO vs JBL 305P MKII sound.DEMO
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review Adam Audio A5X vs Focal Alpha 50 EVO sound.DEMO
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review Focal Alpha 50 EVO vs Eve Audio SC205 sound.DEMO
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review Kali Audio LP-6 V2 (2nd Wave) vs Focal Alpha 50 EVO sound.DEMO
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review Focal Alpha 50 EVO vs KRK Classic 5 CL5G3 sound.DEMO
- DSAUDIO.review: DSAUDIO.review Focal Alpha 50 EVO vs Yamaha HS5 sound.DEMO
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Focal Alpha 50 EVO vs Dayton Audio M4
- Focal Alpha 50 EVO vs Neumi BS5P
- Focal Alpha 50 EVO vs Neumi BS5P-ARC
- Focal Alpha 50 EVO vs Onkyo GX-30ARC
- Focal Alpha 50 EVO vs Kanto YU
- Focal Alpha 50 EVO vs KRK Rokit 5 G4
- Focal Alpha 50 EVO vs Vanatoo Transparent Zero Plus
- Focal Alpha 50 EVO vs Kali LP-UNF
- See all 63 comparisons
Audioengine A5+ Classic: $399.00 per pair Amazon B&H Photo Video eBay
Same family: the Audioengine A2+ (smaller bookshelf, rated 3.4/5).
Pros: ASR’s A5+ Powered measurements give 4.59 standalone and 7.06 with an ideal subwoofer, with a 2.7dB midrange span. The analog powered pair is straightforward to use without an external amplifier. The measured result supports a more capable tonal balance than its former low position suggested. Measured bass extension of 68Hz (-3dB).
Cons: The measured -3dB point is around 69Hz, and the upper-bass recession can reduce body in voices and instruments. The existing review reports crossover-region directivity errors and a distortion feature around 800-900Hz. The score does not make it a reference monitor, and adding a subwoofer cannot correct those midrange and off-axis issues.
Full Audioengine A5+ Classic review and specifications →
| AES Input | No |
|---|---|
| Amplifier Power | 50W RMS / 75W peak |
| App | No |
| Aux Input | Yes |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 50Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 68Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bluetooth | No |
| Coaxial Input | No |
| DSP | No |
| Dimensions | 10.9”H x 7.2”W x 9.7”D (276.2 x 182.6 x 247.6 mm) |
| Drivers | 5” Kevlar woofer, 0.75” silk dome tweeter |
| EQ | No |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz - 22kHz (+/-1.5dB) (Manufacturer specified) |
| HDMI Input | No |
| Inputs | RCA, Aux |
| Optical Input | No |
| Outputs | RCA variable output (subwoofer) |
| RCA Input | Yes |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 4.59 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.06 |
| Subwoofer Output | Yes |
| TRS Input | No |
| USB Input | No |
| Weight | 15.4 lbs (7 kg) (left/powered), 9.7 lbs (4.4 kg) (right) |
| XLR Input | No |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Audioengine A5+ Classic vs KEF LSX II LT
- Audioengine A5+ Classic vs Adam Audio T5V
- Audioengine A5+ Classic vs Airpulse A100
- Audioengine A5+ Classic vs Pioneer DJ VM-50
- Audioengine A5+ Classic vs Kanto YU6
- Audioengine A5+ Classic vs Mackie MR524
- Audioengine A5+ Classic vs M-Audio BX5 D3
- Audioengine A5+ Classic vs IK Multimedia iLoud MTM
- See all 58 comparisons