Custom components
Audioengine designs and manufactures our own speaker drivers and other critical components. In other words, the HD3 is not a box-built system with off-the-shelf parts, but includes custom-designed components constructed to our specifications. What we do not fabricate directly inside our factories we have made to our specific designs. Parts such as circuit boards, transformers, magnets, and wiring harnesses, for example.
Efficient integrated design
The speaker cabinets, drivers, innovative bass port designs, amplifiers, and passive crossovers are all critically tuned together for each Audioengine model. This, in turn, makes for a much more efficient system that requires less power than passive speakers and a separate integrated amplifier or similar A/V components. We build all this goodness into the left speaker cabinet to make it super-easy to connect your smartphone, tablet, computer, TV, network player or any other audio product.
Built-in B1 and D1
We have taken features from two of our best-selling products, the B1 Bluetooth Receiver and the D1 24-bit DAC, and combined some of this circuitry with advanced speaker components to achieve a complete high-end analog and digital audio system.
High-quality Bluetooth audio
The Bluetooth built into the HD3 powered speakers features aptX coding which is an advanced Bluetooth audio codec with very impressive sound. And even if your phone or tablet does not have aptX, the HD3 Bluetooth solution is backwards-compatible with SBC and AAC codecs, so you can wirelessly stream music from any Bluetooth-enabled device and still enjoy all your music. High-fidelity Bluetooth aptX that really works and sounds great. Here is why:
Extended wireless range. Most Bluetooth implementations have very limited range, typically within just one room. But with careful signal management circuitry and antenna tuning, we offer a superior solution that has up to 3 times the range of standard Bluetooth for multi-room use, with no degradation in audio quality.
24-bit DAC The HD3 Bluetooth receiver and USB input both utilize the PCM 5102 DAC, widely known for its low-noise and high-fidelity. The PCM 5102 is used as an upsampling DAC and will pad all bit depths to 24-bits, achieving a higher signal-to-noise ratio and lower noise floor. Due to the high signal-to-noise specs of the PCM 5102, the fact that digital signal is upsampled to 24-bits as well as the added benefit of onboard triple redundancy power source conversion and filtering the HD3 Bluetooth implementation presents impressive low noise and low distortion characteristics with a noticeable improvement over other Bluetooth devices.
HD3 headphone amplifier
The HD3 contains a high-performance headphone amplifier based on the OPA2134 low-noise opamp. This amp is able to provide low-impedance, high-fidelity audio and a 2-volt output which easily drives a wide range of headphones.
Amplifier design
The amplifiers in powered Audioengine speakers are located in the left speaker and are a conservatively-rated class A/B analog monoblock design. This is a more traditional speaker/amplifier configuration which provides excellent quality audio and greater flexibility. All circuit boards for the power and preamp sections are vertically mounted for maximum mechanical shock protection.
Driver designs
Audioengine uses audiophile-quality, ferrofluid-cooled silk dome tweeters with neodymium magnets. Silk tweeters hold up well under high power and the edge-driven design gives very smooth response. The woofers are Kevlar woven glass aramid composite with rubber surrounds. Kevlar is obviously very strong, which means the woofer retains its shape when being driven at high levels.
Furniture-grade finishes
The HD3 cabinets are available in several handsome finishes, including walnut and cherry veneers as well as satin black paint, offering a wide choice for complementing room furnishings. Also included are detachable grills that add further aesthetic advantages as they are firmly held in place with hidden neodymium magnets for a clean look.
Sheilding
Both of HD3 speaker drivers are directly magnetically-shielded.