The catch
Kanto REN
REN's line input still needs a phono stage in front of it when the turntable has no preamp.
Side by side
Kanto REN vs Audioengine A5+ Wireless: REN keeps work and TV sources apart, and A5 leaves analog inputs open
Quick verdict
REN is right when a desk turns into the shared TV system after work. USB audio and HDMI ARC give it separate computer and TV connections, and A5+ Wireless has neither. A5+ Wireless suits an existing analog setup in which always-open RCA and 3.5 mm inputs are useful and Bluetooth covers occasional phone music. On the A5+, mute an analog source you don't want rather than expecting selective input isolation. Neither model has a phono stage.
Before you buy
Why, and what it costs you
Keeping the work computer connected can have two different consequences
With A5+ Wireless, a computer on one analog input and music on the other means you hear both. That works when you want mixed audio on purpose, but a work notification can cut into someone else's evening. REN selects among its sources, including separate USB and HDMI inputs, which suits a room whose role changes through the day. Should you go with A5+, make muting the computer or rerouting its alerts a step in the handoff. Do not count on the speakers to isolate them.
Where this comes from
Verified simultaneous analog input behavior, compared with distinct sources you select between. Nothing is claimed about Bluetooth mixing or about notification privacy beyond what is audible.
The catch
Audioengine A5+ Wireless
Because the analog inputs are always open, computer alerts can sound over the other source.
Kanto REN
- Why pick it
- A USB computer and a supported HDMI television should both stay connected, with ordinary source selection.
- When you add a subwoofer later, the documented filtering should apply to both the speakers and the sub output.
- The catch
- REN's line input still needs a phono stage in front of it when the turntable has no preamp.
Audioengine A5+ Wireless
- Why pick it
- You want two compatible analog sources active together, and you mean to mix them.
- Analog and Bluetooth handle the setup with no USB or HDMI adapters.
- The catch
- Because the analog inputs are always open, computer alerts can sound over the other source.
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What this page compares
REN against A5+ Wireless in a room used for work and for TV in the evening. The points compared are source isolation, computer adapters and what happens when you add a subwoofer.
Both powered pairs are candidates for a medium-sized desk or a living-room setup. How they handle inputs sets them apart in practice more than the generic Bluetooth-speaker description would lead you to expect.
Which one fits
Pick the situations that sound like you
A USB work laptop and an HDMI TV are in the same room
REN gives each its own direct, dedicated connection.
- Kanto REN
- Better fit
- Audioengine A5+ Wireless
- Caution
You want two analog sources to stay audible together on purpose
A5+ has documented always-open analog inputs.
- Kanto REN
- Good
- Audioengine A5+ Wireless
- Better fit
Optical TV audio is needed with no extra converter
An optical input is on REN but not on A5+.
- Kanto REN
- Better fit
- Audioengine A5+ Wireless
- Caution
A raw MM turntable signal has to be amplified
A phono stage is built into neither.
- Kanto REN
- Caution
- Audioengine A5+ Wireless
- Caution
In practice
Differences you will notice
Keeping the work computer connected can have two different consequences
With A5+ Wireless, a computer on one analog input and music on the other means you hear both. That works when you want mixed audio on purpose, but a work notification can cut into someone else's evening. REN selects among its sources, including separate USB and HDMI inputs, which suits a room whose role changes through the day. Should you go with A5+, make muting the computer or rerouting its alerts a step in the handoff. Do not count on the speakers to isolate them.
How we worked this out
Verified simultaneous analog input behavior, compared with distinct sources you select between. Nothing is claimed about Bluetooth mixing or about notification privacy beyond what is audible.
Two digital sources can make one connection plan that looks cheaper end up needing two adapters
A5+ Wireless offers no direct wired audio route for either a USB-only computer or an optical-output television. Both need a suitable conversion or some other path. REN takes computer USB and optical TV audio directly, and it can use HDMI ARC where that is supported. The upshot is fewer separate source boxes in a room shared by work and television. That says nothing about measured sound improvement or a fixed amount of money saved.
How we worked this out
Two constraints that are explicitly digital sources, compared against the complete input sets. Alternative outputs and converter compatibility are not assumed.
A subwoofer does not mean the main speakers drop out of deep bass duty
Per its documentation, REN applies automatic 80 Hz high-pass and low-pass filtering once a subwoofer is connected. A5+ has a variable RCA output, and that is not proof of the same filtering for the main speakers. On a desk planned around compact placement plus a separate bass unit, REN has the clearer built-in split of duties. You still have to place and adjust the subwoofer, and neither setup promises less disturbance in the next apartment.
How we worked this out
Documented crossover behavior, set beside a variable line output. Nothing is inferred about unverified A5+ high-pass behavior or acoustic performance.
Option A
Kanto, REN
REN
A USB computer and a supported HDMI television should both stay connected, with ordinary source selection.
- Best for
- A USB computer and a supported HDMI television should both stay connected, with ordinary source selection.
Facts we checked
- Computer: USB-C audio
- TV: HDMI ARC with CEC and optical
- Analog behavior: Selectable RCA and auxiliary source inputs
- Subwoofer: Automatic 80 Hz high-pass and low-pass
Option B
Audioengine, A5+ Wireless
A5+ Wireless
You want two compatible analog sources active together, and you mean to mix them.
- Best for
- You want two compatible analog sources active together, and you mean to mix them.
Facts we checked
- Computer: Analog or Bluetooth, no USB audio
- TV: No HDMI or optical
- Analog behavior: RCA and 3.5 mm inputs open together
- Subwoofer: Variable RCA line output
Spec by spec
Where they really differ
| Spec | Kanto REN | Audioengine A5+ Wireless | In practice |
|---|---|---|---|
| Computer | USB-C audio | Analog or Bluetooth, no USB audio | With A5+, a USB-only laptop needs a different audio route. |
| TV | HDMI ARC with CEC and optical | No HDMI or optical | A TV with digital output does not need a converter on REN. |
| Analog behavior | Selectable RCA and auxiliary source inputs | RCA and 3.5 mm inputs open together | Decide whether to keep sources isolated or to hear both on purpose. |
| Subwoofer | Automatic 80 Hz high-pass and low-pass | Variable RCA line output | A socket for output tells you nothing by itself about filtering on the main speakers. |
| Records | Line-level input, no phono stage | Line-level input, no phono stage | If the turntable has no preamp, either pair needs one. |
Trade-offs
What each pick costs you
With Kanto REN
- Whether CEC works depends on the TV. Look for the USB audio port, and skip the separate charging socket.
With Audioengine A5+ Wireless
- Having a variable RCA output does not prove the main speakers get an automatic 80 Hz high-pass.
Change of plan
When the answer changes
The room has to switch cleanly between TV and computer
Go with Kanto REN. Direct digital source paths you can select between are on REN.
Analog inputs that stay open at all times are a deliberate requirement
Go with Audioengine A5+ Wireless. That behavior is explicitly supported on A5+.
Decision guide
Before you buy
The computer stays plugged in, yet its work sounds shouldn't cut into the evening music or TV in the room.
What this page can’t tell you
- There is no ranking for sound quality, latency, hearing or neighbor disturbance. What is verified is the difference in input routing and filtering.
By the numbers
What the data shows
What we found across the powered speakers we compare, plus the checked facts behind each finding.
Show the facts and the math
| Product | Needs it meets | Facts we checked | Sources |
|---|---|---|---|
| Kanto REN |
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| Audioengine A5+ Wireless |
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Ready to buy
See today’s price and what owners say
Open either model on Amazon for the current price, customer reviews and delivery options.
Kanto REN
A USB computer and a supported HDMI television should both stay connected, with ordinary source selection.
When you add a subwoofer later, the documented filtering should apply to both the speakers and the sub output.
See price & reviews on AmazonAudioengine A5+ Wireless
You want two compatible analog sources active together, and you mean to mix them.
Analog and Bluetooth handle the setup with no USB or HDMI adapters.
See price & reviews on AmazonEach link opens in a new tab.
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