I have recently purchased this system paired with a Denon AVR1508. And all I can say is WOW!
I originally purchased the POLK RM705 package, and kept them all of 2 days, brought those back and got the Klipsch Quintet III paired with the KSW10 subwoofer, on both systems all the satellites' did was nothing but scream at you and the subwoofer distorted at low to medium levels regardless of what I threw at it, music or home theater (KSW10 not quite as bad). Needless to say they went back as well, I know I am picky! I was going to give up on the 5.1 package and go get bookshelf speakers or towers.
However ENERGY has changed my view on the 5.1 kit! ENERGY has also made very nice high end speakers for a while now, which have always been very efficient, crisp and clean, and they have done it again! Music and Home Theater purely sound superb! The satellites' do not scream which helps the subwoofer compliment the overall sound, hence not missing the mid range. This helps in accomplishing the full sound that I believe we all desire.
I do only have one small complaint. I do have to turn the subwoofer down when jamming normal music (stereo 2.1) or there will be slight distortion from the subwoofer, however for the money and the fact the 5.1 systems are pretty much entirely designed for movies... top notch! And a slight turn of the knob once or twice a year when the time calls for really cranking up the volume, not a huge issue!
As far as home theater no subwoofer issues there! The subwoofer produces extremely clean, tight, deep bass, which makes any explosion or thunder shake the couch. The satellites' in any listening configuration are absolutely unbelievable, clean, clear, crisp, enabling you to hear fingers actually sliding over the guitar strings as they are being strummed, incredible!
Do yourself a favor and go listen to these if you are in the market for a 5.1 system and make sure to bring the check book as you will need it, I did!
I hope this helps as this is a fairly new HT system and there are not a whole lot of reviews out there, but the ones that are, seem to agree with mine! Energy 5.1 Take Classic Home Theater System (Set of Six, Black)
Paired with the inexpensive, high-quality Monoprice 16 gauge speaker wires, these speakers provide amazing sound at a price that can't be beat.
I recently installed an entirely new media center consisting of the Samsung LN46B650 LCD TV, an Onkyo TX-SR606 AV Receiver, these speakers (with the Monoprice 16 gauge speaker wires), these inexpensive speaker mounts, HDMI cables that cost less than a dollar each, and a PS3. All I can say is "WOW"!
I am so glad I didn't buy more expensive speakers than these, because these sound awesome. I was a little hesitant at first because I had never heard of the Energy brand, but after reading the reviews here and on CNET, I gave it a shot and I'm so glad that I did!
Crisp sound, powerful bass... I couldn't ask for anything more. The only complaint I have about these speakers is that the positioning, size, and angle of the 5-way speaker wire connections on the back makes it difficult to use regular sized banana plugs. But I didn't even deduct a star for that because the sound was excellent when I just twisted the wire ends and inserted them bare.
Regular TV sounds awesome. Movies sound awesome. PS3 games like Rock Band sound awesome. Music streamed from my PC to my PS3 sounds awesome.
I recommend these speakers to everyone!
Additional specs you may find useful:
- Satellite speakers weigh 2.9 lbs. each, center speaker weighs 3.2 lbs.
- Speakers are all magnetically shielded
- Recommended crossover frequency on receivers is 100Hz-120Hz. Satellite speakers have frequency response of 115Hz-20kHz, and center speaker 110Hz-20kHz
- Speakers rated at 8 ohms, 100 watts
- Speakers have 1/4"-20 TPI threaded inserts AND old school keyholes for mounting
- Tweeters in all speakers are 3/4 inch Hyperbolic aluminum-dome
- Woofers in all speakers are 3 inch poly-titanium
- Crossover points are 2.9kHz, efficiency room rated 89dB
- Subwoofer has separate volume level, low-pass filter 40Hz-150Hz @ 18dB/octive, Phase setting 0 degrees to 180 degrees, and a power mode switch for ON/OFF/Auto-Off
- Subwoofer is 200 watts with an 8" MPP Cone
I recently plunged into the HD market -- bought a Samsung LCD (A550), a Sony Blu-ray player (350 model), an Onkyo TX-SR606, and these speakers. I did tons of research on TVs, BDPs, receivers, and speakers. I found 3 audio/video websites that had reviewed the Energy speakers. Google "Energy 5.1 Take Classic review" and you'll find them.
Aside from what the reviews say, I fell in love with these speakers for their elegantly simple design (they look great with my TV). They are nothing flashy, and since I've owned them (about 6 months now), none of my friends have commented on my "cool-looking speakers." But they HAVE commented on the sound. They sound very fresh, alive, and well-rounded. Movies sound terrific -- the multi-channels blend seamlessly together and create this living, breathing soundfield. And like the professional reviewers say, music sounds especially good. In 5-channel stereo mode, it is bliss for my ears.
I live in an apartment in New York City, so my living room isn't exactly huge. These speakers fill my space wonderfully. I'm not sure how far you could push the volume in a bigger room, but I have yet to push these too far, and I've listened to many movies at a pretty loud volume (my poor neighbors...).
After living with these for half a year, I couldn't be happier. This just might be your best bet at getting amazing 5.1-channel sound without buying large expensive speakers.
I have been a home theater hobbyist/enthusiast since 1989. In that time, I have setup over a dozen systems for myself, friends, and family with budgets ranging from $500 to $20,000. I have seen a lot of speakers come and go over the years. I personally prefer full-range speakers, but have always admired the sound that the Energy Take series has put in a sat/sub package. However, I never felt that the price/performance was right - until they came out with this Take Classic 5.1 package with the subwoofer now bundled in at one low system price.
I currently have these setup in my 10' x 11' home office, serving their duty in a computer media and gaming sound system. They are being driven by an old Yamaha RX-V 995 5.1 receiver and the combo sounds shockingly good given the relatively small investment. It has totally exceeded my expectations. For a smaller room (10'x10' to 12'x15'), I have to say that this Energy Take Classic combo produces the best sound for the money of the many speakers I've installed and used over the years.
Overall build quality is top-notch which was completely unexpected for me given the low price. I can't see where Energy has cut any corners - if they did, they hid it well. The system has, by far, the nicest fit and finish of any speaker I've seen anywhere close to this price range. The system comes carefully boxed in styrofoam cut-outs, with the speakers individually wrapped with foam sheets and then again in thick plastic. The result is a high-gloss black finish that is FLAWLESS.
As far as installation goes, the speaker binding posts are quality, gold-plated, all-metal screw-type. Home Theater mag review says bananas are accepted but mine were too big so YMMV on that. Wall or ceiling-mount options are plentiful with each speaker supporting both key hole and threaded insert style brackets. I used the threaded insert to mount mine and it worked perfectly and securely. The subwoofer has the typical L/R line level RCA inputs, variable volume control and crossover adjustments. There is also a two-way phase toggle (0, 180 degrees) and a three-way power toggle (on, off, auto). Speaker level input (but no high-pass output) is also supported.
Overall the sound is impressive given the small size. As expected with any micro/sub system the mid-bass region of the frequency spectrum is a little thin. However, the midrange performance of the 3.5" titanium mid-driver makes up for a lot of that with velvety clear vocals. Center channel dialog comes through very clearly - a feat that not many speakers in this price range can claim. The satellites do an equally excellent job with music and sound effects. While the 8" sub will not shake your home's foundation, it is more than enough to fill a small room with rich (not boomy) bass. The clarity and smoothness of the 3/4" aluminum tweeter is most impressive and is on par with systems costing 3-4x more in my opinion. The speakers all have the same drivers in the same arrangement which yields a totally seamless sound field (the THX demo DVD really highlights this capability). I was also impressed with how well these speakers perform with all types of music from Jazz to New Age, to Pop, to Rock. These speakers make it all sound fantastic, which is indicative of what they are: an extremely well-designed, highly refined speaker system.
In summary, this is not your Mom's home-theater-in-a-box, folks. This is the real deal! This system is capable of putting out a good deal of high-quality sound in a high-quality package for a very small price. - Surround Sound - Speakers - Speaker Systems - Energy'
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