The Official Energy Speakers Thread

[9883]

Originally Posted by callas01

There is nothing foolish about using the CB-10s as surrounds. I used the C-100s as surrounds and loved them.... they were the one speaker I didn't want to sell. The bigger driver will have more output and move more air, you will get a greater sense of impact from those being surrounds then the CB5s.

I have a C-50 as a back surround and it does a good job, but it never did as much as the C-100s.

Isn't all the impact coming from the sub and fronts. Boy, things are coming apart for me here. Now the only thing I'm sure of is the center channel.

[callas01]

Originally Posted by 9883

But if I don't have an amp that can power the Cf-50's to their full potential and the sub is taking care of the low end than what's the point. When people say that speakers sound fuller I don't think that can be quantified and is highly subjective and especially misleading when comparing speakers of different brands. When people rate the next model up as being better how much of that is influenced by the expectation of the speaker to be better because of the price and rank. I'm just looking strictly at the specs and I fail to see a big difference like I would when comparing the CF-30 to the Cf-70 or the CF-50 to the CF-70. I hope this does not sound too convoluted.

remember that driver size and the number of drivers will increase output as the more drivers and larger they are will move more air. That air movement is the output that we hear, feel and sense. That gives you the sense that they create a larger feel to the soundstage. Lower end bass, something that the CF50 has over the CF30s which typically gives you the sense that they create a larger sound field.

perhaps the best thing for you to do is to go to a Best Buy and hear them for yourself and see what you think offers the best soundstage for you in your price range. Best Buys with the Magnolia HT locations in them will have the CF-50 and CF-30s on had typically. I have heard all three, and the CF-30s are impressive little speakers. I did like the CF-50 a little more... worth the money... ummm, hmmm, thats in the eye of the beholder. The CF-70s, had me wanting a pair. Unfortunately for Energy, I found the Dynaudios and the rest is history. Who knows if I could have heard the V6.2s then I might still own Energys.... Maybe.

[callas01]

Originally Posted by 9883

Isn't all the impact coming from the sub and fronts. Boy, things are coming apart for me here. Now the only thing I'm sure of is the center channel.

remember, its all about air movement. the more air that is moved, the greater the sense of impact and soundstage. I have little missions for surrounds now, and the highs are great... they lack any sense of bass


EDIT

Another thing is with the way movies are mixed now a days, you will hear more bass in the surrounds, that is why a good set of surrounds is becoming more critical.

[9883]

Did not know that Best Buy carried Energy. I do all my electronics shopping online. I have not been to a retail location in a long time. I will stop by Best Buy and hopefully this will give me a good idea of what I want to get.

[9883]

Also, I will be using these in a small space with an even smaller listening space. The listening space will be approximatly 12x8x7 feet.

[callas01]

Originally Posted by 9883

Also, I will be using these in a small space with an even smaller listening space. The listening space will be approximatly 12x8x7 feet.

you could even use the CB-20s with the CB-10 surrounds and CC-10 center in that room if you wanted, then get some Sanus Stands for like $50ish and then put the money into the BIC sub, or dual subs are even better.

[9883]

If I get the CB-20 with the $50 stands I will be paying as much as for the Cf-30. If I had to go that route I would probably just go with CB-5 and CC-5 system. I want that geat range that floorstanding speakers offer.

[callas01]

Originally Posted by 9883

If I get the CB-20 with the $50 stands I will be paying as much as for the Cf-30. If I had to go that route I would probably just go with CB-5 and CC-5 system. I want that geat range that floorstanding speakers offer.

yeah, your right, I just saw the price on the CB20s, in that small of a room you don't need to have huge speakers, Im sure the CF-30s would fill that room just fine.

[9883]

I'm curious as to why you suggest setting the x-over at 60hz for the cf-30. If I'm not mistaken you have the x16's as your fronts and they go down to 40Hz -/+ 3dB and you have them set at 40Hz x-over. Why cut the 30's so high. I hope to enjoy some 2.0 music with the cf-30 and I think I can get away with that when it comes to most of the music that I like.

[BigAl87]

Originally Posted by 9883

I'm curious as to why you suggest setting the x-over at 60hz for the cf-30. If I'm not mistaken you have the x16's as your fronts and they go down to 40Hz -/+ 3dB and you have them set at 40Hz x-over. Why cut the 30's so high. I hope to enjoy some 2.0 music with the cf-30 and I think I can get away with that when it comes to most of the music that I like.

You have to hear Dynaudio speakers or Totem speakers to understand why, altho they don't have big driver size, those speaker are etremely dynamic and produce amzing bass with a nice long excursion and very well controlled as opposed to Energy that as a striclly linear sound, It's a bit hard to explain but they produce great bass altho they can lack sometimes air displacement. Dynaudio even recommends to set their speakers to large. You can trust Steve and I and truly it's not a shame to use 60hz X-over and you will have bass from the sub, just understand you can use them Full range for music as I explained.

I am getting thunderous bass if I X-over at 60 at pretty good amount at 40hz. I mean Callas gave you some great word of advice, it's your call but in your space the CF-30 will do great with CB-5 as surrounds but I like the idea of using CB-10 this could be a move you will be pleased with later if you move your setup in a larger space. The CF-30 would still do good in a fairly large room in HT X-over at 70hz.


Both Callas and I love Energy speaker sound and we love this thread, I really think you have to experiment to really get the feel of what we say. Experiment and see what you like, try several setting 50hz if you want, but THX set 80hz in HT, just a matter of getting more bass in a subwoofer has way more impact I find and you will hear all the subtlety in the sound coming from the speakers.

[callas01]

Originally Posted by 9883

I'm curious as to why you suggest setting the x-over at 60hz for the cf-30. If I'm not mistaken you have the x16's as your fronts and they go down to 40Hz -/+ 3dB and you have them set at 40Hz x-over. Why cut the 30's so high. I hope to enjoy some 2.0 music with the cf-30 and I think I can get away with that when it comes to most of the music that I like.

Its not right to compare the Energys to the Dynaudios. Entry level speakers cannot perform at the same level of a high-end speaker. I dont crossover my speakers at all. Dynaudio does not suggest it. However in my 3 yrs with Energy speakers I found that they sounded best when crossed over at 70 hz. They just cannot produce the frequencies at their lowest as cleanly as they should, and thus should be allowed to do what they do best and that is to play from 70-80 hz and up. Let you sub handle the lower frequencies. Esp in HT. Perhaps for Music, set them as Large if you so desire, but just flip it back and forth as needed.

Crossing over is the preferred way to setup your speaker in almost all cases. Don't feel like you are doing something wrong.

[BigAl87]

Originally Posted by callas01

Its not right to compare the Energys to the Dynaudios. Entry level speakers cannot perform at the same level of a high-end speaker. I dont crossover my speakers at all. Dynaudio does not suggest it. However in my 3 yrs with Energy speakers I found that they sounded best when crossed over at 70 hz. They just cannot produce the frequencies at their lowest as cleanly as they should, and thus should be allowed to do what they do best and that is to play from 70-80 hz and up. Let you sub handle the lower frequencies. Esp in HT. Perhaps for Music, set them as Large if you so desire, but just flip it back and forth as needed.

Crossing over is the preferred way to setup your speaker in almost all cases. Don't feel like you are doing something wrong.

With the Veritas you are talking about something else too I feel. I know you referring to the CF.

[Blu Balls]

It seems on my pioneer vsx 1120 that the crossover goes from 80 hz to 50 hz. Is there anyway you can set the crossover to 70hz? Maybe if I set them to small then try it. I don't get my sub until next week (tick tock) so maybe when you set the sub there's a seperate manual x-over once the receiver detects that set-up rather then the L R and center that I currently have. Sorry just speculating here. Oh btw, my cf 50's sound pretty good now compared to when I first hooked them up. It's been night and day but, I had to do alot of adjusting to a loud and annoying wall of snow. Whoever designed the eq for this receiver should be slapped ugly-style.

[BigAl87]

Originally Posted by Blu Balls

It seems on my pioneer vsx 1120 that the crossover goes from 80 hz to 50 hz. Is there anyway you can set the crossover to 70hz? Maybe if I set them to small then try it. I don't get my sub until next week (tick tock) so maybe when you set the sub there's a seperate manual x-over once the receiver detects that set-up rather then the L R and center that I currently have. Sorry just speculating here. Oh btw, my cf 50's sound pretty good now compared to when I first hooked them up. It's been night and day but, I had to do alot of adjusting to a loud and annoying wall of snow. Whoever designed the eq for this receiver should be slapped ugly-style.

I would think so If you tell the receiver you have a sub maybe it will chage the settings to small and maybe show a 10 hz increment, my HK works by 20 hz increment.

[aces high]

Pioneer's crossover settings are very limited, you won't be able to change it to 70. It's also a global crossover, so all the speakers have to have the same crossover point. That's one thing I've always disliked about my Pio.

[BigAl87]

Originally Posted by aces high

Pioneer's crossover settings are very limited, you won't be able to change it to 70. It's also a global crossover, so all the speakers have to have the same crossover point. That's one thing I've always disliked about my Pio.

Wow this is so odd man I knew that they had global X-over but going from 50 to 80 is odd.

[aces high]

Originally Posted by BigAl87

Wow this is so odd man I knew that they had global X-over but going from 50 to 80 is odd.

If I remember correctly it goes 50, 80, 100, 150, 200 and that's it. It doesn't matter if you choose large or small speaker setting.

[callas01]

Originally Posted by BigAl87

With the Veritas you are talking about something else too I feel. I know you referring to the CF.

Im sure the Veritas speakers are nice, I would love to hear them, I reserve comparisions until I could give them a proper listen.

[callas01]

Originally Posted by aces high

If I remember correctly it goes 50, 80, 100, 150, 200 and that's it. It doesn't matter if you choose large or small speaker setting.

wow that is terrible.

[PaulWog]

Blehhhh

The RC-70 towers are on sale for $500 a piece still and they're in stock locally, just a 10 minute drive.

It's so tempting to go and pick them up, but I already have speakers.

Well guess I'll never have RC speakers, but hopefully I'll find something just as good in the future