Speakers. Polk or Energy? (1 Viewer)

[Dennis Ellis]

Has anyone heard the newer Polk line of the RM6000's? I saw them at my local circuit city and they are close to the price I'd like to spend.

I also have read good things about the Enegy take 5's. Can someone please comment on either of these two choices?

Any other suggestions around the 500-600 range (4 sat's, center, sub)? I need the sat's to be small.

What is a good place online to shop for the above mentioned speakers (or other suggested speakers)?

Dennis

 

[JoeDelan]

I would get anything Polk...but I am biased...
As for Websites, check out http://www.brandnamez.com Bought from them before and had no problem and was bought and at my door in less than a week.
If you have specific Polk Questions, check out their website and et any info you need and their Board people will be happy to answer any questions you may have...
http://www.polkaudio.com

 

[Dennis Ellis]

Thanks for the info. I'll check it out.

 

[Dennis Ellis]

Well I guess I can't check it out. It seems you have to register in order to browse the boards. And to register you have to enter in a Polk product serial #. I think that is ridiculous.

Not being rude to you JoeDelan. Just kinda bugs me that they would do that.

Dennis

 

[KeithH]

My vote is for Energy, but I too am biased. The Take 5 and Take 5.2 systems are excellent for the money.

 

[John Royster]

Have you had the chance to listen to both? If so then purchase the one you like - take a couple of your favorite CDs or DVDs.

I love polk, but I'm biased as well.

 

[Haywood]

Another vote for Energy
Later Haywood

 

[JoeDelan]

Dennis, I will post a link to this question on the board then. I am pretty sure a Polk person would stop by and check it out...

Joe

 

[Geordy]

another vote for energy
i cannot stress the following enough:
GO TO A STORE AND LISTEN TO THEM BOTH!!!!!
find the one you like and go with it. if you can, have them test the speakers on the same brand receiver you have--this may be considered a picayunish detail.
once you have decided, I would look around online to see what kind of deals you can get.
i just bought my sister the energy take 5.2 for $379 from www.wholesaleconnection.com. i personally own the ex:l 15's and i think they are fantastic.
any questions, email me
geordy

 

[KeithH]

Dennis, I will post a link to this question on the board then. I am pretty sure a Polk person would stop by and check it out...

Hmmm, I wonder which system the person from Polk will vote for.

 

[ShawnF]

I own the Energy Encores and am very pleased with them. My previous speakers were Polk Monitors (12 years). You will be happy with either brand.

 

[John_Bonner]

Last year when I was putting together my HT system I had narrowed the speakers down to these 2 brands. I went and listened to them both, although I couldn't find a store to do a side by side comparison. I wound up buying the Energy Take 5 system with an Energy 10" sub. If I remember correctly the Polk's were more expensive but the sound was also very good. I particularly liked the Energy subwoofer over the Polk.

 

[Michael Mathius]

Err--energy!!!

 

[Jeremy Anderson]

I say wait until Circuit City does their quarterly $39.99 each sale on the Polk R10's and pick up 4 of those... then add a CS-175i and find a Sony WAM40 sub. The R10's are solid down to about 53hz, so they'll work nicely with an 80hz crossover (and sound way better than those tiny little Polks in that set).
But hey... my name's Paul and that shit's between ya'll.

 

[Dennis Ellis]

Thanks for the input everyone. I just looked at energy's website and the closest place that sells them is a little over an hour away. Not sure if/when I could travel that far just to audition the speakers.

So where else, besides wholesaleconnection.com could I get these online if I decide to go that route?

Is there a good webiste (like resellerratings.com for computer related stuff) that rates online places like wholesaleconnection, etc?

Thanks again.

I'm still going to go listen to the Polk's at Circuit City sometime soon. Anything else I should keep my eye (or ear) out for while I'm there?

Dennis

 

[John Garcia]

I say wait until Circuit City does their quarterly $39.99 each sale on the Polk R10's and pick up 4 of those... then add a CS-175i and find a Sony WAM40 sub.

Sounds like a good deal, but I'd go for the RT25 (RT35 would be better) at least, and the CS245. Maybe 35s up front and 25s in the rear. With the R10/175, I would be wanting to upgrade. I do agree that the R10 is a big improvement over the tiny ones that come in any package deal.

The Sony sub will save you some $$ and should do the job just fine.

 

[Micah Cohen]

Well... The Polk Forums are usually reserved for Polk owners, who all fight over the same darned stuff that you all fight about here and on other forums. Heck, you have to sign up to be a forum member here, too. (A secret tip: sign on to the Polk Audio forum by entering a non-number [a series of ones or something] in the serial number place on the sign up form. You did not hear it from me.)

The little RMs are tiny and altho they do rock (I'm biased, too, I guess) they do not of course have the range that larger speakers have. They make a fun little starter set, or bedroom/second area set. Upgrading to the RT25s or RT35s is a good thing to do if you're aching for more range. RT25s just got some awesome review in the Sept 2001 Stereophile mag ("The RT25i's combination of strengths exceeded by a wide margin the perforomance of any speaker I've heard under $1000/pair" etc.).

But of course I'm not here to sell my company's speakers. Do go listen for yourself, and pick the ones that sound the best to you. Your ears will make a better recommendation than I could. (But... A Sony sub?)

MC

 

[Jonathan_M]

I too am a Polk fan... I compared to Paradigm's and Klipsh's in the same price range and went with the Polks, RT55i's for the fronts, CS400i for the center and f/x500i's for surrounds. I've found the speakers to be solid and well built in addition to sounding crisp and clean at the volumes I listen to music and movies at (Usually REF to REF -10db).

Regardless of my being a Polk fan, I too would recommend that you listen to all your prospective speaker purchases.

Edited to fix a model number typo.

 

[Jeremy Anderson]

(But... A Sony sub?)

No offense, Micah, because you guys make some great speakers... but that $150 Sony SA-WM40 can stand toe-to-toe any day with the $530 Polk PSW-450, and with a similar -3db limit (~35Hz). It is admittedly a bit boomier-sounding out-of-the-box, but $5 worth of polyfill and a little spare time can fix that. I own the Polk PSW-350 myself, and after hearing my friend's Sony, I have to admit I'm kicking myself for spending the extra money. The SA-WM40 is truly the big bargain for low-budget home theater.

 

[Geordy]

dennis-

i ordered my sister's speakers thru wholesaleconnection.com

they aren't authorized, so no warranty, but i doubt that they would not accept a return on damaged goods

later

geordy