Energy HT questions (1 Viewer)

[Jim Meeks]

Hey All! First time poster(long time lurker.) Just want to extend a general THANKS to everyone who takes the time to educate those of us neophytes. A special thanks for steering me away from the Bose AM15, I'm sure glad I found this forum before I made that purchase.

Now, for my question. I have been pricing the Energy e:XL series, and think I found a good deal. My interests are 85/15 movies/music. The system I'm looking at is as follows:

e:xl 26 front l/r $281.16 each

e:xl 16 rear l/r $111.66 each

e:xl c2 center $261.66

So far, I'm happy with this idea, my questions follow:

-first, how are these prices? Is there something similar/better for this price range?

-would the e:xls 12 round this system out well? I've heard some people complain of 'port noise' on this unit.

-would the 25-31cs SVS be that much better? if so, would a Yamaha RX-V850 be a good driver for it?

-what gauge wire would be appropriate for this setup?

-what would be some suggestions as to a receiver in the $5-600 range? I've heard good things about Onkyo and Denon, as well as Outlaw.

Thanks in advance for your advice!

-Jim

 

[Ashok]

Well, I don't have first-hand experience, but I have picked up a lot of things from the various HT forums I have visited, and I have been looking for components within a similar price range.

I'm not familiar with the pricing of the Energy speakers, so I couldn't say if those prices are good or not. But in that price range, it looks like you could check out Home Theater Direct, Ascend Acoustics, or Axiom as possible alternatives. Both of these are mail-order only though. Paradigm, PSB, and possibly JBL, also make some models that are similarly priced. There are a ton of speakers out there, so choosing one may be the hardest decision to make.

For receivers, there are the Onkyo, Denon, and Outlaw you mentioned. I have found that the cheapest prices on receivers can be found at shopping.yahoo.com. Many of these stores seem to offer significant discounts, if you are willing to buy from them. The Marantz SR-7200 looks like it is going for around $550 new from places like dealznet.com. Sounds like a pretty good deal.

 

[KeithH]

Jim, welcome to the Forum. I am a fan of the Energy e:XL line, as I feel these products offer a lot bang for the buck. In my home theater, I have the following e:XL set-up:
e:XL 16s as mains and surrounds
e:XL-C2 center
e:XL-S10 10" subwoofer
I upgraded from the e:XL-C center to the e:XL-C2 just two weeks ago and am very happy with the switch. Also, I am using e:XL 25 floorstanders in my second stereo system, which are quite good for the price.

-what would be some suggestions as to a receiver in the $5-600 range? I've heard good things about Onkyo and Denon, as well as Outlaw.

Certainly another subjective topic. All three companies you named make quality receivers, and you will find people here who have taken resident in each camp. You can't go wrong with a receiver from any of these brands. An advantage with Onkyo and Denon, of course, is that you can see and hear them in a store before laying down any money. Note that with Onkyo, you should be able to get a better price from authorized mail-order dealers such as J&R Music World (1-800-221-8180) or Oade Bros. (1-229-228-0093 or 1-229-228-4480) than from brick-and-mortar dealers. The only mail-order dealer authorized to sell Denon is Crutchfield, and they don't discount relative to brick-and-mortar dealers. Anyway, as with the speakers, you will have to decide which receiver is best for you in terms of features, sound, ergonomics (e.g., remote), build quality, price, etc.
Good luck in your hunt, and have fun!