aclark

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
This speakers are amazing! For a little more than $300 (cherry veneer, purchased on sale from Audio Advisor) they have opened up my music collection and the world of audiophile equipment just as did my first pair of Grado headphones. Not only do they sound incredible, but the fit and finish round out a package that's worth twice what I paid--and maybe more.

Last year I was looking for a replacement for an older set of Energy bookshelf speakers (my first introduction to quality speakers). Not wanting to spend more than $350 and less than impressed with what I found in that range in the Energy lineup, I more or less settled on the PSB Alpha B1s. While searching the AA site I discovered the RC-10s on clearance for just a few dollars more than the PSBs. After reading the Sound Stage review of the RC-10s I jumped on them. Now that they are fully broken in and I've upgraded the rest of my system to do them justice (NAD C740, $150 on Craigslist and NAD 5170, free on the street), I can say that I will never let these speakers go.

Whether playing jazz, bluegrass, classical, electronic, rock, or folk they produce a beautifully accurate sound--with extraordinarily rich but never harsh highs--that grabs my attention over and over again. And for all the serious volume they can put out without a sweat, they also sound lovely at NYC apartment late-evening listening levels.

dkord

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
I've been using the Energy RC-10's for stereo use for a month and a half and now that they've been reasonably broken in (I'm really getting accustomed to their sonics) I wanted to offer my opinion of them. Speakers are much more refined these days and benefit from latest technology and materials and at a much more reasonable price than ever. From the finely crafted cabinets (I have the cherry) to the high-grade components incorporated into the RC-10's, there is plenty of value and pride of ownership here. In my thinking, Energy went several steps beyond what you ordinarily get at this price point by offering a smooth, detailed and realistic presentation of instruments and voices, balanced frequency response and a really convincing soundstage. They remind me of the "you are there" realism and the great imaging I experienced with my first really good speakers, the PSB Stratus Mini’s that I bought back in '93 which back then were $900 list. The Mini's weren't so mini, though. My lord, they were seventeen inches tall! I've owned several different good pairs since then but for the size I think the Energy's are a cut above with a smooth and clear top end and well-defined distortion-free response up and down the frequency range. As for the bass and lower midrange, there is slam aplenty and they don’t necessitate use of a subwoofer unless they are to be used primarily for heavily effect-laden Dolby Digital video playback in a multi-channel system or if they are to be used in a larger area. I have them positioned on the long wall in my 16 X 12 living room, about 2 feet from the wall and the bass is tight and tuneful. If, however they are to be placed close to a wall or corner area, or the owner is a little bass-shy, foam plugs for the port holes are included to lower output to help balance out the sound if needed. All kidding aside, there is plenty of taut, tuneful bass to be had here with good room placement.

Rebecca Pidgeon's 'Raven' and Johnny Frigo and John Pizzarelli's 'Live at Studio A' (Chesky Records) really show what the Energy's are capable of. Everything sounds as it should and in proper perspective with warmth, body, nuance and refinement such that you feel the ambience and depth of listening to live music. Of course, coverage is a bit smaller than tower systems given the proportions of the RC-10's rather small enclosures but they indeed pack a lot of sound from well-braced, solid cabinets, a good Kevlar woofer and a quality aluminum dome tweeter. Aside from jazz recordings, they are also capable of doing justice to your favorite rock CD's and can be turned up to fairly loud levels with your ears in reasonably good shape when the tracks you want to hear are over. In fact, the Energy's are very easy to listen to since they don't overdo the mids and highs and while remaining warm in character also provide a well-defined presentation of instruments and vocals. Soundstaging as I said is excellent and they have a wide "sweet-spot" so you can sit off-center without losing the image.

Associated Equipment:
Denon AVR-1707 Receiver (75 wpc)
Denon DVD-1730

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
I've been using the Energy RC-10's for stereo use for a month and a half and now that they've been reasonably broken in (I'm really getting accustomed to their sonics) I wanted to offer my opinion of them. Speakers are much more refined these days and benefit from latest technology and materials and at a much more reasonable price than ever. From the finely crafted cabinets (I have the cherry) to the high-grade components incorporated into the RC-10's, there is plenty of value and pride of ownership here. In my thinking, Energy went several steps beyond what you ordinarily get at this price point by offering a smooth, detailed and realistic presentation of instruments and voices, balanced frequency response and a really convincing soundstage. They remind me of the "you are there" realism and the great imaging I experienced with my first really good speakers, the PSB Stratus Mini’s that I bought back in '93 which back then were $900 list. The Mini's weren't so mini, though. My lord, they were seventeen inches tall! I've owned several different good pairs since then but for the size I think the Energy's are a cut above with a smooth and clear top end and well-defined distortion-free response up and down the frequency range. As for the bass and lower midrange, there is slam aplenty and they don’t necessitate use of a subwoofer unless they are to be used primarily for heavily effect-laden Dolby Digital video playback in a multi-channel system or if they are to be used in a larger area. I have them positioned on the long wall in my 16 X 12 living room, about 2 feet from the wall and the bass is tight and tuneful. If, however they are to be placed close to a wall or corner area, or the owner is a little bass-shy, foam plugs for the port holes are included to lower output to help balance out the sound if needed. All kidding aside, there is plenty of taut, tuneful bass to be had here with good room placement.

Rebecca Pidgeon's 'Raven' and Johnny Frigo and John Pizzarelli's 'Live at Studio A' (Chesky Records) really show what the Energy's are capable of. Everything sounds as it should and in proper perspective with warmth, body, nuance and refinement such that you feel the ambience and depth of listening to live music. Of course, coverage is a bit smaller than tower systems given the proportions of the RC-10's rather small enclosures but they indeed pack a lot of sound from well-braced, solid cabinets, a good Kevlar woofer and a quality aluminum dome tweeter. Aside from jazz recordings, they are also capable of doing justice to your favorite rock CD's and can be turned up to fairly loud levels with your ears in reasonably good shape when the tracks you want to hear are over. In fact, the Energy's are very easy to listen to since they don't overdo the mids and highs and while remaining warm in character also provide a well-defined presentation of instruments and vocals. Soundstaging as I said is excellent and they have a wide "sweet-spot" so you can sit off-center without losing the image.

Associated Equipment:
Denon AVR-1707 Receiver (75 wpc)
Denon DVD-1730

jeff54

Overall Rating
 3 of 5

Value Rating
 3 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
3.67 of 5, 3.00 votes

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
I hate to say it but in my opinion the Energy RC-10 is a bit of a disappointment compared to the previous model C-3 it replaces. I own both pairs of speakers and never felt that the RC-10 measured up to the C-3 since the day I bought the RC-10s. I have tried both pairs in different rooms and various distances from the wall. The older C-3 goes deeper in the bass (it is considerably larger than the RC-10 and uses a bigger bass driver) while in comparison the bass from the RC-10 seems somewhat undefined and bloated. The bass from the C-3 is flatter and tighter. Also, the high end of the C-3 seems more open and realistic while that on the RC-10 is somewhat muted. The C-3 speaker in my opinion is the best bookshelf speaker I have owned in its price range. It has a very open, realistic sound that just draws you into the music. The RC-10 on the other hand sounds nice, but just not as open and does not draw me into the music as much. I think that the Energy Company may have taken a step back when they released the new RC-10 compared to the model C-3 it replaces.

canuckle

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 2.00 votes

Price Paid:  $399.00 from Audio Advisor

Summary:
I use these on my secondary system in my bedroom. I got the cherry ones and the finish is absolutely spectacular. The bass extension is incredible for bookshelves and is deep, full, and articulate. As with the rest of the RC series, the sound is clear and refined. For anyone looking at a bookshelf system, the RC-10's are second to none.

Strengths:
-Bass extension
-Refined, non-fatiguing sound
-Outstanding construction
-Beautiful cherry veneer
-Quality binding posts
-Good sensitivity/high output

Weaknesses:
I've been using different RC series speakers for years now and have yet to find any.