Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
I purchased these speakers from audio advisor for 400 per pair plus 75 for shipping.At the reg price of 750
they are a good deal at 400- well an even better deal. What is nice about the c-500s is the bass is so good
you don't need a sub unless you want to plumb the debths below 35 hrtz but at that low a cut off point I personally don't care.Another point about the bass it will probably be better than most subs out there, tighter
and more accurate. Like most speakers they are room dependent but when you find there best position in the
room you will be rewarded with a good balance of sound that is pretty nuetral and non fatigueing. A good
value in sound quality for music and becuase you don't need a sub.Also they work well for watching movies.A rare find at this price , apparently this model is being replaced by another. Go figure.

Price Paid:  $400.00 from Futureshop.

Summary:
I was looking for a smooth, warm soundiing speaker as apposed to the many overly bright and in your face alternatives available in my price range at the time. The c-500s jumped out at me. Wow, what a warm, chilled, mellow sound! Nice detail, good highs (although highhs not as smooth as on the Energy RC 50s), and accurate sufficient sounding bass. The bass could be a little more intense at lower volumes, however the bass is undeniably tight accurate, and clean sounding. Soundstage is average, and could be better if it extended further to the left and right, however it's not far off from what's heard on the much more expensive Energy RC50s and the great overall warm sound of the c-500s make up for this. The regular price for these speakers in my location is about $850 for the pair. Compared to competition, regularly priced around there, the only real plus for the c-500s in the 850+ range, is the warm smooth sound, if that's the sound you prefer. The great sound, detail and tightness may compare to speakers $1000+, but the soundstage and imaging does not. These speakers are fantastic for HT and for $600 and under for the pair they are great for music as well, However, they are absolutely brilliant for HT. Just the PERFECT sound for movies in a 5.1 or 7.1 setup. The c-500s are also great for 2 channel music in medium sized rooms, however in their regular price range of $800+, you are likely to find speakers that generate a larger and more realistic soundstage, but are unlikely to find speakers that are this warm and smooth sounding. I feel that these speakers were designed with HT in mind, but also can get the job done very nicely for 2 channel music.

Bottom line: for $600 a pair or under, these speakers are untouchable.

Strengths:
Warm, smooth sound
defined mids
tight, clean bass.
balanced sounding.
Quality build design.
Great looking with grills off.

Weaknesses:
Highs not as good as Energy RC line
Soundstage could sound a little boxy compared to $850+ competition.
Black ash looks kind of cheap.

Similar Products Used:
Energy, Polk, Klipsh, Bose, Yamaha.

Price Paid:  $500.00 from American

Summary:
Wow... I have owned a lot of speakers from a lot of well known companies, but wow. I purchased these speakers back in 2006 brand new at american. I stepped into the showroom with absolutely no ntention on buying anything,(for once) when these caught my eye. I didn't know that american carried Energy. I think that they carry them now due to Klipsch USA's buyout of A.P.I, the parent company that produces them... anyways, I saw them sitting there looking beautiful in their piano gloss black and silver drivers. I fugured why not? I did have a selection of music handy because my friend was looking to buy a new yamaha receiver, so i figured i give them a run... they were nothing short of breathtaking... The beautuful mellow tranquil sound enveloped me, wisking me away to another place. At the time i was perfectly happy with the pair of mirage frx-7's that i was employing, but this was something special. I quickly snatched up the last set they had and went ahead and grabbed the S10.3 subwoofer to compliment them. (i can do that because i'm not married lol) The combination is astounding... earth shaking bass from the sub is actually unnecissary due to these being the first tower i have heard successfully hit a low note... the highs are crisp but natural, not over exagerated as is the case with the mirages. I feel that these speakers belong in the $1,200-$1,500 price range, but don't tell them i said that lol. I find them to be a very good and unbiased speaker.

Strengths:
Very detailed and clean... actually has the capabily to produce a low note when required to. also they do very well with imaging for a non bipolar design. Take a lot of power and volume

Weaknesses:
biggest weakness is that i sold them when i needed money... not even a weakness of the speaker but still sucks... i would have to say that i don't feel that the veneer is of very good quality and may peel over the years.

Similar Products Used:
mirage, energy, polk audio, klipsch, definitive technology.... etc

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Price Paid:  $1300.00 from PaulMoney

Summary:
To begin I would like to say I'm just your average audio enthusiast and this is my first post. I have found other reviewer comments on this site very useful and now I would like to give something back.

Before deciding to buy the Energy C-500's I listened to many alternatives, did my research and talked to the experienced though I ended up buying these before I even listened to them because they were not available in my city. Luckily they were everything I expected.

For the price I think these speakers are a real gem. On inspection you get the feeling Energy have thought about everything and put alot of effort into build quality and design. They come with two sets of feet, one set which is suitable for carpet and the other suitable for hard surface. This is important since I believe sound can be wasted from speakers that are swaying about, even slightly. I also discovered cylinder shaped foam on opening the box which can be used to block the dual ports on the back of the speaker, changing the dynamics of the sound as desired.

I have the C-500's hooked up to a Yamaha RX-V661 receiver which has a bi-amp option allowing the surround back output to help drive the front speakers making good use of the 4 connectors on each speaker. How much this increases the sound I really don't know, since this the bi-amp option is the only one I have used so far.

For the price these are the best speakers I have ever heard. Highs, lows and midrange are tight and accurate. The sound stage is full and pleasant to listen to for hours no matter what your taste in music. I am running the C-500's without a sub though I'm certain a mid size velodyne would compliment these nicely, especially for movies.

Thanks to the team at Energy! I would definitely buy your products again.

Strengths:
Quality build and design.
Excellent sound
Price

Weaknesses:
None at this price.

Similar Products Used:
Athena F.2
Whafrdale diamond 9 series
Welling

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Price Paid:  $700.00 from Seng Heng Electrical

Summary:
I was looking for an affordable pair of speakers under $1000 to front my system. Before this purchase, I was using the TDL Nucleus 1. Unfortunately, the Nucleus did not have enough bass for my living room after I moved to a bigger apartment. Therefore an upgrade was necessary.

I auditioned quite a few speakers within the price range. Quad, Vienna Accoustic, AE, just to name a few. The B&W agent ran out of stock, so I did not get a chance to audition those. I gave Tannoy a miss because the agent wanted to charge me an arm and a leg to fix my old driver when it gave way. So, I would advice against anyone who is considering Tannoys in Singapore. Their after-sale service is rather lacking.

Of the lot, the Energy came out on top. What really endeared me to these speakers are the balance and the detail. They sound really smooth, have nice mids and treble, have quite a lot of detailed base, and they are really comfortable to listen to for hours.

They also came with rear port plugs, which came in handy. I plugged 2 out of the 4 ports because these speakers have such powerful bass... my room vibrates without those plugs. With these speakers, a subwoofer is not necessary. Personally, I prefer to get bass from my fronts as they are more detailed and has more sense of space.

Plus, these speakers look great. Obviously, lots of care has gone into its construction. The black lacquer finish looks wonderful in my living room.

Strengths:
Good detail. Smooth and balanced with good bass. Looks great and well made. Great value for the price.

Weaknesses:
None so far. Very happy with them.

Similar Products Used:
TDL Nucleaus 1
Tannoy Sixes 609