Price Paid:  $400.00 from allstar audio/video

Summary:
Looking for something to flesh out the nether region where my Tukan's fear to tread, I chose this sub over the Hsu VTF-2 for a few reasons: 1) the listening room is small enough that a 10" driver with good power is just right. 2)It was on sale for under $400. 3) The ergonomics make sense. 4) Having owned Energy products in the past, I knew I was buying a quality product.

Strengths:
Front-mounted controls, front-firing ports, voltage sensing on/off switch, fairly pitch accurate, good spl, low distortion, value for the dollar.

Weaknesses:
Buy it any color you want as long as it's black.

Similar Products Used:
Velodyne, Paradigm.

Price Paid:  $450.00 from Good Guys

Summary:
I bought one of these for my parent's setup last year. When I recently upgraded my own setup, I went with the Klipsch RW-10, a new model which also retails for $500. Although the Klipsch and Energy have similar characteristics (front-firing, amp strength) and performance levels, I am far more impressed with the newer Klipsch sub. My parent's setup includes Energy C-3's as the mains, while mine uses the C-5's (both models are great), and both systems use an Energy CC-1 center channel and the Yamaha Rx-V1300 amp.

Strengths:
Nice sound - it fills a 500 sq.ft. room with power to spare. Relatively small package. Operation controls are on the front. Auto-off circuitry is a good, but faulty on this particular unit. Unfortunately there is no way to bypass this feature.

Weaknesses:
Our s10.2 is now in the shop because the auto on/off feature is broken. It is supposed to stay on for several minutes after being activated, but on multiple occassions I've seen it go on and off within a few seconds, mainly during quieter passages in movies. Unlike the Klipsch RW-10, there is no way to bypass this feature and just leave the unit "on". And although the controls are on the front, there are no markings to see what your actual settings are, so there is almost no visual reference for your settings. If you have young kids who like to turn knobs, the lack of any markings on the controls (Especially the cross-over setting) could be a big pain. The Klipsch model features a fairly detailed x-over knob (albeit on the rear) but it's volume is on the side toward's the front. The Klipsch also features a phase control which the Energy sub does not. I could also live without the blue indicator light on the front of the 10.2, although this light was what led me to notice how faulty the on/off circuitry was. Overall, Energy makes VERY good speakers. I only wish the s10.2 was on par with the other Energy products I have purchased.

Similar Products Used:
Klipsh RW-10 - If you're in the $500+/- range for a sub, be sure to try both of these models.

Price Paid:  $650.00 from Schwartz Furniture

Summary:
This sub is simply amazing for the price ($650 cdn). I have heard a few subs in the same price range from other manufacturers before I decided on this one. I don't find the bass boomy at all but then again I bought it for alittle bass, not enough to blow the house down. I am using the coaxial output from my Sony STR-DB930 reciever and couldn't be more pleased. This little sub compliments my Energy C5's very well.

Strengths:
Excellent sound Affordable price Sharp look (For those of you wondering about the Canadian Maple with Silver finish, the bottom of the sub where the vents are is also silver, not black like I was told by several people, it matches the the same finish on my C5's)

Weaknesses:
None to date.

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
this sub is incredible, the longer you use it the better it sounds.

Strengths:
everything

Weaknesses:
none

Similar Products Used:
jbl, bose, infinity.

Price Paid:  $500.00 from abs

Summary:
i had this for about two weeks now, i had tried 2 of the possible 3 connections. so far the input connection has worked great. tried the xover connection and became boomy as you don't have control of the volume coming out of the subwoofer. i have been very happy with the purchase so far, and it has really improved the sound of my system both music and home theater applications. it took a lot of time before i decided to buy this sub as i have auditoned lots of them, and i narrowed it down to this or the athena.

Strengths:
front controls. 3 possible ways of connections.

Weaknesses:
none so far.

Similar Products Used:
none, first sub