Low Freq responce, Balanced, Build, Price

After owning the AC300 now for a year, Iam still pleased. The L/R or Center is a nice speaker for small or Large setups. I have taken alot of emails on my Canadian suppler, and still doing this to pass on good deals. If you want this speaker, do email, I will put you intouch with a Can. suppler, who will ship anywhere. With the AC300, you can run your a/v on Large(full range) all round if you choose, when used as a center, it handles the low Freg. very well. I find the Center in HT has to handle alot, the AC300 can! With my Denon 3300, the 5 channel works so well with a good center. I would go even as far recommending 5 AC300 as a set up, with this your 5 channel music is unreal, add a exl12 sub, and you have a HT that will rock!

Awesome sound, great range, and good price.

The AC-300 is pretty big. Maybe too big to sit on top of anything but a projection tv. On my 32" JVC set it makes me nervous.

This speaker made me spend to much money. I was content with a Dolby Surround reciever and advent speakers all around. One day I heard this speaker at the Good Guys and all hell broke loose. I bought one thinking that would be it. But it teased me sounding so good while the rest of my setup lagged behind. So I went out and bought a digital reciever, Energy C-4's for fronts, and Energy RVSS's for rears. I am in love. Movies sound better than all but the best theaters. But of course nothing can be too good so my tv had to break.
Buy them even if you have to pay Good Guys prices. ($450 now) Although I'm sure you can find them for much cheaper.

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Advent center

Clean clear sound. well built

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Thanks everyone for spending the time to write about these speakers. There are so many choices and chosing speakers can become a little over whelming sometimes. I had never even heard of Energy speakers until a couple of months ago and I am amazed how good these sound. I bought two AC300 for the front and two for the rear. I already owned a top of the line Klipsch center and they blended well together. I bought speaker stands (furniture works)for all four speakers which look excellent mounted on top of the stands. I also bought the Energy XL-12 sub which is just an excellent sub. I've got it all running off a Sony DA777ES receiver and let me tell ya that all my friends are blown away when they come over and hear my setup. Music just comes alive and watchng a DVD movie is like a whole new experience. When I get home from work I can't wait to turn on some music or watch some TV. I looked at speakers that where three times the cost and almost bought a different brand (AC300 where out of stock) but when I was at the showroom and kept comparing these speakers to the others I could not justify the extra cost. IMHO you can not go wrong with these speakers.

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Polk Audio

sound

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hey dont even look else where for the money theres nothimg
out there that can touch it. and forget about the hi end
boys out there trying to sale you a $800 to $2000 dollar
center ch. speaker. get the AC 300 and put that money somewhere else you will not here the money difference!
i have a yamaha 2092 rec. and the AQ type 4 cable on the AC 300. dont cut corners on good cable. no monster!
buy cardas. kimber. AQ. tara labs and so on. it wont sound
as good with cheepy cables. bi wire if you can. i have not
yet and it still sound good. the AC 300 sounds like i am in the theater
at the show out in town what more do i need.

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Excellent Articulation and Bass response

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As with many things in life, when you experience better quality you become spoiled and find it more and more difficult to be content with what was adequate before.
If you purchase the AC-300 prepare yourself for another leap in performance. I'm still getting used to these speakers. The articulation is so much more palpable with this speaker. I am actually hearing things I didn't before. Examples? Sade's "Nothing can come between us" track from 1988's "Stronger Than Pride", I had no idea that Mr. Adu was actually gently singing the baritone back-vocals. I heard them clearly with the Ac-300. The Smiths "Barbarism begins at home" track 9, Johnny Marr's guitar work, previously almost hidden, comes alive esp. at the end when he fades back in. Marvelous.
Beware though. Some of my marginal MP3 files are now completely unlistenable. Oh well.
On the other hand Albinoni's "Adagio for strings" or Alan Hovhaness's "Requiem and Resurrection, Op. 221 for Brass Choir.." gained colour, depth and realism. The SD RTS-RS1 could barely keep up and at reference levels all the sounds blended and became muddled. Not so with the AC-300. It is an outstanding speaker with and impressive soundstage and I highly recommend it, esp. at this price-point. Be sure to order one (I did) before Energy discontinues this speaker. It outperforms many other (more expensive) centres.

My highest rating for both value and performance

PS - Don't give me a hard time about 'colour' and 'centre' - Canadian spelling ;-)

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Previously used Sound Dynamics RTS-RS1

Great sounds all the way !

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What can I say but WOW. Excellent as a center speaker especially with dialogues. Would recommend this highly. Matches with my veritas 1.8.

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Definitive technology C-1

Still great speakers

It's been almost a year (January 2000) since I wrote my first review. I've averaged about 20 e-mails a month from readers wanting more information on the AC-300s. I hope those of you read the review and opted to buy these speakers are happy with them.

I am writing this brief little blurb to share a few Frequently Asked Questions (i.e. things that other people have asked me). So, it's really for those who read my earler review and are looking for more information.

1. Where I bought my speakers - www.audioshop.on.ca. They like others can't list prices on the Internet, so you'll have to e-mail them and ask for a quote.
2. Price went up about $100 US (from Energy) two months after I wrote the first review.
3. The low end of the speaker is lower than average (i.e. 40hz) so you have to match up the sub carefully else you will get too much base.
4. If you use the speaker as a floor-standing, then reccomend raising the speakers 1-2' off the ground. My freind who bought them after me has sort of figured this out. My speakers are wall-mounted (8' off the ground, pointed down at a 15 degree angle). I'm using 13" TV Wall-Mounts (best price Sam's or Home Depot). I prefer this arrangement, over floor standing. Optimally, I would have preferred them lower (4' off ground), but my room doesn't permit it.
5. Please read the www.energy-speakers.com web-site to get detailed information on size, weight, acoustic characteristics (i.e. range, power, etc).
6. I still believe these are better than Energy C-2s as front speakers.
7. The Mirage Sub is just as good as the Energy Sub
8. These speakers are overkill for Rear /Surround speakers. Suggest going with smaller units.

I am happy to answer e-mails about these speakers, but hopefully most of your quesitons are answered thes two posts. So, please only e-mail me if you have further questions or if you have follow up comments after buying these speakers.

Regards,

Puneet

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See earlier review

When I traded my exl100 center speaker for the AC300 center, the difference was like night and day. Energy put this speaker out for a match for Con-series. I use this Center with C-8's as mains, If you are into home theater, this is the way to go. With no kids, I took off the cloth on the AC300 and the fronts off my C-8's, this gives you a classy look, like you spent twice what you did. I have the mains(c-8's) about 3 feet from each side of my rptv, with no interference from non mag. speakers. My friend at A&B sound is now shippng these speakers around the world, if you want some energy speaker pricing, just email me, I will give you a contact phone #.

Nice smooth sound from top to bottom. Great price!

End caps dont fit well.

This is an amazing center channel, especially for the price. What amazes me is that it is not too forward or too bright. They make a perfect match to my C-2s and sometimes I forget that I have a 3 speaker front soundstage. The AC300 offers a smooth sound from top to bottom and doesnt stand out. If you like that wide, seamless soundstage sound, then the AC300 is for you, especially when matched with a pair of C-series speakers. Awesome speaker!!!

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Energy Take 1, infinity bookshelfs (dont remember model), many others in the $300-$400 price range.

nice looks, sound is excellent

not allot of bass

a great center speaker, and i cant belive i found one for practically free. Its a great speaker, i just wish i found another two at that pawn shop.

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paradigm