Having recently switched from a pair of Mirage M-490's, I was extremely pleased with the C-2's. There is a definite family resemblance between the two but I prefer the Energy's extra midrange detail and overall smooth sound. The smaller woofer,(the Mirage has an 8 inch) and slightly smaller box don't have quite as much slam at high levels, but the extra detail allows me to keep the volume down a bit. I actualy get a little bit better bass extension (acccording to my RadioShack level meter) and less of a mid-bass hump. I have however, recently noticed that one of the cabinets buzzes loudly on certain tracks at certain frequencies. I'm not sure what is causing this although I'm certain it's not the drivers and my dealer says that if it can't easily be fixed, then they will replace the speakers.Overall I'm extremely happy with the sound coming from these speakers and enjoy listening to hours of music through them.

These speakers are okay. Brass instruments did not have enough brass... low frequency extension wanting... piano key strikes not realistic... piano decay not very good. Overall, bested by the Polk Audio 55, Paradigm Studio 20, NHT 1.5, B&W 601,602.

Just purchased a 2nd set of C-2's. The first set are the front l-r of my surround system, and these were picked up because I needed the highest quality speakers I could find that could fit inside a wall unit's limited footprint. They are teamed with an NHT SW1p sub, and an Energy CS200 center, both also neatly hidden away. They are simply the best sounding "bookshelf speakers" I listened to in trips to many audio stores, and have worked out extremely well for the last year or so. Combined with a sub woofer, they produce excellent home theater in a medium sized room.
I just picked up the 2nd pair (in rosewood) for $450 as I start to upgrade to Dolby digital. My old NHT sub zeros will no longer be sufficient to act as full range rear speakers, and there's nothing like matching with the same speakers, especially when they sound so nice. I was thrilled that they're still available.

Now if I can just find a great DD/DTS receiver.....

Well, I wasn't planning to purchase the C-2 because I already have a pair ofNHT VT-2 Center (600/pr), which I use for listenning. Last week I just got a great deal from (believe it or not) the GoodGuys...who would expect such a deal.
But the speakers had minor damage...like the side is cheap a little...not
even noticeable from the front. Anyways, I got them for $180/pr.
What a great deal.
I like them so far. I think they sound nice. I think they are worth
its price, esp. because their price drop to around 450/pr now. But if
anything more than 450, i don't think it's worthed.
I would rather purchase the B&W 602. :)

About a year and a half ago I set out to but a new set of speakers. I auditioned several brands, narrowing the field to the energy c-2 and the B&W 602s. I decided on the energys due to their all-around performance. I feel they are the most musical speakers in their price range. A few months after buying the c-2s I got the speaker bug again, and fell in love with the B&W cdm1se. I was about ready to trade in the energys at a loss when the salesperson suggested I bring my speakers in for a side to side comparison. When I got the c-2s on even footing (a good listening room) they were truly impressive. While there were noticable differences in the tonal characteristics, neither I, nor the salesperson could say one sounded better than the other. Needless to say I didn't trade the c-2s in on the nearly double priced cdm1se

I'd never heard of Energy speakers until, while shopping for components for a second stereo system, I visited a local shop selling used high-end audio equipment. I listened to the Energy Pro 22, which were among a few speakers they offered at a price I could afford. For years I owned a pair of Advent Babys; they seemed decent enough though I never thought much about them. The Energy speakers sounded unbelievably superior.
While searching the Web for more info on this particular model, I noticed a great buy on Energy C-2 speakers at The Audioshop:

http://www.audioshop.on.ca/

...and after shopping around, discovered I'd be saving hundreds of dollars, even taking into account shipping costs from Ontario, Canada to Oregon.

The rest of my system is nothing special: a low-end Sony receiver and a JVC CD changer. Still, after I hooked up the Energy speakers, the difference was dramatic. Paradoxically, the quality of the sound the C-2s produce seems simultaneously sharper and smoother. It's hard to describe. Anyway, I'm hooked. Now I'm looking for an amp which will better match these fine speakers.

I'm new to this stuff, and didn't know a bi-wire from a banana. The folks at Audioshop have been friendly, helpful and knowledgeable--both before and after the sale.

Trying to tame the bass in my room, I was looking for a pair of smaller speakers that would have enough bass, yet not sound boomy, and excel in the midrange and top end. I listened to the B&W 602 & 302, Totem Model 1, Paradigm Studio 20, Linn Tukan, Aerial 5, JMLabs and a gaggle of other speakers before settling for the C-2s. They are a great set of speakers for the money; fast, detailed, with good bass extension, an uncolored midrange, a fairly smooth top-end (give the Aerial 5 a listen for one of the smoothest top-ends I've heard) and a very wide soundstage. I'm still experimenting with toe-in, but these require only a slight toe-in to produce a satisfying soundstage. My speakers are pulled in to just over a third of the room to maximize midrange clarity and not emphasize the bass, and about 20" from the sidewalls. If you've got Rebecca Pidgeon's 'The Raven', put on 'Spanish Harlem' and listen for that instrument (don't know what it is) that's way in the back and off to the right for some serious goosebumps.

As I've mentioned in another review (Energy 300 centre), I've had these speakers for a number of months and held off the review until I heard them driven by a Yamaha V995 receiver. I generally use them as "rears" but occasionally switch them to the "B" side for music purposes. I have them "bi-wired" I wasn't particularly impressed before the new receiver but things has changed now folks!!!
Both the "missus" and I agree that they sound wonderful. I do recommend the use of a subwoofer for full bass effect but they stand up very well on their own. I'm in a "nouveau flamenco" guitar mode right now and these speakers give a very energetic (is that a pun? sorry.)and faithful reproduction of the artists ability.
As "rears" for HT they are excellent. They do a great job in all the various modes the V995 has to offer. We test drove the "DTS" decoder with "DragonHeart" and both of us had sore necks from swivelling to see where all the sound was coming from. Subsequent DVD/VHS/Satellite presentations in DD/DTS/Pro-Logic/DSP haven't changed our opinions at all.
My speaker stands aren't the best (Ikea) but I'm designing a set as a DYI project and fully expect the C2s to sound even better when they're mounted on those stands.
As always, good advice and a decent price from the guys at A&B Sound (southside) here in Edmonton.

These speakers are the best I've ever heard for their size and price. I purchased a pair for $450 in December 1998 at a sale in Seattle. You can also buy them directly from a number of Canadian manufacturers over the Web and save yourself a lot of money (the exchange rate is in our favor).
The speakers are boxy and bigger than the average bookshelf speaker, but the finish is spectacular (mine are rosewood). They need to be properly elevated to ear level on a GOOD set of speaker stands. I bought a pair of Paradigm speaker stands and filled them with lead shot from a local gun store. Each stand weighs about 100 lbs. and provides a firm "launch pad" for the sound, without vibrating or rattling. Some people prefer to fill their stands with sand, but I like lead because it has so much more mass (though it is quite costly at $20+ per 25-pound bag).

As I said, the sound is excellent. The bass is punchy but not overly strong. If you want to listen to disco/club music, or anything else with a substantial beat, you'll want to add on a small subwoofer. It'll give you the "oomph" that speakers this size can't produce. Even still, the bass is tight and solid, perfect for most kinds of music.

The speakers can be bi-wired for "improved clarity," but that's a feature I've never tried with a speaker before so I can't vouch for its efficacy. One word of warning: the Energy C-2's might reveal flaws in your recordings or CD-player. For example, I can hear coughing/sneezing from the audience on a live performance that I never heard with other speakers. It's nice to have so much detail present.

With this in mind, make sure you have a high-quality CD-player. I have had 2 players: a $300 desktop JVC player and a $600 Onkyo CD-changer. The Onkyo is *light-years* beyond the JVC as far as resolution and detail go. Everything sounds so crisp with the Onkyo, but the JVC sounds mushy and lack-luster, which prevents the speakers from living up to their full potential.

Anyway, 'nuff said. Love the speakers. Love the finish. Love my Paradigm stands. 5 stars.

I looked at a wide range of product. My initial price range was $1,000.00 and below. My search was difficult because of the wide-range of music I listen to. I love traditional jazz such as Sarah Vaughn. I also love electronica music such as Chemical Brothers, Bjork, Square Pusher, and Music Boards of Canada. Finally, I like all kinds of Rock-from Rush to Metallica. Volume is not an issue for me because I live in a small apartment.
I found that the C-2's solved all of my problems. They are an "audiophile" speaker. First, they do not color the recording. I hear what the artist intended. Second, the midrange is incredible!! The C-2's do justice to Sarah Vaughn's Vocals. The midrange was as good as speakers costing thousands more. The imaging and soundstaging is great-especially in a small space. Bjork sounds big and deep like she is supposed to. The C-2's create the 3-D atomosphere that is so important in Acid-Jazz and Electronica. They go beyond 40Htz--the lowest note of the bass guitar. In Rock and Jazz I'm covered. In my synth-based music I'm not getting everything that is there but a sub will fix that one day. On the other hand, the bass is crisp and fast!! The rapid-fire percussion in Square Pusher doesn't melt down or become blurry. Punchy, clean, and crisp bass is much more important to me than range. When there is multi-layred and complex music, the C-2's handle it well. Finally, they have a lot of detail at low listening levels. I can be very satisfied at low-volume levels--which is important is a small apartment. Some advice: I purchased some good quality target speaker-stands(that could be filled with sand). They made a HUGE difference. Mine are 24 inch Target Stands(I think M-60's)
Oh, I'm only playing them through an entry-level surround reciever!!
The tech-support was significantly more friendly and knowledgable than anyone else.
A note for novice shoppers: From the reviews, I thought I'd like the more agressive Paradigm Studio-20's. But I thought they sounded cold rather than more agressive. In fact, I liked the C-2's a lot more than the Studio-20's when listening to rock and techno. Go figure.