Energy CB-10 Bookshelf Speakers (Pair,Black) Review

Average Reviews:

(More customer reviews)Overall these speakers are nice looking and nice sounding and they can fit just about anywhere because of their small size.
These speakers require a break-in period before sounding good. The manual, which you can download from the Energy website, specifies a break-in period of 100 hours. When I first starting playing my CDs, the speakers sounded boomy and bassy (I had to stuff a sock in the rear port to help dampen the bass), and the voice was not very clear. But already after 40 hours of playing music the sound is noticeably improved (removed the sock as it was no longer needed) and actually sounds nice now (clearer and more distinct bass, voice more crisp across highs and lows, and other instruments are much clearer now: horns, fiddle, guitar, violin, piano, etc) and I have 60 hours to go before completing the break-in. I imagine it will only get better sounding as I reach closer to the 100 hours. Here are some factoids on my set-up:
* Room is 12ft x 16ft
* Sitting 11 ft from the speakers, which are at ear level and 7 ft apart (one each side of the TV) - each speaker is angled towards the listening point too (seems to make a minor difference for the better)
* The clearance between the rear of the speakers and the wall is about 18-inches (sitting on the top shelf of each bookcase)
* Speaker wire is 16 AWG copper (I may go to 14 or 12 AWG later since the binding posts are high quality and seem to be capable of accomodating it - the larger the wire size the better the sound I'm told, especially the bass sounds
* Receiver is an NAD L54 50 watts per channel (also bought from Amazon Marketplace)
* Subwoofer is a 350 watt Pinnacle Subsonic, two 6.5-inch speakers bi-pole configuration - carries the lower base frequencies down to about 28 Hz at a cross-over frequency set at about 80 Hz. The CB-10s are rated 66 Hz - 20,000 Hz and the Subsonic does help to reach lower, but I don't think it's necessary since the base sounds plenty deep and clear without the subwoofer turned on.
These speakers sound good when played for my Samsung HDTV too. They are now my main speakers (no surround sound, but using these as left and right front speakers).
If at 100 hours break-in these speakers sound much better, they will deserve 5 stars.
Lastly, I compare this set of speakers with another set I purchased at the same time, PolkAudio TSi200 bookshelf speakers. The Polks cost about $50 more than the CB-10s at the time, and they are also larger. Without a break-in period the Polks sounded better, and even now with a 40 hour break-in for the CB-10s the Polks still sound better. So, if you can spend a little more and don't mind larger bookshelf speakers, the Polks are worth a look. Check out the mfg spec sheets - you'll note differences between speakers that should help you decide. Of course what's best is actually listening to them if you can before purchasing. The CB-10s are still keepers though, as are the Polks which are in another room and tied to a Yamaha RX-497 receiver and CDC-697 CD player.
UPDATE on 17 Feb 2011: After 100 hours of break-in time the speakers sound the same, i.e., no perceptable improvement from 40 hours. Seems 40 hours was enough for the break-in.
Anthony (Greenville, RI)

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Premium sound from attractive bookshelf speakers finished in Black Ash with a High Gloss Black front baffle.

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