Would the Energy C-C100 center be a perfect match to the Athena LS-500 towers? The Energy C-500 towers seem to look very similar.

I wonder how these would compare at their new sale price of $199/pr....

The Speaker Company TST1-High-Performance-Tower-Speakers-Pair (http://www.thespeakercompany.com/TST1-High-Performance-Tower-Speakers-Pair-P72C8.aspx)
nice looking speaker but never heard of them, but with free shipping, free return shipping...how can you go wrong, try them out. A treated paper cone...hmmm sounds cheapish...back in the early 80's...treated paper cones were a big thing. The better answer to plain paper. Around this time Infinity came out with Polypropylene cones...nice looking and clear. But I never found that treated paper stood up to the test of time. They seemed to have the same issues as paper....failure in less than perfect conditions (dry winters). But thats just my understanding of it. I could be way off in left field....maybe its better now.
anyone making a carbon fiber cone?

Would the Energy C-C100 center be a perfect match to the Athena LS-500 towers? The Energy C-500 towers seem to look very similar.
Perfect match? Not perfect, but certainly complimentary. I am running LS-50's as the center channel with the LS-500's. While its in the same cabinet style, its tweeter and drivers are not the same and yet, it seems to blend in just fine. I would say yes.

nice looking speaker but never heard of them, but with free shipping, free return shipping...how can you go wrong, try them out. A treated paper cone...hmmm sounds cheapish...back in the early 80's...treated paper cones were a big thing. The better answer to plain paper. Around this time Infinity came out with Polypropylene cones...nice looking and clear. But I never found that treated paper stood up to the test of time. They seemed to have the same issues as paper....failure in less than perfect conditions (dry winters). But thats just my understanding of it. I could be way off in left field....maybe its better now.
anyone making a carbon fiber cone?

They come with a 5 year warranty. I will probably get the upgrade bug again before then anyway.

I emailed them regarding the quality of the woofer and was told they have a "very substantial" surround. I'm also interested in the tweeters, as they appear to be similar to the Infinity PolyCell.

Perfect match? Not perfect, but certainly complimentary. I am running LS-50's as the center channel with the LS-500's. While its in the same cabinet style, its tweeter and drivers are not the same and yet, it seems to blend in just fine. I would say yes.

Dear Vincolo1,

We are following your responses with particular interest. In our configuration, we are mixing LS-100 with AS-C1 and the results corroborates your comments. They are not timbre matched. Playing the AVIA speaker timbre match test, it becomes evident. Based on our configuration, we really would like to replace the LS-100 by the AS-B1 or AS-B2, but we could not find them.

After all the tests you performed, we would much appreciate to know what is your final configuration?

Best Regards,

Marcos

Q.J.A

Here is the setup(s) I have.
Nothing out of the realm of ordinary and predictable here.
Main Theater. Onkyo 707 Ht (7.1)
Fronts - WS-100
Side / rear - WS-15
Center - WS-60
Sub - AS-P4100
running all speakers as small with sub

Basement. Onkyo 707 (6.1)
Fronts - AS.F2.2
Rear - AS-B1.1
Center - AS-C1
Rear Center - AS-B1 Bipole
Sub (AS-P4000) not really needed tho, but it looks better to me to have one.
Running F2's as large.

Music Room. Onkyo 506 (mainly stereo all channels)
Fronts - Ls-500
Rear - LS-100
Center - LS-50
Sub - looking for one now

Garage. Sony Shelf System / CD / MP3
Alternating between LS-100 and AS-B1...can't decide.

Its clear that I have an addiction to Athena. Its been a quest of acquiring them as cheaply as possible.
To date the best deal was WS-15's - $20 for pair.
The most memorable deal was F2's for $200....
Strangest deal was AS-P4100 Free pickup for Dead subwoofer (fuse blown), which is I guess really the best deal..free.
I need to get some pics posted of the groups, I have wanted to make my sig a photo of ALL of them in one spot....I think that would look interesting.
I have also stuck with Onkyo simply because I am too afraid to try something new. Athena and Onkyo are a match made in heaven in my ears. The Sony shelf system sounds fine, but lacks the warmth of Onkyo and I would never think of using Sony in the room systems.

Dear Vincolo1,AS-B1 or AS-B2, but we could not find them.


I might have the set of AS-B1's available for sale very soon. It would help me make up my mind about what to leave in the garage. PM me if your interested in them.

Its clear that I have an addiction to Athena. Its been a quest of acquiring them as cheaply as possible.

Heh, I thought I was weird for scrounging the net for four B1s to eventually replace my WS-15s for surrounds (right now, the 15s are a better match for my living room, but the B1s will eventually be mated to my F2.2s and C1.2.)

Heh, I thought I was weird for scrounging the net for four B1s to eventually replace my WS-15s for surrounds (right now, the 15s are a better match for my living room, but the B1s will eventually be mated to my F2.2s and C1.2.)
My therapist recommended this forum..! Ya know its a good thing AAdvisor sold out of the F1's...I was really thinking about getting those too. I mean hell, I still have my bedroom to outfit..! Too bad Athena didn't get into car audio...I would have had a whole new craving to fill....

FWIW, I ordered the TST1's from The Speaker Company. Anyone looking for a pair of moderately used AS-F1's? :)

Sorry to post this here, but can anyone please comment on my setup if i have it proper.

I just finished my sound system finally. And I really dont know much about sound im a video guy! If someone could help guide me once and for all.

I have RX-V661 receiver, and the athena AF2, athena bookshelf, and the athena center speaker, and polk audio RC80i in ceiling to complete the surrounds for 7.1 and a velodyne sub.

Now the issues.

1. Should I set bass to subwoofer or sub and front?
2. I have cross over set to 80 on my sub. The choices on my sub are 80, 40, 120. I also have 80 on my sub. Ypao from yamaha came up 200htz crossover for some reason on my reason.
3. Theres a switch asking if I want internal x cross over or direct, i currently have direct.
4. Should I set the fronts to large? I used yapo from yamaha it came up with everything small, except the fronts to large.

If anyone could help it would save me a ton of research, i have read so many conflicting things.

Sorry to post this here, but can anyone please comment on my setup if i have it proper.

I just finished my sound system finally. And I really dont know much about sound im a video guy! If someone could help guide me once and for all.

I have RX-V661 receiver, and the athena AF2, athena bookshelf, and the athena center speaker, and polk audio RC80i in ceiling to complete the surrounds for 7.1 and a velodyne sub.

Now the issues.

1. Should I set bass to subwoofer or sub and front?
2. I have cross over set to 80 on my sub. The choices on my sub are 80, 40, 120. I also have 80 on my sub. Ypao from yamaha came up 200htz crossover for some reason on my reason.
3. Theres a switch asking if I want internal x cross over or direct, i currently have direct.
4. Should I set the fronts to large? I used yapo from yamaha it came up with everything small, except the fronts to large.

If anyone could help it would save me a ton of research, i have read so many conflicting things.

Personal opinion, Not sure how big your sub is, but ASF2 can bring the heat when it comes to bass. I'd set bass to Sub only, the ASF2 is not setup to separate the channels like other speakers (two separate speaker connections for high and low). Set the fronts to large, everything else to small. Stick with the 80hz crossover on the sub, and let your speakers handle the cross over work, not the receiver so go with direct. In other words, give the speakers all the freq range they can handle and let them pair it down to specifics. "Ypao from yamaha came up 200htz crossover for some reason on my reason" - huh? a little confused on that one...!
But if your saying that the internal crossover is set at 200hz and your sub is set at 80hz...your ok. Your receiver is not sending anything over 200 hz and your sub is not producing anything over 80 hz....so you have the 18hz to 80hz bands covered....IF your sub can go down that low. The ASF2 can pick it up from there. Now if you find that your having BOOM issues, you need to adjust a few things. Either your speaker placement is bad OR try raising the sub Xover setting to 120 and set the ASF2 to small. You can get into standing waves (room acoustics) that will begin to cause issues. So that is very specific to your room, and listening style. You'll find lots of opinion there, but your the only one who can tell if the changes are working.
hope that helps

Ok two other things, my speakers are wired to the receiver, not to the bass, dont know if that changes anything.

Also I dont get what the direct or internal x-over selection means.

I have the HK AVR130, which has a similar setting in "Bass Management" (Global or Independent). With one of those settings(I forget which), I seem to lose adjustment with the bass knob. I would set it to internal, meaning it would use the crossover in the receiver to keep the Front/Center/Rears at or above the crossover point (80hz?). You could try setting your sub crossover as high as possible, and see if the receiver still crosses it over. The Direct setting might be for using the crossover in another component.

BTW, I think I've been short changing myself the entire time I've had my AS-F1's. While playing with those crossover settings a minute ago I realized i was being forced to use a crossover because I had my receiver setup to use a subwoofer, which I don't have. I set "S-W speaker" to NONE, and the X-over is now disabled. Looks like I get even more bottom end extension now. Too bad I'm replacing them with TSC TST1's.

If I set it to 80, the receiver sets it 200, if i set it all the way to 40 or 120 it sets it to 160.

I thought internal Xover means the sub handles all the bass?

I tried switching from direct to internal x over, and the bass was severly lacking even after recalibrating with ypao, my ceiling speakers for rears, rc80i dont have much bass at all, and with it on direct, it seems to fill in for them.

Is this a crossover setting for only bass? With a single crossover setting it should be crossing the full range speakers above that point, and the subwoofer below that point. If you have a separate Xover setting for both high and low, that's different.

I must have got my definition backwards then. Use direct if it sounds better.

According to the manual

Direct
A bypas switch is provided if you wish to use an external crossover.
If you are not using an external crossover, we recommend that you use the
one provided within the unit for optimum performance.

Im assuming my receiver is the external cross over?

No, by that definition it's saying Direct would be used if you were using an external component (EQ/etc...) for a crossover. Try setting it to internal, 80hz, and turn the crossover knob on your sub all the way up. See if that brings back the punch.

Your F2's alone, though, should be providing audible bass, even crossed over. Set at 80hz, the sub will be required to produce most of the lower frequencies

If I set it to 80, the receiver sets it 200, if i set it all the way to 40 or 120 it sets it to 160.

What do you mean by this?

When I set the crossover on my sub to 80 the receiver calibrates crossover to 200, when i turn the knob all the way it calibrates crossover to 160.

I checked on the velodyne help on this site, and the guy that works for them kept recomending setting it to direct.

Hi,
I agree with all your receiver crossover settings. You want to put the sub's crossover to 'direct'. Direct means you are bypassing the crossover in the subwoofer because the Denon is doing the crossover for all your speakers and you don't need double crossovers.
Thanks,
Curt

Rereading your definition from the manual, Direct is the setting to use, as long as you don't enable the "bypass switch" which would bypass the internal crossover.

So I have direct, i have my sub set to 80, and the receiver calibrates the crossover to 200.

Since im new at this am I loosing sound detail because the cross over on the receiver is set to 200? From what i understand the receiver is routing anything below 200 to the sub.

Yes the sub will be sent anything below 200. If the crossover also affects your main speakers, they will be only playing 200hz and above. There's a lot of midbass/some midrange being lost. Your sub will also be more prone to distortion as it probably plays best between 80 and 120hz. Here's just a thought, can you disable the auto configuration and try setting everything manually? That receiver Doesn't use the Audyssey EQ does it?

Yea I can switch it manually.

Actually it came out to 160 again with bass turned to 120. So I left it at 160.

Now my sub only goes up to 120, and my receiver calibrated to 160, and it does sound better at 160.

I set my ASF2 to large in this case since i figured they could help with the missing bass in between 120-160?

All I know is hitting 120 the in ceiling polk audio RC80i start to sound muffled. I dont think they can produce bass properly that low. And I think the yapo pretty much confirmed that on the test.

Is this wrong?

If you can bypass it, then can you set everything manually to 80hz.

Look up the specs on your ceiling speakers. As long as the low end of the frequency response is lower than 120hz they should sound fine.

These are the specs according to the page, im not really sure what they mean though, again i spent most of my time on the video end.

Overall Frequency Response 35Hz - 20kHz
Lower -3dB Limit 50Hz
Upper -3dB Limit 20kHz
Nominal Impedance 8 ohms
Recommended Amplifier Power 20 - 100 w/channel
Efficiency 90 dB

The first line is the important one. The range of Human hearing is 20hz-20khz. Note that your AS-F2's are also rated 35hz-20khz. Your ceiling speakers should have absolutely no problem being crossed over lower than 120hz.

Thanks for all your help I love my athena;s im not an audiophile i dont know what to listen for, i just know good sounding sound if that makes sense, the polks are a popular item, pointing them to my listening position really seemed to improve bass, if that makes sense.


User reviews gave them great ratings and most seemed to say point them toward listening position. But then i read the book and told me i can get better surround pointing it toward walls, there in the corner of the ceiling but pointing them at the ceiling drop down and wall gave it weak bass tin sound.


I mean i listen to blue ray mostly, but music is limited to cd and mp3 some of which from 1970 are not great quality, so its mainly blue ray



I dont know if that makes sense, i own all athena but the polk ceiling and AS-b2 were the weak point. I decided on 120 crossover for my receiver where I felt the AS-B2 and polk Rc80i were lacking bass.

Is 120 bad.

I just dont think I was getting enough bass any lower.

No problem. I'm not an Audiophile either, but I have configured my share of stereo systems. I am just making suggestions from experience.

If your ceiling speakers have 8" woofers, they should compliment your AS-F2's well. How are you pointing them? Do you mean you're angling the tweeter? That shouldn't make a difference in the bass.

120hz is too high considering what your AS-F2's, and Ceiling speakers are capable of. 120hz would be correct if you had a set of HTIB speakers with mids and no woofers. 80hz would be just about perfect for what you have. Even your AS-B2's should be able to handle that.

Also, I'm not sure if you took vincolo's advice, but all of the speaker sizes (Front/Center/Rear) should be set to large. This should open up crossover settings under 120hz. You want to set the Xover as low as possible, as long as the other speakers can play that low, which they can.

I had my heart set on WS-15's for my 5.1 rears (in fact i bought some online ... only to find out 3 weeks later that they were out of stock). What would be an equivalent speaker for my setup. Could i go with LS-50? How about energy c50? Budget ~150.


WS-100 Front
WS-60 Center
STF-2 Sub

I had my heart set on WS-15's for my 5.1 rears (in fact i bought some online ... only to find out 3 weeks later that they were out of stock). What would be an equivalent speaker for my setup. Could i go with LS-50? How about energy c50? Budget ~150.


WS-100 Front
WS-60 Center
STF-2 Sub
Honestly, the LS are not as bright, but they could be used. (I guess I am injecting my flavor here, I like a bright surround setup and the LS I feel is better aimed at music...just my opinion on that one)Energy C-50 is a great price point, but basically the same thing as the LS-50. I have found the point 5 series to be pretty damn close in the timbre area. I can't remember off the top about the tweeter design. You can still find those here and there. If you can find at least one C.5, I can sell you the other one. I have one that is still new in the box, well its been hooked up but never really used more than a test here and there. I would love to sell it. Only problem is that the C.5 is not stand mountable (no screw holes), but if your using sitting stands, problem solved. The other bookshelf .5 series are just like the center, bright and great on upper mid range.

I'm looking to get a pair of floorstanding speakers for HT use.

I currently have the ff setup:

Center: AS-C1
Front: 2x AS-B1
Rear: 2x S.5
Center Rear: C.5
Sub: Velodyne CHT-10

What I really want to do is get a pair of AS-F2s for the front and move the AS-B1s to the rear (and chuck the S.5s). Unfortunately, finding a used pair of AS-F2s is almost impossible.

The alternatives I am looking at for the front are Athena LS-300 or LS-500 or Energy C-300 or C-500. Which speakers do you guys think would work best with my setup? Oh! I am powering everything off an Onkyo amp.

Look forward to hearing your thoughts! Thanks!!!

I'm looking to get a pair of floorstanding speakers for HT use.

I currently have the ff setup:

Center: AS-C1
Front: 2x AS-B1
Rear: 2x S.5
Center Rear: C.5
Sub: Velodyne CHT-10

What I really want to do is get a pair of AS-F2s for the front and move the AS-B1s to the rear (and chuck the S.5s). Unfortunately, finding a used pair of AS-F2s is almost impossible.

The alternatives I am looking at for the front are Athena LS-300 or LS-500 or Energy C-300 or C-500. Which speakers do you guys think would work best with my setup? Oh! I am powering everything off an Onkyo amp.

Look forward to hearing your thoughts! Thanks!!!

Consider these options:

- Stay with the current timbre-matched set up until you can get the AS-F2's in ebay or amazon. Right now there are two pairs for sale in ebay, but they are for local pickup only (one in Queens, NY and another one in Miami, FL).

- If you want to upgrade the fronts without waiting, then perhaps you could get also a new timbre-matched center to go with the new fronts, and sell your current C.5 center with the 2x S.5's in ebay.

Since the Athenas are discontinued, I'd say that going with the Energys at this point would allow you the opportunity to buy matching surrounds later on. You may find them in AudioAdvisor.com

Good luck

after years of being in school and being poor, i recently got the 500x2, 300x2, and 100x2. i would love to complete the set with the c100 but so far haven't been able to find it.

i've followed the thread over the 68 pages and came to the following conclusion: the energy c100 will be the best match for the ls series in terms of exact speaker setup.

i know a few of you have changed out the audition series center for the ws series center. i know the ls series and ws series don't match in terms of speaker composition but is it THAT important to match speakers? i am leaning towards the ws series for esthetics due to its small size. i feel it would fit better in my entertainment system.

any thoughts?

really appreciate you guys who have so much more knowledge.

i know the ls series and ws series don't match in terms of speaker composition but is it THAT important to match speakers?
Depending on how you look at it. All speakers put out sound. But if your are looking to have as real of a surround sound experience as you can get for the money, or any amount of money, timbre matters.
Look at it this way....put two different headphone ear buds in your ear. One from your iPod and one from your receiver. Play the radio and do they sound the same? Most likely not, differences in response, tune, highs and lows....same goes for mixing speaker lines. The audition and WS have the same tweeters, the LS does not. I have an LS-50 available for sale. Orig box. Not the same mid bass drivers (more like the WS) but the timbre matches and the cabinet style is the same....let me know. Its flawless, only about a month old.

after years of being in school and being poor, i recently got the 500x2, 300x2, and 100x2. i would love to complete the set with the c100 but so far haven't been able to find it.

i've followed the thread over the 68 pages and came to the following conclusion: the energy c100 will be the best match for the ls series in terms of exact speaker setup.

i know a few of you have changed out the audition series center for the ws series center. i know the ls series and ws series don't match in terms of speaker composition but is it THAT important to match speakers? i am leaning towards the ws series for esthetics due to its small size. i feel it would fit better in my entertainment system.

any thoughts?

really appreciate you guys who have so much more knowledge.

well i dont have more knowledge =) but i was in the same position.
trying to find a matching center for LS's i came close to ordering the energy c100 before i stumbled across a ls-c100.

if i was unable to get the ls i would have cetainly purchased the energy.
unless you really cant wait id go phantom and really try to come up on the ls-c100. youll be happier in the end, i am.

good luck.

I'm having a devil of a time trying to find stands for my S2 rear channel speakers. My wife does not want them wall-mounted because it is "a family room, not a home theater room." Even if she would agree to the wall mounting, I'm not in the least bit handy, and she doesn't want to pay someone to mount them and conceal the wires. The problem with finding stands is that the S2's are both heavy (18lbs each) and oddly shaped with the following dimensions: 14 1/4" H x 9 1/2" W x 12 3/4" D. Because they are rear channel speakers I want them at least 2-3 feet above ear level and it is proving difficult to find stands that are tall enough, deep enough, and sturdy enough to hold them. Any suggestions? My fronts are Athena AS-F1's with an AS-C1 center channel. Should I give up and try to pick up a pair of AS-B1's? My wife has a pair of old KLH 911B's and a pair of Kenwood HTIB rear speakers with stands but I hate to mix brands, especially since the other speakers are not in Athena's league IMHO.

thanks for the input ..

i think i will try to wait it out and be patient for an ls-c100 to pop up on ebay or something as the overall feel seems to be that staying within a specific line would be ideal.

i know this is probably the wrong thread.. but since you guys are so helpful and this is the athena speaker thread, maybe this is ok to ask?

what receiver would you recommend for the ls line? it seems the as line goes really well with the pioneer elites..

i've tried out denon and onkyo on the ls so far.. and it sounds pretty good to me.. but since the speakers aren't broken in .. and i'm not that good at listening, any suggestions?

the LS, not being as bright as the AS or WS line, seems to do very well with my Sony receiver. I have Onkyo driving the AS and WS lines and tried it with the LS and it gave me that warmth I like, but almost seemed a bit too dull. Sony is a 'brighter' receiver and seemed to let the spacial qualities of the LS shine through. You loose the warm tones but LS more than makes up for it with the "music from every spot in the room" feeling.
So I would pair the LS with a bright system (whatever you think is bright) and the AS and WS with a warm system.
From my reading, Onkyo and HK appear to be generally considered warm while Sony, Pioneer, Marantz are bright.....

YO! i was lookin at the ws-100's along with the ws-60...does anyone have a pic of these in their set up? how do you guys like these speakers? i was gonna jump on the polk rti8's but the foot print was just too big. i live in an apartment and normally crank it with my current set up ( no complaints for neighbors yet!) but the hkts 15 package falls short ....with that i was looking to update my front 3. i really like the way these look just dont know how they sound..i mainly use it for movies and sports..hardly any music...i really enjoy just clean sound.i appreciate your help! also how long have these been around $299 a pair? i will stick with the sub that came with my old speaker system for the time being. but will eventually move up to New PC12-NSD..

I'm having a devil of a time trying to find stands for my S2 rear channel speakers. . . . The problem with finding stands is that the S2's are both heavy (18lbs each) and oddly shaped with the following dimensions: 14 1/4" H x 9 1/2" W x 12 3/4" D. Because they are rear channel speakers I want them at least 2-3 feet above ear level and it is proving difficult to find stands that are tall enough, deep enough, and sturdy enough to hold them. Any suggestions?

We sold the SCT series for the duration of its run, and the best speaker stands we paired with the S2's are from Ultimate Support which have a 9x9 top plate and available in a 45" height. Maybe not as tall as you would want but a sturdy stand indeed for your speakers. http://www.ultimatesupport.com/s.nl/it.A/id.782/.f

Hope this helps.

TDI

The Ws-60 center speaker is awfully difficult to purchase nowadays and I need another alternative to my setup.

I currently have a Samsung 46LN650a, with a Ps3, and plan on purchasing an onkyo 606 to power up my Athena WS-100's, center speaker, surround, and sub. I planned on purchasing a ws-60 as the center speaker but audioadvisor no longer has it listed and other sites are asking for an arm and a leg. Can you guys recommend another center speaker that performs similiar/better than the ws-60 which isn't too difficult to find?

Thanks!

Can you use another WS-100 and mount it sideways? I know the stand comes off.

I was hoping not to use another ws100 because of it's width. Any other suggestions for the center channel?

hi philek9,

I bought a pair of used ws-60 on ebay and I only needed one for a center speaker. So, I plan on putting up the other ws-60 on ebay sometime on the weekend if you're interested.

I am currently running the Micra 6 system but in my new living room the center doesn't really measure up. I have looked around on ebay for an Athena upgrade but there aren't many choices out there and I'm trying to keep costs down as much as I can. Are there any other choices that would work with my setup Mirage Energy Klipsch etc? I use the room mostly for TV watching with the occasional movie or Wii session. Thanks...

Title says it all. My AS-C1.2 died and I need to find a replacement center channel. I do not want to try finding another c1.2 because it underperformed next to my as-f2.2. I contacted Athenaspeakers and this is what (now Klipsche) had to say:

Well the entire Athena line has been discontinued. Your best option is to look for an Athena somewhere. If you can find one, then the Energy center channel speakers are the closest – CC-10 or the RC-LCR

its gets even more interesting because i contacted audioadvisor concerning my issue and the rep told me that the best bet was to go with the psb c40 or c60.

what the heck!

Anybody care to comment on what a brother should do? :confused:

The only center channel made for the Audition Series Athenas was the C-1. Short of using a B1, B2 or F1, F2 towers, nothing else would be the appropriate match.

Klipsch has zero support for the Athena line. They were discontinued and those guys know little to nothing about the speakers.

Why not configure you system for a phantom center?

Why not configure you system for a phantom center?
the only reference point i have to this question is something i saw on scooby doo :D. please explain if you would what a phantom center. thanks afrogt.

and thanks for your comments on the center channel. after i posted, i've been searching for a b2.2. can't find one anywhere. i use to see them all over until now that i need one *sheesh* :(

B2.2 bookshelf. $139/pr
http://www.tsto.com/cgi-bin/TSTO.storefront/498895970097e1202740ac1003410673/Product/View/2639

Setting up your receiver in phantom mode enables the left and right main speakers to do the work of a center channel. Many people prefer it over using a lesser quality or mismatched center. All you need to do in your speaker setup is set the center channel to NO, NONE, or OFF depending on the receiver. I don't know what receiver you have.

Then all the dialogue will come from your main speakers, but it'll image like its coming from the middle.

thanks for that! didn't know it worked like that. i believe my receiver can pull it off. i have the yamaha rx-v1 receiver and i have seen this option in its configuration menu.

i think though that i will follow your link and purchase the b2.2. this seems to be the best solution. thanks for your help!

say afrogt, with the scarcity of finding athena speakers, what do you recommend for surround speakers? from what i've researched, it is not imperative that the surronds remain homogeneous to the fronts/center.

What Athena speakers do yo have now, buffman?

They still have LS-100's and LS-300's available at Audio Advisor. LS-100's would be fine for surrounds unless you need something smaller.

I noticed Amazon has 1 seller with a LS-C100 center for sale. I'm sure it won't last long.

i just added it to my cart. thanks for the heads up. is this a decent replacement for the as-c1.2? before i thought you were saying to use the as-b2.2. hopefully you are still watching this thread.

presently i only have as-f2.2's i lost me center channel c1.2. i figure i would go ahead and finish my surround while i purchase a center.

edit: on 2nd though i think i will pass on the ls-c100. i think it is best to stay timber matched. i don't want to deal with strange sound issues trying to match this to my as-f2.2. i will go ahead and grab 2 pairs of the b2.2. this is he safest way to go i think.

thanks again afrogt. i just put my order in for 2 pair of as-b2.2. i matched up the difference between b2.2 and the ls-100 and had to go with the b2.2....at $40 more *ack*. the b2.2 is just such a solid bookshelf and they are timber matched to my f2.2's. i am so green at the audio thing that i really can't afford to add complexity to the mix ya know?

you've been a jewel man. thanks. so it looks like by next week i will have 6.1 surround system. any idea on some good deals for stands to support these puppies?

B2.2 is a better match than the LS-C100 for your F2.2. Good choice.

any idea on some good deals for stands to support these puppies?

Sanus BF-24 or BF-31. They're cheap and I have my Athena B2's on some.

http://www.amazon.com/SANUS-SYSTEMS-BF-24B-Speaker-Stands/dp/B00006JQ5N/ref=pd_bbs_sr_1?ie=UTF8&s=electronics&qid=1233699155&sr=8-1

thanks! i'm all over it.

edit: ACK! $25 shipping kills it for me. i will have to find a free shipping deal somewhere. thanks though.

They have if for $49/pr with free shipping at vanns.com but that cost more than $27 with $15 shipping.

Why not go directly to the seller: ElectroGalaxy.com

http://electrogalaxy.dtopinc.com/index.html?object=sasbf24b

I did. @$24 + $14 Shipping = $38 and change. They shipped quickly.

As others have stated: These are nice stands. Only caveat: Do not overtighten the screws. They can easily split the vertical pieces. I am going to add slightly thicker rubber pads as well.

Hi, I have a pair of ws-100 and a ws-60 for the fronts and a pair of ws-15 for the surrounds right now. I would like to go to 7.1 and I was wondering what dipole surrounds would match best with what I have. I'm having trouble finding the as-r1.2, so I was wondering if the paradigm cinema adp or the cambridge s205 would match well? Thanks.

Question, I have Athena micra's 5.1 hooked up to a onkio tx-sr803 and was curious if anyone has added 2 more micra's to there system for 7.1 surround and if so how much of a difference did it make ?

I just purchased a pair of the LS-300 towers for a solid price and i'm looking to add a center speaker in the near future.

I know the LS-C100 is nearly impossible to find these days...

For those who purchased the Energy C-C100 center speaker, how does this blend with the LS towers?

Thanks guys.

I currently have:

New Onkyo TX-SR606
AS S2.P2 Fronts/Subs
C.5 Center
S.5 Surrounds

I am looking to add 2 more speakers as rears to get to 7.1 with the new AVR. Finding S.5 speakers seems to be impossible and I really wanted the wall mounts again...

Anyone have a suggestion for a stand-in product for use as rears in this setup or a source for a pair of S.5s?

Thanks,
MD

Hi all, this is a great thread. I'm looking for a center and surrounds to go with my S3/P2. With the Athena line no longer available is there a center that would match? Or should I just run phantom as mentioned a few posts prior? For surrounds I think my best option is in the ceiling due to the layout of my living room. I found a pair of AS-IC6 for sale, should I pick those up or are there other recommendations for in ceiling.

Thanks

Chris

B1.2 Fronts
C1.2 center
sony 12 inch SAWM40 Subwoofer
Harmon Kardon AVR 25
http://cgim.audiogon.com/i/vs/s/f/1142060640.jpg
I use this as a second system upstairs

I started off with B2 speakers with the C1 center and Sony SAWM40 sub with a HK AVR too. Great budget home theater setup! I'm gonna start selling off some of my Athena speakers as I'm overloaded now after going with 4 Energy C-100s and a C-C100 center.

My current set up:

Front: AS-F1's
Center: AS-C1
Rears: AS-B1's
Sub: Velodyne VX-10
Powered by Marantz SR7200

I'm very happy with it, and at the time I got them I'd probably give it a 5/5 since I was on a tiny budget, and the fact that Best Buy was closing these out meant that over a few weeks by traveling around to different stores I was able to put together all of the speakers for less than $300 (the sub came later, and I already had the receiver).

I'm considering upgrading just about everything in a few months after my wedding is done, and I have a better idea of where my finances are going to be. I actually inherited some money a while back, with the stipulation that the money couldn't be spent on anything practical, I have to do something "fun" with it (a bit of a family tradition). It's been sitting in a high interest savings account for a while now and I think once the wedding and honeymoon are over (I'll probably use some of that money during the honeymoon) I may be looking at some upgrades.

First upgrade will be an HDTV (yeah, still don't have one. I'm not much of a videophile, but I think prices and tech are finally where I want them to get one).
Next I may get a Mac Mini to set up with some sort of media center software (Boxee maybe, or Plex or something), and the (will be then!) wife and I may drop cable and see if we can get by just using the internet and such for our TV shows. We'll see.

I'm also looking at a new receiver, probably an SR7002, not so much because I don't like my current receiver or it's sound, but because I'd like some features not available on my SR7200 (HDMI for one). I love the sound from my receiver, but it's getting cumbersome hooking everything up to it and getting everything working together (it doesn't even up-convert video signals, so I have to have both a Component and S-Video cord running from my receiver to my TV since I have a mix of different components connected to the receiver).

Finally I'm considering upgrading my speakers. I'm less sure about this one, because I'm pretty happy with my current speakers, but I do know I could be doing better.
I'm considering the ELT525 5.0 system (I'll probably keep using my current sub for a while longer, I'm not all that bass crazy and it does just fine for my purposes), assuming it's still on sale when I'm ready to buy. I also recently saw the Energy C-300 5.0 set at wstereo for a pretty damn good price, though I'm not totally clear if that would really be much of an upgrade or not, as i haven't had a chance yet to look for somewhere to sit down and listen to those yet (I have a friend with some ELT's so I already know I like their sound, and will probably be going over there sometime soon to really sit and critically listen).

I also recently saw the Energy C-300 5.0 set at wstereo for a pretty damn good price, though I'm not totally clear if that would really be much of an upgrade or not, as i haven't had a chance yet to look for somewhere to sit down and listen to those yet (I have a friend with some ELT's so I already know I like their sound, and will probably be going over there sometime soon to really sit and critically listen).

I'm not sure if the Energy 5.0 system is an upgrade as much as it is a different sound.

I've got all those Athenas in my bedroom and then took advantage of the woot.com sale on Energy C-100 bookshelfs recently. Even though Athena and Energy are sister companies, the sound is completely different. Athenas are bright and punchy, Energy more neutral and smooth. I hear cymbals, bells and other high notes more clearly on the Athena and it almost feels like someone threw towel over the Energy when you compare the two. But the Energy has a smoother more balanced sound. I'm sure if someone ran frequency test on each speaker they'd find the Athena accented the highs and lows where the Energy is more balanced.

The Athena Teteron tweeter is a sweet thing but I can see how it might be fatiguing for some people.

The build quality of the Energy is better too, although the Athenas aren't bad at all.

@afrogt

Thanks! As usual I won't really know unless I can really sit and do some critical listening to the Energy's but from your description it doesn't sound like the sort of thing I'd be looking for, (I'm very happy with the Athena sound, and like the punchy highs and lows) and if I'm going to spend money on new speakers, I'd like it to be an upgrade and not simply a lateral move.

Anyway, it sounds like unless I find somewhere to listen to them and find I have a completely different opinion of the speakers than what you described, I can probably eliminate them as a choice (so I won't likely be going out of my way to find some to listen to). It's in some ways unfortunate because that's a pretty damn good deal, but $400 spent on speakers I might not even like as much as my current ones would be a bigger waste of money than spending twice as much on speakers I'd like more.

Thanks for the input! It'll be at least a few months before I'm seriously looking anyway, but it's good to know!

Just get a pair of Energy's and see how you like the sound. wwstereo is in Philly so its not that far to northern VA. Return shipping shouldn't be too bad.

or check Energy's website for a dealer close to you.
http://www.energy-speakers.com/na-en/where-to-buy/

In a few months those Energy's could be gone since they're on clearance. Listen locally and see if the bargain setup is right for you.

I may do that when I get a bit more serious about looking, but with a wedding coming up, my time is limited, and honestly I'd rather spend what free time I have doing other things. I also don't really have the money or time to be throwing around buying and then returning speakers.

But once the wedding is over and I really get an idea of what I'm looking for, I may just do that. However, from your description it doesn't sound like the Energy's are likely to be what I'm looking for, so... really a trip up to philly, though not that long, (But at least a few hours) isn't likely to be worth it to me just to see how I feel about them. But if there are some local dealers, then that might be worth it.

Anyway, thanks so much for your advice, I had a feeling the Energy's would likely just be "different" rather than better.

They get alot better when you go higher up the line. If you were getting the Energy RC speakers then it would be a no brainer because they are significantly better than the C series.

That av123 ELT 5.0 package from everything I've read is a great deal for $799. And they look like classy furniture too.

I think the fact you've got that Marantz receiver probably tames some of the highs in the Athenas. So they probably sound really good!

Yeah, what I've heard of my friends ELT's has been pretty good! Unfortunately of course I have no idea if they'll still be on sale when I'm ready to buy.

I really am very happy with my Athena's and my receiver, a combo I ended up with basically by accident. I got the receiver when I was in college in like 2002 and was just getting into higher end equipment. My roomate had a Marantz 2 channel receiver and CD player I was really impressed with, and I really didn't know all that much about higher end brands and such. My parents, being unusually generous, agreed to let me pick out a receiver for my birthday, and didn't balk at the $600 or so I spent on the receiver. I'm super happy with it, but really I didn't know much about what I was getting into, so I really just kind of lucked into it!

The speakers as I said came later, (had been using the receiver with different combo's of my own and various room mates speakers for the next few years), and I really got them because Best Buy was closing out the line, and I could get them (most of them were floor models) for huge discounts.

The combo of the speakers and receiver was a pretty clear upgrade from my "franken-speaker" set up's previously, and as everything got really broken in the sound only improved! My happiness with the set up is actually why upgrading the speakers is the part I'm still most hesitant about!

I'm pretty much like you on the Athenas. I first purchased B2 bookshelfs for $110/pr from Best Buy open box. I liked them so much I bought more Athenas a few months later. I got B1's for $79/pr new, C1 for $79 and then a couple Point 5 speakers for $30 on ebay. Finally I found some F1's on sale and BB had a 30% off coupon so I ended up getting an open box pair for under $100. That was ridiculous! I really like the F1 towers.

When it was all over I had F1, C1 and B1 in my bedroom and B2, C1 and S.5 in the main room. I'm going to put a 5.0 setup on craigslist one of these days, just haven't figured out which pairing to do. Most likely sell the B2, C1, B1 and keep the F1 towers, the other C1 and S.5 since those can be wall mounted and come with brackets.

They were good speakers at regular prices and a steal for what I paid.

I would like to make a recommendation to anyone using the SCT series in a large setup. I use the S3's paired with P3's in a 7.1 setup and the C1 always sounded so thin but I love the S3's so I went in search of another center and found the Niles HDLCRbx it has a Teteron tweeter just like the athena's but it is a much more impressive center than the C1. The Niles sounds great with the S3's and fits perfectly in my studiotech u-22t.

I have been looking for some new speakers and I keep hearing good things about the Athena Point 5 MKII speaker setup, but all of the reviews are from 2006 or later. I can find the set for between $200 new and $110 used, are these still considered good speakers and is that a good price for the 5 speaker set?

Has anyone used a WS-100 for a center channel? I've found an reasonable deal on one and I've been looking to upgrade my point 5 center... is the WS-100 overkill? Thanks...

anyone running 4x LS-500B's? Is this overkill? I'm considering upgrading from my 4x AS-B1.2's

What kind of jump in quality should I expect?

Just to update my post above, I just bought 4x LS-500's and a LS-C100 center from Audio Advisor. The LS-500's were only $50 more than the LS-100's so I decided to go ahead in get them for the surrounds. Did I make a good decision? Are the LS-500's not suited to be surround speakers? I am upgrading from 4x AS-B1.2's and a AS-C1 center. Should I notice drastic improvement? My order is to be delivered on Friday.

The rest of my setup includes:
Onkyo TX-SR805
SVS PB10 NSD Subwoofer

The LS-500s were $150/pr? I know the LS-100s are $100/pr. If so you got a great deal?

The LS-500s were $150/pr? I know the LS-100s are $100/pr. If so you got a great deal?

Yes they were factory refreshed.

Just FWIW... Their website lists them as $149 each. A steal if you got a pair for that price! And they don't list the LS-C100 at all. Do you know if they had any more of them?

Just FWIW... Their website lists them as $149 each. A steal if you got a pair for that price! And they don't list the LS-C100 at all. Do you know if they had any more of them?

I see them here!
http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=2ATLSC100


And yes, I see the LS-500 is $149ea, but maybe Boogie got a special deal?
http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=2ATLS500

Ya, I was surprised to see the LS-C100's there after reading about how impossible they are to find.

Afrogt...

Right as usual! I don't know why they didn't turn up in my search. I've already bought the Energy C-C100, so other than looks, I cannot see a reason to switch. The energy matches perfectly, soundwise, with my LS-500B's, but they are large! For the kids to listen to the TV, I have to move it out of the way! I cannot raise the Plasma any higher (floating mount attached to the stand). I wonder if anyone ever A-B'd the difference between the LS-C100 and the C-C100. I recall much discussion, but never an actual A-B listening test.

Even though they have the same or similar drivers, the C-C100 weighs quite a bit more. Its 19.8lbs vs the Athena's 13.4lb so the Energy either uses a thicker cabinet, better bracing or something to make it heavier.

Haven't heard about anyone comparing the two sonically.

Crap just got my order and one of the speaker boxes is punctured and the side of the speaker has a 1 1/2" gash on it.

Anyone know where I can buy a single pair of point S.5 speakers? I'm looking to add a pair to my rear surround but am having a hard time tracking down a pair.

Moe

Hi all, this is a great thread. I'm looking for a center and surrounds to go with my S3/P2. With the Athena line no longer available is there a center that would match? Or should I just run phantom as mentioned a few posts prior? For surrounds I think my best option is in the ceiling due to the layout of my living room. I found a pair of AS-IC6 for sale, should I pick those up or are there other recommendations for in ceiling.

Thanks

Chris

Problem solved just picked up a C.5 from Audio Advisor and I got the AS-IC6's. Now I just need to install everything and see how it sounds.

Anyone know where I can buy a single pair of point S.5 speakers? I'm looking to add a pair to my rear surround but am having a hard time tracking down a pair.

Moe

out of circulation a couple of years, ebay is your best bet!

NOW WHAT....?
I had the fortunate option to recently buy an orig AS-F2, AS-C1 and AS-R1 all in perfect shape (by the way, they do sound more full then the X.2 series so I kept the orig set). This marks the end of the hunt. For over a year I have been assembling the lines of the Athena speakers that I wanted and I'm done. I have WS, LS and AS....I have sold the AS-X.2 line still have a center .5 and LS-50 center in the "to sell" pile. If anyone is looking, make me an offer.
anyway, I have spent so much time scouring ebay and CL looking for the deals and now with a bit of sadness, its over. No more need to hunt, no more room to put speakers either...!
All in all....I have 7.1 WS - cost $450, 5.1 LS - $500 and 7.1 AS - !!$250!!.
Not bad for around the orig price of the off the shelf AS line cost alone.
I guess there is just one more thing......Sony and AS sounds horrible together....way too much hiss so there is a Harman Kardon in the works.

I have to say, after listening to my new 5.1 LS system, I do not like the C100 too much. The dialog sounds really muddy and it's just dull. I liked the AS-C1.2 center much better. The LS-500's sound awesome though. They fill the whole room with sound and it's not such a one directional sound as the AS-B1.2's were.

eye candy

Looks like you need a TV with your AS speaker system!

Looks like you need a TV with your AS speaker system!
I don't know what the rule of thumb is but the AS sitting around a 50" plasma dwarfs the TV....these need a BIG tv. I am not a big fan of projection as there are even more wires to conceal, so I am looking at a 72 inch DLP, but you cannot hang that one. I know projection would give me what I am looking for, but I am not sure I am ready to deal with bulbs and running wire through the walls in a finished basement to get the look I am after. Its not huge room, maybe 24 x 30. Maybe a 60 + inch Plasma will suffice. I am watching prices steadily go down.....and trying to figure the best time to strike. I wonder if waiting until Christmas will present even more robust deals.....maybe the sub $1000 1080 60".....that would be a steal...as long as its not stamped with Funi or Botang or some other unrecognizable producer. I noticed that for Christmas there are new brand names that you only see around Black Friday...after that they are gone. I understand that the main line companies will spin off a sub brand just to cash in on the buying frenzy...but the quality is at best...horrible.

Pioneer 60! GO BIG OR GO HOME! haha

here's a question:
How long is Athena going to be remembered? Lots of great speakers have come out over time and while I am certainly partial to Athena and it will live at the top of my list for a long time, they are discontinued, all sales are online now so no auditions available, ebay has various pieces come up from time to time but seem to be overpriced or at least close to last shelf bought retail.
I believe those who frequently post already have what we want and maybe a few expansions to 7.1 from 5.1. I also see other "vintage" speakers on auction sites from the 80's and 70's selling for huge $$. Certainly the wood veneer, lack of modern design and paper based cones would eventually rot and doesn't technology get better over time? Yes it gets cheaper (I mean in quality too) as people learn of ways to cut cost. I guess its really safe to say that Speakers and entertainment equipment over all is a heavily depreciated after market. This stuff does not "appreciate" over time. So again I ask, how long with the Athena name survive in the records, on auction sites....?
I guess its safe to say already that since its not currently on the production line, it can already be checked off as a collectors item. I think the day will come when we stroll by a yard sale and sitting there with a $25 sticker on it will be a pair of AS towers. Eventually they will move to the garage, be found sitting on curbs along with other discarded college student furniture. OR, will they remain a strong name for 20 or 30 more years.....becoming even more precious as scant auctions appear and "we" the collectors buy them up...will there be a new breed of "retro" resurgence in 10 years and will these speakers rise again for a new generation?
Is there any speaker brand or model that stands out in the mind as timeless? Was there a speaker you owned in the past that you now wish you had never parted with?

I currently have the Audition series of for Front, Center, and Rears. I am thinking of replacing my AS-C1.1 with Polk Audio Model: CS10 BLACK. Have anyone hear ever compared the two. I have a customer who has the Polk Audio Model: CS10 BLACK and the dialogue appears to be so much better than what I get out of the AS-C1.1.

is your friend running the same receiver...? Same setup. I get different dialog from all three sets of athena I have and for a long time thought the WS-60 sucked, could barely hear it until I figured out that the receiver had reset itself back to default and all channels were equal. That was on an Onkyo. Now properly adjusted, it rocks, then again the C1 is even brighter...
So take your C1 to his house and see how it goes...you may be -re-impressed.

I currently have WS-100s for the front, WS-60 for the center, and need 2 surround speakers to complete my system. The problem is, I can't find any place or private seller who is selling a pair of WS-15's so my question is, do you have any recommendations for surround speakers to complete my system? I just purchased the 2009 Pioneer VSX-819 as the receiver to power these speakers. Please help me complete my 5.1 setup! Thanks!

I currently have WS-100s for the front, WS-60 for the center, and need 2 surround speakers to complete my system. The problem is, I can't find any place or private seller who is selling a pair of WS-15's so my question is, do you have any recommendations for surround speakers to complete my system? I just purchased the 2009 Pioneer VSX-819 as the receiver to power these speakers. Please help me complete my 5.1 setup! Thanks!
Keep watching ebay...they will show up. They always do and for some reason when there is nothing.....there is nothing then all of a sudden there is Athena stuff all over the place. A pair of ASR1's will do with that, but those are fetching a high price also and will not really round it out, just suffice.
In the mean time, get a cheap pair of speakers...anything with 87 / 89db output (easy) and hook em up....WS-15's will show up. I had to buy silvers when I got mine, I needed black, but painted them with auto spray paint. They look as good as the factory 100's.

oh I did a USA craigslist search too and did not find any, but I'll keep an eye out too.

Thanks for the help! I've been watching for a couple months now and no luck. I do have some cheap PC speakers from the creative system (5.1) that I bought many years back. Maybe I can try those and see how they hold up until I get my hands on some WS-15's. I'll also watch those ASR1's and see if I can get any deal on that.

Any SCT Series owners in the US looking to sell? I'm looking for a pair of S1, S2, or S3 in Cherry finish. If there's anyone out there, please PM. Thanks!

anyone have a real world review of the AS-P400? Thinking of replacing a 12" 120 watt Dayton (single note boomer) with the P400. Its going to run with a 7 spkr set of AS series. (AS-F2)....good or bad idea. I have a P4100 that I believe would be a very capable candidate, but that is already used elsewhere. Oh, pretty much gaming and HT.....less music

anyone have a real world review of the AS-P400? Thinking of replacing a 12" 120 watt Dayton (single note boomer) with the P400. Its going to run with a 7 spkr set of AS series. (AS-F2)....good or bad idea. I have a P4100 that I believe would be a very capable candidate, but that is already used elsewhere. Oh, pretty much gaming and HT.....less music

I use the AS-P400. It's great for music, but your Dayton is probably better for movies.

I use the AS-P400. It's great for music, but your Dayton is probably better for movies.
Ya Dayton is a one note wonder...its gets low, but thats it. It has no musical ability at all. I also find that with loud passages in movies it easily over extends itself and you get annoying "ppfffuttt" sound.
More tuning is needed then before I write it off completely. If the price is right on the P400, I might get it anyway and compare them.
I am interested to see how the P400 is to the P4100....that sub, I absolutely love. I have had only one movie that it couldn't handle at high volumes.....Kung Fu Panda...some of those bass scenes are abusive.

Thanks for the help! I've been watching for a couple months now and no luck. I do have some cheap PC speakers from the creative system (5.1) that I bought many years back. Maybe I can try those and see how they hold up until I get my hands on some WS-15's. I'll also watch those ASR1's and see if I can get any deal on that.

Murphy's law: A pair of WS-15's arrived on ebay's listings....but they are both non-working. You would have to spend another $100 to get the raw drivers and hope that the death was not due to the X-over.
...maybe I should start selling my non-working stuff too.....

I don't know much about the internals or speakers or how to "fix" them so I will wait for another set! Thanks for looking out though!

Hey everyone,

I'm currently running the F1's for my fronts, along with the C1 for my center, R1's and S5's for my surrounds. I'm currently happy with them but i've decided to upgrade my receiver to the pioneer sc-05 and now i've been thinking about upgrading my speakers to possible the ED 6T6 towers as the fronts and the 6t6 center. Has anyone performed similar upgrades and did they notice a worthwhile increase in performance?

Hey everyone,

I'm currently running the F1's for my fronts, along with the C1 for my center, R1's and S5's for my surrounds. I'm currently happy with them but i've decided to upgrade my receiver to the pioneer sc-05 and now i've been thinking about upgrading my speakers to possible the ED 6T6 towers as the fronts and the 6t6 center. Has anyone performed similar upgrades and did they notice a worthwhile increase in performance?
Nice speakers.....the 6T6...
No idea on sound, never heard em so I cannot be much help. However being that this is the Athena "Lovers" forum, I have to ask...WHY.
It seems that they have some of the same qualities... a few... and everyone has their reasons for wanting change..the 6T6 look cool. I wonder if the bass response is better since there is a dual cabinet design...the F1's were noted for their bass, but even with the F2's...they still need a sub in my opinion.
When you get em, post your review here. I would love to see if Athena can still support the high ratings it once received.

Ya I think that's why it's so appealing. Back in the day, athenas were regarded as one of the best bang for the buck speakers and received high reviews based on their price per performance. However, it seems like internet companies like SVS,HSU, ED, etc have overtaken that speaker niche. I would love to do a speaker test on them however, I don't have the time to do a buy and return. And ya it would be nice to see after all these years to see if people still think athenas can hold vs the new value brands.

A shameless plug in the wrong place......but well thought in this thread as they're hard to find these days. My Den system is being revamped for a Hi End listening space and my Athena WS100/WS60 5.0 system in silver has to go. Excellent condition. PM only please!

Looking to replace an old Sony center channel speaker with a newer center channel to "voice match" them with my pair of Athena AS-B1. I am familliar with the Athena AS-C1 but so far have been unable to locate one at a reasonable price. The specs of my Athenas are:

Frequency range 60Hz-20kHz +/- 3dB, sensitivity as 90dB, and power handling as 125 watts. The crossover point is 2kHz

http://img193.imageshack.us/img193/3745/img2332z.jpg

Pardon for the clutter but I just want to share my experience with these speakers. I'm a proud new owner of these Athena AS-F1's. I'm so glad that I settled for these towers instead of a bookshelf.

It's almost too perfect for me because I have such a small space, tight budget and small amp (my amplifier is a Yamaha A-520 {75 watts @ 8 ohms}). Currently my only source is my PC.

These speakers have excellent detail. High's are not harsh. Bass is deep, fast and not boomy. My 75 WPC@8 ohms is well enough to drive this speaker. I have yet to find myself a new player (trying to get an OPPO CD/SACD/DVD player).

Looking to replace an old Sony center channel speaker with a newer center channel to "voice match" them with my pair of Athena AS-B1. I am familliar with the Athena AS-C1 but so far have been unable to locate one at a reasonable price. The specs of my Athenas are:

Frequency range 60Hz-20kHz +/- 3dB, sensitivity as 90dB, and power handling as 125 watts. The crossover point is 2kHz

Where are you located, I have one I might be willing to part with?

I currently own 4 Athena B1's and a C1 for my center. I have been powering them with my panny XR55 for the past few years but am wanting to upgrade to an HDMI capable receiver. I've got a HK AVR 254 in the mail. Do you guys think this will be a decent match?

its funny im still running my athena set as f1 ,as b1, c1, and using my micra as my surrounds and micra sub

ive had these speakers for since 2003 and they are still going strong plus i got them for 60 off when best buy sold them
ive sold martin logan, polk, focal all good speakers but for the money my athena's dont sound half bad

I currently own 4 Athena B1's and a C1 for my center. I have been powering them with my panny XR55 for the past few years but am wanting to upgrade to an HDMI capable receiver. I've got a HK AVR 254 in the mail. Do you guys think this will be a decent match?

it'll be a great match. I used my Athenas with a HK AVR 325 and loved it.

I am currently running F2s for the front with AS-C1 center and B1s for the rears, but find the center to be lacking as far as being able to hear voices. I feel as if it doesn't match well with the F2s and was wondering if anyone has replaced their center with a better one that blends well with the F2s? At the moment, i have the center 3dbs above all other channels in order to be able to hear the dialogue and find that a vertical position gives a wider angle.

They never made a bigger center to go with the F2 speaker. Getting another F2 would be your best bet if you have space for another F2 floorstander.

http://www.audioadvisor.com/prodinfo.asp?number=3ATASF2%2E2&utm_source=Email+Newsletters&utm_campaign=a3c33e7c04-Audio_Advisor_Weekly_Clearance_Newsletter8_5_2009&utm_medium=email

Or maybe even a single B2 bookshelf speaker if you can place it upright.

Hi ya'll. I'm going to be a new owner of a used Athena WS 7-channel HT set.

(I managed to find a decent pair of WS-100's, and the WS-60 + 4x WS-15's are arriving later this week.)

I need to drive them, but I don't know what receiver would compliment these speakers. Two receivers I've been looking at are:

Denon AVR-1910, 90 watts/channel from ~24lbs, about $400
Sony STR-DN1000, "110 watts/channel" from ~20lbs, about $320

From what I can gather, the really-new DN1000 is going to be more user-friendly (GUI), and the glossy finish may match well with a PS3 (of which I intend on buying an older, SACD-capable model), to constitute a minimalist system that is also about style. What I am worried about is the fact that I'm even considering a non-ES Sony audio product, and that it's supposed to put out 770-watts from a sub-20lb unit.

The 1910 is probably the better-known quantity. I'm going to have to put up with the remote, but the sound quality is supposed to be best-in-class. The looks won't exactly match the PS3, but you're supposed to hear an audio system, right? ;)

I'm actually leaning toward the DN1000. Is anyone going to try to talk me out of it? Or offer better suggestions than what I've listed? Please?

Thanks in advance for any advice/input.

Denon AVR-1910, 90 watts/channel from ~24lbs, about $400
Sony STR-DN1000, "110 watts/channel" from ~20lbs, about $320

Hopefully you have a subwoofer in that mix also. Even tho the WS say it goes low, you cannot tell if it is.
I have not heard the Denon. Sony to me sounded "tinny" with the WS, HKardon was certainly acceptable but Onkyo seemed to give them the warm depth that the aluminum towers lacked without being muddy. Now the Onkyo is not as bright, so with that setup I am a little less impresses with the clarity of WS. So Denon might be just the ticket...or Pioneer V series. One note: I have used two different subs with the WS and no matter what, each needed to be set at 100hz crossover not 80 to provide a seemless sound.

Hi ya'll. I'm going to be a new owner of a used Athena WS 7-channel HT set.

(I managed to find a decent pair of WS-100's, and the WS-60 + 4x WS-15's are arriving later this week.)

I need to drive them, but I don't know what receiver would compliment these speakers. Two receivers I've been looking at are:

Denon AVR-1910, 90 watts/channel from ~24lbs, about $400
Sony STR-DN1000, "110 watts/channel" from ~20lbs, about $320

From what I can gather, the really-new DN1000 is going to be more user-friendly (GUI), and the glossy finish may match well with a PS3 (of which I intend on buying an older, SACD-capable model), to constitute a minimalist system that is also about style. What I am worried about is the fact that I'm even considering a non-ES Sony audio product, and that it's supposed to put out 770-watts from a sub-20lb unit.

The 1910 is probably the better-known quantity. I'm going to have to put up with the remote, but the sound quality is supposed to be best-in-class. The looks won't exactly match the PS3, but you're supposed to hear an audio system, right? ;)

I'm actually leaning toward the DN1000. Is anyone going to try to talk me out of it? Or offer better suggestions than what I've listed? Please?

Thanks in advance for any advice/input.
Check out the Onkyo series too. They have a THX cert 7.1 channel that is very reasonably priced. I have one that is a year or 2 models old and I like it. I have F2s and the 6000 sub but was unable to secure a matching center and sides before they became unavailable. My center and surrounds are of different brands but still sounds good.

I just ordered a Denon AVR-2310 and would like to add a pair of front-surrounds; any suggestions on what would work/go well* with my AS-F2's & AS-C1?

My current side/back surrounds (an ancient pair of Atlantic Technology SR2's) are probably ready for 'retirement', so any tips/advice on a suitable replacement for these would be most welcomed too.

Thanks


*I can't seem to find any AS-R1's or 1.2's

Hopefully you have a subwoofer in that mix also. Even tho the WS say it goes low, you cannot tell if it is.

Check out the Onkyo series too. They have a THX cert 7.1 channel that is very reasonably priced. I have one that is a year or 2 models old and I like it. I have F2s and the 6000 sub but was unable to secure a matching center and sides before they became unavailable. My center and surrounds are of different brands but still sounds good.

Thanks for the feedback. I ended up getting a Denon AVR-2310ci, and a Energy ESW-V8 (a small sub due to the fact I live in a townhouse). We'll see how everything comes together. :)

Anyone have a set of R1's they want to get rid of for a reasonable price? Have F1's and c1 for the front and B1 for the rear. want to go 7.1 and want to add a pair of R1's. Say 1 speaker on ebay,bid and won it, then get a message the next day saying he can't find the speaker! I didn't pay yet so no harm no foul. I seen another on Amazon for 1 speaker, but for 100.00 plus shipping. I think they retailed for around 80.00 when you could find them!! Any help would be appreciated!! oh and my sub is a Velo CT-120

Hey everyone,

I'm currently running the F1's for my fronts, along with the C1 for my center, R1's and S5's for my surrounds. I'm currently happy with them but i've decided to upgrade my receiver to the pioneer sc-05 and now i've been thinking about upgrading my speakers to possible the ED 6T6 towers as the fronts and the 6t6 center. Has anyone performed similar upgrades and did they notice a worthwhile increase in performance?


So just an update.....I recently purchased the elemental designs a6-6t6 speakers for the fronts and center plus the a3-5tc for the surrounds for my boss. It was mated with the pio 919 receiver and an a3-300 subwoofer. It sounded nice although i had to change the xover to about 100 because it sounded thin at 80. I know i can directly compare my setup to my bosses setup (floorstanding vs bookshelf, different receivers, room acoustics) but my athena setup was far superior to the ED offering.

With that said, I'm still looking to upgrade hopefully to some used Rockets. If you have some experience upgrades with going from athena to AV123 that would be great. Otherwise i thought i'd share my experience. BTW, i still love the athenas but I just feel the need to have a change in sound.

Just got a nice deal on some AS-B1's... upgrading from Micra fronts. Have a Point 5 center... I know the Athena site says the Point 5 is timbre matched to ALL Athena speakers, but would I hear a big upgrade if I moved to an AS-C1? And if so, is Ebay/Audiogon my only option to pick one up fairly cheap? Thanks...

Point 5 is timbre matched to all the Athena Audition series speakers. The newer LS series does not match. AS-C1 center is quite a bit bigger than the C.5 center. It'll play deeper and have bigger sound. You could get away with using your C.5 with the B1's though.

The good thing about pairing the B1 and C1 is that they both use the same 5.25 woofer and 1" Teteron tweeter. The smaller C.5 uses the same tweeter but a smaller 4.5" woofer in a much smaller cabinet.

Just got a nice deal on some AS-B1's... upgrading from Micra fronts. Have a Point 5 center... I know the Athena site says the Point 5 is timbre matched to ALL Athena speakers, but would I hear a big upgrade if I moved to an AS-C1? And if so, is Ebay/Audiogon my only option to pick one up fairly cheap? Thanks...

Unless your driving the Point5 Center past it's limits or it's having problems keeping up with the B1s I wouldn't worry about upgrading to the C1. You might have to bump the center channel level up a bit to match the larger B1s but that's no big deal.

I went from the Point5 center to the C1 and obvious output difference aside because of the size I actually prefer the Point5 center.

The Point5 center has a wider sweet spot for dialog. With the C1 you can tell a difference much sooner moving to the right or left than you can with the Point5 center which has a much wider listening area.

If you do get a C1 for the center I would recommend trying it in the vertical position. I don't have space to do that in my setup but I've read it really helps it's performance. Of course if you can do that the the overall best thing to do would be to get another B1.

Thank you gentlemen. If I can get a C1 cheap on ebay I'll probably do so, but now I don't feel like its a top priority need. Appreciate the quick responses!!

Anyone have a set of R1's they want to get rid of for a reasonable price? Have F1's and c1 for the front and B1 for the rear. want to go 7.1 and want to add a pair of R1's.

I'm in the same boat. Been trying to locate a pair of R1's for a couple years, to no avail. If anyone is looking to upgrade (saw someone a few posts back was thinking about it) and is getting rid of some, let me know. Or if anyone knows where I can locate a pair, other than the usual (ebay, craigslist), it would be appreciated!

I gave up on trying to find R1s a long time ago. I was so glad when I snatched up four B1s. Good luck, though. :)

I almost feel guilty now, leaving my R1's in a box down in the basement. They came with the F2's, B1's and C1 and eventually I will use them in a 7.1 home theater setting. Should make for a decent setup that will sound good.

I almost feel guilty now, leaving my R1's in a box down in the basement. They came with the F2's, B1's and C1 and eventually I will use them in a 7.1 home theater setting. Should make for a decent setup that will sound good.

If you want, I can take those off your hands for you ;) I'd be willing to take the whole set. When you're ready, you can upgrade to something better!

Since I don't see my search for R1s ever ending, what's a good replacement for them? I like the design and the form factor of the R1s. Anything else in the Athena line remotely close? What else will match the F2s and C1?

I have a pair of R1.1s on eBay ages ago but plan on using them later. I have a pair of .5s that I use as sound for my laptop. Great speakers!!!.

If you want, I can take those off your hands for you ;) I'd be willing to take the whole set. When you're ready, you can upgrade to something better!

Since I don't see my search for R1s ever ending, what's a good replacement for them? I like the design and the form factor of the R1s. Anything else in the Athena line remotely close? What else will match the F2s and C1?

Ha, it would take a pretty nice offer for me to sell the set, as I know it would cost a small fortune to actually get any sort of upgrade over them. Your best bet for a surround speaker is either a B1 or B2. I wish I had the B2's over the B1's, just to say I have the bigger speaker, but realistically there probably would be no difference in total performance.

I was actually looking into getting some B1s or B2s as surround speakers, but I think with the mounting options available the S.5s would be the better option. Now the problem is, I can't find those for sale without purchasing the entire MKII bundle. Not sure what I would do with a sub and the other S.5s. Any ideas where I can get a pair of S.5s? Why are these speakers so hard to come by?

Why are these speakers so hard to come by?

Probably because they've been discontinued for 5 years! And the people that own them, enjoy them.

I actually have a pair of s.5's I might be willing to part with. I'll have to check tonite that I still have the mounting hardware stored away. I know I have the boxes. I never used the mounts.

Probably because they've been discontinued for 5 years! And the people that own them, enjoy them.

I knew they were discontinued, but I didn't know it had been that long. Why would they discontinue such awesome speakers?

I actually have a pair of s.5's I might be willing to part with. I'll have to check tonite that I still have the mounting hardware stored away. I know I have the boxes. I never used the mounts.

That would be awesome man. Please let me know!

I found the hardware so I have everything. I'm out of town for the next few days, I'll get back to you on Sunday or Monday.

Need some advice guys. I spoke to someone who is selling 4 Athena AS-B1 bookshelf and 1 Athena AS-C1 speakers for $125 total. He states that they are in excellent condition and for me to visit and hear them. Do you think this is a good deal. I've already got 2 Polk Monitor 50's and may combine this for a 7.1 setup once I get a decent sub. I know everyone recommends getting the floorstanding and center to match for timbre, but this Athena systems seems like a good deal.

Thanks,
GT

Need some advice guys. I spoke to someone who is selling 4 Athena AS-B1 bookshelf and 1 Athena AS-C1 speakers for $125 total. He states that they are in excellent condition and for me to visit and hear them. Do you think this is a good deal. I've already got 2 Polk Monitor 50's and may combine this for a 7.1 setup once I get a decent sub. I know everyone recommends getting the floorstanding and center to match for timbre, but this Athena systems seems like a good deal.

Thanks,
GT

I think that sounds like a pretty good deal, especially if you don't have to add on any shipping charges. I know you probably don't want to ditch the Polk's, but you could grab these Athena's, then try to find some F1's or F2's and when you do, sell the Polk's.

The Athena's are getting quite rare and I'm sure you can find someone on here that would gladly take those off your hands, should you find they are quite what you want.

That's a very good deal, you are only paying $25 each for 5 speakers. Don't know how well the C1 center would match your Polk Monitor 50's though.

Go listen to the Athenas. Take some of your CD's that you know very well.

If you don't like the Athenas get yourself a Polk CS1 or CS2 center to match your Monitor 50's.

What receiver will you be using with this setup?

Thanks for the reply. I am hoping the guy still has it when I call him later today. I never really heard of Athena's before and thought they might have been a white van speaker kind of company, but after the reviews I read and reading some of this thread, it appears that they are pretty good speakers.

I guess the only real complaint i've read is that the AS-C1 has a "lobing" issue - something not uncommon for some horizontal center speaker designs. Lobing is a problem for seating areas not located directly in front of the center speaker (more than 15 degrees or so off to the left or right). I'll report back later today on whether or not I get them and how they sound. Actually i've got to order my speaker wires from monoprice now so it might be a while before it gets set up.


Afrogt, I will be using an pioneer elite vsx-21txh. Your right about the Polk Center, I have my eye out for a CS2 from newegg but they haven't had any specials lately.

Also what is your take on the Energy Take 5 Pack? For $25 more than the older Athena's I can get a new system which has very high ratings. For anyone who has any experience with either Athena's or Energy, is it better to just get the new Energy's?

That's a really good receiver! Will have plenty of punch for the Athenas.

I have Athena B2's, B1's and a C1 that I'll be selling locally as a 5.0 setup out here on the west coast. I was hoping to get more money than the $125 you'll be paying for four B1's and a C1. But maybe that is the going rate.

GTinMIA & I have a similar situation. I can get a great deal on a 3-set of WS-60s.

How crisp are these speakers?
Do they provide any midrange with those active and passive woofers?
I should be ok with just a sub providing the bass correct and crossing over at 80Hz? Is that the same as having big floorstanders and crossing over at 80Hz?

I have a pair of R1.1 and a pair of S.5. I can have a 7.1 setup but is it a concern not having timbre matching for bipole side surrounds and direct for rear surrounds?

R1 and S.5 are timbre matched. They use the same Teteron tweeter. The WS-60 uses the same Teteron tweeter too.

R1 and S.5 are timbre matched. They use the same Teteron tweeter. The WS-60 uses the same Teteron tweeter too.

Any thoughts on using a subwoofer with them?

Can a reallllllly nice sub that handles from 80 Hz down to sub-20Hz be a great setup instead of having floor standers?

What's your price range for a sub? Getting below 20hz will cost you.

You could start here.
http://www.edesignaudio.com/product_info.php?cPath=2_41&products_id=407

What's your price range for a sub? Getting below 20hz will cost you.

You could start here.
http://www.edesignaudio.com/product_info.php?cPath=2_41&products_id=407

The amount I want t spend on a subwoofer is not set in stone but I want to know if it will provide what I would be losing if I had floorstanders. I will not be playing any music so it's 100% movies and games from time to time.

I was thinking about $1k maybe but would happily spend less.

Can you comment on the last question I asked. Thanks.

Can a reallllllly nice sub that handles from 80 Hz down to sub-20Hz be a great setup instead of having floor standers?


Definitely! Many people get bookshelf speakers in lieu of floorstanders because they have a great sub to handle the lower frequencies. HSU (http://hsuresearch.com/packages.html) and SVS (http://svsound.com/products-sys-sbs_black.cfm), well know sub manufactures sell packaged systems with bookshelf speakers just for that reason. I have all bookshelf speakers and a sub in my main listening area which the majority of use (95%) is for home theater movies and TV. I rarely use this system for music.

I've never heard your WS-60's. I know they are primarily flat panel speakers. I've never been fond of flat panel speakers because I think they are a compromise vs bookshelf or floorstanding speakers. Asthetics is a priority over sound in my opinion.

According to the specs they go from 60hz-20khz so they should blend very well with a subwoofer.

Definitely! Many people get bookshelf speakers in lieu of floorstanders because they have a great sub to handle the lower frequencies. HSU (http://hsuresearch.com/packages.html) and SVS (http://svsound.com/products-sys-sbs_black.cfm), well know sub manufactures sell packaged systems with bookshelf speakers just for that reason. I have all bookshelf speakers and a sub in my main listening area which the majority of use (95%) is for home theater movies and TV. I rarely use this system for music.

I've never heard your WS-60's. I know they are primarily flat panel speakers. I've never been fond of flat panel speakers because I think they are a compromise vs bookshelf or floorstanding speakers. Asthetics is a priority over sound in my opinion.

According to the specs they go from 60hz-20khz so they should blend very well with a subwoofer.

Thanks for the advice!

I plan on taking listen to them with and without a sub before purchasing but the price and astethics is little important ha-ha :o. I plan on having them for a little and then jumping to some paradigms.

I didn't mean asthetics is important to me, its is important to people who buy flat panel speakers. Except you apparently, which is good.

I have all bookshelf and tower speakers in my setups. I would never go with a flat panel speaker.

Why not just get the paradigms from the start?

I didn't mean asthetics is important to me, its is important to people who buy flat panel speakers. Except you apparently, which is good.

I have all bookshelf and tower speakers in my setups. I would never go with a flat panel speaker.

Why not just get the paradigms from the start?

I still want a 5.1 setup in my living room but don't want to spend so much on speakers at the moment. I have some other stuff I have to take care of. This can hold me down over time I think. Plus I'll have a kick ass sub.

I think I paid $200 or less for the the 2 R1.1s and two S.5s. The S.5s are being used for 2-channel on my desk. They are great and I'm not going to have room for 7.1 at the moment.

Plus this is all contingent on if they sound good enough for the price I am getting all 3 WS-60s for. Pretty cheap.

I use to have a S.5 5.1 setup and I liked it. How would you compare the WS-60 and the Point.5 system?

I still want a 5.1 setup in my living room but don't want to spend so much on speakers at the moment. I have some other stuff I have to take care of. This can hold me down over time I think. Plus I'll have a kick ass sub.

I think I paid $200 or less for the the 2 R1.1s and two S.5s. The S.5s are being used for 2-channel on my desk. They are great and I'm not going to have room for 7.1 at the moment.

Plus this is all contingent on if they sound good enough for the price I am getting all 3 WS-60s for. Pretty cheap.

I use to have a S.5 5.1 setup and I liked it. How would you compare the WS-60 and the Point.5 system?

I have a 5.1 set up with AS F2.2, C1 & B1 and a HSU STF2 10" sub. I am very satisfied with the sonic performance of this system. I have spent months to try out 6 to 7 different sub woofers ranging from SVS, Velodyne, Energy, Mirage, Athena & klipsch at similar price point and ended up with HSU which has the best fit to my system.

In terms of receiver, I have played with Pioneer Elite VSX 21 and Harman Kardon 254/2600. My view is that if you mostly watch movies, Elite 21 is the way to go. It provides tons of tweaking features and crisped sound for dynamic action films. However, if your preference is more to music, HK 254 or 2600 should not disappoint you. I ended up settled with HK2600 which gives me good home theater performance as well as exceptional music enjoyment. I guess I have addicted to the tube-like sonic signature of HK.

I have a 5.1 set up with AS F2.2, C1 & B1 and a HSU STF2 10" sub. I am very satisfied with the sonic performance of this system. I have spent months to try out 6 to 7 different sub woofers ranging from SVS, Velodyne, Energy, Mirage, Athena & klipsch at similar price point and ended up with HSU which has the best fit to my system.

In terms of receiver, I have played with Pioneer Elite VSX 21 and Harman Kardon 254/2600. My view is that if you mostly watch movies, Elite 21 is the way to go. It provides tons of tweaking features and crisped sound for dynamic action films. However, if your preference is more to music, HK 254 or 2600 should not disappoint you. I ended up settled with HK2600 which gives me good home theater performance as well as exceptional music enjoyment. I guess I have addicted to the tube-like sonic signature of HK.

Hey, thanks for you input. I appreciate it.

I have the VSX-23TXH and I plan on using it for movies only. Still thinking about the sub but it HSU continues to get a lot of support around here. I'll definitely be looking into it.

If anyone is interested on purchasing an Athena setup in the Los Angeles area . I'll be letting go of
3 WS-60's
and a pair of WS-15's

These have served me well, but due to the new room layout, I'm forced to reconsider my HT setup. PM if you're interested.