HSU HB1 Mk2 vs Energy RC-10 ???

I have not heard the rc10s, but have heard the mk2’s for about an hour or so. They sound good, very smooth and definitely a great choice. I think I preferred the smooth sound and dynamics of the hsu’s compared to the x-series, but liked the x-series for their detail and truly being one of the best bargains in the industry (what happened later is another story). My experiences with energy speakers are very good though. I liked the sound of the rc50s and I have some older energy speakers right now in an mtm design and they sound fantastic. They are just very smooth and easy to listen to. They are efficient and really sound great both at lower and high listening levels. Very impressed and I think you can’t go wrong with them, compared to other speakers that some say sound harsh or on the other hand, dull.

I did spend considerable time with the ascend cbm 170s though. Imo the ascends had a distinct advantage over the hsu’s in that they were more detailed. The ascends are said to be neutral, but I found them a tad on the forward side compared to the x-series and elt speakers from 321va. The latter speakers are a bit laid back, so this is why the ascends probably struck me as more forward sounding versus neutral. The 170s were “airy” and the midrange was great. Another thing is the 170s had great off-axis sound and were forgiving about placement. For movies I think the added detail and better off-axis response of the ascends is welcomed. For hours of music listening, I think the hsu’s pull ahead. I prefer a more neutral sounding speaker and the 170s deliver the sound I prefer here over the hsu’s. The SEAS tweeter is good and I believe the caps and inductors are probably higher quality than most b&m brands for the same price range. Bass was a touch light, but the x-series was a bit boomy here. On the other hand, the bass was accurate; there was no artificial boom or muddy sound. For their price of about $350, I think the ascends are very hard to beat for a pair of new speakers. My only gripe with the ascends was the finish, they are definitely not beauty queens. I did like that fingerprints were less likely to show up and they didn’t reflect light like my satin black x-series and piano black speakers. The build quality of the speaker was nice as well. The real kicker here is I’m talking about the classic version of the ascend 170s. I later heard the se version and thought they were a step up from the classics. Not a night and day difference, but definitely noticeable. They sounded punchier and definitely make a strong case for themselves, they are very well reviewed.

My reasoning for stating my experiences with the 170s is that I believe they pull ahead of the hsu’s in the $300 price point (they are about $50 more expensive). I will also state the 170s sounded great at lower volumes. While the hsu’s are efficient I’m not sure that I like the sound of laid back speakers at lower volumes. My experience with some speakers, notable the rockets is they really like power. They need higher volumes to shine (at low volumes they sound held back). The hsu’s look better, but ascend wins in the performance department to my ears. With that being said, my guess is the rc10 is going to be a better speaker, but it should at about $200-250 more (normal price). Depending on your room (very important) I think the upgrade from the hsu’s to the rc10s is going to be noticeable. The rc10s are VERY hard to beat at their sale price.

I know you REALLY want a fancy finish but I think the rc10s are going to be a better choice. They are very well reviewed and many people on the board enjoy them greatly. Their sale pricing seals the deal. However, the only way to truly know is to listen to them both. In the same environment is ideal but sometimes that is difficult to do. Different people hear different things, and you might prefer a sound that others don’t necessarily like. Maybe you don’t hear a difference, hell maybe you think two completely different speakers sound the same. That’s part of the fun and beauty of this hobby. However, with the rc10 currently being the same price as the hsu’s I would recommend them over the hsu’s.

Btw there was a review done with the hsu's and other speakers in that price range, but I forgot where. I do remember that the polk monitor 30s easily walked away from the hsu's. I believe all those in attendance strongly preferred the polks...

I have owned both for about 2 years now and rotate them in and out of my bedroom setup, as I do like the sound of both. I have them running off a Yamaha 765 receiver and and Emotiva UPA-2 amp. The HSU's win out in the bass category by far, at all volume levels. The HSU's are also more sensitive, proally by about 2-3db in room, and they can play a small amount louder. At normal levels the HSU's sound like they are coming from a spot directly in the middle of them, and its very hard to tell where they are.

The HSU's are alot more industrial looking then the Energys(I have cherry ones). The RC-10's are a very attractive speaker. I use both with the grills off. I can listen to both of the speakers for a long time and not get tired of either. If I had to pick one, for two channel without a sub, I would say the HSU's. With a sub, its proally a toss up depending on what kind of sound you like. Good luck...

Interesting observations-I thought the majority of people would prefer the RC-10s. I've never heard the HSUs but would certainly like to. I wonder why there's not a ton of talk about HSU speakers? You would think the outstanding reputation of their subs would create more buzz about their speakers.

holt...Hsu is in Anaheim. Make an appointment and head over for a demo of the speakers and their subs. Great bang for the buck.

I would go with the RC-10s.

Hey no problem, yours a very nice looking, I have the matte black ones. Also I forgot to mention that the size of the room had a big effect on the RC-10's for me. I have them in my room, which is about 13 x 15, and they have no problem in there. But if I put them out in the tv room or my pool room they just lose all there excitement to me, those room are about 20 x 17. They just get lost in the room. Depending on the volumes you listen I would take that into consideration.

I had the opportunity to listen the Hsu's at their location in Anaheim, and I was really impressed. Ultimately I decided to spend more money and get Ascend Sierras, but if I had not had the budget I would have picked up the Hsu's without a second thought.

I listened to the HB1s at their old Anaheim location as well. They were pretty good with movies, no doubt. The RCs have a much better tweeter though and sounded much better with music, IMO. I owned a pair of RC-50s.

Drew, if it was at their old facility(that complex is next to the new complex), I would guess you heard the MK1 as opposed to the MK2. Do you happen to know?

Well. I am not sure. I was there demoing a sub and listening to the speakers was secondary so I can't exactly recall if it was the MK1 or MK2. It was right before they moved offices.

Thanks-not in the market right now but just curious as to why I don't see them recommended all that often. $300-$350 for a pair is very reasonable.

Deepstang, if I were going to replace the Hsus, I would go a step up in price. I haven't heard the RC10, but I don't think it is going to be a dramatic improvement against the Hsus, because I have other highly regarded speakers in the same price range and the Hsus sound as good as they do (including the Primus p162). If you seriously want a more forward treble, this is what I would get, not the Energy speakers. But I don't think either would look as nice as the Hsu speakers.

Energy RC-10s are incredible for bookshelf speakers.

1) Will the RC-10 be a more forward speaker compared to the HB1? Is the aluminum tweeter on the RC-10 a little more lively compared to the HB1?

Yes, the RC-10 is slightly more forward than the HSU's, and slightly more lively, but not by much, but enough to notice.

2) Is there position orientation with the RC-10 tweeter? I am trying to ask if the dispersion of the tweeter will be different if an RC-10 is layed on it's side and used as a center.

They cannot be rotated like the HSU's, and I dont really see to much of a problem in lying the RC-10 on its side, I have never tired. Some people say they can hear a difference.

Check out eD's new cinema 6 1/2" horn speaker. They look pretty nice.

I have RC-10 mains and an RC-LCR center, so I don't use RC-10s as centers on their sides, BUT my RC-10s are laying on their sides and the sound is just as good. I don't notice it hurting the sound any.

Something else to think about, since you have the speakers near to other surfaces, is the fact that horns won't be affected as much by nearby reflection as dome tweeters. The speakers shouldn't sound muffled at any volume however, high or low. If you want more pronounced treble, have you thought about EQing a bit to bring up the highs a bit more?

Deepstang, what are you using to power the speakers? Receiver? Amp?

deepstang, how much room behind your speakers next to fireplace?

also what rears are you running, not the in wall ones?

Man, I've been looking at these HB-1's for a while now. HSU's website says these are for HUGE rooms, but a single 6" driver has me concerned - I'm not sure why since I dont listen to movies that loud anyway. These will be replacing monitor 70's and a CSi5 center channel from polk in a downsize move in an exact setup as yours. I hope they are adequate.

How do you like the imaging on the 3 HB1's you have there?

And how did you get to adjust the treble on your denon? Is this something new on the '12 models, because on my 3310 you either use audyssey *OR* the bass/treble - in other words, once audyssey is set, you cant add or take away anything EQ wise like bass/treble. Very frustrating if you feel it's not bright enough and you want to raise it a little like you did on yours.

are you hearing anything outta the left main that you dont on the right main as far as the port being closer to wall

any sound from air moving and hitting the wall any?

looking at the HB1s for my room as well some they will be a little farther from the wall than yours but not a whole lot

Also, I'd like to know how vocals/voices sound with this set, are they thin or full sounding, etc.

Since I'm going from a monitor 70/center channel setup (ten 6.5 in. drivers) to three 6.5 in drivers, will there be a drastic difference in the midrange?

deepstang,

Are you able to check the distance/levels of your LCR?

Deepstang is MIA