Energy Owners Thread - Page 48

I'm guessing this was directed at me.

I knew what I wanted, and I bought a BRAND NEW pair of RC-30s from FutureShop at employee pricing since my cousin works at Best Buy (they get discount at Future Shop). I'm not a (total) idiot. Kenndy Hifi is a great place. IMO, the best run and setup store in the GTA. However, it is also very far from where I live and I rarely go to Markham unless I'm going to Pacific Mall to score a good deal on electronics.

just curious how you like the sound of the Arcam and the RC-30's? I hear nothing but raves about these Arcam receivers/processors.

Eightninesuited:

It was not directed at you at all. It was more food for thought for several posters (some even said they could get 30's for $200 I think). Hey if you can get employee pricing because of a family relationship more power to you (I'm all for getting great deals, and I've gotten similar deals on cars and PDA's etc). Also I couldn't agree with you more on Kennedy Hifi.

WestCoastD:

Cannot say enough about the sound from the Arcam 350. There was a couple small problems with my unit, so my dealer took it back and ordered me a new one (which he will be coming to set up in a couple of hours....thank god).

What happened was I demo'ed my 30's on the AVP 700/P1000 combo and it sounded amazing. So when I got home and hooked the 30's up to my Yamaha 640 it still sounded OK, but obviously not as good as it did with the Arcam stuff. But I really didn't want to spend as much as the Arcam's costed, so I checked out a couple Marantz's (7100 and 8100), some denon's (3806 and 4806) and some nad's (can't remember which ones....but not the Masters series). The nad's had the best sound for my tastes of that group, but it still wasn't as good as the Arcam and it didn't have any HDMI.

Couple weeks later I went back to the store and he told me he might be able to get me a deal on the Arcam separates. Long story short, after we discussed it we determined that I didn't need the separates and the 350 would probably be perfect for my purposes (60% music 40% movies).

What sold me on the Arcam (in combo with the RC's) was the laid back sound (from the RC's), with the extremely clear, detailed sound (but not clinical if you know what I mean)provided by the 350. Everyone who has heard my system raves about how amazing it sounds (even my girlfriend and my brothers girlfriend who are not audiophiles).

The other thing that sold me on the Arcam (or better put didn't keep me from buying the Arcam) was the audio over HDMI issue. The 350 does NOT do audio over HDMI at all and only does video switching. From what I've read and been told Arcam will not do audio over HDMI even on the next generation of receivers because the sound quality is so crappy on it (my concern was i didn't want to by an expensive receiver that was going to be outdated in a year or two). So to deal with the next gen of lossless formats I will probably have to buy a high end DVD player that does the processing at source (which is better, but more costly) and run it over multichannel audio. That's fine by me because from what I've heard the Arcam DVD and CD players will make my system sound even better (AND i'm not even using the HDMI slots on my 350, although one nice feature is that it will allow me to upconvert my S-Video coming in from my cable box to component which is nice).

Sorry for such a long post, but to put it in a nutshell, pioneers, denons, etc. are great for features that I personally would not use, but if you are after great sound I would highly recommend the 350.

Arcam 350 @ $2500.00 plus, touted by them as the best receiver EVER and no HDMI. I think you work there?
PS: I am not bashing the receiver but IMO a receiver is suppose to do both, that's why we have separates.

Billy P:

I wouldn't consider Futureshop "another option". The only thing that they could be another option for is the RC's, but that's my point....while you may save a couple of bucks buying them at FS, that's it that's all you can get there (apart from dvd's, cd's, etc.). I mean your not going to by a receiver there.

For example let's say you get the 30's at FS for $1000 (assuming you don't have a family member that works there and you cannot get employee pricing for $600). That's great you saved what $200-$300. But when you go to buy a receiver, etc. your not going to go to FS. Whereas I got mine from Kennedy Hifi for a couple hundred bucks more but then got other speakers and receiver and saved more than a couple hundred bucks....so I am actually ahead of the game in terms of savings. And to top it all off I am getting way better service then anyone would ever get at FS.

Billy P:

the 350 HAS HDMI...just not up conversion (video) and no audio over HDMI (because it sounds like crap). I don't know why you would need up conversion (I run my DVD player directly to my TV and not through my receiver) and will use multichannel audio to support the new formats. Now I won't get the single cord simplicity of HDMI, but I'd rather have the sound quality.

I went from a Yamaha to the Arcam. Now my Yamaha wasn't even close to the top of the line, but I found that I didn't use any of the listening modes on it except the basic ones that are also on the Arcam. My brother has the Yamaha 1600 (and Nanosat surrounds) and he finds the same thing and that my system sounds far far better.

Like I said if you want wifi and all kinds of features then you are better off with a pioneer, denon, etc. If it is about sound quality then the Arcam is a better choice (assuming of course that the person likes the sound produced by Arcam gear).

Sorry I meant FS as a second option for Energy speakers, in my local . You are correct I bought my Denon 3805 new from a hifi shop. I only use FS, if it's predetermined what I want and it goes on sale. This is what I have in mind for my RC's.

Not to belabour the point most all receivers have their own sound and only you can discern that. If pure sound quality is what the customer seeks, then separates are the way to go. As for myself, when the time comes I will continue to use the 3805 as a pre and by an external amp to drive them properly, even though the denon would do.

Billy:

I agree with you that separates are the way to go for the best sound quality, but they often cost twice as much or more than a receiver. So when you can get a receiver that comes close in terms of sound for less than half the price then my view is the receiver route. Although I could have gotten an amazing deal on the Arcam AVP700/P1000 combo my think was (a) I've heard the P1000 is a pretty good (but not great amp) so I may want to upgrade it in the future, and (b) would likely have to upgrade the AVP700 in the future (and that upgrade would cost as much as the AVR 350, and also if the P1000 has to be upgraded in the future then what's the point....ie it would be different if I would have been getting the P7).

I have a question for you though. I am curious about the use of a receiver as a pre. How does that work with a power amp (ie what is the benefit over using a pre? does it allow for bi-amping or are you using the amp section of the receiver?).

Alex:

Sorry I didn't reply earlier (didn't see your post). I really like the LCR....its not broken in yet (break in time is the one issue i have with energy speakers). I upgraded from the C-C100 after I got the RC-30's (I felt the 30's really overshadowed the C-C100). The LCR is a very good speaker and better matches the 30's, but if i hadn't got such a good deal on it I may have waited to upgrade (I am still using the C-R100's as my rears). But the LCR is a great speaker, so much so that I actually don't mind listening to audio CD's in surround sound as i did before.

I am using a Yamaha HTR and am happy with the HT aspect of it. I use both a Adom PreAmp and 3 channel Adcom amp as well. Preamp outs from my Yamaha HTR to the Adcom Preamp, for both front R&L mains from there to the Adcom amp. and Center out from the Yamaha HTR directly to the Adcom Amp. This gives me a good solid 200 for the fronts and 325 for the center ( my AC300 is a 4 ohm speaker and the Adcom handles this well. I let the Yamaha drive the surrounds so it works without much stress whatsoever. The benefit is with the dedicated Adcom Preamp for 2 channel music....I listen to my RC-50's that way for music without the sub. I was never impressed with 2 channel sound of the Yammi so this works out great. Just adding an external amp gives you much more headroom to drive a speaker set and allows the receiver to just do the job of processing the info and pass it along. I may go separates at some point but this gives me the best of both worlds for 2 channel and HT right now( without breaking the bank ). Westcoast uses a NAD setup with his Yamaha and is enjoying the benefits as well.. Hope this made some sense!

I jumped on the Audioadvisor deal. The price of the RC-LCR center is steep @ 599.00. I guess I have to wait for a while to get a deal on the center if I decided to keep the RC-30. Thank you all for your help.

Alex:

Is that $599 US or Canadian?

That's $599 US. I am sure I will get it cheaper if I wait a little bit.

Alex:

The MSRP is $750 Canadian, so with the exchange and shipping ,etc., you are probably paying close to $700 Canadian.

I'm interested in purchasing a HT system for my NYC apartment (12'x'20'x8'). After reading reviews and the posts at AVS, I certainly want to audition the Energy RC series.

Can anyone help me locate an authorized dealer in Manhattan? The closest dealer that the Energy wenbsite referenced was a custome installer in Brooklyn. Energy, surprisingly, has also not responded to my emails.

Thanks.

Dealer locator:
http://www.energy-speakers.com/v2/dealer/index.php

I contacted by phone and they were very quick and friendly.

Looks like I grabbed the last pair of the RC-30 as they have been removed from the site.

For the most part Bobcel answered your question pertaining to the use of the receiver as pre along with the extra headroom an external amp will supply your speakers. With your question about bi-amping I am no expert but you are essentially using two amps to deliver power to one set of speakers and assumeing you have two amps! IMO for my situation if I was powering RC's in a full 7.1 with my Denon, I'd rather use an external 2 channel for the mains rated @ 150 watts per/channel, then bi-amping with another amp to get 200 total. In essence biamping is beneficial only if you have the amps and don't have enough power with one or need both to drive your speakers fully.

PS:I hope someone else chimes in, just in case I made an a$$ of myself. It appears to make sense!

Congrads! I was starting to wonder if the guy was pulling my chain when he said they didn't have many left.

Grats!

For anyone else that ordered these though, have you gotten any updates? 3 days since my recept and no updates.

Fed Ex is telling me the 18th. It is possible that 1 speaker could hit before the other.

Well, I picked up a pair of the ridiculously cheap RC-30's Audio Advisor WAS hocking (I went back for more and they are gone-daddy-gone) sight unseen and unheard.

Pre-First impression- What fast shipping; I ordered 6/12 in the afternoon and here 6/14 (I missed Fedex), I got em 6/15; I will use Audio Advisor again, no question.

First impression- DAMN, what a beautiful speaker!! My old Wharfedale black boxes look like, well, black boxes in comparison.

I have yet to hear one note out of them and there is no question they are vastly superior speakers. Dense cabinets, great looking drivers, and basically just a lot of weight than expected for a diminutive package. Fella's, the WAF is high!!

I went home over my lunch hour and only had time to unbox one. It has the tiniest little blemish about the size of 1-2 pinheads on the finish (I may be wrong and able to clean it off, I was in a hurry, w/ sunglasses on), which is otherwise stunning. I didn't realize it was a furniture grade finish until they arrived; gotta love a nice surprise like that!! If that blemish is all it takes to shave 40-60% off the price of A/V gear, call me Captain Blemish. I never want to pay full price again.

Tonight, I'll unbox the 2nd one and get them hooked up, positioned, and post some more feedback. I have a Kenwood Sovereign 5900 receiver and DV-5900 DVD player (the flagships prior to Kenwood discontinuing their elite HT lines) which is musical as hell when the video circuitry is disabled.

Can you tell I'm pumped?

You're getting me pumped and I already own a pair of the RC-30's in cherry. Can't wait to see the twins when they arive.

You will love the sound! Some say 100-200 break in, not that they would sound bad at first but just a bit better after break in. I didn't break in my first pair of RC-30's(used) so I don't know, just going based off what I've been told.

I say that's an understatement. I don't blame you though. I keep saying to myself it's the sound that counts and yet I find myself checking out at the pics of these beauties several times a day. Of all the things in my theater, it is the plain look of the Mirage that didn't turn heads around here but I am sure that is about to change. I just hope they are much better performer than the Mirage Omni setup I have.

I am Glad you approve!! I been pushing these speakers as often as I can @ Audioholics .

Has your CC been charged. According to them they charge the CC when they ship. I would call them and find out what's going on.

Should have said this on my earlier respons. When I ordered on the phone the saleman said they don't email receipts or anything at all. He said I could call in a day to get the tracking number. I called and he gave it as well as updated me on the FedEx timing.

Charged showed up on 12th, ordered on 12th as well.

I ordered a pair last night at like 3:30 am, to good of a deal to pass so I too finally jumped on it.

Now if we could only have another sale like this one for the RC-LCR center...$600 for the center is way too expensive.