Energy Take Classic 5.1

With so much of the focus these days on iPod speakers and wireless Bluetooth streaming, it's easy to forget there's a sizeable market for dedicated home theater systems. The Energy Take Classic 5.1 ($399.99 list) is a diminutive surround sound speaker set with a large sound. It's an excellent choice if you need a do-it-all speaker system for both home theater and music playback in this price range.

Design, Features, and Concept
For this review, I tested the Energy Take Classic 5.1 system with two home theater component receivers: a Denon AVR-1613 ($399.99, 3 stars) and a Yamaha RX-V473 ($449.99, 3.5 stars). Note that unlike most of the speakers we test, the Energy Take Classic 5.1 is unpowered. It's meant to be paired with a receiver, integrated amplifier, or separate pre-amp and amplifier components in a full-sized living room or den system. This is the more traditional way of putting together an audio system, which dates back decades, but I just wanted to point that out up front.

With that out of the way, let's get to the system itself. The black gloss vinyl finish looks clean, minimalistic, and sharp. Each satellite measures 6.9 by 4.1 by 4.1 inches (HWD) and weighs 2.9 pounds. The center channel measures 4.1 by 10.3 by 4.1 inches (HWD) and weighs 3.2 pounds. The powered subwoofer looks compact in photos, but it's surprisingly large in person, particularly when paired with the satellites; it measures 12.6 inches on all sides and weighs 19.7 pounds. All five satellites could sit on top of the subwoofer without hanging over the edges, just to give you an idea of the difference.

Each satellite contains a 3-inch poly-titanium woofer and a 0.75-inch hyperbolic aluminum dome tweeter. Energy rates the satellites' frequency response at 115 Hz to 20 KHz (+/- 3 dB). With a class-average efficiency rating of 89 dB, you wouldn't want to power them with a 10 watt tube amp, but that's not the crowd Energy is shooting for with this system. Just about any home theater receiver of recent vintage should have no problem powering the Take Classic 5.1. Meanwhile, the 200-watt bass reflex subwoofer features a 8-inch downward-firing, injection molded cone and a front-firing port. Energy rates the subwoofer's frequency response at 33 to 150 Hz (+/- 3 dB). There's a variable low pass filter you can set anywhere from 40 to 150 Hz, with an 18dB per octave roll-off.

Combination subwoofer and satellite systems (or "sub/sat systems," as they're commonly known) blend in with decor much better than full tower systems. They also tend to offer deeper, more powerful bass, and are natural choices for home theater systems where you may want a little more boost with the subwoofer's volume dial. Tiny satellite speakers also tend to do a better job of projecting a three-dimensional soundstage, assuming high-enough-quality drivers.

At the same time, sub/sat systems sometimes don't sound quite as natural or balanced as a properly voiced bookshelf or tower speaker; it's tricky to get the subwoofer's placement, crossover point, and volume level correct, as it changes from room to room and also varies on the listening position. And if the satellites are too small?the Energy system is pushing it here, at least on paper?you'll hear a hole in the upper bass and lower midrange region no matter what, simply because the satellite's woofer is too small to deliver enough full bodied response, and because at high crossover points, you'll be able to hear where the subwoofer is placed.

Performance and Conclusions
Fortunately, the Energy Take Classic 5.1 system avoids the above pitfalls. It delivers stellar performance, especially considering its reduced $400 price. In my tests, the satellites sounded clear and transparent, with a surprisingly natural-sounding midrange, and a reasonable level of detail for such a small speaker. The highs were airy and free of noticeable coloration, if a bit forward. I preferred the sound with the cloth grilles off, but that's a personal decision; I never find them 100 percent acoustically neutral, but I could be in the minority there. Down low, the subwoofer delivered serious extension and punch considering its size. With The Knife's "Silent Shout," our standard test music track for bass response, the system had no problem rendering the punchy 808-style kick drum and low-end synthesizer bass separately and distinctly.

To test the Energy Take Classic 5.1's home theater prowess, I used scenes from the the 2010 DTS Demonstration Blu-Ray Disc, and ran them through a Samsung BD-D5500 ($159.99, 3.5 stars) Blu-ray player and a Sony Bravia KDL-46EX620 ($809.99, 3.5 stars) LED-backlit HDTV. Arrow shots, voices, and horse gallops had sufficient clarity and distinction in Robin Hood (the 2010 film with Russell Crowe), and the Take Classic 5.1 had no problem rendering almost a dozen sound sources simultaneously throughout the sound field. In the DTS-encoded Despicable Me, the Take Classic 5.1 rendered the boom of the rocket ships and the low rumble while in flight, all while maintaining clear dialog and detailed sound effects throughout.

I initially ran into some trouble getting the right amount of kick out of the subwoofer, though that's typical of this type of system. Depending on the positioning, the subwoofer tended to sound a little soft and boomy, but only in terms of pure kick drum punch. The key in those situations is to turn the volume dial down, perhaps a little more than you'd expect, in order to get a balanced sound where the subwoofer doesn't call undue attention to itself. Ideally, though, spend the time to place it properly, as it pays off in dividends.

Overall, the Energy Take Classic 5.1 speaker system is an excellent buy, and could easily keep you happy for years. I'd be content just listening to music on it, which is not what I would say about many home theater-focused 5.1 subwoofer and satellite systems in the Take Classic 5.1's price range. A proper full-range tower or even bookshelf speaker will still deliver the ultimate in natural, balanced response, and don't need the serious kick and low-end extension of a powered subwoofer?NHT, Paradigm, and PSB are great places to start, although there are countless others. But for an ideal combination of home theater performance and music playback in this price range, the Take Classic 5.1 delivers.

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