Price. Quality. Sound. Clarity. It just does not get any better for this price or for twice as much.

None

After having a pair of klipsch KG3.5 and a Nakamichi receiver, I decided to to change my equipment. I guess that I had grown tired of it and I wanted to change to something with a "bigger sound". Well I ended up buying a Pioneer Elite receiver, which I can't say enough about it, but I alos wanted to get a pair of new speakers. I tried many stores in the area, but the one that I had the best "stuff" but the money was Brandsmart. They had Energy, Mission, JBL, Infinity, and Athena. I gave them all a fair "ear", and the SF-2's were clearly the best sounding speaker of the bunch. Unfortunely for me, Brandsmart was out of the SF-2s, but they did have a pair of the SF-1s. I bought them, but I really wanted the 2's because they had the fuller sound. Do not get me wrong the SF-1s are is an excellent speaker. It is actually the same speaker as the SF-2 minus one Woofer. But to me, the sound was much much fuller than the SF-1's. I can not say enough about these speakers. They sound reproduction is amazing. It is hard to believe that I paid $438 for the pair. They should be twice as much. I will not be surprise if the start to raise the price of them. How can they be making money? If you hav the room, go get yourself a pair. Otherwise, get the SF-1.

Similar Products Used:

Klipsch, Paradigm, ADS.

EVERYTHING! Very clear sound Good bass response.

It's only weakness is its big brother the AS-F2 (2 8" woofers vs 1 in the AS-F1)

Oh My God!!! These speakers kick some major arse! Theses are brilliant. And just to make you ppl feel bad (just kidding) I got them at staff discount. The AS-F1 ones are a nice speaker. Very clear and a great all round sound. The only fault I have with them is that I heard the AS-F2's and was going to purchase them (sounds VERY different), but my store was out of stock, and the warehouse was out too. I settled. I am glad I did as these are a GREAT sounding speaker, and there in a small room in a big house, and still loud enough to fill the house!

Similar Products Used:

Anything Future Shop carries ive heard. Anything I can get my hands on! Avanti Speaks (20 years old)

Solid Sound Solid Contstruciton Bang for the buck Sleek Design.

Great Value. Got these puppies home, and I completely disagree with the first reviewer. These are not going to be the last speakers you buy, and for me they were an educated step in the right direction. They will carry me over fine until i have a 1000 dollar cd player, and a 1500 dollar amp. That aside, the sounds is impressive. The speakers carry a sound larger then their size in height. I think the slighly directional highs are a bonus. Nothing sounds contrived, mids are great, (no doubt better on the as-f2 - but thats for another level user.) I firmly believe that Athena will raise the price of these units next model year. They are too well built for the price.

Similar Products Used:

bose m501

Four cone spikes to support each speaker is a very nice touch, especially if your floor is like mine (amplifies and mushyizes bass). Price is very fair for a floorstander-- easily the best floorstanders you can get for $400 new. They're not cheaply built, either, though I think the grills could easily tear in an accident, but that's the norm. They also have a very attractive and conservative look.

Not the supa-dupa speakers I was expecting. Clarity and details are just not there. Struggles to accurately reproduce an orchestra with 50+ instruments. Female voices and bass sound fake.

This review is for the AS-F1 (I say this because some people are reviewing another speaker here). To be fair, note that I've only broken these in for about 200 hours (though I think the break-in period for these speakers is short since they haven't changed much since I took them out of the box). I was hoping that these speakers would be satisfying. I've been auditioning speakers for months, refusing to pay for overpriced crap just to get something that's borderline acceptable. Because of the rave reviews given for the AS-F2, and the similarity between the two speakers (the AS-F1 seems to have the same drivers, but only one woofer), I was hoping the same for the AS-F1. Hey, only one woofer means less bass, and I hate overbearing fake-sounding bass. But alas, I don't know what the AS-F2 sounds like, but the AS-F1 is just a glorified bass boomer. The bass is overemphasized-- bass and contrabass instruments seem to drown out instruments in the baritone and tenor range. Actually, it's more like they make the baritone instruments disappeear-- the higher bass range disappears in passages with full orchestra. And that's not all. The female voice doesn't sound true-- more like the sound you get with cheaper speakers. Most of the treble sounds fake. Another thing is that cymbal crashes seem to come from the top of the speakers, directed upward, which isn't necessarily a problem, but seems kinda lame. The ONLY thing these speakers have going for them is the company that makes them doesn't usually sell speakers in stores like Best Buy. In my opinion, these speakers are no better than the Polks you get from Circuit City. The one positive thing about these speakers is that they do sound like most $400 speakers.

Similar Products Used:

Tannoy, KEF, B&W, Vandersteen, Polk

tight, controlled bass clean and present mids very inexpensive build quality unobtrusive, almost austere exterior styling

none serious except weight

This review is of the AS-F2, not the F1: I decided to upgrade about a year ago and spent the better part of last summer listening to all I could. With a budget cap of $3000 on my new system, I considered many different higher-end brands. The athenas simply came in first. The most wonderful thing about them is the balance of qualities they maintain. They were neither the warmest nor coldest I auditioned. My musical tastes are so diverse that I prefer a clean neutral sound that's good with any sort of music. (My demo cd, for example, goes from Mahler through Wynton Marsalis and Boston all the way to Propellerheads. 'On Her Majesty's Secret Service' from Decksanddrumsandrockandroll is an excellent test for tight control and response in the bass range.) Athena delivered on all counts. I was even more suprised when they came in. They have an incredibly loud ceiling of operation. A long, slow warmup period is highly reccomended. They morph slightly after about 100 hours of play. The high range seems a bit hot, but I'm not convinced that it's not my amplifier. These pair VERY well with my Carver CM-1090. It's a sweet integrated from yesteryear which you can find used at around $400. Again, sounds like much more expensive seperates. Both Creek and Rotel mate well with these. My pairing compares very well with some of the best systems I've heard, including B&W Nautalus and my parents' old Linaeum pair. They're strong contenders, with an even balance, bass capability, smooth frequency response, and solid build. Excellent speakers.

Similar Products Used:

I've listened to hundreds of speakers over the years. When shopping for these, I explored B & W, Wharfedale, Magnepan, Vandersteen and a bunch of others.

EVERYTHING

haha ya right

These speakers will blow you away. I have my AS-F1's hooked up to a Yamaha RX-V430 and in pro logic 2 music mode the sound that comes out of these speakers is by far the best I've ever heard. It surrounds you immensly and will have you on your knees worshipping them. Oh and I have played these loud , i mean LOUD without any distortion watsoever. Great party speakers and for the price these are a PHENOMENAL steal! BUY THEM IF YOU CAN FIND ANY!! I cant even begin to imagine what the AS-F2's must sound like.

Similar Products Used:

pioneer, jbl, paradigm, kenwood

Crisp Highs, Punchy Lows, Mellow Mids Very attractive, professionally designed Worth at least $200 more for the quality you get Vents on the front (more bass) Gold-plated Binding Posts 5-Year Parts & Service Warranty

Seriously can't think of any...

The Athena AS-F1's are gorgeous speakers... Not only do they have crisp highs and versatile lows, but they were made to very high stadards as well. A rock-solid cabinet (which actually names the designer of the cabinet on the back, Gord Van Kessel), with black sides, silver front and black grille, will look pretty sweet as part of your system whether the amp is black or silver (which seem to be the two standards now). I've listened to almost every genre of music through these speakers, and sound amazing every time. Anything accoustic sounds incredibly clear and lifelike, but genres like alternative and trance also sound great, with plenty of bass (my sub bottoms out before the athenas do) and mellow mids and highs. As people have said before, the sound rooms at audio stores don't do these (or most other) speakers justice. About all you can do there is discover that the athenas sound significantly cleaner than the other display models. Just buy them and hook them up at home, and I'm sure you'll be as amazed as the rest of us.

Similar Products Used:

Quest, Polk, JBL, etc.

Bass, Mid, Treble excellent, look great, price is great

none

these speakers (ASF2's 2 drivers and 1 tweeter) are by far the best speakers in this price range. In the sound room I listened to polks, JBL's among many other brand names, the huge, clean sound from these speakers were unsurpassed by any.

Well constructed, deep bass and clear all around sound. EXCELLENT PRICE!

can not think of any.

I've searched for months to find the best sounding speakers for a good price, and I've struck gold with the Athena AS-F2 floor standing speakers. THIS IS A REVIEW FOR THE AS-F2 floor standing speakers, NOT the F1's. The babies deliver clean, clear sound and deep bass (but not overwhelming, which I do not want). They are beasts each weghing over 55 pounds with excleeent construction and a sleek look. I've listened to Canton Floor Standing Speakers LE107SIL, JMLab Floor Standing Speakers 710CAL, and Mission Floor Standing Speakers MSM73BK, and the Athena AS-F2 are the best of the bunch. These may be budget priced, but by no means do they sound like overproduced, mass market counterparts. I highly recommend them for any home theater or music fans.

Similar Products Used:

Mission, JM Labs, Canton

Highs,Mids,Lows. Style of play, and looks Quality construction and Very Detailed Sound. 200 Watts Peak

bit heavy.

The AS F1 Athena's would have to be the best deal going in home loudspeakers today. Aside from their stylish looks (silver and black) the sound is 1st rate. I have had them long enough for proper break in and now they sound even sharper and tighter then the 1st day. My setup includes: AS F1 fronts AS B1 rears AS C1 centre channel and a Velodyne CHT 12 sub. all controlled by a Kenwood THX VR 510 receiver. Grab a pair while you can before they realize that their MSRP is WAY too low!

Similar Products Used:

infinity