Very clear and similar sound all around. The center is very good for the price.

You don't get big sound with little speakers. I miss my Dali 850's..

When I saw this set at a local radio store for a relatively low price (I bought the stands later on, the 1300 USD is total price), I decided to make my girlfriend happy and buy a smaller surround setup. At first, I was very disappointed by the sound. Going from Dali 850's to these was terrible musicwise and even surround wasn't anything speciel, although the center performed admirably. After reading a number of reviews here, I setup the sub differently (Not through the RC jack) and slowly broke the set in. After a while, I was quite pleased with the set, although I must admit, big speakers are more to my liking. But hey, they look like a million ;)

Similar Products Used:

Dali 850, Dali SC 5, similar size surround speakers

Great sub with tight bass. Clear and detailed loudspeakers. Great Aesthetics. Perfect for home theater needs.

Sub is not for large airy rooms. Speakers have lack luster performance when reproducing Heavy Metal (these speakers are too refined for that music)

Your local theater sound system in a box. Small, compact, stylish and a warm fuzzy sound! This system sounds very respectable even without the break in period. Great vocal reproduction as well as pin-point imaging. I loved the sweet sounding liquid highs of my floorstanding Infinities and I must say that the Encores do a remarkable job in matching that sweetness! However, don't expect these beauties to crank out the same depth that floorstanding towers do. However, I doubt even the top of the line bookshelf loudspeakers could accomplish that. If the wife has given you the rub about big ugly speakers, then this package is for you.

Similar Products Used:

JBL & Infinity

Incredible sound reproduction across the entire tonal spectrum.

None found yet.

These speakers are amazing! I needed an entirely new system so I went with a Nakamichi receiver, Sony DVD player, and Sony 5 disc CD changer (sorry - I don't have the models handy) to complement these speakers and I've been completely impressed with them. These have played everything from Pink Floyd to Bach and with no complaints. The room I placed them in is configured oddly, (15 X 20, cathedral ceiling with the TV in the corner, half wall at the back with a dining room) and because of that I was concerned about finding speakers which not only filled the room with rich, full sound but also didn't upset my wife. These speakers are perfect for that. Their cases are exquisitely simple and classy while the sound completely blows you away.

Hope this helps: Listened to Metalica's "Enter Sandman" and the intro guitar is clean and clear with the drums thumping you in the chest from the 8 inch subwoofer. Bach's "Tocata and Fugue in D minor" as performed by Don Dorsey (electrical synthesizer) is warm (odd for synths) and each crescendo gives you chills. The scene in The Matrix where Keanu Reeves enters the office building and starts shooting is reproduced perfectly with explosions and gunshots going off all around you and not a touch of distortion.

And the speakers sound great at every volume level - not just loud. Overall - a HIGHLY recommended speaker package!

Similar Products Used:

Reviewed Polk, Boston Accoustics, Energy Take5, and Bose of comparable size.

Clarity, Price

After much research and reading rave reviews on this site, I just bought the Encore speaker package for both audio and home theater. The sound is a MAJOR improvement from my 15 year old set of speakers. I'm using a fairly low end receiver/amp (Sony DE425) that has various settings for Dolby Pro Logic Surround Sound. As a causal listener without much experience with surround sound setups, I was hoping to get some advice on a fairly basic question. When listening to CD audio do the speakers perform best in Surround Sound mode with the center and rear channels active, or should the output be only from the front speakers and the sub? Any advice would be appreciated.

Similar Products Used:

None

sound, constructions, cosmetics

no phase adjustment, small driver

This is a review of the Encore 8 subwoofer only.

On first impression the sub is a clear winner. The gloss black woodgrain finish is complemented by a sculpted fabric grille and an attractive control panel featuring a blue power LED. This is one of the most elegant looking subwoofers available at anywhere near the price (about $500 US). For married audiophiles, this will be a much easier sell to a spouse than a larger plain black box.

Further examination reveals superb construction. Removing the front panel, one finds a metal grille over the driver. This is a significant feature for a foot-level woofer in a house with children, pets or just plain clumsy people. The power supply is a module isolated from the amplifier circuit. The box is magnetically shielded making it ideal for stuffing in the entertainment center under a TV.

When I had this sub with an old pair of Pinnacles, it sounded great so when I brought in a pair of B&W 602's, I was surprised by an apparent mid-bass hole in the frequency response. With a test CD and an SPL meter, I was able to determine that this was, indeed the case. As I reduced the LPF adjustment, the 100Hz test tone actually increased in volume. Clearly the room characteristics and placement created a phasing problem with the B&W's. I rewired the sub and the mid-bass hole disappeared. As nice as a variable phase switch would have been, I can't fault Energy for failing to include it as the sub was designed to work with small speakers unlikely to have the bass extension to cause phase errors.

The Encore features a 150W MOSFET amplifier capable of 600W peaks. That's quite a bit of headroom and it shows. There's a lot of punch in this little rear-vented box. It's spec'ed +/-3db down to 25 Hz and I was able to confirm this with my own imprecise measurement. This with only an eight inch driver. The small driver doesn't push around as much air as a larger driver would but it is very fast, and very accurate.

I'm very happy with this little sub in combination with the B&W 602's. It makes for a very tight, accurate system. Not only are the sonics excellent, but it's clear that Energy seriously considered how the Encore system would integrate with people's homes and lifestyles. If you need a reasonable sized sub that not only sounds good, but looks great, the Encore 8 is an excellent place to start.

Tested system:

Source: Arcam Delta 70 CD player
Amplification: NAD 317
Main speakers: B&W 602's, Pinnacle PN6+
Interconnects: MIT Terminator 2
Speaker Cable: Jamo type C, Kimber 4VS

Clarity, detail, unbelievably capable sat's and center channel speaker given the size/cost factor!

Unfortunately, the sub cannot keep up w/ the rest of this otherwise outstanding system.

The overwhelmingly positive reviews in this forum compelled me to audition the Encore system as part of my search for the best HT speaker system available for under ~$1500.

Let me get right to it - the sub, although very capable for it's size, cannot keep up w/ the rest of this system when pushed hard. For most HT and light music applications, this system will probably perform satisfactorily (except for bigger rooms, perhaps). However, anyone planning on using this system for wall shaking HT or heavier music reproductions may be sadly disappointed.

The sat's and center channel speakers perform very well at all volume levels, provided you supply them w/ plenty of juice!

It's just too bad Energy didn't offer a more capable sub w/ this otherwise very competitive package. Despite what most other reviewers have written here, the sub just isn't on par w/ some other models in this price range. If your looking for the sublime experience of super-rich room enveloping bass, look elsewhere!

CP

Similar Products Used:

Bose AM15, Polk 6600

small size but big sound, subwoofer, looks

pricey, require "break in"

These speakers do not sound so hot out of the box, but don't be discouraged! The person I bought them from advised me of a quick way to "break them in". I reverse-wired one of each of the two pairs of speakers and faced each pair together with about 1/4" of space between the two. Then before I left for work, I tuned the receiver to a station with no music (only FM hiss). I did this for a couple of days and the quality of the sound simply blew me away once the speakers were properly broken in.

I'm using Kimber 4VS for the front and center, and Optiquest 14-gauge for the surrounds. The Kimber is great and it's only $3 a foot. My reciever is a Yamaha HTR-5140, not the most powerful, but plenty of watts (60x5) for my small apartment.

The subwoofer is the best I've ever heard in its price range. I put in a Crystal Method CD and my entire living room began to shake with amazing bass. I quickly turned down the sub to avoid arousing the anger of my neighbors. The sub has a weird blue (??) LED to let you know it's on.

These speakers are simply beautiful, with a glossy black finish. You will want to display them without the black front coverings because they look so cool.

I bought the whole set for US$1245 from Marc Hallam at www.audioshop.on.ca. He doesn't display the prices for his Energy speakers (because they are so much lower than the local ripoff stores), but he has the Encore if you call him up and ask. I also bought a pair of the Encore stands for about a hundred dollars (US) more (they look great... a bit of a pain to assemble though).

These are the first really serious speakers I've ever bought, and I'm in audio heaven. DVD movies in Dolby Digital have incredible realism, and my CDs sound great. Even my crap analog cable TV sounds crisp and new. I listened to a lot of other speakers before I chose these, and I recommend them unhesitatingly to anyone with the means (check out the Energy Take 5 if you can't afford the Encore).

Similar Products Used:

none

Wonderful looks, Precise centered sound stage, Great movie sound

Need power, flat for some music, sub will chuff at high volumes

I really tried to like this system enough to give it five stars. I just can’t do it.

This system has some really good points. The look and finish are unbelievable, and impresses even causal guests. The system is small and works great on stands.

Movies are its strong point and anyone buying just for home theater will not be disappointed. I feel ripped off when I pay 6.50 to go see a movie that sounds better at my house! The system is designed to precisely place sounds and it does just that. It is so realistic that I’ve wondered if thunder is coming from the speakers or from a storm outside.

For some types of music it does a wonderful job as well. Women’s vocals are open and placed right in front. Instruments are delicate and precise, especially guitar and piano. The sub is tight and musical up to high volume levels.

So, every thing I’ve said sounds good right? It would be except for two things. I have another great set of speakers to compare them to, and I don’t only listen to mellow music.

When comparing these to my (much larger) Definitive speakers they are very flat (read unexciting) at low volume. They also require more power to drive them at the same sound level. I know this is to make them more precise, but Limp Bizkit doesn’t require precise. I’ve got a powerful Pioneer Elite amp, and I need it. I would hate to see what these are like with a $299 Sears special. The sub could be a bit bigger to match the available output of the satellites. The sub will chuff on loud movie passages.

Overall, I like these speakers a lot. I might add another sub to give me more low end for movies, and for Rap, Rock, or Metal these get a big thumbs down.

Similar Products Used:

Definitive, Boston Acoustics, NHT

Full dynamic range when used with subwoofer

So far, the wall mount support brackets rank #1.

I have installed my Encore system with a Pioneer Elite 27 and a Pioneer DVD 525. Cabling for the sub is Monster Cable, otherwise it is all 12 gauge speaker wire. The sub is the eXL:10 at this time. The tv is a 55" Hitachi using the video input.

I looked at several systems, but was ultimately impressed with the styling and dynamic range of the Encore system. The speakers are attractive without being overpowering for floor or wall space.

I have played Saving Private Ryan and The Matrix several times through the system. The reproduction is amazingly like the Dolby sound heard as the movies were viewed in a commercial theater.

Guests who have visited to hear the system are equally impressed. The room size is 16'x20' with a 9.5' ceiling. There is more than enough power for this size room.

Similar Products Used:

Bose 301

Near audiophile quality and VALUE.

Not as full ranged as larger loudspeakers.

I tried pretty hard to locate a good sounding sat/sub home theater system that could be had for less than $1000. The Quintet and Take 5 systems both produced impressive sound considering their compact size and they cost between $600 and $800 with matching subs. However, when I heard the Encore’s at $1200, I fell in love with the incremental improvement in sound quality. It is no fluke that they score a perfect 5 among these reviewers. I failed to find a competing alternative that wasn’t a lot more expensive and much larger in size, which convinced me to take the plunge.

The eight-inch sub generates such powerful low frequencies, that explosions in “Apocalypse Now” don’t just seem real, they are real, as they shake the house and pound your chest. John Hurt’s voice in the opening narrative in “Lost and Space” floats within the room, the same as if you were wearing headphones. The sounds of Pink Floyd are unbelievably engrossing as reproduced by these speakers.

The legend of these speakers is only slowly developing. I am convinced that the Encore’s will receive many awards and widespread admiration for a long time to come.

Similar Products Used:

Auditioned Klipsch Quintet and Energy Take 5.