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Alternatives to Energy Take5's???

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Alternatives to Energy Take5's???

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Old 04-03-01, 05:10 PM
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I've read all the reviews for the Take 5's and am considering buying them with all the good reviews. I saw them at EE for 400. Is this a good price, and are there any other packages I should be considering for around the same price?

I'll probably be getting that sony sub (something something-40) until I can save up more and get a better one.
Old 04-03-01, 05:25 PM
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Try Paradigm Atoms. For around $450-500 you could get 3 pairs and be set up for 6 channel surround and they are much better speakers than the Take 5's IMO
Old 04-03-01, 05:51 PM
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Originally posted by jumbojp
Try Paradigm Atoms. For around $450-500 you could get 3 pairs and be set up for 6 channel surround and they are much better speakers than the Take 5's IMO

agreed. the energy are nice speakes, but i heard the paradigms recently and they are definately a better sounding speaker.
Old 04-03-01, 05:59 PM
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Oops, I should mention that the Atoms are not shielded so if you are going to use one for a center keep it at least one foot above/below/in front of the TV.

They may make a shielded version, I just know that mine are not shielded, but they are about one year old!
Old 04-03-01, 06:06 PM
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Hmm, I suppose I could get away with unshielded for now, but I don't know about future TV upgrades.

The atoms do look like better speakers. Thanks.
Old 04-03-01, 07:24 PM
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Take 5

I bought my Take 5 set at GoodGuys for 250. I doubt there are any other speakers that can compete with it in this price range. I like the glossy finish.
Old 04-04-01, 02:39 AM
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I don't have GoodGuys around here. Did you get the whole set for 250? That seems really good. I'll stop by the audio shop tomorrow and see if they have them.
Old 04-04-01, 11:28 AM
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Re: Take 5

Originally posted by Idex
I bought my Take 5 set at GoodGuys for 250.
I got mine for $199, so there!

Seriously, there was a short lived sale on the Take 5s at $250 and I got mine as an open box deal.

I'm pretty sure the sale is long over.
Old 04-04-01, 05:38 PM
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Well, I stopped in the only audio store in town for the first time and they had crap for selection. Only thing they had was every big screen made. So I guess I'll have to do my shopping online.
Old 04-04-01, 11:40 PM
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Audioshop (http://www.audioshop.on.ca) recommended the Axiom Epic micro surround system when I was shopping for Take 5s (the Axioms are equivalent to the Energy Encore series but for a much better price ~$667 including the subwoofer).
Old 04-05-01, 07:31 AM
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As far as I can tell, there is only one Energy dealer in the KC area. They want $500 for the Take5 without the sub, $800 with. How does everyone feel about the Klipsch Quintets. I need to make sure to get a small set of speakers for the SO.
Old 04-05-01, 10:53 AM
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Originally posted by Woody
Audioshop (http://www.audioshop.on.ca) recommended the Axiom Epic micro surround system when I was shopping for Take 5s (the Axioms are equivalent to the Energy Encore series but for a much better price ~$667 including the subwoofer).
I emailed back and forth with Marc at Audio shop. Energy banned the shop from shipping Energy's products outside of the Ottawa area though the price of that Take5 is really sweet. I was also told there would be a new product line, Take 5.2 shipped around mid April, which will be the intermediate model between Take 5 and Encore.

By the way, may anybody provide information about Axiom's HT system?

Thank you.
Old 04-05-01, 03:41 PM
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I don't know about packages but I'd look into NHT's.
My Super Two's, Super One's, and V2.1 (center) make
a great sounding set of speakers (I have another brand
sub) for not a lot of money.
Old 04-05-01, 06:22 PM
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Would it be worth upgrading to Paradigm Titans in the front and leaving the rears Atoms? They are rated for higher input power, weigh twice as much, and don't cost too much more (according to Paradigm's website - I haven't shopped for them yet).
Old 04-05-01, 10:44 PM
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You can pick up the Take 5s if you shop around even though Energy is discouraging mail or internet orders. I got a set for $400 delivered - white ones.
Old 04-05-01, 10:47 PM
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Originally posted by Woody
You can pick up the Take 5s if you shop around even though Energy is discouraging mail or internet orders. I got a set for $400 delivered - white ones.
Hi Woody,

Does the price include a subwoofer? May I have your email address?

Thank you,

Chichi
Old 04-07-01, 02:07 AM
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No subwoofer for $400. That's why the Axioms looked like a good deal - but I had already ordered the Take 5s. I'm happy - they sound great.
Old 04-13-01, 08:39 AM
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I would have a hard time believing an Axiom speaker system would sound as good as the Take 5's. Axiom is not in the same league as some of the other Canadian manufacturers, like Energy, Mirage, Paradigm and PSB.

Here in Canada, you can get good deals on Canadian speakers, I just bought a Take 5 system for my family room for $600 (about $385 US) with an Energy 8 inch sub. Perhaps you could get someone to purchase it up here and ship it to you?

Rob
Old 04-13-01, 09:04 AM
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I recommend the JBL NSP1 (four: JBL N24s w/omni-mount wall brackets/tools and one: JBL N-Center) as the alternative to the Energy Take5's. Read my webpage Why the Take 5 is not the price vs. performance Leader. You'll find three Take5 Speaker Review (2 linked).

Actually, the "JBL NSP1s" Speaker Review received these common accolades "Timbre matching; imaging; smooth, uniform response; pleasingly natural with stereo music" by no less than 5 Speaker Reviewers (3 from Sound&Vision; etown & Amazon.com). Read my webpage

Why you should add JBL N & S Series to your audition list!
http://www.geocities.com/p_iturra/JBL_Labs.html


Brent Butterworth wrote about the JBL NSP1s in his etown Speaker Review
Look & Feel: This system certainly ranks a notch above most of what's available at this price.

Performance: I've already made detailed performance comments in my reviews of the N24 and N-Center. All I'll say here is that these speakers work together perfectly as an ensemble. The timbre matching is as good as any I've heard; that is, outside of systems that consist of five identical speakers.

The N-Center matches the sound of the N24 extremely well, better than Home Theater Direct's Level Three center matches the sound of its Level Three bookshelf. That excellent timbre matching lends coherence to the sound of the entire system, making movies seem more like I was hearing them in a real theater, not a home theater.
A quick Price check @ CNet.com

http://electronics.cnet.com/cgi/CEML...4&sortby=price

shows the MSRP $549 JBL NSP1s can be purchased for $279.00 + S/H (w/o sub). You can use any 10" TO 15" sub because Brent wrote about the N24's
-- unlike the SuperZero XU or the ProMonitor 80, this speaker is very easy to match up with practically any subwoofer.
I personally use the AudioSource SW15 200w 15" and it rocks!!

Compare the JBL NSP1's Frequency Response with other equivalent and more expensive speakers @ my webpage Are Bose Speakers Over Priced vs. Performance??


Phil

[Edited by Phil I on 04-13-01 at 07:15 AM]
Old 04-16-01, 03:50 PM
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Phil, how do those JBL's compare to Paradigm Titans for fronts and Atoms for rears? That's that setup that I was almost decided on till I saw your post.

Edit:Spelling error


[Edited by asabase on 04-16-01 at 06:29 PM]
Old 04-16-01, 06:26 PM
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The Mirage AVS 500 package is very comparable and made by the same company, I believe. I thought the Mirage's sounded a bit smoother than the Take 5's.The package comes with the AVS 100 center channel, 4 AVS sats and the very capable 8" subwoofer at 100 watts. The package sounds great on movies but a bit "light" on music so I have my old Bose 601 towers as the B speakers in the front driven by my Yamaha RX-V596. They sound real sweet on music with good additional bottom from the sub.I recently got the AVS 500 package with the Yamaha received for $999 at Tweeter in CT. This is my second home theater set up in my house. The first is a bit better on music, Yamaha RX-V1105 with Infinity RS-3's up front, Infinity CC-3 center and Infinity Quadropoles in the rear; no subwoofer; but the Mirage's are very good, and perfect for their use in a small living space.
Old 04-16-01, 09:20 PM
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asabase
, how do those JBL's compare to Paradigm Titans for fronts and Atoms for rears?
I have not done a direct comparison to the Paradigm's so I can't really comment on that. Sound&Vision reviewed 3 sets and I posted their Speaker Graphs on my webpage "Are Bose Speakers Over Priced vs. Performance??"

Paradigm Cinema
Paradigm Micro
Paradigm Legend

http://www.geocities.com/p_iturra/Misc_HT_Speakers.html

Unlike the Speaker MFG's speaker frequency graphs (1m on AXIS), these S&V Graphs are qualified by Tom Nousaine with this general statement:
All of the response curves and measurements have been weighted to reflect the manner sound arrives at a listener's ears with normal speaker placement. The left/right front speakers were averaged over a ±30° window, with double weight given to the most common listening angle, 30°. Sound delivered to the listener's ears from surround speakers will be reflected from room surfaces, so their response was averaged over a ±60° window with double weight given to the widest off-axis angles. (If the set) uses identical speakers for the front L/R and surround channels, the variations shown here simply reflect the different weightings. The center speaker's response was averaged over ±45°, with double weight directly on-axis, where the primary listener will sit.
Key to viewing the Speaker Graphs, The wider and flatter (smoother balance response) = the better

Phil

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