The Energy Take Classic 5.1 was originally reviewed and awarded a CNET Editors' Choice on February 20, 2009. The review has been updated as part of a recent budget speaker roundup and its Editors' Choice Award has been reaffirmed.
Cheap, small, sounds great: pick two. That's how home audio almost always works. We say almost, because the Energy Take Classic 5.1 is one of those rare products that's seemingly without compromise. The speakers are compact (although not tiny like the Boston SoundWare SX 5.1system), but their sound quality is outstanding, so you won't regret opting for small speakers. The speakers also look fantastic, finished in an elegant piano black that belies the system's budget price. The official list price for the Take Classic 5.1 may be $600, but it's widely available online for $400. There's no catch, the Energy Take Classic 5.1 is just an incredible value.
Our sole caveat is that if all you're concerned about is the best sound quality on a budget (in other words you pick "cheap" and "sounds great"), thePioneer SP-PK21BS is the winner. But its massive speakers just won't work for most people. The Energy Take Classic is the most perfectly balanced budget 5.1 speaker system we've seen, making it an easy pick for our Editors' Choice Award in the category.
Design and features
The Take Classic is a six-piece system with four satellites measuring a compact 6.8x4.1x4.1 inches. The satellites are complemented by a 0.75-inch aluminum dome tweeter and a 3-inch poly-titanium midbass driver.
Each of the satellite speakers has a removable black speaker grille.
The speakers' weight of just 2.9 pounds should make wall mounting a snap. You can use either the speakers' keyhole slot or the 0.25-inch threaded insert, the latter for use with OmniMount wall brackets. The only problem here is that the speakers have rear-mounted ports, so wall mounting will slightly reduce the actual speaker bass output. The Energy Web site recommends leaving at least 2 feet of clearance between the speaker and wall.
Cheap, small, sounds great: pick two. That's how home audio almost always works. We say almost, because the Energy Take Classic 5.1 is one of those rare products that's seemingly without compromise. The speakers are compact (although not tiny like the Boston SoundWare SX 5.1system), but their sound quality is outstanding, so you won't regret opting for small speakers. The speakers also look fantastic, finished in an elegant piano black that belies the system's budget price. The official list price for the Take Classic 5.1 may be $600, but it's widely available online for $400. There's no catch, the Energy Take Classic 5.1 is just an incredible value.
Our sole caveat is that if all you're concerned about is the best sound quality on a budget (in other words you pick "cheap" and "sounds great"), thePioneer SP-PK21BS is the winner. But its massive speakers just won't work for most people. The Energy Take Classic is the most perfectly balanced budget 5.1 speaker system we've seen, making it an easy pick for our Editors' Choice Award in the category.
Design and features
The Take Classic is a six-piece system with four satellites measuring a compact 6.8x4.1x4.1 inches. The satellites are complemented by a 0.75-inch aluminum dome tweeter and a 3-inch poly-titanium midbass driver.
Each of the satellite speakers has a removable black speaker grille.
The speakers' weight of just 2.9 pounds should make wall mounting a snap. You can use either the speakers' keyhole slot or the 0.25-inch threaded insert, the latter for use with OmniMount wall brackets. The only problem here is that the speakers have rear-mounted ports, so wall mounting will slightly reduce the actual speaker bass output. The Energy Web site recommends leaving at least 2 feet of clearance between the speaker and wall.
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