Energy CB-10 Bookshelf Loudspeakers Reviewed
- By: HomeTheaterReview.com
- Category:
- Audio Reviews, Bookshelf Speaker Reviews, Equipment Reviews
- Resources & Links:
- Bookshelf Speaker Reviews ,
- Energy
- December 5, 2009

Once a part of the mighty Audio Products International in Canada, Energy Loudspeakers, now owned by Klipsch, has produced high quality, affordable loudspeakers since 1973. Rooted in a pile of research created together with Canada's famous National Research Council (NRC), Energy's R&D has always pushed the boundaries of affordable excellence, and kept the company at the forefront of its price classes.
Located in the middle of its product line, Energy's Connoisseur series offers three bookshelf models, with the two-way CB-10 (MSRP $250 per pair) in the middle of the $350 CB-20 and $180 CB-5. The compact CB-10 measures 11.4 inches high by 7.1 inches wide by 8.5 inches deep, and weighs a solid 8.9 pounds. The design couples a 1-inch hyperbolic aluminum-dome tweeter to a 5.5-inch woofer utilizing Energy's patented Ribbed Elliptical Surround, which increases excursion and efficiency, according to the company (The phase plug in the middle of the CB-10's woofer is surrounded by a silver ring, as opposed to a gold ring in the CB-20. Didn't seem to make a difference.). The design uses a 2.8kHz crossover point, 600Hz higher than the CB-20. As with all of Energy's speakers, the CB-10 employs the company's famous Convergent Source Module (CSM), which, according to the company, lowers distortion while improving dispersion and midrange by placing the midrange and tweeter as close together as possible (this design also makes for an elegant cosmetic presentation on the baffle). As with the CB-20, the CB-10 employs a rear-firing port, and provides a handy foam port plug for each speaker to contour the bass response. The CB-10 also provides a single pair of gold-plated, 5-way binding posts, along with a ¼ -inch - 20 threaded insert for easy mounting. The CB-10's Black Ash vinyl finish wraps cleanly around the enclosure and looks terrific, especially when combined with the baffle's gloss black finish and silver drivers. The CB-10 looks as good as its big brother, and maybe even just a tad more so because of its smaller size. The dynamics of the different materials stand out even more with the smaller model.
Sound
The CB-10 presents a nominal 8 ohm load with a 90dB efficiency. The CB-10 performed well even with just good quality receivers and amplifiers. While its performance improved with better quality power, it didn't seem mandatory to get it performing optimally.
The CB-10 threw a reasonably deep, wide soundstage and imaged nicely. The sense of depth could have been a tad better, but overall it did a good job considering its compact size. The bigger CB-20 offered a very good tonal balance with great neutrality; this did not carry over quite as much with its baby brother. While the CB-10's top end offered many of the same fast, detailed qualities, it ran into a midrange that offered just a hint less warmth, bloom, and liquidity, especially on acoustic and vocal tracks. Moving downward, the lower mids and upper bass exhibited some solid punch and fairly good depth, but didn't have the well-rounded qualities of the CB-20. Certainly, the smaller woofer in the CB-10 can't be expected to perform like the bigger one in the CB-20, but the difference didn't just end there. The CB-10's lighter weight in the mids and bass stuck out a bit too much in contrast to its very good high end performance, and therefore didn't offer as much coherence and balance as the bigger model. This seemed to reveal itself more on bass heavy tracks, large orchestral material, and on some acoustic tracks where lower midrange bloom would have added some balance. And the foam plugs seemed to exacerbate this issue most of the time; the CB-10 sounded better without them. However, overall the CB-10 performed well when factoring in its price and size; these factors didn't impede my overall enjoyment of the speaker. It retains enough coherence and speed to cross the finish line as a good value.
High Points
• The CB-10 offers a detailed, crisp sound quality with a good amount of pace and speed, especially on electronic tracks.
• The CB-10 utilizes a lot of high-end technology and offers terrific parts quality.
• The CB-10 looks superb, is put together like a rock, and offers a very small footprint.
• The CB-10's light weight and on-board mounting capability give it a lot of placement versatility.
Low Points
• The CB-10 offers a slightly lightweight tonal balance that comes up a bit short with vocal and piano tracks, large orchestral and bass heavy material.
• The CB-10 only comes in one finish (High gloss black baffle with black ash cabinet).
• The CB-10 only provides one set of binding posts, preventing bi-wiring/bi-amping.
Conclusion
The Energy CB-10 offers a decent amount of quality and value for its low price. Its slightly lightweight presentation lowered its overall musicality on material that requires some heft in the midrange and bass. It just couldn't quite get down there and round things out a bit more. Now while this certainly can't be strongly expected from such a small speaker on a pure frequency response basis, this wasn't about pure performance gymnastics as much as overall balance. And ironically, if the CB-10 didn't perform so well on the top end, it might not have showed as much. It must be noted, however, that these issues didn't detract from the speaker's overall good performance and value proposition. It's a very competitive product, and will very likely appeal to hordes of people. It looks great, doesn't cost a lot, and brings a lot of technology to the table. That's a pretty compelling proposition.
Keywords
Energy speakers, Energy CB-10 reviewed, Energy Connoisseur Series reviewed, Convergent Source Module (CSM), Ribbed Elliptical Surround, Canadian National Research Council (NRC), bookshelf speakers, monitor speakers
- Aerial Acoustics 5B Monitor Lou...
- Aperion Intimus 5T-DB Hybrid HD...
- Aux Classic 2.1 Desktop Speaker...
- B&W Nautilus 805 Loudspeakers R...
- Bookshelf Speaker Reviews & "Wi...
- Bose 301 Bookshelf Speakers Rev...
- Bose SoundDock II Reviewed...
- Boston Acoustics CS 26 Bookshel...
- Boston Acoustics Classic CS 231...
- Boston Acoustics SoundWare On-W...
- Bowers & Wilkins 685 Bookshelf ...
- Bowers & Wilkins CT 700 Series ...
- Bowers & Wilkins LM1 Satellite ...
- Bowers & Wilkins MM-1 Computer ...
- Definitive Technology C/L/R 300...
- Definitive Technology ProMonito...
- Definitive Technology StudioMon...
- Dynaudio Contour 1.4 Bookshelf ...
- Dynaudio Excite X12 Loudspeaker...
- Energy CB-10 Bookshelf Loudspea...
- Energy CB-20 Bookshelf Loudspea...
- Focal XS 2.1 Speaker System wit...
- Home Theater Review 2009 Best o...
- Infinity Cascade Model Five Lou...
- Infinity Classia C205 Bookshelf...
- Infinity Primus P142 Bookshelf ...
- Infinity Primus P162 Loudspeake...
- JBL Control NOW Loudspeaker Rev...
- JBL ES20BK Bookshelf Loudspeake...
- JBL On Air Control 2.4G Wireles...
- JBL Studio L Series L830 Booksh...
- JBL WEM-1 Wireless Expansion Mo...
- Klipsch Icon WB-14 Bookshelf Lo...
- Klipsch RB-61 Bookshelf Loudspe...
- Klipsch Synergy B-2 Bookshelf L...
- Klipsch Synergy B-3 Bookshelf L...
- Klipsch VB-15 Bookshelf Loudspe...
- Klipsch XB-10 Bookshelf Loudspe...
- Krell Modulari Primo Bookshelf ...
- Logitech Z-2300 2.1 Desktop Spe...
- MartinLogan Motion Speaker Syst...
- Meyer Sound X-10 Powered Loudsp...
- Mordaunt-Short Performance Home...
- NuForce Icon / S1 Amplifier Rev...
- Orb Audio Classic One Stereo Sp...
- Orb Audio Mod1 Home Theater Spe...
- Orb Audio Mod4 Home Theater Spe...
- Outlaw Audio BLS Bookshelf Loud...
- Outlaw Audio LCR Loudspeaker Re...
- PSB Imagine B Bookshelf Loudspe...
- PSB Imagine T Loudspeaker Revie...
- Paradigm AMS-350 In-Wall Speake...
- Paradigm Atom Monitor V.5 Speak...
- Paradigm Mini Monitor V.5 Louds...
- Paradigm Reference Studio 20 v....
- Paradigm Signature Reference S1...
- Paradigm Studio 100 5.1 Speaker...
- Polk LSi7 Bookshelf Loudspeaker...
- Polk R150 Bookshelf Loudspeaker...
- Polk RTi A1 Bookshelf Loudspeak...
- Polk TSi100 Bookshelf Loudspeak...
- Polk TSi200 Bookshelf Loudspeak...
- Revel Concerta M12 Bookshelf Sp...
- Revel Performa M22 Monitor Loud...
- Sonus faber Guarneri Memento Sp...
- Sony SS-B1000 Bookshelf Loudspe...
- Sony SS-B3000 Bookshelf Loudspe...
- Wilson Audio Duette Bookshelf L...
- Xhifi XDC-1 Desktop Audio Syste...
- Yamaha NS-333 Bookshelf Loudspe...
Featured Audio-Video News
Is Today's Home Theater Equipment Too Good? -
Shocking wouldn't be how I describe the news that regional AV chain Ken Crane's is closing after decades in business...
Latest Bookshelf Speaker Reviews
Mordaunt-Short Performance Home Theater Speaker System Reviewed -
Mordaunt-Short is a name I have known about for years but rarely got a chance to hear. When I learned I'd be receiving their top of the line Performance home theater speaker system for review, I was excited. Mordaunt-Short has... Click for more...
Bowers & Wilkins MM-1 Computer Speakers Reviewed -
When does a loudspeaker stop being a loudspeaker and become a computer speaker? When does a computer speaker stop being a computer speaker and become a loudspeaker? These two questions have been on my mind a lot recently, as I've... Click for more...
Definitive Technology C/L/R 3000 Loudspeaker Reviewed -
Definitive Technology has a storied reputation for building some of the finest full range loudspeakers costing not all that much. From their new Mythos line of products to their famous Bi-Polar towers, I can think of no other loudspeaker manufacturer... Click for more...
Boston Acoustics SoundWare On-Wall Loudspeakers Reviewed -
The new Boston Acoustics SoundWare speaker is technically an on-wall loudspeaker. However it can also pull double or triple duty as a compact outdoor speaker, a desktop or a small monitor speaker. The SoundWare is the Swiss Army Knife of... Click for more...
MartinLogan Motion Speaker System Reviewed -
MartinLogan has been making some big steps lately. First they re-introduced their famed CLX speakers as the new top of the line product, but what surprised me more was what they showed at CEDIA in September of 2009. A small,... Click for more...
Krell Modulari Primo Bookshelf Speaker Reviewed -
Krell, better known for their amplifier and preamplifier designs, have been building loudspeakers for many years now to varying degrees of success. Previous designs like Krell's LAT series of loudspeakers were a hit in the press, garnering many favorable reviews... Click for more...
Orb Audio Mod1 Home Theater Speaker System Reviewed -
With today's economy in such dire straits consumers and home theater enthusiasts are having to prioritize how best to spend their hard earned money towards luxury goods like home theaters and flat panel displays. This fact hasn't been lost on... Click for more...
Orb Audio Classic One Stereo Speaker System Reviewed -
Lifestyle products are all the rage nowadays, offering a level of performance and sleek design consumers have been waiting for. However, not all lifestyle products, especially loudspeakers, are equal. Bang & Olufsen is a total lifestyle oriented brand yet their... Click for more...
Paradigm Signature Reference S1 Monitor Loudspeaker Reviewed -
Paradigm has become a household name among value conscious audiophiles the world over. A few years back Paradigm took their brand cache up a notch with the introduction of their Signature lineup of loudspeakers. Since their arrival, Paradigm Signature loudspeakers... Click for more...
Paradigm Reference Studio 20 v.5 Bookshelf Speaker Reviewed -
I've been a fan of Paradigm for years, owning and enjoying seemingly every speaker in their product line from the awesome and affordable Atoms to their flagship Signature S8s. Over the years there have been two Paradigm speaker designs that... Click for more...
Latest Bookshelf Speaker Reviews
Mordaunt-Short Performance Home Theater Speaker System Reviewed -
Mordaunt-Short is a name I have known about for years but rarely got a chance to hear. When I learned I'd be receiving their top of the line Performance home theater speaker system for review, I was excited. Mordaunt-Short has... Click for more...
Bowers & Wilkins MM-1 Computer Speakers Reviewed -
When does a loudspeaker stop being a loudspeaker and become a computer speaker? When does a computer speaker stop being a computer speaker and become a loudspeaker? These two questions have been on my mind a lot recently, as I've... Click for more...
Definitive Technology C/L/R 3000 Loudspeaker Reviewed -
Definitive Technology has a storied reputation for building some of the finest full range loudspeakers costing not all that much. From their new Mythos line of products to their famous Bi-Polar towers, I can think of no other loudspeaker manufacturer... Click for more...
Boston Acoustics SoundWare On-Wall Loudspeakers Reviewed -
The new Boston Acoustics SoundWare speaker is technically an on-wall loudspeaker. However it can also pull double or triple duty as a compact outdoor speaker, a desktop or a small monitor speaker. The SoundWare is the Swiss Army Knife of... Click for more...
MartinLogan Motion Speaker System Reviewed -
MartinLogan has been making some big steps lately. First they re-introduced their famed CLX speakers as the new top of the line product, but what surprised me more was what they showed at CEDIA in September of 2009. A small,... Click for more...
Krell Modulari Primo Bookshelf Speaker Reviewed -
Krell, better known for their amplifier and preamplifier designs, have been building loudspeakers for many years now to varying degrees of success. Previous designs like Krell's LAT series of loudspeakers were a hit in the press, garnering many favorable reviews... Click for more...
Orb Audio Mod1 Home Theater Speaker System Reviewed -
With today's economy in such dire straits consumers and home theater enthusiasts are having to prioritize how best to spend their hard earned money towards luxury goods like home theaters and flat panel displays. This fact hasn't been lost on... Click for more...
Orb Audio Classic One Stereo Speaker System Reviewed -
Lifestyle products are all the rage nowadays, offering a level of performance and sleek design consumers have been waiting for. However, not all lifestyle products, especially loudspeakers, are equal. Bang & Olufsen is a total lifestyle oriented brand yet their... Click for more...
Paradigm Signature Reference S1 Monitor Loudspeaker Reviewed -
Paradigm has become a household name among value conscious audiophiles the world over. A few years back Paradigm took their brand cache up a notch with the introduction of their Signature lineup of loudspeakers. Since their arrival, Paradigm Signature loudspeakers... Click for more...
Paradigm Reference Studio 20 v.5 Bookshelf Speaker Reviewed -
I've been a fan of Paradigm for years, owning and enjoying seemingly every speaker in their product line from the awesome and affordable Atoms to their flagship Signature S8s. Over the years there have been two Paradigm speaker designs that... Click for more...
Latest Equipment Reviews
NextGen 1x8 HDMI-Over-CAT6 Splitter Reviewed -
There's no denying the convenience that HDMI affords. The ability to send high-definition video, high-resolution audio, and control/data information over one small, relatively pliable cable has given us leaner, cleaner A/V backsides, but it comes with potential downsides. Handshake issues... Click for more...
McIntosh MC-501 Mono Amplifier Reviewed -
McIntosh is one of the longest living legends in American high-end audio history. McIntosh's 'Unity Coupled Circuit' utilized in the 50W-1 tube amplifier introduced in 1949 was its first breakthrough design. The use of black glass panels that give McIntosh... Click for more...
Mordaunt-Short Performance Home Theater Speaker System Reviewed -
Mordaunt-Short is a name I have known about for years but rarely got a chance to hear. When I learned I'd be receiving their top of the line Performance home theater speaker system for review, I was excited. Mordaunt-Short has... Click for more...
Bowers & Wilkins MM-1 Computer Speakers Reviewed -
When does a loudspeaker stop being a loudspeaker and become a computer speaker? When does a computer speaker stop being a computer speaker and become a loudspeaker? These two questions have been on my mind a lot recently, as I've... Click for more...
Bowers & Wilkins P5 Mobile Hi-Fi Headphones Reviewed -
Bowers & Wilkins, makers of some of the finest home theater and audiophile loudspeakers the world over have come on strong as of late with a host of mobile and iPod friendly products like the P5 Mobile Hi-Fi Headphones reviewed... Click for more...
Sherwood Newcastle R-972 Audio/Video Receiver Reviewed -
Sherwood has been a staple of high quality audio/video components for decades, and the Newcastle line represents the pinnacle of the company's engineering prowess. The R-972, which retails for $1,799, falls on the higher-end of mainstream receiver pricing. That said,... Click for more...
Vizio M550NV RazorLED LCD HDTV Reviewed -
Vizio's 2010 LCD lineup is perhaps its most ambitious yet, including a wide range of edge-lit and full-array LED models. The full-array models carry the TruLED moniker, while the edge-lit models sport the RazorLED tag. The M550NV is one of... Click for more...
Vizio SV472XVT TruLED LCD HDTV Reviewed -
Vizio's 2010 LCD lineup is perhaps its most ambitious yet, including a wide range of edge-lit and full-array LED models. The full-array models carry the TruLED moniker, while the edge-lit models sport the RazorLED tag. As the name suggests, the... Click for more...
AT&T U-verse DVR and Service Reviewed -
Bundling one's entertainment services - be it television, Internet or phone - is all the rage these days. Every service from satellite to cable is seemingly offering an all-in-one solution in the hope of making your home entertainment more enjoyable... Click for more...
Mitsubishi Unisen LT-55154 LED LCD HDTV Reviewed -
Mitsubishi's 2010 LCD line includes three series: the top-shelf Diamond 265 Series, the 164 Series and the 154 Series. As the entry-level series in the group, the 154 Series lacks some of the advanced options found in the step-up lines,... Click for more...





Comment on this article
0Post a Comment