Energy RC-Micro 5.1 Surround Speaker System (Black)

Other products by Energy

Product Details

• Product Dimensions: 3.5 x 3.5 x 4.7 inches ; 2 pounds
• Shipping Weight: 31 pounds (View shipping rates and policies)
• Shipping: Currently, item can be shipped only within the U.S.
• ASIN: B001RQ2CXO
• Item model number: RC Micro
• Average Customer Review: 5.0 out of 5 stars  See all reviews (3 customer reviews)
• Amazon.com Sales Rank: #3,440 in Electronics (See Bestsellers in Electronics)

  Popular in these categories: (What's this?)

  #15 in	Electronics > Home Audio & Theater > Home Theater Systems > Speaker Systems
  #25 in	Electronics > Home Audio & Theater > Speakers > Home Theater Speaker Systems

• Date first available at Amazon.com: February 5, 2009

Product Description

From the Manufacturer

Lifelike Sound from a Compact Home Theater System

RC-Micro is Energy's most compact collection of high-tech components—satellites, subwoofer and center channel. Though tiny, this system packs a big wallop inside their great looking high-gloss black cabinets.

The RC-Micro proves beyond doubt that small can still be powerful. And it shatters any illusions about small, packaged home theater systems; you won’t get better performance, or better looks, even if you buy individual pieces.  This system delivers lifelike performance from your favorite games and movies, with precision balanced mids & highs compliments of the Convergent Source Module, to the massive bottom end provided by a specially matched 240 watt 8” compact subwoofer, which features a Ribbed Elliptical surround for great bass detail and extension.  The hyperbolic aluminum dome tweeter on the satellites and center channel focuses sound for clearer dialogue and stirring music.  Keyhole slots and threaded inserts allow wall and stand mounting, letting you choose how and where to place your speakers.  The RC-Micro Center and satellite speakers are magnetically shielded to eliminate interference with CRTs or televisions.  Gold plated push connectors ensure positive connection for top-flight performance.

Convergent Source Module

The Convergent Source Module, or CSM, is the heart of an Energy speaker.  It provides wide dispersion, low distortion and amazing midrange performance.  The speaker’s midrange and tweeter are designed to perfectly integrate with one another and are housed closely together to maximize driver integration, providing accuracy and excellence imaging. 

Ribbed Elliptical Surround

The patented Ribbed Elliptical Surrounds that encircle our products’ woofers are unlike any other.  By changing the shape of the speaker surround to an ellipse, rather than the traditional “half roll,” distortion is reduced dramatically.  Benefits also include increased excursion and a larger piston area, allowing for greater efficiency and greater dynamics than conventional designs.  

Flat On-Axis Frequency Response with Wide Bandwidth

Speakers should reproduce the entire audio range in a uniform manner. By ensuring that no one frequency dominates any other, Energy ensures that every note is the way it was intended to be--and the sound as natural as possible.

Wide and Constant Dispersion

Sound at all frequencies radiating from the speaker should be in an even pattern, in all directions throughout the room.

Low Distortion and Resonance

No speaker system is distortion- or resonance-free, but Energy has achieved a significantly lower distortion level, a clearly audible improvement.

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What Critics Are Saying About Energy RC Micro

"What sets the RC-Micro apart from other offerings is both the clarity of the presentation, and the width of the soundstage.

The RC-Micro is a very attractive set of home theater speakers, and have substance behind the flash. The same cannot always be said for other products in the space…it performed very well, and provides a great home theater experience.” --Andrew Yang, Secrets of Home Theater and High Fidelity, October 29, 2009

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Technical Specifications

• Frequency Response: Sat: 150Hz-23kHz; Subwoofer: 36Hz-180Hz +/- 3dB
• Crossover Point: 3.5 kHz
• Sensitivity: 88dB
• Power Handling: Sat and Center: 240 Watts
• Recommended Amplifier Power: 20 - 100 Watts RMS (Continuous)
• Impedance: 8-ohm compatible
• Subwoofer Variable Low Pass Filter: 40Hz-150Hz
• Tweeter: 0.5-inch (12.7mm) hyperbolic aluminum dome
• Midrange: 2.5-inch (63.5mm) high-excursion aluminum cone
• Woofer: 8-inch (20 cm) Injection molded cone with Ribbed Elliptical surround
• Dimensions: Sat: 4.7 x 3.5 x 3.5in; Center: 3.5 x 5.9 x 3.5in; Subwoofer: 12.7 x 10.5 x 12.3in
• Weight: Sat: 1.6 lbs; Center:  1.9 lbs; Subwoofer: 16 lbs

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Maximum Performance Tips

The center channel speaker needs to be centrally located so that the dialogue appears to be coming from the center of the screen. It needs to be above or below the monitor, as closely to it as possible. If you’re using a rear projection television, the most likely option is to place it above the screen. If you have a front projection system, you have choices--stand mounting, or placement on furniture, for example. It is important, though, to place the speaker so that its front edge is even with the edge of the shelf or stand supporting it. Unwanted diffraction occurs when the center channel is too far back into a cabinet or other surface with edges that could impede sound dispersion.

For left or right front channels, the distance between the speakers should be 6-8 feet at minimum for the best stereo imaging. The optimum room shape is rectangular, with the speakers along one of the shorter walls, facing the opposite side. If possible, do not place speakers against a wall or at rear of a bookshelf; corner placement is usually the worst option. Try to keep the speakers--especially rear vented models--at least two feet from the surface behind it, unless you use a vent plug. For best results mounting on a rear wall, position the speakers so they flank the main listening area and point toward the front of the room. They should be raised to a height of approximately six feet and should ideally have a space of six feet between them.

The three most common subwoofer locations include corners (which can result in boomy or exaggerated low frequency response), placement along a wall, away from the corner (producing moderate bass performance with increased fidelity over corner placement), or beside a front speaker (creating a better blend with the front speaker, but sacrificing overall volume). Experimentation with subwoofer placement is highly encouraged; slight adjustments can create big differences in sound reproduction. To test subwoofer placement, install it temporarily in your main listening position and walk around the listening room while playing a familiar piece of music until you find the best sounding position.

Product Description

Acclaimed micro-sized Home Theater surround speaker package perfect to frame around today's flat panel TVs.

Customer Reviews

Most Helpful Customer Reviews

17 of 17 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars Awesome sound quality, April 18, 2009

By	D. Boisvert - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

The Energy RC-Micro 5.1 surround sound speakers pack awesome sound in small and rather stylish design. I am not an audiophile, but I used to have large Infinity speakers that sat on the floor, and these Energy speakers have sound quality far superior to them.

The powered bass rocks the house and can deliver plenty enough bass to fill my 13 x 20 foot room and more. The surround speakers have a uniquely crisp sound so that your home feels as though it was part of the original video and music making experience.

Although these speakers can belt out over 100 watts per channel without a problem, I wouldn't recommend these speakers for the person who wants to listen to their music at deafening levels. The bass can deliver but the unique qualities of the surround speakers are somewhat lost at maximum power . . . or my ears can't adequately process all of the noise.

I find these speakers excellent for surround sound TV and movie watching, excellent for music at normal listening levels (where the neighbors in the next house are not complaining), and good for the times when you want to make neighbors listen to your music.

13 of 13 people found the following review helpful:

5.0 out of 5 stars GREAT LITTLE SPEAKERS, August 24, 2009

By	C. L. Gerow (San Diego) - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

Amazon Verified Purchase

I got these here on Amazon for $599. Now to a lot of you that might not sound like a lot of money, but to me this was a major purchase. But after researching for a long time I finaly decided on the Energy RC-Micro speakers over the Orb speaker system. I will never know how I would have liked the Orbs but it would be nearly impossible to be any happier than I am with these speakers.

The package arrived very quickly, 4 days after I order and that was with the standard free shipping. Two corners on the box were flattened in a couple of inches, but Eneregy did a nice job with the packaging and everything inside was in perfect shape.

I matched these speakers up with my Onkyo TX-SR507 and Omnimount Surround Sound System Mounting Package for Micro Speakers (Both of which i also recommend, especially the Omnimount brackets that came with an adapter that fit these speakers perfectly).

After installation I am like a little kid at Christmas and spent the whole weekend in front of the TV trying out everything I could think of to test these babies. I pop in my blu-ray of Transformers. Oh boy what a way to start off. I put the volume to about 60 percent of maximum and the room was rocking. Great clean crisp highs, bass that I could feel in my seat, and voices that were clear even as the world seemed to be falling apart all around the people.

Everything I listened to that weekend sounded great. A couple of other highlights: Encore was showing the new Rambo movie. About a half hour into the movie it starts raining. I swear that it sounded so realistic that I muted my sound because I thought it was raining outside (It had been earlier). Another movie I was watching has 2 neighborhood dogs barking at each other. My dog has never paid any attention to anything on the TV before and when this started up he suddenly sat up and started following the dog barks from left to right depending on which dog was barking. He even barked back once.

The only thing I can see that might not meet everyone's expectations is the bass. I am more than happy with the bass performance but it is not a window shattering bass that some people want.

I don't see how, but they say that these are going to sound even better after they are broke in for 50 - 60 hours.

I know there are better systems out there for a lot more money, but unless you need or want more bass, I do not believe anyone will be unhappy with these.

5.0 out of 5 stars A great mix of size, style, and sound., November 27, 2009

By	Dave Cochary - See all my reviews (REAL NAME)

This is a highly regarded, top quality speaker system offering the primary benefit of impressive surround-sound without overwhelming your living room with large speakers.

I am not an audiophile, but after buying the HDTV, I did a lot of research for a lower-priced 5.1 system with speakers small enough to blend into the room and I am indebted to all the audiophiles who post on the assorted audio forums that are out there. I settled on the now discontinued Energy Take 5.1 Classics, which I ordered from Electronic Expo for $349. It turns out that Electronic Expo was out of stock of the Take Classics but they offered me these Energy RC-Micros for the same price! First of all, Electronic Expo is to be commended for their first-rate customer service. What a deal for me!

These RC-Micros sound better than the Take Classics and are even smaller. They're very easy to discreetly place around the room, great for those who don't want their living room dominated with large audio components. (My wife is such a person.) The prevailing wisdom seems to be that large floor speakers offer the ultimate audio experience but with these RC-Micros, the room maintains it's decorative integrity with minimal audio compromise. They really sound great.

Please note: They did not impress me out of the box. The manual stressed that the speakers required a breaking in period of 40 - 50 hours. One can hear the sound quality evolve as the speakers break in. Placement of the speakers seems to significantly affect the quality of the surround-sound effect and it's worth spending time trying different placements but only do so after the breaking-in period is completed.

Some basic tweaking of the settings on your receiver (and the back of the subwoofer)are important to bring out the best of these speakers. Again, I'm no audiophile but there's a lot of helpful information on the web and I also called the manufacturer, Energy, on a couple of occasions for technical help and they were fantastic. Don't be intimidated by this. Tweaking settings really matters but Energy will guide through the process and it takes only minutes. Never hesitate to call Energy's tech help. You'll get a real person right away, friendly and helpful.

Monoprice is an excellent source for speaker wire. I bought a good quality 14 gauge wire though 16 gauge is probably sufficient unless you're running the wires a great distance.

If you're looking for great sound in a small speaker, the RC-Micros are an excellent choice!