The Energy APS 5.2 is a large, attractive bipolar tower speaker system featuring two self-powered 8" subwoofers. It is manufactured by Energy Acoustics of Canada, a company whose products have impressed me at all price levels in recent months.

"Bipolar" means that the sound comes from the front and the back of the speaker, generating a greater sense of space. My Cambridge Towers are bipolar, radiating in phase from the front and the back in the midrange and treble. The result is a wide and deep sound stage that I find addictive.

Energy gives their design the fancy name, "Asymmetrical Bipolar Radiation," the "asymmetrical" referring to the fact that the sound from the back radiates at a slightly lower level than the sound from the front.

The not-too-offensive hype on Energy's website claims that "Most bipolars require placement well away from the back wall to develop the spaciousness of the bipolar effect. But because the Audissey™ Bipolar Series has reduced output from the rear drivers, these speakers can be placed closer to walls and other boundaries of the listening room, without any of the common sonic drawbacks."

The Basics.

The APS 5+2 is about 45 inches high, 8 inches wide, and 13 inches deep. It is simple and elegant looking, with a black laminate enclosure and black grilles.

It features two 1" (25mm) aluminum dome tweeters, two 5 1/2" midrange/mid-bass drivers, and two side-mounted self-powered 8" sub-woofers. The subwoofers are driven by MOSFET amplifiers said to be able to deliver 150 watts per channel with low distortion. Frequency response of the subs is user-adjustable via controls on the backs of the speakers.

The binding posts appeared to be high quality "5-way" gold-plated, suitable for biwiring or biamping, should the user so desire.

Frequency response is rated at 18 hz to 25 khz, with no tolerance given. Nominal impedance is 6 ohms.

The Sound.

The Energy APS 5+2s throw a HUGE soundstage, with excellent width and depth. In this way they may be even better than my Cambridge Soundworks Towers.

Female vocals sounded warm, real, and inviting. The "digititis" that often plagues CD recordings of female vocals was lessened by these speakers. Acoustic instruments sounded natural in timbre, though perhaps slightly exaggerated in size. Rock and roll music kicked a$$, for lack of a better way to express it. Both acoustic and electric guitars sounded both lively and warm.

Treble was extended but not harsh or grainy at all. "Liquid" is the term that comes to mind. Bass was deep and fairly tight, but not as tight as with the comparably priced Energy 2.2s, a smaller front-radiating speaker from the same manufacturer to which I recently gave a high rating. In fact, when I first heard the 5+2s, there was TOO MUCH bass, and I had to tame it a bit using the controls.

In my fist listening session with the 5+2s, they were in the same room with Polk RT2000is and the Boston Acoustics VR975s, two tower speakers in the 5+2's approximate price range. There was no comparison betwen the Energys and the other two speakers.

Compared to the Energys, the Polks sounded congested and muddled, though the Polks aren't bad speakers. They just didn't draw me into the music the way the Energys did. The Boston Acoustics speakers had tight, deep bass. In fact, their bass may have been a bit tighter than the Energy's. But the image was squished toward the middle, and female vocals sounded pinched and uninviting.

With the Energys, I was always drawn into the music, whether it was female vocals, rock, classical, or jazz. And I was never tempted to stop a piece in mid-track and try something new. I just wanted to listen to the music

Overall Conclusions.

The Energy APS 5+2s are among the best $2000 towers I have heard. The throw a huge soundstage, err in the direction of warmth (which I like), have accurate midrange, extended highs, and deep bass (which you'll have to take care to tame).

If I had to say something negative, it would be the same thing I said in my review of the Cambridge Towers. Bipolar speakers generate a hugh soundstage, but at the expense of a bit of what the audiophiles call "image specificity," or something like that. Instruments aren't quite as perfectly located in space, and sometimes acoustic instruments sound a bit larger than they actually are. It's a pleasant effect at the expense of a tiny bit of accuracy.

I should restate that I really like the way these speakers look. They are large, but they are simple and elegant in their appearance. I hate to admit it, but that matters to me when it comes to speakers.

Obviously, you should do some serious listening if you're thinking of spending close to $2000 on stereo speakers. I'd listen to comparable speakers from Paradigm, Vandersteen, Cambridge Soundworks, Meadowlark and Joseph Audio if you're shopping in this price range. But put both the Energy APS 5+2s and the Energy Veritas 2.2s on your short list as well.


Recommended: Yes

Amount Paid (US$): 1800