Epos ES14 - A Cult Classic
Вставка
- Опубліковано 12 вер 2022
- This is not a review, but instead a video discussing what I know of the legendary Epos ES14 speakers, after owning three pairs for many years. If I've gotten anything wrong, or if you have additional information on the ES14 you'd like to share, please let me know in the comments.
Pros:
- Seamlessness/ Coherence.
- Huge soundstage.
- Dense performance (lots of midrange information)
- Palpable performance (performers have body)
- Chameleon-like (can sound big and round, but also fast and agile. Depends on source material)
- Can deliver an emotionally moving performance in their delivery of some music.
Cons:
- Not the most refined or extended treble. Can sound too dull in the top end for some.
- Bottom end can be all over the place, from too much bass/ too boomy, to too little bass/ constipated. Bungs are very useful to tune the bass, but it still doesn't fix the low end shortcomings. No sub required in a small to medium room. Sub required in a larger room.
- The speakers are extremely difficult to place, in my experience. Very incremental changes in positioning can make or break the sound. When these are not set up correctly, they can sound awful.
- Can be a bit too soft in their sound delivery.
- Can seem too 'forward' in the midrange to an ear that's not used to it (in actuality, there's just a lot of midrange information, and many people aren't used to that). Close attention to placement is crucial to getting them to sound their best.
- Bad vertical dispersion, in my experience.
- Must be listening attentively to really appreciate them, in my opinion.
- Not the best all-rounder.
- Not an 'exciting' listen (newbie audiophiles may not understand their appeal).
Short sound clips:
• It's an ES14 kinda Sun...
• Epos ES14 Mk1 playing ...
Addendum:
In this video, I stated that Robin Marshall started Epos after leaving the BBC. While that's technically correct, I forgot to mention that before starting Epos, he worked for Mo Iqbal of Monitor Audio fame. Marshall designed MA's R-Series speakers at that time (R252, R352, R852MD, R952MD and possibly others).
I also wanted to mention that I use my ES14s speakers with the bungs loosely in place, even though I have the speakers out in the room (whereupon you'd normally want to remove the bung for the added/ looser bass). With the bungs in, the vocal image sharpens up quite a bit, and the bass, while reduced, gets tighter. So, I compensate with a sub for the very lowest end, still allowing the ES14s to run full-range. For music listening, I still sometimes turn the sub off entirely.
Also, I drive the speakers primarily with an Exposure 2010 integrated amp. From time to time, I use my Sugden A48b, which actually sounds better (I use the Exposure more b/c it has a remote). Source music is uncompressed digital files fed from either of two computers, to one of four DACs (Schitt Modi Multibit, SMSL Sanskrit 10th Anniversary Edition V2, NuForce uDAC-1, or NuForce uDAC-3). - Наука та технологія
So glad to have come across this review .. over the past 10 year i have been on a trip searching for my Audio Nirvana.. i wont go into what stunning equipment ive tried but to cut to the chase .. after selling the last 5 grand amp and 7 grand speakers i sit in a similar sized room to yourself with a pair of immaculate ES14s that either Nora jones or Freya ridings can turn you into a breathless mess full of goosebumps ..
will mention i also sold a Musical fidelity m6500i as two other amps matched the ES14s even better .. a musical fidelity B200 .. and wait for it a Marantz PM 6007 !!! Its not about the money its about the sound ..
Another pair of immaculate Es11 are still cling film wrapped away safe for another time ..
Superb review again.. thank you
Used to have ES14's sitting on Linn Sara stands, and powered with a pioneer A400 Amp.
This was the around the time grunge hit, Happiest time of my Hifi life.
Man, that system rocked, until one unfortunate day when the speakers got toasted.
Oh well, you live an learn.
Yeah, they're special speakers for sure. Too bad they got fried. (I've done similar in the past - and yes you're right - live and learn). Cheers!
A Dear Friend of mine had a pair of these mid nineties THEY WERE LOVELY, thank you for this vid.
Yes, they're definitely special speakers. They're finicky imo, but I love 'em and will not part with them again (stupidly sold a perfect pair for dirt cheap several years ago to pay for Christmas expenses, but then the money was stolen from me the very next day after selling!). I'm thankful to have gotten this pair.
Thanks for commenting. Cheers! And Merry Christmas!
Very interesting speakers, thanks for the review, sir😊🔊👍
Thank you for commenting. These speakers aren't perfect, but they definitely have some sort of magic going on. Cheers from Toronto!
@@BadMonkeyFinger_Audio Nothing is perfect sir.Even speakers for 20k are not perfect...But those Epos have the magic on them that will put smile on your face every time you listening to music no matter the genre is.Big, sweet,3 dimensional and relaxing sound ...Paired with my Nad 1155 and Yamaha MX-1 these just create special atmosphere in my room.
@@beslemeto Thank you for your comment. Those ES14s most certainly are special. They are so all-encompassing - even at very low volumes. I love listening on early Sunday mornings... low volume.... The music is so engulfing, it's almost unbelievable. They are very unassuming... they don't impress upon a quick, casual listen, but when you sit and pay attention - BOOM! SOOOO GOOD.
I would bet your MX1 drives them fantastically. Those amps are excellent. I've never heard the NAD 1155 preamp, but I've read good things about it. Nice to see another ES14 fan! Cheers!
@@BadMonkeyFinger_Audio Thanks sir! Nad 1155 paired with MX-1 was just mind blowing combination for me.Epos ES14 impressed me immediately, but after about 20 minutes Yamaha MX-1starts to flow the music like warmed up music maestro in the hall.Sound becomes so dimensional and that bass is like damn shockwave mate.Synergy makes those speakers disappear in your room!I don't understand people who are saying those don't have a bass.Mine produce a bass i have never felt with another speaker.(huge and amazingly palpable)Anyway cheers mate!
@@beslemeto Totally agree with your description @OMR HSN. I love the way you describe how the sound begins to flow like a music maestro. And yes - I never understood the 'no bass' comments, either. Even though bass is not the speakers' strongest suit, it still envelops you like a warm blanket. There is also so much midrange information compared to so many (of my) other speakers... Makes their sonic presentation HUGE. I'll never part with mine - 100% certain.
Geez, man... I could talk about this all night and day! I'll stop with the rambling for now, but once more - thanks for the comments and the back and forth dialog. It's always great to chat with another true audiophile. Cheers!
They look very similar to Celestion SL6/SL600 which were on the market around the same time.
Yes, they look very similar, but sound quite different. Thanks for watching and commenting.
They sounded awesome with Onix amps. They were a match made in heaven.
Thanks for the tip. Which model Onix amps, out of curiosity? I'll keep my eyes open for them on the used market. Cheers!
Some nice Royds also,love them
Yeah, I just got another pair - black this time, unlike the red seen in this video (and I have my eyes on a pair of SEs...mmmmaybe. The asking price is kinda high, so maybe not). Royd Minstrels are just unbelievable speakers for what they are. They're not perfect, but they sure make music. From what I hear, there really isn't a bad sounding Royd speaker out there.
I agree,I use a pair of minstrels too,had them from new,never gonna sell them@@BadMonkeyFinger_Audio
I refurbished my E14s by lightly sanding the cabinets and staining the Black ash veneers.
I use single speaker wires rather than biwire so I had to make some piggyback banana plugs.
After experimenting with positioning them, I settled for their backs being 60cms from the rear wall with only a slight toe in. Speakers are placed 2 metres apart and my seated position just over two meters from each speaker. Not ideal but my listening position is right up against a solid wall but I have diffusers on the wall and fairly large plants either side of my two seater couch. The speakers have two metres space either side of them.
Earlier on I tried the speakers toed in pointing to me but found the treble a bit spitty and brash at times with the midrange still sounding forward and sometimes thin sounding so that's when I decided on a slight toe in, it began to sound less forward and the treble smoothed out somewhat, imaging and soundstage became cleaner cut and wider so a definite improvement there.
The area I found most problematic was the bass definition and depth, it now sounded bloomy with very little detail in the lower registers but mid bass sounded OK, occasionally a bass note would come along and vibrate the floor and windows.. a kind of bass boom if you like. I cut an inch thick piece of fairly porous foam and shoved them in the ports and to my surprise that got rid of the bloom and nearly got rid of the boom. Pushing the speakers out another 125mm did the trick... No boom.
I listened to the speakers all night then a good few hours the next day and they are now singing as good as they can within the limitations of my room.
For definite the sound is still slightly forward and lean sounding at times and the louder the volume goes up the more noticeable it is but at moderate levels they can beguile on the right albums.
They don't do rock, they are too tame and lack punch but for softer rock and gentler music they shine beautifully.
Funny enough I like sitting on my floor nearer the speakers with the drivers well above me and the soundstaging, height and depth is brilliant but if I sit up above with my ears above the drivers I kinda loose the wide stereo effect with the sound becoming more centralised.
Summing things up, I would say these are not the all rounders I thought they might be and remind me of Ruark Tallismans I used to own... They just lack the body, bass and dynamics to excel with all music genres.
I just wish I could press a switch from my own Dalis to the Epos if I fancied listening to some Al Stewart.
I'm glad you're giving them the go they deserve. I know I know I know... they are a P.I.T.A at times, but really - I'm very happy to hear you're grasping what they can do. Their midrange seamlessness is where they shine, IMO, but I DO understand what you mean about the 'forward' midrange. This is why positioning is crucial... much more than any other speakers I've owned, actually. And yes! - good call with the somewhat porous bungs. I've played around with partial plugs etc, too... can tune them to your liking that way.
I will agree with you in that they are not really 'rock n roll' speakers, but they can do alright with prog rock etc. Also, I think you mentioned they fall apart at higher volumes; I'll also agree with you there... my max power amp is 50wpc, and at louder volumes, it seems to run out of steam with them. However, I may be mistaken, and it's actually just a quality of the speakers. I did not have that issue at my previous residence; the room was so small and I was in such a nearfield position that I didn't have to push them hard to get decent volume. Furthermore, I don't really listen very loudly most of the time, anyway, so that aspect of them was always sort of a non-issue for me. But I definitely agree that they compress... I'd love to try mine with a high current, big amp just to see how it goes... but no can do at the moment due to $$. They really do shine at lower to mid-level listening.
I actually just put my 14s back into my system, and after listening to much brighter speakers for a long time now (my Regas, and my ADS), they took some getting used to once again. But that soundstage is just ENORMOUS and engulfing! It's fun to 'fall in love' with them again from time to time. :)
Oh, and kudos to you for refinishing them! Nice to hear the old buggers getting some cosmetic attention. Thanks so much for following up with your ES14 adventure. I really appreciate the dialogue. Cheers!
Bought my mk2's in the mid 90's. Still have them and have not intention of getting rid of them.
This video has been timed great as I'm about to buy a pair with stands for 250 English pounds which a guy is selling in a town 80 Miles from me. I have been scouring the forums trying to glean information about them as I have never heard them before. I currently use Dali floorstanding speakers through Naim amplification so curious as to what they will sound like with the Naims. I like my bass so hopefully these can satisfy that side of things.
Like your room, they will be firing across the shorter width of the room.
They can provide nearly full-range sound, imo (minus the lowest registers, of course) - particularly without their foam bungs. They REALLY tighten up with their bungs inserted, which then makes them seem to have less lower-register output (in other words, it'll be a trade-off between bungs in, and bungs out). The sound sharpens up with bungs in, fyi (but is not totally out focus without them, to be clear).
I enjoy listening to them both ways; when I use the bungs, I use my sub to fill in the bottom. Midrange performance peaks with bungs in.
When I have the bungs out, I do not use the sub. I pull them out into the room a bit farther, and they provide a looser, more rounded bass than with bungs in, and it satisfies me without using the need to use the sub. (I need to get a better sub, anyway; those ES14s need a very good sub to really integrate well with them).
You're in for a treat, I'll say, and the price you're getting them at is a great deal. Will you also get the open-framed stands with them?
One forewarning: they will likely not be as bright as your Dalis. The real magic with the 14s is in their midrange seamlessness. When I first got my first pair, I wasn't thrilled because they didn't 'wow' me upon first listen. It was only when I really started listening carefully (listening with intent, while sitting in the sweet spot) that I really understood what they do well. Once I locked onto their midrange seamlessness, I fell in love.
I hope you fall in love with them, too. At the very least, you'll get to experience a real classic. :)
Let me know how it goes! - I'd love to hear your thoughts.
Cheers!
@@BadMonkeyFinger_Audio Yeah I will do. The Dalis I have aren't bright and if anything they have a big warm sound with deep bass and a slightly rolled off treble. I always found that performance suffers if you block the ports so maybe stick a big bunch of straws in the port to see what happens. The open frame stands come with the speakers.
My concern is that the seller is selling them on behalf of his son so doesn't have an amplifier or any form of system in his house so that I can at least see if all the drivers work.... that means a long journey back to the seller if they don't play nicely.
@@fuckinellitsraymo Oh, I see. My experience with Dalis is different. I found them kinda bright-ish, with a bit of a recessed midrange (but then again, I've only really sat and listened to one model, and only casually listened to other models).
And yes - I sometimes partially block the ports, in order to get the best of both worlds. (for sure with the 14s, leaving the bung out muddies up the sound by comparison to when the bung is in. BUT, they still sound excellent and more 'alive', in a sense, without the bungs.
One quick tip when you go to pick up. CAREFULLY inspect the surrounds. Look for any cracking. Those surrounds are an odd size, and would be very difficult to replace, if needed.
I really hope they work out for you. Those 14s are becoming harder and harder to find. I STILL regret selling my first pair - they were MINT. *sigh*
Thank for the Vid! Which full amplifier do you recommend?
Interesting to see a pair of Royd Minstrels in your room. I’ve owned a pair since new in 96, love them and have also a pair of Royd Abbots too, these have a cleaner more organised sound than the Minstrel but the out of the box sound stage and bass extension of the Minstrel got me from day one. I’m looking at another set of classic British speakers and looking at the Epos ES14’s. Would be interested to hear your opinion as how they are to say the Minstrels?
Totally different animal. I'm just about to start a workout at the gym, but I will get back to you on this topic later today. Short story: they are totally different animals.
Alright, now that I'm at my desk, I can elaborate a little bit. The Minstrels, as you know, are fun, bouncy, speakers that really groove to the music. They dig lower than they look like they could/ should. They have a very good soundstage, however they're not as transparent as they could be (when i owned Rega Ela Mk2s and compared them, the Regas had a much more 'see-through' ability than the Minstrels; the Minstrels are more 'opaque'-sounding, but that is not a fault, imo. It's just a matter of preference). Another really good thing I appreciated about the Minstrels was the fact that they could sound 'acceptable' when waaayyy off-axis (not only did they sound great in the sweet spot, they also sounded pretty darned good when walking about the room).
The ES14s Mk2's that I owned at the time, by comparison, have pretty terrible off-axis sound. When in the sweet spot, the ES14s can sound far larger than the Minstrels, and there is a lot more midrange information being delivered. Once you lock on to that aspect of the 14s, the sound they produce is 'all there' by comparison to the Minstrels. This may sound like a strange analogy, but if you compare them to coniferous trees, the Minstrel's sound projection is more like the image of a white spruce (maybe somewhat sparse - but not overly so) by comparison to the ES14, which projects sound more like a White Cedar, which is just as beautiful and detailed, but more densely packed . Link to photos here to help grasp the analogy:
www.etsy.com/ca/listing/775254263/illustrated-conifer-trees-of-the
Positive aspects of the ES14 mk2: Humongous sound stage. VERY open and seamless midrange. This is where they absolutely shine. The ES14 mk2 can produce an almost unbelievably realistic, clear window to the music. Very deep and wide soundstage - but again - when in the sweet spot. They were quite noticeably superior to the Minstrels in that regard (midrange purity). Sounds are easily spread in a wide stage that extends beyond the outsides of the speakers. Humongous stage. The ES14s are technically in a higher league than the Minstrels.
The bass on the ES14 Mk2s filled my small condo without any issue at all. They could be overblown, actually, depending on how I used their bungs. But when set up correctly, I did not require a subwoofer in that condo's room. They sounded nearly full-range in that setup.
The downsides of the ES14s... and as much as I love them, there are quite a few:
1. Off-axis sound is awful, imo. They are so dull and lifeless off-axis, I almost sold my first pair of ES14s when I first brought them home. I was very underwhelmed at first... I even thought they may be damaged or something. However, I'm glad I kept them for a few years, mind you. I realized their strengths only because I gave them a chance over time. They definitely sound their best when seated in the sweet spot, or around thereabouts. HUGE and OPEN window to the music... Loreena McKennitt never sounded better during my Sunday morning listening sessions. In this regard, they are most addictive. But again - off-axis sound is ... meh. Overall, the Minstrels suited my small condo better than the ES14s did at the time. Even though the ES14s were stellar when in the sweet spot, the Minstrels were almost as good, and sounded good while walking around off-axis in the condo's open-concept design.
2. Excellent midrange, yes... but the treble can be a bit spitty/ rough, depending on the version and condition of the model you pick up. The treble is ok, but lacks subtlety. My first pair of mk2s had the best treble of the three pairs I've owned (first was a pair of Mk2s, which i stupidly sold, then a pair of Mk1s, which I still have, and a second pair of battered up mk2s, which I also sold)
3. Bass can be loose and boomy without the bungs in place. When the bungs ARE in place, there is not a lot of bass at all - especially given the size of the speaker. In most cases, I ended up partially plugging the port to allow SOME airflow, so I could tune the bass to my desire. When using a sub with them, I generally use the bungs in place. Although plugging the ports will seemingly reduce bass, what bass they DO produce becomes much tighter. They are more lively sounding with bungs out, and more uptight with bungs in.
4. They can sound too midrange-centric; if you're very used to bright highs and big bass, these will leave you wanting (at first, until you latch on to their midrange performance - if you're patient enough to actualize their midrange potential).
5. They are extremely difficult to position. I can't stress this enough. I found the Minstrels could be plunked down almost anywhere and sound pretty good. NOT SO with the ES14s. Quarter-inch changes in positioning and/or toe-in result in very big changes. It takes a lot of time to set them up to the point where their potential is maximized. They can sound like trash till proper setup is actualized.
6. My most powerful amp at the moment is 50wpc, so not huge. The 14s sound good with amps of that power at low to mid volumes, but when pushing them, they start to sound 'clammy' and compressed. Now, my first thoughts are that I simply do not have enough power to properly drive them to louder levels, however some other owners have said that even WITH big power, they don't play that nicely at louder volumes. (but again, I'm not sure one way or the other on that, since I don't have a big power amp at the moment). For now, I'd say they sound their best at low to moderate volumes.
7. They seem to do better with less complex music. When the music gets a bit too busy, the 14s can start jumbling sounds together.
With all of that said, it sure sounds like I DISLIKE the speakers, doesn't it! lol Well, no, I actually still really enjoy them despite all of that, because their strengths are excellent.
One more caveat: Since these speakers are all so old, each instance of them will sound different than the next (all three pairs of mine sounded different).
Also - Mk1 vs Mk2: I found the Mk1s to be 'thicker' sounding than the Mk2s, and less transparent. The Mk1's tweeter seemed less capable than the Mk2's. That said, my Mk1s fill up my large room better than my second pair of Mk2s did (due to their fuller/ thicker lower midrange), so I sold the 2s and kept the 1s.
_________________________________________________
Quick fyi - I typed this super-fast, so please excuse any typos or tangents. If I think of anything else of relevance, I'll revisit this comment and amend it/ add to it.
Hope this info helps in some way, shape, or form.
Cheers!
BMF
Many Thanks BMF for your incredibly informative and detailed reply. It’s nice to find someone with the same passion for vintage Royd as me. I remember back in 1996 arranging an audition at a small HI FI shop in Raunds, UK. The chap set up a pair of B and W floorstanders that were popular at the time and the Minstrels which I was curious about. I took my NAD CD player and some discs and we set things up. I was expecting to buy the B and W’s but the Minstrels blew me away and I bought them at the ‘special price’ of £225 with feet. They’ve been great but since I got the Royd Abbots they’re at the back of the room, the Abbots at the front along with a Tannoy 12” sub. Mainly they’re used for my Yamaha surround sound TV set up like most people I guess. The idea behind getting another set of vintage speakers is that I’d like to set up a vinyl listening room upstairs. I was thinking about using the Minstrels and just getting a cheaper set for rear speakers but I’m tempted to get a nicer pair for the vinyl side hence my question about the Epos as I’ve seen some not far away. If I could land a pair of Royd Priors I would but there aren’t many of them around. It’s such a maze really and a shame there’s not an easy way of narrowing things down. Ultimately I’m looking for a pair that sound rich with a wide sound stage, crystal highs and a warm and deep extended bass without the need for a sub. Many years (40) ago I remember being wowed by my Aunts Mitchel Synchro deck, A & R A60 amp, Large Castle Floorstanders (can’t remember the model). It sounded lovely and rich and I could listen for hrs.
Great review , do you have experience with ES12 model ? Thanks 🙏
Hi there! No, I don't have first-hand experience with the es12, but I did own the later version, the m12.2. I suspect the two are completely different animals, but fwiw, here's a video I made about the m12.2. I hope you find it useful in some way. Cheers!
ua-cam.com/video/JKQfLna73fk/v-deo.html
I own a pair of mk2 es 14’s. I would like to know if paired to a sub, which brand/type would you advise?
Hi ianbosje - that's a great question. First, I want to inform you that I do NOT own a good sub. I have a very inexpensive, old sub that I still use to fill in the lows, so it's not the best arrangement. I still manage to blend it adequately (and sometimes turn it off completely when just listening to music).
But with that said, if I were to delve into upgrading to a significantly better sub, I would look at 8" to 10" subs from REL, HSU, and on the slightly cheaper side, SVS. (If I had my way, I'd own an REL T5X or REL T7X. If I were to go SVS, it would likely be the SB1000... possibly the PB1000).
I hope this helps to some degree or other. Cheers! :)
The es14 were also notorious with amplification quality. They were designed using Naim 250/52 & sounded best when driven by the combo. Budget integrated amps cannot drive the es14 leading to a very shouty & uncontrolled midrange. What amp are u using to drive these?
@@ganck1147 Yes, you're absolutely right. Not easy to come by a 250, mind. ha! But as to your question, I use either an Exposure 2010 or a modified Sugden A48b, the latter of which sounds better with them. Neither one of those amps has enough power to drive the ES14s to their fullest potential - especially at louder volumes, but they're adequate within the range I listen to music. You are absolutely correct, though; 'shouty' is right. I also say 'clammy'. That compression that occurs makes the sound terrible. Actually, for all of these reasons, I'm currently loosely looking for an amp that would be able to drive them better (using my Exposure as a preamp). I still haven't found anything adequate within my currently low budget, however...But without a doubt, I want get some real juice into them at some point.
@@BadMonkeyFinger_Audio yes once u find the right amp to drive the es14, they will sound super musical. Not the last word is resolution, transparency or earth shaking bass but just a supremely musical presentation. Other than Naims, i have heard the es14 sound good on the end of Manley tube 300wpc mono blocks. For Naim, u can try starting with 140/72/hicap. I used to drive the es14 & es11 with 180/82/hicaps. For me it was very good already. Those older exposure mono blocks with the appropriate exposure pre with power supplies are also very very good if u can find them. Sorry i cannot remember the model no. Oh before i forget, i also heard good sound on es14 driven by higher end mcintosh integrated amps like 6900, 6600, 7900 etc. The es14 deserves high quality amps.
Do the tweeters use ferrofluid and if so, how easy is it to change? I've done it with other makes of speakers but not these
That's a good question - one to which I don't know the answer, as I haven't disassembled the tweeters.
BUT, with that said, I'm going to be seeing one of my tech guys in the near future, and I will likely hand over my 14s for a check-up. I'll let you know when/ if I find out.
(I suspect the answer is 'yes', they do use ferrofluid, but I'm not sure). IMO, the tweeters on my ES14 mk1's are a little rough-ish sounding... If they use FF, then I suspect that's why).
Also something else to note: The 14s do not have great off-axis sound. While seated in the sweet spot, the sound is big and open. But as soon as I stand up, and/or walk off to the side, then the highs disappear. That's the one aspect of the 14s that make me think they were 'meh' when I got my first pair.
Let me know how things go, and I'll do the same. I'm sure when we share this info, it will also be useful to others who have similar questions, and who might happen to read our discussion.
@@BadMonkeyFinger_Audio Yeah I will do. I recently bought two pairs of Mission 752s to restore and move on... One pair had the FF totally dried out and the other pair had runny FF so I clean out all the baked on residue of the dried out pair and we now had a much more detailed treble.
I'm led to believe that's its imperative to change the FF every 15-20 years. It's expensive stuff but worth it in the end.
@@fuckinellitsraymo Yes, that's true. I have a couple of pairs of speakers that I'm sure could use a FF refresher (ADS speakers that I own, for example). But yeah - for sure please keep me posted, and I'll do the same when I unearth any info.
I appreciate the back-and-forth; I'm always open for audio gear discussions/ learning.
@@BadMonkeyFinger_Audio got the speakers today and found the drivers to be in superb condition, there was some old stiff, aged foam in the ports and I could only reach them by unbolting the main driver (It's heavy) and noticed that the internals were in superb condition with no birds nests or spiders webs.
The cabinets in gereral were OK but I'll need to sand and respray parts of them especially the tops. I think people have been putting ornaments, cups of tea or ashtrays on top but nothing I can't fix.
By the time I got them home and the stands leveled, I forgot that I only use single wire speaker cable and the Epos has socket type bi-wire terminals only to fit banana plugs. As a stop gap I used banana plugs with a cut off silver wheel spoke to link the terminals on both positive and negative but I'll need to see what's out there as it is untidy.
Anyway the good news, both speakers fired into life with all drivers working. I have been playing about with position and temporally settled for 2 metres apart with two metres space either side and I have them 380mm from a solid rear wall and my listening couch is just over two meters away from the speakers.
I have been toeing the speakers in and out but not settled on a final position yet. I must admit, visually I would like to see them firing straight ahead but I definitely think that they need to point at a space just behind my head as I find the treble a little recessed and would definitely want more sparkle if I can get it.
I'll let them run for several hours tomorrow just in case they have not been used in a while.
Tomorrow I'm going to turn the drivers upside down as the spiders can sag over the years, turning them upside down brings the voice coils back to a central position.
I must admit after using slim floorstanders for years, it was a bit of a shock seeing these in my living room, they are not subtle and seem to be designed by a 1960s Russian industrial designer 😉
First impressions... Smooth, very smooth, Lou Reeds voice sounded rich and gravelly... Bass a little vague so far but its there somewhere, I just need to eliminate the bloom from the bass.
Treble... Hmmm ill give it time but it's very delicate and not attention grabbing that's for sure. Maybe I've lost a bit of HF hearing as I'm in my 50s so if that's the case I'll experiment with positioning, if that fails I'll hook up the Schitt Loki to adjust treble output to suit myself.
It's a pity I can't post pics on here to show you them.
Oh.. I'm using a Naim Uniti 2 and NAP250 power amp to feed the speakers.
Ray.
@@fuckinellitsraymo Well, for certain the 14s don't have prominent treble. When I got my first pair, I thought they were a bit rolled off and questioned my own hearing, too, for what it's worth, so I don' t think it's your hearing (unless you know better). I really feel it's ultra important to get the positioning right; it can make or break these speakers - particularly because of the treble issue you described. Once you get it right, you should find it to be just enough (and just right). I know their upper registers seem to be recessed, in a way, but with speakers positioned correctly, and you sitting in the sweet spot, it really should be all there. (I still don't like mine when I'm too off-axis/ walking around the room. Have to be seated to really 'get them'). I understand, though, that all these speakers are really old; each of my three pairs performed a bit differently from each other, so that's also a consideration. What you're experiencing could very well be different than my experience.
Keep trying, though... I'm telling you - Provided they're working properly, once you get them set up right, you'll 'get' what they do (with their big soundstage and their midrange coherence).
Tôi muốn mua 1 driver HF của Epos14 bạn có bán không hoặc share link chỗ bán giúp tôi, thanks!
Those are very hard to find. Unfortunately, I don't know where one is available, but I will keep my eyes open if something comes up. Which version do you need?
Loa của tôi là model Epos 14mk1.
@@trantuanan7761
Xin lỗi, tôi không phải là người bán và tôi không biết mua ở đâu.
Sorry, I am not a seller, and I don't know where to get one.