EB2 speakers, two weeks in...

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The summary: for many the question would be "is the wait worth it", to which the answer is yes, without doubt. I've still got 15 days on my audition money back period and you'd have to fight me for these speakers. I've only ever heard one other set of speakers I'd consider swapping them for and that would be the Audio Vector SR6 Avantgarde Arreté (£16k list, encountered at Bristol show) and that offer comes with two provisos (i) I'd have to listen to them again to be sure and (ii) I'd need a new house first else floorstanders aren't an option...

Great separation, tonal neutrality, robust, broad and deep stereo image. Crowded right up to the wall on heavy duty wall brackets (rear of the speaker is 15 cm at max, 3cm min) and set at odd angles (and offset balance on the amp) to deal with a non-square long narrow room, stereo remains real from 3m (the "listening seat" in front of the woodburner) to 9m (where I tend to work). No need to close your eyes for the speakers to just disappear.

Bass is deep, midrange clear and trebles high without being sharp. Deals with Brett Anderson's sibilance with clarity (Wilderness, flac 16/44) yet (yes Richard :) )you really can feel the bass pipes opening on Bach's Toccata and Fugue in D Minor (CD rip) . On the other hand if you like a lot of bass these speakers are not for you - they deliver the amount of bass intended by the artist/recording engineer but no more. Same goes for treble and midrange, you get what is supposed to be there, nothing else.

The EB2s are balanced deliverers of music. Every track and album has its own character, not coloured or influenced by the speakers, just the music playing as intended (or as near as my relatively cheap setup can manage!). Lots of detail and depth in both simple slow tracks like Diana Krall's Walk On By (Quiet Nights, flac 24/96) and Peter Gabriel's complex orchestral version of My Body is a Cage (Scratch My Back flac 24/48). But Massive Attack's Unfinished Sympathy (CD rip) delivers on all levels, with precision and clarity on both the bass and treble rhythm parts while the vocals shine through, and Safri Duo's Samb-Adagio (Cd rip) is reproduced with such speed and accuracy that when the main bass sections kick in it is near impossible not to bounce around the room along with the sound.

And all that before the volume is cranked up, because these things work from the barely audible right up as high as I'll let my other half push them; on the Rotel RA1520, that means from about 7.30 through to about 11ish, depending on the track's recording level. This suggests that their closed box design hasn't made them hard to drive at all - I'd be willing to bet the old 40W RA04 would power them fine (and if someone really, really wants me to I'll hook it up to check!).

Then finish and size. Finish (light oak) is nigh on impeccable, with nicely rounded edges and invisible seams where the veneers join, and nicely engineered where the drivers and back panel are fitted. All in all, they exude quality. Now to size - these are big speakers if your idea of a speaker is something that fits on a shelf next to the paperbacks. But they are no larger (as far as my memory goes...) than my first serious speakers in 1988 (standmounted JPWs I seem to think). And of course nowhere near as large as floorstanders!

It is fair to say that, with the covers off, the EB2s can be described as old fashioned. No coloured bits on the drivers, the tweeter is round. But then my house isn't modern either (only the technology in it is cutting edge!), so they fit right in. I spend very little time looking at my hifi bits anyway, mostly I listen to them instead...

So if you're in the market for a pair of speakers and your current ones are working fine, then live with the wait for the EB2s. Sure it would be better if there was no wait, or there was a demo pair available before ordering, but the wait is worth it. And I know Richard would want me to point out the wait is mostly to do with them being made by craftsmen with quality components :)

Questions...
 
Many thanks for posting this in depth assessment, much appreciated.

Would love to listen to mine but still waiting. Can you tell me how long you eventually waited for delivery.

Looks like I'll have to give Richard another call!
 
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Anonymous

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Yep it is fantastic when you get a marked improvement from upgrading your kit...Just got some Dali Lektor 2's which have given significant gains in quality (over my Warfy 9.1's)

I guess I should be aiming at the EB's next time...(oh no I think I'm infected with upgradeitis
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Anonymous

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Alears:

Would love to listen to mine but still waiting. Can you tell me how long you eventually waited for delivery.

Mine were give or take 3 months to the day with the weather eventually forcing me to go pick them up to ensure arrival in time for Christmas (they were my present after all!). From speaking to Richard when I visited I got the impression that the severe December weather had done damage to the EB supply chain and their source of capacitors (in North Wales) was talking about delivery delays until mid-Jan. :(

They had a fair few cases for both EB1s and 2s ready to go (and possibly Arcaydis kit also), but the capacitors were an issue. But mid-Jan is not so far away, right?
 
I guess not, I'm coming up on 3 months wait as of next week.

Will give Richard a bell. I'd drive there and pick them up to if it would speed things up. Lord only knows why he didn't have abatch of capacitors in he must know how many speakers he has on back order.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Nice write-up. I love it when a plan comes together. I hope you enjoy the EB2s, it seems that they're superb for the money. Well done E B Ricky.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
igglebert:Nice write-up. I love it when a plan comes together. I hope you enjoy the EB2s, it seems that they're superb for the money. Well done E B Ricky.
exactly right,superb value for money.
 

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