- Aug 1, 2019
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Do you stream hi-res music or download hi-res tracks? We want your opinions!
Epos ES-7N
- Thread starter What Hi-Fi?
- Start date
Wouldn't hurt to show what they look like with the grilles on, would it?
And would magnetic grille fixing be too much to ask for at this price?
No mention in the review of the fact that, unusually, they only take 4mm plugs - which is something those with bare wires need to know.
But if they sound good, that's the main thing.
And would magnetic grille fixing be too much to ask for at this price?
No mention in the review of the fact that, unusually, they only take 4mm plugs - which is something those with bare wires need to know.
But if they sound good, that's the main thing.
Rui
Well-known member
- Mar 23, 2021
- 444
- 102
- 5,070
they do look good but the sensitivety today it seems a less interval on the frequency spectrum like in the past speakers had much more sensivety making them compatible with most of the amplifiers, like 100 to 110 DB´s,
but i have them like this and are ok or perfect like the late 80´s Sixies from tannoy the 605 and 611 models
, as more modern don´t have many speakers only three pairs since 1995 when i bought the cerwin-vega model who were the most power full ones ,the evolution of the AT-100,
that were not that well talked about but for sure they sound good with any type of music or sound character played through them, also have the Wharfedale Linton, transpull 1500 from Magnat and some CDM 7 from B&W, the oldest from this 3 set´s i refered
also from any source analogue or digital, like reels, records, cassettes , cd and dat cassettes, minidisc do sound good but not all types of sound seem that good with this digital format ,handy but not close to perfect as the DAT,
I for sure will try to listen to them in a near future, as i was already thinking of buying the Elac speakers tested here and they sound really good
but i have them like this and are ok or perfect like the late 80´s Sixies from tannoy the 605 and 611 models
, as more modern don´t have many speakers only three pairs since 1995 when i bought the cerwin-vega model who were the most power full ones ,the evolution of the AT-100,
that were not that well talked about but for sure they sound good with any type of music or sound character played through them, also have the Wharfedale Linton, transpull 1500 from Magnat and some CDM 7 from B&W, the oldest from this 3 set´s i refered
also from any source analogue or digital, like reels, records, cassettes , cd and dat cassettes, minidisc do sound good but not all types of sound seem that good with this digital format ,handy but not close to perfect as the DAT,
I for sure will try to listen to them in a near future, as i was already thinking of buying the Elac speakers tested here and they sound really good
I've had these speakers for three weeks now and I am enjoying them so much, I am going to try to explain why.
To address comments - they look and feel much more premium in person. In fact, I was surprised, they are very well built and inert. But they are not snazzy, in fact they are inspired by an East German speaker design from the 70s and I quite like that. Also, they come with adaptors for other type of connections but I'm not sure they'll work with bare wires.
I can try to give you an idea of how they sound by comparing to other speakers I've had recently. But I am an amateur and I will do it relative to my room: having them close to the wall is a huge benefit for me. I had KEF LS50 (original and then Meta) on stands, but that was impractical with toddlers, so I got a pair of PMC Prodigy 1 placed ~20cm from the wall, not ideal. I use room correction and some room treatment. Amp is currently a Nuprime AMG-STA.
Compared to the LS50 (from memory), they sound much more open and dynamic, even 'bigger', especially at low volume (~60 db at 1m). Soundstaging and separation is more precise and there is more depth. I love the upper midrange of the KEF but I never managed to make the bass sound clean and precise and not colour the low-mid, even with stands. These Epos sound much more natural and effortless, more transparent. The KEF do sound great but they need more space, a lot of current and volume. Even then, the bass on the Epos is cleaner and voices are better defined. Not really a contest IMO.
Compared to the PMC (A/B), the midrange is definitely more forward and 'sweet' in the Epos. The PMCs feel leaner and faster, but a bit more hollow/flat and definitely I notice that room correction is needed to tame the treble, at least for me. I think the Epos' midrange is more tonally rich, but a touch warmer for sure so a matter of preference. Also, the treble feels like it's more focused and with a darker background, perhaps with even more detail but definitely with less attack than the PMC. I think the bass is very different. The Epos' is musical but not thumping, you rarely feel it in your chest - I auditioned a pair of ATC SCM 11 and they had a similar low end musicality. The PMCs are more fun in that regard, but notes felt less cohesive somehow (less precise?) and always trying to go boomy in my room, definitely cannot be placed as close to the walls as the Epos.
In general, the PMCs extract a lot of detail and energy out of music (not a background speaker!), the Epos are inviting you in more. It may be the amp - I had an Arcam A15 with the PMC that was less forward but didn't have it for the Epos. I really like the PMCs, they are just so transparent with added fun - but I like studio monitors because I am used to them. 90% of my friends preferred the Epos. What convinced me to keep the Epos was imaging. They make it look easy, no faffing with placement, it just works. I prefer precise soundstage to very wide. I'd say it extends beyond the speakers but not as much as the PMC. But then you get more depth and amazing phantom imaging in some recording, it's almost spooky as it seems to come out of a very still background.
Overall - I would say ignore them at your peril. If you can place speakers on stands, far from walls etc, you are lucky! And for that use, they may feel overpriced compared to PMCs or ATCs (or your favourite £1.5k speakers). But if you need them close to walls, or cannot position them perfectly, these are great. I think they are designed to actually work well in a normal room in a normal house or flat, not just in an optimal position at 90dB. That's very refreshing, I only wish there was more competition!
To address comments - they look and feel much more premium in person. In fact, I was surprised, they are very well built and inert. But they are not snazzy, in fact they are inspired by an East German speaker design from the 70s and I quite like that. Also, they come with adaptors for other type of connections but I'm not sure they'll work with bare wires.
I can try to give you an idea of how they sound by comparing to other speakers I've had recently. But I am an amateur and I will do it relative to my room: having them close to the wall is a huge benefit for me. I had KEF LS50 (original and then Meta) on stands, but that was impractical with toddlers, so I got a pair of PMC Prodigy 1 placed ~20cm from the wall, not ideal. I use room correction and some room treatment. Amp is currently a Nuprime AMG-STA.
Compared to the LS50 (from memory), they sound much more open and dynamic, even 'bigger', especially at low volume (~60 db at 1m). Soundstaging and separation is more precise and there is more depth. I love the upper midrange of the KEF but I never managed to make the bass sound clean and precise and not colour the low-mid, even with stands. These Epos sound much more natural and effortless, more transparent. The KEF do sound great but they need more space, a lot of current and volume. Even then, the bass on the Epos is cleaner and voices are better defined. Not really a contest IMO.
Compared to the PMC (A/B), the midrange is definitely more forward and 'sweet' in the Epos. The PMCs feel leaner and faster, but a bit more hollow/flat and definitely I notice that room correction is needed to tame the treble, at least for me. I think the Epos' midrange is more tonally rich, but a touch warmer for sure so a matter of preference. Also, the treble feels like it's more focused and with a darker background, perhaps with even more detail but definitely with less attack than the PMC. I think the bass is very different. The Epos' is musical but not thumping, you rarely feel it in your chest - I auditioned a pair of ATC SCM 11 and they had a similar low end musicality. The PMCs are more fun in that regard, but notes felt less cohesive somehow (less precise?) and always trying to go boomy in my room, definitely cannot be placed as close to the walls as the Epos.
In general, the PMCs extract a lot of detail and energy out of music (not a background speaker!), the Epos are inviting you in more. It may be the amp - I had an Arcam A15 with the PMC that was less forward but didn't have it for the Epos. I really like the PMCs, they are just so transparent with added fun - but I like studio monitors because I am used to them. 90% of my friends preferred the Epos. What convinced me to keep the Epos was imaging. They make it look easy, no faffing with placement, it just works. I prefer precise soundstage to very wide. I'd say it extends beyond the speakers but not as much as the PMC. But then you get more depth and amazing phantom imaging in some recording, it's almost spooky as it seems to come out of a very still background.
Overall - I would say ignore them at your peril. If you can place speakers on stands, far from walls etc, you are lucky! And for that use, they may feel overpriced compared to PMCs or ATCs (or your favourite £1.5k speakers). But if you need them close to walls, or cannot position them perfectly, these are great. I think they are designed to actually work well in a normal room in a normal house or flat, not just in an optimal position at 90dB. That's very refreshing, I only wish there was more competition!
Rui
Well-known member
- Mar 23, 2021
- 444
- 102
- 5,070
Yes, today 90DB seems a lot good but in the past those boxy speakers that were critised for two decades are still the better ones and from a time that all considered good were above 100DB´s ,
but why new versions of the so bad boxy speakers cost a lot of money compared to others litle and powerfull said to be better but by looking at the specifications, if in the past no one would buy them,
also the frequency response seems a lot more reduced in what concerns the far values in both ends of the sound spectrum, but there is a "but" ,when in late 80´s the Tannoy brand released the odly shaped "Sixies" i against all that i knew at the time bought some 605 not MK II as at the time all that was produced more due to excelent sold number of sppeakers ,
in this situation would come worth built and worth sounding , as the Nakamichi Stasis amplifier was a great sounding amp. but the MKII or integrated amplifiers sold with Stasis range were not Stasis at all , as Nakamichi was sued in court by it´s creator ,the engenier that made the Stasis amplifier,
as it pre-amplifier gave problems that made no sense , i used it with a Denon pre-amplifier and it worked for years wich is not a regular thing if made by Nakamichi,
the well engeniered components that don´t last much because of it´s cheaply built materials, i kind of understand but see so many people world wide talk good about the Dragon cassette deck makes me wonder why is it so ,
the worth headache i ever had and being young and not so well informed i even bought another as the turntable and cd player that had a sad end,
and i had to try a much reliable brand that being used to it´s 70´s components , Pioneer was the solution that is still working today as in all components i bought from this brand, that wasn´t much refered in hi-fi magazines at the time,
either than the horrible integrated amplifier A-400, at the time i thought "if it sounds really bad it´s because in reality is good" but also notice that most of the ones who bought this dull sounding built cheap amplifier next they spent more money than the amplifier cost in a GR-777 equalizer for home use,
that is far from good equalizers but okay to do a litle touch in some sound that isn´t that good to us users at home.
I in 89 after the nakamichi flop bought a A-91D integrated amplifier as i needed another for my living room,
but never heard anyone talk about it and all that heard in my home this integrated amplifier, said that was perfect sounding,
this using some cerwin-vega speakers from the same year also critised by many in hi-fi publications like "good to hear rock music " but i found them good to listen to any style of music and by it´s specifications either the amplifier or the speakers had to be good,
it were better to hear 70´s or older records as in jazz , afro-beat , funk music, big bands(buddy rich) , raggae, tangio(Argentina),
all that i played there sounded good even considered modern music at the time as a mix between sythesized sounds and organic ones as it is fashion to say today, as at the time some bands were being released by 4AD, had a superior quality in sound and the covers of the records were amazing good,
some years ago a lot of people i know were wondering about a song they heard in a perfum comercial, the Tim Buckley song to a siren only singed by Eliazbeth frazer from Cocteau twins in a first e.p. of a project of musicians from this label(4AD) known by this Mortal Coil , now available in it´s first album not originally released with this song,
had also a pair of infinity speakers but big ones with a high quality of sound, as i think all here know about infinity brand, or used to be known ,have to refer to the "Argonaut" Mission speakers, model 780 that i had bought a bit earlier and they sounded good to me,
this having them conected to the nakamichi amplifier as i refer to earlier, as some earlier HPM-1100 from pioneer, that were left overs from my father´s buying´s ,
as i could use what he had bought but not using it, that is also when i could start using his PLC-590 turntable from Pioneer series 20, after the Dragon Turntable stoped working correctelly,
the only thing that i bought with my own money and having some doubts that dissipate with listening to it in a good and known hi-fi store ,
the first Mission cyrus system with direct sound that the speakers still am using them the mission 761 , 70 watts at 4 ohms they sound amazing giving to the mission cyrus system a very good direct sound with what was a high quality integrated amplifier but English hi-fi equipment always surprised me for the better , again the later released 760i were not so good but enough good, as again Mission proved it´s high capability of manufacturing high qaulity sounding equipment.
Japanese are good as refered by many but i think only because European brands that had very good equipment couldn´t face the costs of production of the japanese brands some having tried, surviving selling equipment built in japan or even equipment from a Japanese brands, re-branded with a European hi-fi brand
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