New set-up for the living room... Epoz!

[admin_exported]

Had a busy day in Manchester today

Demo'd the Pioneer S-DJ08's and Yamaha HS80's at Dawsons with music from my iPad through they're devices (pro interconnects needed -XLr cables I think). Both sounded fantastic; Yamahas really impressed but very VERY neutral which to me gave the top end a little dryness at times. The Pioneers where totally better to me. Both had superb bass depth and punch and really well detailed midrange

Then went from there to Superfi to demo the Epoz Aktimate Maxis again with music from my iPad but via an Audiolab 8200 CD as the DAC via USB; again superb sounding system and really enjoyed listening to them. Plenty of power and prowess with bags of detail in the midrange and top end. Bass depth and punch really impressed me (in their room it wa a little overbearing at times but their room is narrow with the speakers firing across)

Listened to music from Trentmoller to Metallica to The Commitments soundtrack to Daft Punk and some Frank Sinatra. All sounded superb and this put me into a quandary; whether to sanded close to £700 to get the Pioneers and extra for the necessary cables or to go for the Epoz's.

Went back to Dawsons and had another 15mins with the Pioneers and made my decision...

Went for the Epoz's

Got them home and set up on some Soundstyle Z2 stands (loaded with atabites) until my Partington Dreadnoughts land. Connected to my ATV 2 via a Firestone Spitfire MkII ( very impressed with this) and their own interconnects and a 3m length of QED Revelation speaker cable connecting the speakers.

I know not true active speakers but they sound absolutely fantastic in the living room even straight out of the box; hopefully theyll bed in soon enough and will sound better when on the Partingtons

 

[the record spot]

Sounds like a busy but fun day! Enjoy the new gear and yes, the Spitfire II's rather good isn't it?

 

[Twill]

Hi,

Have been watching your posts on this with interest. I have about a thousand things I want to do with electronics at home, from new smartphones, to new all-in-ones in the kitchen and bedroom, and most of all, rectify the things that are wrong with my hifi. Right now, I just can't afford to do it all... or even much of it.

I was thinking that maybe abandonning separates for the time being might be one option. I need new speakers, and sloth that I am, the fact that my Rotel RA-04 has no remote annoys me more than I thought it would, so a new amp wouldn't go amiss either.

I love the B&W 601s I currently have, but if I do what I'd like to do - get some 685s and a more meaty amp - I will be spending a lot I could do a hell of a lot of money that would be welcomed elsewhere in the house!

So I was thinking... £350 Epoz = simple neat solution to amp and speakers issue. Or, Arcam rCube = neat and tidy option with wireless too, all be it not hi-fi.

I wondered about the Epoz though as Epos have always seemed a bit trixy and awkward to drive when I've looked at them in the past.

Would you say the Epoz have a sound that's nearer to a budget hi-fi setup than something like the rCube? (separation aside of course).

...not sure if I'd miss the B&W sound too much if I changed sides either. Don't suppose you've got any experience of B&W to compare with?

Cheers.

 

[Anonymous]

Well seeing as I've gone from a very good separates system (Arcam Alpha 10 amp, Neat Motive 2 speakers and an MF M1 DAC ) to the Epoz's; I'd be quite happy to say that they hold their own quite well and IMO just as good, if not better, than most budget combos currently available...

The main requisite for me was minamilsm; just speakers and a source; and hats what I've got

For £350 and say c£50-£80 on stands for the speakers; you can't go far wrong!

Ive had many pairs of B&W speakes from 601 S3's (still in my loft) to 604 S3's and the immense 605's to the more recent 684's and CM5's

The Epoz sound is just as good (all be it not as open at the top end) but you can't have everything!

 

[Twill]

Thanks NF. Hmm. It's tempting. In a way, I wish they'd given the dock and internet stuff a swerve, as I wonder if it just clutters the unit and remote. Not sure how functional some of those additional features would be without a decent smartphone app to make control much easier.

I would only use them as amp+speakers, so wonder if the screen etc associated with the rest of it would get annoying.

Also wish the USB took a PC stream for ease, but then I have my own USB DAC so this is no loss, just another wiere... I too have a family and therefore a need for a simple system. I am reliably informed that I am the only one who listens to music in this house because I am the only one able to understand the complex chain of boxes and wires required to get those speaker thingys to make any noise! Something this simple may suit the mrs too, especially if she can just drop the ipod touch in to it.

Hmm... hmm indeed.

Do you think you'll go back to separates in the future? I do worry that once my lad is up and about and walking, those unprotected bass/midranges might not be long for this life however.

 

[matthewpiano]

Interesting write-up Nad_fanatic. Thanks for sharing! A good bit of walking there too going between Bridge Street and Portland Street. I know what you mean about Superfi's stereo dem room - it is narrow and you end up quite close to the action, but it is OK for getting an impression and the guys in there are very helpful.

Sounds like you've found a capable and clutter-free solution there and it will be interesting to hear your further thoughts as you settle down with it.

I do think solutions like this will become more and more popular, especially as they are clearly capable of satisfying some pretty demanding ears. I can't help feeling that all too often having a pile of boxes in the corner starts to detract from the music, which is one of the reasons why I am trialling a dramatically simplified version of my own system. So far I'm loving it and I'm managing to rip several CDs to FLAC each night. All the ones I've listened to so far sound superb.

 

[Anonymous]

Interesting write-up Nad_fanatic. Thanks for sharing! A good bit of walking there too going between Bridge Street and Portland Street. I know what you mean about Superfi's stereo dem room - it is narrow and you end up quite close to the action, but it is OK for getting an impression and the guys in there are very helpful.

Sounds like you've found a capable and clutter-free solution there and it will be interesting to hear your further thoughts as you settle down with it.

I do think solutions like this will become more and more popular, especially as they are clearly capable of satisfying some pretty demanding ears. I can't help feeling that all too often having a pile of boxes in the corner starts to detract from the music, which is one of the reasons why I am trialling a dramatically simplified version of my own system. So far I'm loving it and I'm managing to rip several CDs to FLAC each night. All the ones I've listened to so far sound superb.

It was a bit of walking; more so that I parked on Bridge Street and got completely lost trying to find Dawsons; all I could see were restaurants for ages and I turned back on myself twice thinking I'd gotten the roads wrong etc...

I'd had the system on most of the night and thoroughly enjoying it. Played all sorts from Frank Sinatra and Mario Lanzo to Simian Mobile Disco and Hot Chip to Linzi Zaorski Nelly Furtado...

Speakers sound very good indeed; plenty of weight behind them but they handle vocal music just as well as hard hitting beats of Hot Chip and Massive Attack etc...

It's definitley a less clutterd solution rather than amps, speakers, sources, stands and cables to go along with it all; it'll be even tidier when I sort out the power cables and DAC connections tomorrow when I pull the AV stand out and tidy everything away

Be interesting to see how the Maxi's go with the Dreadnought stands as if there's no noticeable improvement they'll get sold quickly enough (always seem to be in demand). Although I do like the look of the Dreadnoughts more than the Z2's (unfortunately they're silver so I'll sand them down and get them resprayed satin black by a pal who refurbs alloys for a business)

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks NF. Hmm. It's tempting. In a way, I wish they'd given the dock and internet stuff a swerve, as I wonder if it just clutters the unit and remote. Not sure how functional some of those additional features would be without a decent smartphone app to make control much easier. I would only use them as amp+speakers, so wonder if the screen etc associated with the rest of it would get annoying. Also wish the USB took a PC stream for ease, but then I have my own USB DAC so this is no loss, just another wiere... I too have a family and therefore a need for a simple system. I am reliably informed that I am the only one who listens to music in this house because I am the only one able to understand the complex chain of boxes and wires required to get those speaker thingys to make any noise! Something this simple may suit the mrs too, especially if she can just drop the ipod touch in to it. Hmm... hmm indeed. Do you think you'll go back to separates in the future? I do worry that once my lad is up and about and walking, those unprotected bass/midranges might not be long for this life however.

I'm only really using the Maxi's as speakers; all music is via AirPlay and iTunes/DAC etc... I have connected the wireless arial to pick up internet radio but I've got that already on iTunes and Tunein Radio app on my iPad (great for Radio 1 on a Friday night and Radio 2 on a Saturday/Sunday morning)

The reason for my change of systems wasnt really family (well the wife and cat is my family currently); the wife & I were sat watching Kill the Irishman the other night; great film but all I could focus on were all the cables under the hifi stand and the speaker/power cables etc... Drove me nuts (quietly). Asked the wife her opinion and she agreed so I whacked it all on other hifi forums and eBay that night (Sunday).

In regards to going back to separates; I've already got a Cyrus 8VS2 amp, NAD C545BEE CD player and some Acoutic Energy AElite 2speakers in the spare room upstairs (ironing and reading room for us both). That's my swap and change system (currently tempted to buy some KEF R100's as I've been offered an ex-demo/B stock pair at a superb price from Audio T)! The living room, I wanted minimal so separates would go against the reasoning!

Re your boy and the Maxi's; on good, heavy stands with plenty of blu-tac to attach the speakers; they'll be fine. They come with covers for the mid/bass drivers so you can use them when necessary and the tweeters are already covered!

 

[Anonymous]

Sounds like a busy but fun day! Enjoy the new gear and yes, the Spitfire II's rather good isn't it?

Cheers RS

Yes; mightily impressed with the Spitfire MkII. Got it on Tuesday so had it between my iMAC and Audioengine A2's for a few days and it sounded fantastic.

May use the FiiO DAC I've got leftover for the Audioengine A2's now...

 

[matthewpiano]

Are you able to offer any more detail about your thoughts regarding the Pioneers and Yamahas?

 

[Anonymous]

As daft as it sounds not really; not a lot more than what I'd put already

I think if I'd have the time/patience to ask to take them home and demo them at home (would have been a lot of faff with necessary cables and a different DAC etc...) I think my thoughts would have been a lot deeper and more detailed

As it stands the Epoz's sound great at Superfi and with that I thoughts t their price; the gamble was worth taking. And it was

Had them on most of the day today with various Internet radio stations on in the background and with some loud music this afternoon (Hed Kandi, Fischerspooner, Massive Attack, The Lonely Island etc...). It's been a good day!