Can someone id these EPI's?

[sydsfloyd67]

Several contributors have raised the possibility that the post-70s tweeter (+2kHz rating) is somehow better. I wonder if the heavy masonite mounting board and cloth surround of the original did not prove 'too expensive' rather than any real improvment or actual decline. However, honesty does appear to have been the sucessful policy at EPI. -sf

 

[Andyman]

I'd bet the EPI A500 is more rare than the AR9s. I have never seen a set come up, and stumbled on mine for $6 a-piece at a local thrift. They were my 1st refaom job, and they have had plenty of time to break in. They sound really nice.

I'll do a head-to-head, AR9 - A500 - HPM-100 (triple-stack) one of thee days, when I find myself not busy...

Rich P

Rich:
Did you have to do the mids too? I need to refoam both mids and woofers, and the mids look like I need to custom cut a surround to fit. I've done it before with the Small Advent woofers, so it's no problem to do again, but I was just wondering what you were faced with.
I also have a set of 350s which is like 3 of the modules, one each on adjacent sides and a top firing one. I onlu listened to it briefly, as most of those woofers need work too, but wasn't overwhelmed by the sound. then again, it was one at a time and out in the garage.
Maybe I can get some of these rare birds done for AKFest; odds are most folks haven't seen, much less heard, any of them :yes:

 

[Kegger]

There alive!

Well that took long enough! Ended up the surrounds on the 8" woofs were toast to.

Cruised over to Andy's and picked up a pair with rubber surrounds and stuck the newly
foamed 12"s in there just to use as sudo passives. I'll foam all 4 and put em back in later.


Even with the fake passives these things sound really nice with great bass and an overall
well balanced tone that is very easy to listen to. More listening to come, pretty late/early! LOL!

Here's a shot of them in action in the main room that's pretty tore up at the moment.
(don't mind the mess or the crappy pic)

 

[Kegger]

Waz Up!

I have a set of the EPI 200's the same as Kegger's.
Really nice sounding.
I'm considering purchasing a pair of the new inverted dome tweeters available as replacements from Human Speakers to hear the difference, I need a little more Cymbal.
I also have a pair of EPI 100V, Just like the first pair of decent speakers I bought way back in 1979.
Recently came across a pair of Epicure 5 at the Sally Ann, $15.
The woofers are the blue tint and need refoaming, have the orange cloth Inverted Dome Tweeter, I'm guessing they will sound great too !

If you get that new tweeter I'd be interested in your thoughts, as he does put up an enticing ad!

Curious, what's your setup with the 200's?

 

[pustelniakr]

Rich:
Did you have to do the mids too? I need to refoam both mids and woofers, and the mids look like I need to custom cut a surround to fit. I've done it before with the Small Advent woofers, so it's no problem to do again, but I was just wondering what you were faced with.
I also have a set of 350s which is like 3 of the modules, one each on adjacent sides and a top firing one. I onlu listened to it briefly, as most of those woofers need work too, but wasn't overwhelmed by the sound. then again, it was one at a time and out in the garage.
Maybe I can get some of these rare birds done for AKFest; odds are most folks haven't seen, much less heard, any of them :yes:

My mids and passives are suspended by poly butylene, and are intact, with no indication of suspension issues.

Here is a thread, posted when I refoamed these puppies:
http://audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=46821&highlight=EPI+A500

rich P

 

[sydsfloyd67]

It seems that the 'conventional' EPI speakers that get down the lowest have the 6.5" woofers in the 'tall' box. (28Hz on the 400s). (1000s use a massive box and 8" woofers to get to 22 Hz.) I notice that if you pair the module, like the 180, you loose your low end relative to a single module in the 150 (35Hz becomes 42Hz). Adding a passive radiator, as in the A200, maintains the low end at 34 Hz, but does it strengthen it as well? (Is there also a 6.5" driver in a tall box with this 12" passive from Epi?)

What is the intent or result of adding a passive radiator to a two-way acoustic suspension speaker? -sf

 

[Kegger]

Basicaly a passive radiator is a way to tune the cabinet to a certain frequency like
a port or transmission line is and helps augment the bass for the system.

Act's very much like a port does without the port noise or other asociated sounds
and when implemented correctly can get really low and clean.

 

[krazyknuc]

Reply to Waz up Re: EPI 200's

I am not currently running the EPI 200's, but have been thinking of stacking them with the Large Advents and my Marantz 2270 (until the issue with the "new" Pioneer SA-7800 is resolved).
It will be a couple of months before I order the new tweets.
I'll get back to you when I get it sorted out.
If the new tweets work out, I am going to hook the 200's up in the living room with either the Marantz 2270 or a Marantz 2215 and replace the KLH 17's.
Thanks

 

[Kegger]

Sounds like a nice system, I was curious because I had read the EPI's like power and
the amp I had setup at the time was a 300B (8wpc tube amp) but after reading some
review I skimmed through the reviewer mentioned the impeadance and the power they
suggest to throw at them.

So I figured what the heck, and it works with very nice results so I wondered what
others were using and had anyone given tubes a shot. I have other higher powered
tube amps (also solidstate) that I will try but for now the 300B sounds good.

 

[Kegger]

I am very glad you guy's were antimate about those 200's as they just sound wonderful
and a real pleasure to listen to!

Just the kinda speaker when you hear them you want to sit and listen, very forgiving.
HEY HEY tube friendly to boot!

Probably the best speaker I've heard for low level listening where you still have great
dynamics and you hear every nuaunce of the music! Just a great speaker!

They sound like a big speaker (even though it's an 8"woof 2-way) that fill the room with music.

 

[krazyknuc]

Glad you like the EPI 200's.
When I had them hooked up, my favourite album was Pink Floyd's Dark Side of the Moon .... LOUD..... maybe even turn the bass up a little ....... Ohhhhh Man, I think those bad boys might have to come out of their original boxes (ok....so I don't have much to brag about ) this weekend.
I only took them out of rotation because they started sounding a little harsh.
Turned out it was the Sony 7800 sd that was causing the harshness, especially at loud volume, dc offset was over 50 mV, didn't sound right.

I think the EPI's just might sound really good with the Marantz 2270 (dc offset below 15 mV, both channels), maybe compliment the Large Advents.
With any luck, I might get the same type of sound stage (check the link here - www.classicspeakerpages.net/advent/advent.htm in the "double Advent" Zip) that stacked Large Advents can apparently create a sound stage comparable to electrostatics with none of the bass deficiencies.

I only have solid state here, never had tubes in my life.
I think I might like them though..... ouch.....my wallet just bit me..... :sigh:

 

[Kegger]

Got yu KRAZY! Yah you need to pull them bad boys back out and get them some use!

Andyman runs stacked advents and they sound great but you do need/want to get
those EPI's back in the rotation, I'd be interested in your thoughts of them after a
revisit with them in your new setup.

 

[luvvinvinyl]

Kegger, I've got a pair of Humanspeakers 61, which is Huw's clone of an M50. It has the 6" long throw woofer, and the aluminum inverted-dome tweeter. I can drag them over, sometime, if you want to hear them. I have a pair of original M50's in the LR, with masonite tweets, first version, if you want to compare, and don't have any, yourself.

There's a 'vintage vs new' shootout for you, same design, different materials. I recapped the 50's, so the xo components are not an issue.

 

[wank]

Neat - I've been paying attention to this thread on and off for a while, and then ran into a pair of the old 100s for $15 last night. One tweeter sounds bad and the opposite wooger is has electrical tape instead of a surround, but the cabs are mighty nice.

The good wofer has the butyl rubber surround - do I need to source that or should I just replace both with foam? No biggie either way, since I need to source a tweeter anyway (I know, $40 rebuilt from humanspeakers).

 

[Kegger]

Thanks Ernie that would be cool, when I make some room I may take you up on that
or try to get over your place some time and check um out. Get some reel beer!

Wank I would just redo both woofs with foam and either buy the tweet from humspks
or scower ebay, as I bet one would turn up there or maybe an AK'er may have one.

 

[krazyknuc]

OK Kegger
I've got these puppies hooked up and running again.
Just finished "Jeff Beck - Wired" and I gotta tell ya, right outta the box these speakers sound wonderful.
The Marantz 2270 seems to make all the difference in the world.
If this gets any better, I may have to move the Large Advents upstairs (until I get another pair :yes: ) and make these my main speakers. :scratch2:

 

[Kegger]

I am glad you have given them another chance and so far like the results.
(Nice looking setup)

Also I see you have them on small stands, good move as they can be a bit boomy
when right on the floor, but raise them up and the bass is a little more refined.

After you've lived with them a little more I'd like to know if you still feel a tweeter
upgrade would be advantages. :yes: :scratch2:

 

[krazyknuc]

Hey Kegger
Glad you like my setup.
That's a pair of semi retired Mach II's holding up those Solid State "projects".
Three days in:
Yes, I think the stands are part of why they sound better than I remember too. The stands have a little bit of tilt to them, a few degrees.
They are definately more efficient than the Advents.
My ears were a little numb Friday night after about 4 hours of rockin out.
I thought I took it easy, I never turned the volume over half way with the 2270.
Yeah, yeah, I've seen the hearing thread, I'm all over that, I was just a little too exuberant with the volume knob. :nono:
They seem to have more bass than the Advents, more "feel", more like my Mach I's. Must be a very slow roll off below the stated 34 hz to get that effect.
Nice sound stage. Is it better than the Advents ..... the jury's still out.
I like horns better through the EPI's (Colin James and The Little Big Band II).
But that could be my affection for my first good speakers, EPI 100's showing.
The highs are sweet, but not quite as smooth as the Advents.
I'm wondering what Hugh at Human Speakers means when he states "my new tweeters will sound a little better than the original".
If he means smoother, than :scratch2: is right !
I think I will end up investing in a set of the "Hugh made" crossovers and binding posts when I purchase his new tweeters (might be sooner than later).
I like the EPI 200's better for home theatre too.
The extra Ommph in the low end makes all the difference.
How are you enjoying your's Kegger ?
Any chance you're going to check out the new tweeters through that luvvinvinyl's setup ?
Hope you're having a great day ! :thmbsp:

 

[Kegger]

I am still very much enjoying my 200's (still in the main setup) yes I believe that the
tweeter does drop off in frequency "extension" just a touch but find them fairly smooth.
I would be interested in hearing that new tweeter though for sure.

Well after getting another set of these cabinets (don't ask) I am experimenting with
some different components and rebuilding the xover but I am very perplexed by what
this xover consists of and does not jive with what is on the human speakers site

The xover on the site says a 10uf cap is on the positive input after the switch with
it's resistors which makes sense and will not effect the impeadence of the speaker
or the xover point.

But the ones in these have a 15uf cap that is on the negative input and it is before
the switch with it's resistors that will definatly change the impeadance of the driver
and what the cap see's by either 2.5 or 5ohms which will significantly change what
the xover point of the tweeter is from say the 1800hz spec'd to somewhere in the
range of 1400hz and 1100hz according to which way you have the switch, which I
find very strange to say the least.

A quick peak at the other sets xover yeilds a 15uf cap there also and what looks to be
the same setup, both of these have the plastic faced tweeters with the 2 rings.

Just curious what do the Xovers consist of on you guy's 200's?

 

[krazyknuc]

Hmmmm.........
I'll have to pull the passive and take a look.
Kegger, do you happen to have a set of Mach I's lying around ?
Last night I stacked the EPI's and Mach I's, both on their sides, both with the tweeters on the inside, on top of a plastic "dairy carton" ( I hope the dairy police don't read this ).
More research (pronounced "Listening") is required, but I like what I'm hearing so far.
Both sets of speakers have the tweeters set to Normal (EPI's)or 0 (Mach I's) and no bass or treble added.
The ADC EQ you might be able to see in those other pictures is not hooked up at present.
They are angled in slightly to merge about 15 ft. away.
I'll try to get some pictures and post them up later.