Epi 180's verses Ohm E's

[Brahmin]

Some time ago I picked up a pair of Epi 180's. They at least appear to be in good condition - new woofer surrounds and everything is in working order.

Having never owned EPI speakers, I heard lots of great things about these speakers, but they never wowed me. I just assumed it was because my Marantz 2250 (discovered at the dump in a swap shop) was in need of an overhaul.

Recently I picked up a pair of Ohm E's. It was a nostalgic thing, the E's being my first speakers when I was teenager.

After hooking up the E's my ears perked up. Wow! It's just like I remembered them. After playing them awhile I wondered if the Marantz suddenly came back from the dead. I unplugged the Ohm's and hooked up the Epi's again....Meh. Not even close. The Ohm's blew away the Epi's in clarity, bass response, and presence.

Ok, this can't be the case. While the Ohm E's are a nice all around bookshelf speaker, well can I assume that Epi's are need of help? Crossover or something?

I would appreciate any feedback.

 

[tonyk]

I suspect the EPI's probably need recapped. They also like a lot juice and I'm not sure the 2250 is quite up to snuff, but still, at lower volumes it should sound ok though.

Frequency wise, the EPI's will dig deeper and go higher.

 

[jpciii]

If the EPI caps are original, then new ones would certainly liven things up. Speaker placement may be affecting things too. The EPI's are big and heavy - are they sitting on the floor?

 

[StuartB]

Had a pair of Ohm C2s and a pair of EPI M150s at the same time. I recapped both and refoamed both. The Ohms were a 10" three way, and the EPis were 8" two ways.

Initially the Ohms were more dynamic, had bigger bass, and more midrange presence. They were more "in your face" without being harsh or brittle. I am guessing they were more efficient and would play louder.

The EPIs were more refined and subtle. The highs were very sweet, bottom end was warm and there was less midrange emphasis.

What I find is that often good speakers initially call less attention to themselves, and over time the subtle nature of the speaker surfaces.

For me and my ears, I preferred the EPI. I liked the bass and presence of the Ohm, but I really like the tweeter in the EPI and I had more of an emotional tie to the work I did and results I got from the EPI.

I ultimately sold the Ohms, immediately regretted it, but was still glad I kept the EPI.

Room and associated equipment definitely have impacts.

Good luck!