EPI A70. Impressed.

[Nordfors]

I'm officially new to the forum but have learned so much from this community over the years. Thanks! Had to post due to the joy I've found in these little guys. I was setting up a system for my new studio/office and while talking about it, the younger folks all seemed to be a little worried. The reality is most of them only listen to music through ear buds, and the thought of "Big" speakers was intimidating. I already have the EPI 100's in a system at home, saw these at a great price, in great shape and although I thought they were way too small for the space, seemed like a good first step. To be clear, we're in an old building in a open space about 15'x45' with 12 foot ceilings, wood floors, wood beams ( I know, they're way to small, right) etc. The system is a laptop feeding a Fosi Audio ZD3 DAC, into an HK 430 twin, into the EPI A70's. Wasn't expecting much.......

However.
First things first. Is the bass resuscitating my heart? No. Is the bass clear and sounding really good, heck yeah.
Everyone who hears this system is very impressed. Music in general sounds so good. Many genera's get played through these. Mo-town, old country, Old surf, and Jazz admittingly sound the best, but everything's enjoyable, and maybe that's just me. Will note, There's a song by "Boards of Canada" named "Happy Cycling" which has 3 descending bass notes where the lowest one just really isn't there. A bit of resonant frequencies, maybe. But it's a beautiful piece of electronic music that will let you know if your speakers actually get down to 30hz. Yeah, the A70's fell short, but, so would almost every other book shelf speaker ever produced.

Volume. A 28 year old on our team asked how loud it could go. Being careful with my gear, I turned it up to just shy of noon, and she was visibly scared. Sounded clear as a bell if not better. And yes, all the good stuff everyone says on here about the highs and the mids; beautiful and easy.

All in all just impressed. If you were tight on space and could find a pair of EPI A70's, I can't see being disappointed.
Thought I'd share my recent real world experience with a classic set of speakers!

 

[RTally]

I have several EPI speakers (70, 100, 120B, 150, and 20+), The EPI Model 70 is the smallest of the bunch, but they still have big sound, rivaling other, non-EPI speakers that are larger. If I had a small room with little space, I could be very happy having only the EPI 70. Of all my EPI speakers, I rank the 100 at the bottom. Of the rest, I cannot pic a clear winner between the 120B, 150, and 20+. Each of them are connected to their own system and see regular play.

The 70 is the only one not connected to a system at present. I dropped one of the 70s from its perch. With valient effort, I broke its fall before it hit the floor. Still, the tweeter magnet came off. I have a replacement, but I have yet to install it.

 

[Nordfors]

Sorry to hear about your 70 tweeter!
I'm so curious as to your thoughts on EPI 120B vs the 150, and their general comparison to the 100. I've never heard either, but a set of 150's did come up for sale in my area once a few years ago. I never see the 120's in these parts, but the 10" woofer seems like it'd be great. Thanks RTally!

 

[coonmanx]

I have several EPI speakers (70, 100, 120B, 150, and 20+), The EPI Model 70 is the smallest of the bunch, but they still have big sound, rivaling other, non-EPI speakers that are larger. If I had a small room with little space, I could be very happy having only the EPI 70. Of all my EPI speakers, I rank the 100 at the bottom. Of the rest, I cannot pic a clear winner between the 120B, 150, and 20+. Each of them are connected to their own system and see regular play.

The 70 is the only one not connected to a system at present. I dropped one of the 70s from its perch. With valient effort, I broke its fall before it hit the floor. Still, the tweeter magnet came off. I have a replacement, but I have yet to install it.

There probably are replacement tweeters on the Bay...

 

[RTally]

There probably are replacement tweeters on the Bay...

That is where I got my replacement. I just need to install it. Too many projects. One problem with vintage and lots of systems (I currently have 8 systems set up), something is always breaking or about to break.

 

[RTally]

Sorry to hear about your 70 tweeter!
I'm so curious as to your thoughts on EPI 120B vs the 150, and their general comparison to the 100. I've never heard either, but a set of 150's did come up for sale in my area once a few years ago. I never see the 120's in these parts, but the 10" woofer seems like it'd be great. Thanks RTally!

I REALLY like my EPI 150. The larger cabinet helps them go deeeep. The 150 originally had rubber surrounds. They were stiff so I replaced the surrounds with foam. The Model 100 are nice speakers, but the small size limits them. Both the 100 and 150 are powered by an Adcom 5300 amp in my workshop. I rarely play the 100 because the 150 sounds so much better.

I have the EPI 120B in my garage, stacked with a pair of OLA (each pair on its own amp). The 120B sound better than the OLA, particularly at the high end. I play the 120B and the OLA at the same time because of the SPL, not because there is any special synergy (there isn't). I like to hear music when I am at the end of the driveway or in the yard. I have no close neighbors. The 120B driven by an Adcom can hold its own when I play it by itself, the extra volume with two pairs is nice.

I have not compared the 150 with the 120B side-by-side, but individually, they each sound great.

PS: all my speakers have been refoamed (except the EPI 100 which has good foams, although an incorrect style) and recapped.

 

[coonmanx]

That is where I got my replacement. I just need to install it. Too many projects. One problem with vintage and lots of systems (I currently have 8 systems set up), something is always breaking or about to break.

You might have a hoarding problem. Just saying. I used to have three systems set up and that was a lot.

 

[RTally]

You might have a hoarding problem. Just saying. I used to have three systems set up and that was a lot.

Guilty as charged.

I have 8 systems set up at two different locations (home and office), each system in a different room. Each system is used at least weekly. In my office, I have 4 systems synced so I can listen to the same music as I move between rooms. I have music playing almost all the time that I am awake. The hoarding is really apparent in my workshop where I have speakers stacked to the ceiling, all waiting for restoration. Unless I am replacing an in-service speaker with better, I either sell or donate restored speakers.

 

[joelll]

EPI A70's were the first decent speakers I bought, when I saved up newspaper route money in 1979 and bought the second-cheapest catalog system at Tech HiFi in Cambridge MA. The little Technics receiver is long gone, the Technics SL-D35 turntable is on loan to a nephew and still running strong, and the speakers remain in my collection, currently in storage.

They have fantastic sound for a small 6" two-way, and surprising bass from such a small cabinet. I would consider pairing them with a sealed subwoofer to add more bass. The inverted-dome tweeter is magic to my ears.

They kept me going through the end of high school, through my first attempt at college, then my second successful attempt, then they were surround speakers with a pair of EPI 120B's and a Polk center in the 1990s. They were refoamed in the mid-1990s, and the foam is still in good shape, I could hook them up tomorrow and I'm sure they'd sound great. The EPI red-ring tweeters have ferrofluid, so I should probably replace the fluid someday.

 

[Nordfors]

That's amazing joelll! "The second cheapest catalog system"........That's the sense I get about EPI's and reputation, but every pair I've heard have really impressed me, and they're still around! One thing I've noticed with the EPI A70 is that it's heavy enough to couple with what it's sitting on, improving the bass. Absolutely subjective observation with no scientific background, but that's my observation with my ears.

 

[joelll]

That's amazing joelll! "The second cheapest catalog system"........That's the sense I get about EPI's and reputation, but every pair I've heard have really impressed me, and they're still around! One thing I've noticed with the EPI A70 is that it's heavy enough to couple with what it's sitting on, improving the bass. Absolutely subjective observation with no scientific background, but that's my observation with my ears.

Tech HiFi's catalog was a thing of legend in eastern Massachusetts. The systems they put together were quite good, and I saved up extra to get the Technics receiver and direct-drive turntable instead of the ERC brand receiver and a BSR turntable. I think the system price was $259.00 in 1979.

The article at this link has some pages from the catalogs; the photos are rather fun and some are borderline bizarre:
https://dangerousminds.net/comments/toys_for_boys_tech_hifi_catalogs_of_vintage_stereo_equipment/

For their size, the A70's are quite capable. The tweeter is the great EPI inverted-dome, and the six-inch woofer gets down to 58 Hz, not bad for the cabinet volume, and my pair kept me out of too much trouble when playing music in my room right next to my parents' room. If I set them up now, I'd probably try out a sealed subwoofer to augment the bass.

 

[Cylontymany]

Where do the 120C rank? They have all original drivers and a brand new Hue crossover installed.

 

[Sliphorn]

Where do the 120C rank? They have all original drivers and a brand new Hue crossover installed.

I’ve not heard of the 120c just plain ol’ 120. It’s a 10” 2-way. Do you mean Huw Powell crossover?

 

[Sliphorn]

I REALLY like my EPI 150. The larger cabinet helps them go deeeep. The 150 originally had rubber surrounds. They were stiff so I replaced the surrounds with foam. The Model 100 are nice speakers, but the small size limits them. Both the 100 and 150 are powered by an Adcom 5300 amp in my workshop. I rarely play the 100 because the 150 sounds so much better.

I have the EPI 120B in my garage, stacked with a pair of OLA (each pair on its own amp). The 120B sound better than the OLA, particularly at the high end. I play the 120B and the OLA at the same time because of the SPL, not because there is any special synergy (there isn't). I like to hear music when I am at the end of the driveway or in the yard. I have no close neighbors. The 120B driven by an Adcom can hold its own when I play it by itself, the extra volume with two pairs is nice.

I have not compared the 150 with the 120B side-by-side, but individually, they each sound great.

PS: all my speakers have been refoamed (except the EPI 100 which has good foams, although an incorrect style) and recapped.

.
If your 100’s have incorrect foams maybe that is why you don’t like them as much as your other epi’s.
.

 

[Sliphorn]

I have several EPI speakers (70, 100, 120B, 150, and 20+), The EPI Model 70 is the smallest of the bunch, but they still have big sound, rivaling other, non-EPI speakers that are larger. If I had a small room with little space, I could be very happy having only the EPI 70. Of all my EPI speakers, I rank the 100 at the bottom. Of the rest, I cannot pic a clear winner between the 120B, 150, and 20+. Each of them are connected to their own system and see regular play.

The 70 is the only one not connected to a system at present. I dropped one of the 70s from its perch. With valient effort, I broke its fall before it hit the floor. Still, the tweeter magnet came off. I have a replacement, but I have yet to install it.

.
Great collection. I’m an EPI fan too.
.

 

[Sammcamos]

Where do the 120C rank

The 120C is the upgrade to the 120B, with a tweeter level control. Both of these are pretty similar to the 100 (same crossover point and tweeter), but with a 10" woofer.

I have several EPI speakers (70, 100, 120B, 150, and 20+), The EPI Model 70 is the smallest of the bunch, but they still have big sound, rivaling other, non-EPI speakers that are larger. If I had a small room with little space, I could be very happy having only the EPI 70. Of all my EPI speakers, I rank the 100 at the bottom. Of the rest, I cannot pic a clear winner between the 120B, 150, and 20+.

I think this is the first time I've heard of someone putting the EPI 100 at the bottom of the pile instead of the top! As far as the EPI models I've had, I think the 100 is the leader of their lineup. Also, I've successfully reattatched magnets that have fallen off EPI tweeters as long as they don't destroy the V.C.