Has anybody owned EPI speakers?

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Comments

  • Mystery
    Mystery Posts: 2,546
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    As a kind of painful :-P aside, I had an opportunity to buy a pair of EPI's flagship loudspeakers, the EPI 1000, from one of the local hifi gurus a few years back. They were in excellent condition, the price would have more than fair, but it was while were were getting ready to move to NH and I literally didn't have a place to put 'em :- (

    As impressive as they look, they are not as impressive when it comes to sound.
    You didn't miss much.
    Here's one pic from our gathering few years back.
    74747.jpg

    Klipsch RB81, KG3.5, B&W DM602.5, Polk.
    Subwoofers: Klipsch RW10, Triad ProSub Bronze.
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,924
    Well, I thought they sounded pretty fine -- the ones of which I speak were, at the time, being driven by a McIntosh MC-225 (which, I would opine, was one of Mac's best-sounding - ever - efforts).

    But, as always, de gustibus non est disputandum.
  • Mystery
    Mystery Posts: 2,546
    mhardy6647 wrote: »
    Well, I thought they sounded pretty fine -- the ones of which I speak were, at the time, being driven by a McIntosh MC-225 (which, I would opine, was one of Mac's best-sounding - ever - efforts).

    But, as always, de gustibus non est disputandum.

    They sounded nice but just not what I expected from TOTL Epicure model that's 6 feet tall.
    We had Mac, Musical Fidelity and bunch of tube amps.
    The 1000's are made for omnipresent sound and I may not be used to that.
    Hmm...

    dbrcxcoo5exy.jpg

    Klipsch RB81, KG3.5, B&W DM602.5, Polk.
    Subwoofers: Klipsch RW10, Triad ProSub Bronze.
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,924
    Placement is probably fairly critical -- the North Shore (MA) hifi guru who owned the 1000s had them in his (enormous) kitchen; they loaded that space nicely. He replaced them with a pair of the late Terry Cain's "Abby" fullrangers (which, if memory serves, were non-folded TQWTs loaded with Fostex FE166E twincone drivers). The Abbys were certainly snappy, but I find the FE166E drivers too bright for my tastes. I am off the rails now with respect to the topic of this thread... but for me the FE167E and FE207E were better balanced drivers.
  • Bass5081
    Bass5081 Posts: 1
    I had a pair of EPI 100s via mom and dad because I was a kid . They were Paired with a Kenwood KR2600 Receiver. The sound was awesome. Rich bass, extremely clear highs ( Dark side of the moon NEVER sounded better). This was 1978 or 79. Anyway I'm looking for a pair now! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THEM!
  • RTally
    RTally Posts: 14
    This may be blasphemy on this forum, but I have more EPI/Epicure speakers than Polks. I have EPI 70, 100, 150, and Epicure 20+, compared to my Polks Monitor 5, 7, and 10. I have the Epicure 20+ in my workshop, the Polk Monitor 5 in my office, and the Monitor 7 in my gym.

    The EPI 70 is a small speaker with big sound. My wife wants a system in her workshop and that is where they are going.
  • Mystery
    Mystery Posts: 2,546
    Thread is revived after 6 years. ;)
    I have had quite a few EPI's.
    100v, 100m, T/E 120, 280, 20+ etc...
    However, I only have a pair of butchered 100v currently.
    Sold the 20+ just last week after staying with me for long time.

    https://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/164452/vintage-epicure-20-speakers-restoration
    15608416345_1589e51e52_o.jpg

    Klipsch RB81, KG3.5, B&W DM602.5, Polk.
    Subwoofers: Klipsch RW10, Triad ProSub Bronze.
  • CH46E
    CH46E Posts: 3,521
    Is that an L80T3 in the background?
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,924
    Mystery wrote: »
    Thread is revived after 6 years. ;)
    I have had quite a few EPI's.
    100v, 100m, T/E 120, 280, 20+ etc...
    However, I only have a pair of butchered 100v currently.
    Sold the 20+ just last week after staying with me for long time.

    https://forum.polkaudio.com/discussion/164452/vintage-epicure-20-speakers-restoration
    15608416345_1589e51e52_o.jpg

    Fine loudspeakers.
  • Mystery
    Mystery Posts: 2,546
    edited March 2021
    CH46E wrote: »
    Is that an L80T3 in the background?

    I think so. It's either that or L100T.
    I had both that time.
    Looking at the size, you are probably right.

    Klipsch RB81, KG3.5, B&W DM602.5, Polk.
    Subwoofers: Klipsch RW10, Triad ProSub Bronze.
  • CH46E
    CH46E Posts: 3,521
    edited March 2021
    Mystery wrote: »
    CH46E wrote: »
    Is that an L80T3 in the background?

    I think so. It's either that or L100T.
    I had both that time.
    Looking at the size, you are probably right.

    Nice, I was actually trying to visualize the size of the EPI based in the JBL. If that is a L100T3, then the epi are pretty dang beefy. I had the L80T and when I went home in 2016 after 15 years away, I was shocked at how much larger my dad's L100T were.

    The epi are gorgeous and look like furniture grade. Old furniture grade. Not Ikea furniture grade. Only after moving across courty 5 times do you appreciate Ikea's light weight and throw away prices.

    Looks like it would be a odd Soundstage with the upward speakers firing. Almost like they new Dolby Atmos was comming. 😆
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 32,924
    They're pretty big. Not EPI 1000 big, but pretty big.
  • Mystery
    Mystery Posts: 2,546
    edited March 2021
    CH46E wrote: »
    Nice, I was actually trying to visualize the size of the EPI based in the JBL. If that is a L100T3, then the epi are pretty dang beefy. I had the L80T and when I went home in 2016 after 15 years away, I was shocked at how much larger my dad's L100T were.

    The epi are gorgeous and look like furniture grade. Old furniture grade. Not Ikea furniture grade. Only after moving across courty 5 times do you appreciate Ikea's light weight and throw away prices.

    Looks like it would be a odd Soundstage with the upward speakers firing. Almost like they new Dolby Atmos was comming. 😆

    Now I think of it, they are L80t3 for sure because the L100t I had didn't have grills.
    Yes the Epicure 20+ are nicely made and weigh around 64 lbs each.
    Nice sound with a lot of details in high and mid range.
    When I switched from these to most other speakers, it felt like most of the mid range went away and only highs and lows remain.
    Great speakers for 2 channel music.
    I don't think I have any speaker other than these that stayed with me for over 7 years.

    Klipsch RB81, KG3.5, B&W DM602.5, Polk.
    Subwoofers: Klipsch RW10, Triad ProSub Bronze.
  • Actually I still own a pair of epi 350bought them new from "Toyko Shepiora" in Columbus OH in 1976.
    Used then for over 20 years.
    Fantastic!.
    Tuey were "too big" for the living room when we bought our house. Replaced with Bose bookshelf speakers.
  • rhythm
    rhythm Posts: 49
    Bass5081 wrote: »
    I had a pair of EPI 100s via mom and dad because I was a kid . They were Paired with a Kenwood KR2600 Receiver. The sound was awesome. Rich bass, extremely clear highs ( Dark side of the moon NEVER sounded better). This was 1978 or 79. Anyway I'm looking for a pair now! I HIGHLY RECOMMEND THEM!

    Completely agree. I bought some EPI 100s in 1981 and loved them. I did a lot of shopping around and at the time I thought they were the best sounding speakers in that particular price range (which was quite modest as I remember). I sold them to a friend in 1988 when I bought my Polk SDA 2Bs.

    -Greg