Description: Two-way, ported, bass-reflex loudspeaker. Drive-units: 1" (25mm) ferrofluid-cooled fabric-dome tweeter, 7" (179mm) polypropylene-cone woofer. Frequency range: 48Hz–25kHz. Nominal impedance: 4 ohms. Sensitivity: 90dB/2.83V/m. Amplifier compatibility: 20–120W.
Dimensions: 16.4" (415mm) H by 8.3" (210mm) W by 11" (280mm) D. Weight: 19 lbs (8.6kg).
Finishes: Cherry, Black Ash vinyl veneers. Serial Numbers Of Units Reviewed: Epic2-0910-1118a/b.
Price: $799/pair. Approximate number of dealers: 25.
Manufacturer: Epos Ltd., 12 Avebury Court…
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Sidebar 1: Specifications
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Analog Sources: VPI TNT IV, Rega Planar 3 turntables; Immedia, Syrinx PU-3 tonearms; Koetsu Urushi, Clearaudio Virtuoso Wood cartridges.
Digital Sources: Lector CDP-7T, Creek Destiny CD players.
Preamplification: Vendetta Research SCP-2D phono stage, Audio Valve Eclipse line stage.
Power Amplifier: Audio Research Reference 110.
Integrated Amplifier: Creek Destiny.
Loudspeakers: Epos M5i, NHT Classic 3, Nola Mini.
Cables: Interconnect (all MIT): Magnum M3, MI-350 CVTwin Terminator, MI-330SG Terminator. Speaker: Acarian Systems Black…
Sidebar 3: Measurements
The Epos Epic 2's B-weighted sensitivity on its tweeter axis was 90dB/2.83V/m, which both agrees with the specified 90dB and is 3dB higher than the norm. The electrical impedance drops below 6 ohms only between 120 and 500Hz, with a minimum magnitude of 4.2 ohms at 190Hz (fig.1). While there are the usual extreme electrical phase angles in the bass, the worst-case combination of 6 ohms magnitude and –35° phase angle will not be very taxing for an amplifier rated at 4 ohms.
Fig.1 Epos Epic 2, electrical impedance (solid) and phase (dashed). (2…
Sure, Stereophile gets letters to the editor. We also get some colorful responses for our "Manufacturers' Comments" section. (Vince Bruzzese and Roy Hall are literary standouts among their component-making peers.) And, as one of the magazine's Contributing Editors (Audio), I get lots of personal mail from readers seeking my advice. I thought I might share some of these letters with you, and my responses.
Dear Erick:
I really want to get into computer audio, but the economy sucks and most of the stuff you review in Stereophile seems way overpriced. Is there anything that will play my…
Dear Mr. Lichte:
Recently I acquired, through unnamed sources, high-resolution versions of my favorite music: Sheffield Lab's The Sheffield Track & Drum Record (CD, Sheffield Lab SL10081) and the channel-identification track from John Atkinson's Editor's Choice (CD, Stereophile STPH016-2). (The sound of JA playing Fender bass out of phase gives me shivers.) I want to hear this beautiful music in all its 24-bit glory. Could you recommend a DAC that could realize the potential of hi-rez audio.—Music Lover
Recently I acquired, through unnamed sources, high-resolution versions of my favorite music: Sheffield Lab's The Sheffield Track & Drum Record (CD, Sheffield Lab SL10081) and the channel-identification track from John Atkinson's Editor's Choice (CD, Stereophile STPH016-2). (The sound of JA playing Fender bass out of phase gives me shivers.) I want to hear this beautiful music in all its 24-bit glory. Could you recommend a DAC that could realize the potential of hi-rez audio.—Music Lover
Dear Music Hater:
You need to get out more.
The CEntrance DACmini…
Sidebar 1: Specifications
Description: Solid-state D/A processor, line preamplifier, and headphone amplifier with external power supply (will operate from 9–19VDC). Audio output: gold-plated RCA line out, stereo ¼" headphone out. Resolution: 24-bit (also supports 16-bit). Sample rates accepted: USB, up to 96kHz; S/PDIF, up to 192kHz. Nominal output level: +6.0dBV (RCA outputs). Frequency response: 20Hz–40kHz, +0.0dB/–0.1dB (line or digital inputs). Signal/noise: (A-weighted): 144dB (line), 113dB (digital). THD+noise: 0.00022% (line), 0.001% (digital). Channel separation: 128dB (line),…
Sidebar 2: Associated Equipment
Digital Sources: Bel Canto Design CD2 CD player; Sony Vaio laptop computer; Benchmark DAC1 & DAC1 HDR, Bel Canto DAC3.5VB & VBS1 power supply, Weiss DAC202, dCS Debussy D/A converters.
Power Amplifiers: Rogue Audio M180 monoblocks.
Loudspeakers: Revel Performa F30, Atlantic Technology AT-1.
Cables: Digital: Stereovox HDVX coaxial, Silver Sonic D-110 AES/EBU, Cardas Clear USB. Interconnect: Sain Line Systems Pure & Pure balanced. Speaker: Kimber Kable BiFocal X. AC: Sain Line Systems Reference.—Erick Lichte
Sidebar 3: Measurements
I used Stereophile's loan sample of the top-of-the-line Audio Precision SYS2722 system to measure the CEntrance DACmini CX (see www.ap.com and the January 2008 "As We See It"); for some tests, I also used my vintage Audio Precision System One Dual Domain and the Miller Audio Research Jitter Analyzer. As well as driving the DACmini with S/PDIF data from the Audio Precision analyzers, I used a MacBook running Mac OS10.6.8 and Pure Music 1.8 to play test-signal files. I repeated some of the USB input testing using a PC running Windows XP and CEntrance's ASIO driver/…
Photo: Andy Henriques, CAS
The same weekend John Atkinson was serenading the Los Angeles/Orange County Audio Society, John Marks was showing the flag in Southern New England at the annual Holiday Meeting of the Connecticut Audio Society. JM brought with him to Connecticut not only Sooloos' Control:15 music server, into which he had loaded the playlist for his presentation, but also a Bricasti M1 DAC and Nordost Silver Shadow S/PDIF cable and Bricasti's Brian Zolner to answer questions about his M1 DAC. (JA's full review of the Bricasti will appear in the February 2012 issue of Stereophile…
On the corner of Sherman and Sanford in the quiet, residential neighborhood of Jersey City known as The Heights, just a block from Leonard Gordon Park and two blocks from Pershing Field, there is a beautiful, old Victorian house. Standing a little taller than the other houses in the neighborhood, 112 Sherman Place, with its turreted rooms, stained glass windows, and distinct green and ochre exterior, has a proud, stately, almost royal, appearance. This is the home of Dave and Paula Lalin, their three children, their three pets, and more high-end audio components than you would ever expect…