EPOS ELS3 owners or auditioners...

[vr6ofpain]

http://www.audioadvisor.com/images/products/EPOELS3_000.jpg
http://www.audioadvisor.com/store/productdetail.asp?sku=EPOELS3&product_name=ELS3%20Mini%20Monitor%20Speakers%20-%20Pair

For those of you who have actually heard these bookshelves, would you describe the sound as being laid back?

I'm thinking of upgrading my main speakers and was planning on buying something that costs more than $300, but I have read good things about these little boxes.

I have a decent subwoofer (Velodyne VA-907.2), which will take care of the frequencies below 80hz, so these would not be a problem(cosidering they are only a ported 5").

Currently I am running some MB Quart QLC200's, which no one has probably ever even heard of, but they are a medium sized bookshelf, with a 1" metal dome tweeter, and a 6.5" polycarbonate woofer, front ported. They do sound good for what I paid for them (picked them up for wholesale, $200, when they retailed for $400). So some might say I would be downgrading in quality, but honestly I feel these speakers lack appeal. For one thing, they are a little bright, just like the MB Quarts I had for a short period in my car. I don't care for bright sounding audio gear (fatigue's the ears).

I'm wondering if these EPOS would work as a good all around listener. My music tastes range from a lot of old jazz, all the way to 80's pop/rock. I'm wondering if these things would work well for my purpose. They would be driven by an Adcom GFA-545.

Even though it is not a concrete attribute, I feel like metal dome tweeters for the most part seem to be more bright and rough on my ears. In the past, I have seemed to enjoy the sound more out of speaker systems that had soft dome tweeters of some form. I am very fond of A/D/S, they are very neutral and laid back, which is exactly what I want (some people think this sound is plain, but I'm all about it).

Thanks for the input.

[matt39]

Hi vr6,

While I cannot speak from experience with the Epos ESL3's, the reviews I have read indicate that they would probably suit your listening tastes. I do have some experience with a couple different models however which might provide good alternatives if you want to look around a little. First, the Acoustic Energy Aegis Evo One which is the same price as the Epos. This speaker is an excellent all round performer and looks quite nice too. It has a nice full sound and does a good job in the treble range without being bright. The second model I think might suit you is the KEF Q1 which is more expensive at $450. This speaker has decent bass and excellent mid range, very smooth sounding. It seems a little rolled off in the high frequencies. I don't wish to discourage you from getting the ESL3's but since you have a very good amp and you aren't limited to the $300 range in your budget, it might pay you to audition some other speakers before you make your final decision. Good luck.

[vr6ofpain]

Hi vr6,

While I cannot speak from experience with the Epos ESL3's, the reviews I have read indicate that they would probably suit your listening tastes. I do have some experience with a couple different models however which might provide good alternatives if you want to look around a little. First, the Acoustic Energy Aegis Evo One which is the same price as the Epos. This speaker is an excellent all round performer and looks quite nice too. It has a nice full sound and does a good job in the treble range without being bright. The second model I think might suit you is the KEF Q1 which is more expensive at $450. This speaker has decent bass and excellent mid range, very smooth sounding. It seems a little rolled off in the high frequencies. I don't wish to discourage you from getting the ESL3's but since you have a very good amp and you aren't limited to the $300 range in your budget, it might pay you to audition some other speakers before you make your final decision. Good luck.

Thanks for the info, I'll look around online for those two...and yes a speaker with a little bit of a roll off up high is fine (maybe better) for my tastes.

[vr6ofpain]

Wow these KEF's are beautiful.

http://www.audioenz.co.nz/2002/Images/kef_q1.jpg

I assume the point source setup sound very good too. Retail is $999, I wonder if these can be had for less, because they are made in China after all. Time to look for a KEF dealer. These are definately going on the list of speakers I need to hear before I make a purchase.

Honestly though, I'm starting to think I should try rearranging my room so that the speakers could possibly be setup a little more optimally. Right now I have them on decent stands a tad more than a foot away from the rear wall, and only about 4-5 feet apart!!! (so obviously they are very far from the side walls). This can't be good for the stereo image. Plus the speakers have the tweeters a little offset from the woofer centerline, and unfortunately they are not mirrors of each other, but identical.*


*(this is what I mean):

|'''''''''''''''''''''''"'''''|
|..(O)...........| <-Tweeter
|...______....|
|..//.........\\...|
|.((....O....))..| <-Woofer
|..\\_____//...|
|__________|

[vr6ofpain]

So basically I'm left with this:

|'''''''''''''''''''''''"'''''|````````````````````````|''''''''''''''''''' ''''"'''''|
|..(O)...........|````````````````````````|..(O).. .........|
|...______....|````````````````````````|.....____. .....|
|..//.........\\...|````````````````````````|..//.........\\...|
|.((....O....))..|````````````````````````|.((.... O....))..|
|..\\_____//...|````````````````````````|..\\.____.//...|
|__________|````````````````````````|__________|

You get the point. If I move side to side while listening to music, the sound changes noticably, and the sweet spot is small.

[RGA]

Well I heard a more expensive Epos and I don;t see the appeal - they were not bright but they were pretty dull and muffled sounding - I don't get the appeal. I'd keep your MB Quarts until you can afford something better. Get a speaker with some reasonable bass response even if you are going to use a sub. Audio Note AX Two at $550.00 is a killer speaker - even if you pay $200.00 just to drive someplace that has them you're still way ahead IMO against everything I've heard under $1k. The Dane 42 is very good costs more and is harder to drive and IMO isn't as good.

Now the AX Two has been selling for several years now - Yes yes i'm a fanboy - yes they are a smaller less fancy company blah blah blah. Killer sound. http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?threadid=16130

[RGA]

AX Two photos - they use Vifa drivers and are built in Denmark - $550.00List. Put a 1 in front and it would still be a very good speaker.

[vr6ofpain]

speaking of Vifa, I was looking through the drivers sold through partsexpress. do you know if DynaVox has any connection to Dynaudio? because their drivers look extremely similar, and then there is the name....!?!

I have to take your word for their sound, because you have to admit they dont look impressive, considering the simple box, and paper cone woofer. but the sound they produce is the important thing.

[vr6ofpain]

here is a better idea.

my setup:
http://www.parts4vws.com/images/members/redventoglx/setup.JPG

close up of one of the QLC200's:
http://www.parts4vws.com/images/members/redventoglx/QLC200.JPG

[RGA]

Lot's of folks make a compelling case that "when done right" there is no better woofer material than paper - and Audio Note DOES it right.

You should take no ones word for it and that includes mine or TAS or Stereophiles. I don't take reviewers words for it - I usually post reviews of speakers I like to merely back up my opinion.

Yes they don't look like much - If you want looks you can spend 4 times the money on the B&W 705 - it doesn't sound nearly as good but it certainly looks cool.

[theaudiohobby]

Lot's of folks make a compelling case that "when done right" there is no better woofer material than paper.

RGA, why do persist in chatting crap? who are these folks exactly and what did they really say when is a paper woofer still a paper woofer or do you forget that many paper woofers are impregnated with other materials to improve performance? somehow I think these folks are the guys on audioasylum :cool: , eh? Or is this another of Peter Qvortrup's nuggets of wisdom :mad: ?

vr6ofpain,

The Kef Q1 is a very good speaker for the money and you should check it out

[N. Abstentia]

I would have been dissapointed if this had not turned into a huge advertisement for Audio Note.

Paradigm Studio's sound better.

[vr6ofpain]

I ended up spacing them apart about another 6" or so, and towed them in about 20 degrees. the sweet spot has opened up a little. the sound doesn't "violently" chance if you sway back and forth while listening. though I still think this setup is missing something.

what do you all think about running your main's high pass(>80hz) and your sub low pass(80hz and below). this is how my setup is running right now out of my CP-3.