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4.70 of 5
Reviewed by: DanTana1 (AudioPhile)
Review Date July 24, 2009
Overall Rating 
5 of 5
Value Rating 5 of 5
Used product for 1 to 3 months
I purchased these used off CL for a good price. After reading all the positive reviews, especially by Stereophile Magazine I wanted to try a pair. I had been using some decent (I thought) vintage speakers. Infinity Kappa’s, Altec Valencia, Ohm C2, Jamo Coronet, Infinity Reference 2000.6. I had recently been to Best Buys Magnolia room and spent a few hours auditioning the Vienna Acoustics Hayden, Bach, Klipsh, Definitive Technology, Martin Logan, Mirage. I would probably compare the Epos ELS-3 closest to the Vienna Acoustics Hayden. I am driving them with a Sony TA-F700ES integrated amp, Oppo DVD, Sony PS-6 with SME3009 arm Ortofon MC cart, several tuners, Hitachi FT-8000, Denon TU-1500RDS, Carver 11A. I find the Epos to be an amazing speaker because of the imaging and I always feel I’m listening to a much larger speaker. I am using a Polk PSW-10 subwoofer with it, an amazing component in it’s own right. The Epos bass response for a small bookshelf is excellent, not because it goes super low, and it amazes me when people think a small bookshelf should have 20 hz ratings, but that is extremely well detailed and coherent just like the rest of the bandwidth. The treble is never fatiguing and quite clear I don’t crank them to ear splitting levels so I haven’t experienced any grain or harshness, nor do I feel they are at alll rolled off. The ability of the Epos to extract the utmost information from your system and music will show any weaknesses in your system and reward you with it’s strengths. The ability of these speakers to just disappear and create a wide and deep soundstage never ceases to amaze me, I have to keep looking and realize this beautiful music is coming from such tiny objects. Small they are but they have considerable heft to them, I was suprised how heavy they are.
Lately I have also been listening to my Comcast music stations, and find the quality extremely good. I have been adding a new appreciation for the variety of music on there because I now have a true audiophile speaker to dissect the music and reveal it. I feel the Epos ELS-3 is up to the fine Sony TA-F700ES amp and it’s ability to output the fine detail. Hearing the small nuances of a given song and badkground instruments and being able to focus on one or another and not lose it inside the rest of the song is amazing. One of my favorite all time albums is Pink Floyd’s Dark Side of The Moon. Hearing all the voices in the background and the detail has given me new appreciation to the all time classic. For moderately loud listening levels it does a great job, The Beatles Sgt. Peppers was another new listening experience hearing the voices of McCartney, Lennon, Harrison, Starr was brought to a whole new level of realism. Don Henley’s voice on Hotel California never sounded better.
When I hear others talk about the Epos they compare them to speakers costing hundreds to a thousand dollars more, names like Harbeth, Rogers, B&W, Spendor, Magnepan, Vandersteen, Dahlquist, Martin Logan, Vienna Acoustics are just a few, and that is pretty heady company I think. The only speaker I might want to upgrade to now might be the Epos M16i that I’ve read other excellent reviews of, but for now I am extremely happy and sometimes just can’t wait to turn on the stereo and begin listening to my music all over again, and find myself smiling as I listen to a newly familiar song again. I find that these will be the speakers that I compare all others to for now. Great things truly come in small packages.
If you can find a pair of these for a reasonable price used, and now you should be able to for around $200.00 or under, I wouldn’t hesitate. I think you’d have to spend 3-5 times more to match this speaker. I have to tip my hat to the owners and designers at Epos Acoustics for a truly great bargain product.
Extra Resources: Measurement charts on Stereophile
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