Looking for info on EPI 601

[Guest]

Hi,

Just saw a set of EPI 601s on ebay. The seller described them as "Woa! These behemoths are just another example of the quality speaker manufacturers imitating the Bose 901 Design. These are the 901's on steroids! Weigh 60 pounds each, with a 6" woofer and a tweeter in the front and 2 8" woofers and 2 tweeters - one on each side in the rear. "

I know it is a sales job but they sound interesting. Never saw them.

Anyone have them? Anyone heard them? Anyone heard of them?

[Guest]

About all the information you'll find online is here: http://www.humanspeakers.com/epi601.htm

Keith

[Guest]

Thanks, I've been there and done that. He has a picture from what he called "the brown book" that shows 602s that sure look like the description.

Hu is pretty good with EPI but he specializes in Genesis which came from some ex EPI people.

I was (and still am) hoping to hear from someone who owned them or saw and heard them.

But you are very right about www.humanspeakers.com. This place should have a link to them. The guy has parts and used speakers for sale plus he has new speakers using the old designs with new materials.

[Guest]

Used to sell them and have listened to them fo many hours. A lot of mobile fidelity stuff and direct to disk. In my opinion superior to the BOSE 901's any generation. An incredible speaker that with proper plaement and power are as good as it gets. The base is incredibly tight and powerful. Frequency response is absolutely flat with great midrange presence.

One of the best I've ever heard

[Guest rickcee]

Hi Well, this is actualy meaningless, but the best (no, most impressive ) speakers I ever heard were some EPI s - forget the model, one of the big ones that combines two or 3 model EPI 100 's in one cabinet -- playing Mahhavishnu Orchestra (don't ask me to spell that without holding the cover !) Sounded super great , and that's not really my fave type music.

[Guest hongman]

I am a newbie to this list, and I have owned a pair of EPI 602's since purchased in 1974 from a local hifi dealer in Cleveland at their annual "scratch & dent" sale. These are greeat speakers, but do require some stout stands to support their 65lbs apeice weight, and their 4 ohm nominal resistance rating require gobs of power to drive properly. As mentioned by a prior lister, these speakers do require the proper amount of "space" in your listening room to achieve their potential, as 70% of their energy is directed from the rear firing speaker modules ala the Blose 901's, but hey, dorm rooms aren't that big, and they still sounded great in college.

I dragged these speakers from home to college, and used them until maybe 5-6 years ago, when a SO mandated living room remodel squeezed them to a lonely existence in the garage. I really need to clear out a room in the basement for them, so they can once again sing...!!

The foam woofer surrounds turned to dust back in 1988 (before internet), so I took them to a local speaker refurbisher who at that time recommended just replacing the woofers. Since EPI had long gone out of business, we replaced all the woofers with quality aftermarket woofers with butyl rubber surrounds, rebuilt the crossovers, and blasphemy... we also replaced the inverted tweeters with silk dome tweeters!! Either my ears are shot, or they sounded even better than the original drivers. Still had that signature EPI sound, but the treble frequencies were just a tad brighter and extended. As a previous listed mentioned, the bass is tight and powerful.

Anyway, I was at a local used stereo equpment shop in Lakewood OH, and saw another set of mint 602's on the shelf... and the shop was asking $150 for the pair.