" The ES15 comes in response to an overwhelming demand for a small footprint, discreet froor-standing loudspeaker with the musical qualities inherent in the stand-mounting ES12. Along with the ability to integrate unobtrusively into any decor, the ES15 provides more low frequency extention than its bookshelf counterpart. However, true to Epos tradition, its bass is fast, tuneful and cohesive. "
The highly popular, award-winning ES12 remains a landmark product for Epos. However many music lovers nowadays prefer not to use loudspeakers that require stands, finding their appearance inappropriate in many home enviroments. To answer requests for what might be called a stand-less ES12, we set out to engineer a streamlined floor-stander: a model with all the desirable qualities of a compact loudspeaker but housed in a tower-style enclosure. The result is the Epos ES15, in which musical integrity embraces complete domestic acceptability.
Both the drive units in the ES15 are developments of the advanced designs engineered for ES12, optimised specifically for this loudspeaker.
The in-house designed tweeter uses a 25mm, low mass, aluminium alloy dome and a nitrile rubber suspension. Resilient and free from audible break-up resonance, it provides exceptionally clear, fast treble with an outstanding transient response that effortlessly captures the most subtle detail. A high-efficiency magnetic system raises its sensitivity while reducing distortion. Liquid cooling improves its power handling and linearity.
Housed in low coloration, rigid polimer chassis, which forms an integral part of the loudspeaker baffle, the 150mm bass/midrange driver uses an injection-moulded Polypropylene cone whose profile is contoured to optimise its performance. The shallow flared profile of the diafragm delivers an even bass response and provides a controlled roll-off at the upper extreme of its pass-band, allowing a smooth transition to the tweeter. A large, powerful motor system, including 32mm high power voice coi, optimises the driver's transient performance and provides extended but rigorously controlled bass. The motor system is designed to concentrate the magnetic field where it is required and prevent wasteful flux leakage. The oversized pole piece and a minimal length voice coil provide linear, distortion-free travel of the coil and cone, improving the accuracy and dynamics of the driver's performance.
The slim, elegant cabinet, attractively finished in real-wood veneer, does more than allow the ES15 to present a pleasing aspect to the listener. It's compact proportions allied with extensive structural bracing minimise panel vibration to reduce transient smear and improve detail retrieval. The dispersal of standing waves provided by the internal bracing and a combination of absorptive and diffusive materials, along with a low diffraction baffle design, ensures accurate, stable imagery and tangible sound staging. A precisely profiled reflex port augments bass extention. The position of the port is carefully optimised to deliver the boundary loading effects required for extended bass without the smearing of spatial and tonal information caused by turbulence and modal output.
The Crossover In keeping with Epos tradition, and by virtue of scrupulous drive unit design, the ES15 uses a minimal electrical crossover. The bass/midrange unit effectively connects directly to the system amplifier, rolling in and out mechanically. The removal of passive electrical components in the signal path enables the speaker to reveal maximum detail and reproduce the full dynamic power of a musical performance.
The tweeter uses a first order, 6dB/octave network comprising our Dissimilar Value Parallel component technology. This allows the delicate high frequency signals to reach the tweeter through as clean a path as possible, imparting an accurate, lucid quality to the upper octaves. To reduce component microphony and ensure filter stability, the capacitors are hard-wired and mounted in a compliant manner on the self-damped rear baffle.
The ES15 can be used with any high quality amplifier rated between 25 and 100 Watts. More powerful models may be used with caution, but it is best to avoid amplifiers rated below 25 Watts. Please note however, that amplifier quality is a more important consideration than its power rating: a musically rewarding 50 Watt design will provide greater satisfaction with the ES15 than a less capable 100 Watt model.
The ES15 will normally perform well when placed in free space at least 50cm from the nearest wall. It does not require proximity to a room boundary to deliver its correct bass response. For optimum results, however, you should treat your room as an individual acoustic environment and experiment with different placements. Often, moving speakers a few inches closer to or further from a wall will yield superior performance.
The ES15 equipped for bi-wiring. Two pairs of high quality gold-plated terminals allow the use of separate cables (or amplifiers) to connect the bass/midrange driver and tweeter for improved stereo imagery, control and detail resolution
Power Handling 100 Watts speech and music
Frequency Response 44Hz - 20kHz
Impedance 8 ohms Nominal
Sensitivity 88dB/1 watt/1 metre
Finish Light and Dark Cherry wood veneer
Dimensions 820mm(H) x 200mm(W) x 250mm(D)
Weight 16kg
An acoustically transparent foam grille is supplied
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