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Epos or Kudos?

seedsy

seedsy

Member
A pair of Kudos Super 20 popped onto my radar, and I’m considering them to replace my Epos ES14s. Amplification is Exposure IVdr. No way to audition. Would this be a positive move?

My room requires placement fairly near the back wall, which has never been optimal for the Epos. Any experience appreciated.
 
Kudos are pretty tolerant of near wall placement and always have been, AIUI. They use top drawer drivers too. I’d say that could be a good move.
 
I have had Kudos C20 for some years and drove them with Exposure mono viiis. I reckoned the C20 will appreciate more power, so your ivdr should do great. Placement is quite easy, well they appreciate some space but they aren’t as tricky as Epos, which I also enjoyed.

The Kudos has very lovely highs, incisive they are but I’d no experience with Super 20. You may sacrifice some midrange moving to Kudos. Epos ES14 has some of the best midrange.
 
I replaced my ES14s with Kudos Cardea C20s 5 years ago. The 14s are in dry storage in the attic room to this day, just for old times sake. The C20s are about 15cm in from the wall, slight toe-in approx 2m apart, and approx 150cm in from the side walls. Listening position is near field, approx 2m away, well forward of the rear wall. A much better performer all round in my situation, room, partnering equipment etc than the ES14s.
 
I bought super 20A s a few years ago to replace my russell K speakers

I thought the russell K would be a hard act to follow because of the totally amazing detail they portray
Why did I change then?

More bass needed...

The super 20A got most of the way to the russell K but with a little more bass that was required....are very tolerant of being close to the wall ....which is good ...as my wife is not tolerant of them being away from it;)

Overall in my (passive) system the S20A are brilliant....highly recommended
(Though I still love russell K :rolleyes:)
 
I guess it depends on how much you like the midrange. For me I keep coming back to ES14s because that is what really matters to me. The bass is ok at best and the treble is a bit ragged but that transparency around the midrange I just can’t find in another speaker.
Having said that it is only recently I have understood what it is that draws me back so didn’t know what to look for and was just randomly trying well thought of speakers.
 
I'd imagine S20 is in another class entirely, would buy them instantly myself if price is right and no custom borders between.
ES14 do have shortcomings: Tweeter X-over part need replacement over years, bas is hard to get right.
 
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Surely S20A would be a second hand purchase as Kudos no longer list them (I believe) and the nearest equivalent would be the 505 or 606 ?
 
Good point - I think it was the 505s I heard (if they are the standmount version of their higher end range). I heard them in another manufacturers dem room (can't remember who unfortunately) and they were superb. I then went to the Kudos dem room where they played 606s. Fab too!
 
So the sale was a scam. Luckily I didn’t purchase the Super 20s. They aside, would the lesser Kudos x2 or x3 be a backwards move from the Epos?
 
seedsy said:
So the sale was a scam. Luckily I didn’t purchase the Super 20s. They aside, would the lesser Kudos x2 or x3 be a backwards move from the Epos?
Click to expand...

I’ve just replaced my ES11 with the x2 and I prefer Kudos. They may better suit my room or the ES11 are aged.
 
The Kudos Cardera series speakers C10, C20 and the ‘supers’ are current models, listed on the Cymbiosis and Kudos sites. The X series are no more. No big loss to my ears as for the same money they were out performed by Proac or PMC.

I have Super C10s, 23cm from the rear wall and and am delighted with them.
 
Can't agree re the X series. Have owned Proac before, demoed PMCs, and now have the X2s. All good just taste- and room-specific.
 
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