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Tweaking EPOS ES11

snaphappybob

snaphappybob

pfm Member
Not sure I'm safe with a soldering iron but the internals look so basic and the speakers are relatively inexpensive so why not. There doesn't appear to be a crossover as such just a couple of resistors. What spec would I need to order to replace them?
Cheers
Rob
 
Why do you want to replace them and with what objective? As their marketing bumpf points out these speakers have not been designed for high fidelity but to sound musical/colourful/voiced (or whatever is the politically correct term). This makes modifications trickier than would be the case for a speaker with a more clearly defined technical objective.
 
I have to open them up as one of the drivers has an issue but I've sourced a replacement.
I'm very fond of the speakers which sound great barring the issue.
Heard a few people singing the praises of the ES11s and recommending these tiny mods.
 
snaphappybob said:
I have to open them up as one of the drivers has an issue but I've sourced a replacement.
Click to expand...
That was good because I believe Epos manufactured their own drivers and ceased productions many years ago.

snaphappybob said:
I'm very fond of the speakers which sound great barring the issue.
Click to expand...
Sounds like a good reason to leave them alone to me.

snaphappybob said:
Heard a few people singing the praises of the ES11s and recommending these tiny mods.
Click to expand...
Were these few people competent or fruitcakes? I guess it won't matter much so long as you can back out the change if it is not to your taste.
 
As you mention, the only component for the crossover is a single capacitor for the tweeter to stop low frequencies getting there - the bass driver is effectively connected direct to your amp, so it's giving you lots of the benefit normally associated with active monitors, hence the appeal of the midrange in the sound.

I believe replacing the capacitor is a common enough thing to do, but i'm not sure it would avoid the basically not great quality of the tweeter, which is the weakest aspect of the implementation. Now if someone knows of a replacement tweeter which could be fitted, that would be really interesting!

BTW, love my pair, had them since 1993.
 
h.g. said:
Why do you want to replace them and with what objective? As their marketing bumpf points out these speakers have not been designed for high fidelity but to sound musical/colourful/voiced (or whatever is the politically correct term). This makes modifications trickier than would be the case for a speaker with a more clearly defined technical objective.
Click to expand...

....although they do actually sound and measure pretty neutral regardless of the bumpf.

To the OP, IIRC the single tweeter cap is a Bennic electrolytic cap. The 'speakers are now about 25 years old so the cap might well have drifted. No harm in replacing it.
 
Apologies Robert,
I understood the Bennic is a poly 'film' cap not an electrolytic? (1.5uF from memory?)
 
That is true, it's a film cap. If memory serves me right, I changed it for a Mundorf with good success - but that was more than 15 yrs ago.
 
I think you'll find there's a resistor or two in there as well, because for the ES 11 Epos used an OEM MB Quart tweeter, rather than the bespoke and sensitivity matched one in the ES 14.

But yes, of all the speakers that might benefit from tweaking, the ES 11 ranks very low; great just as they are. Adding a good sub would be the most useful "mod".
 
My pair at the time (rosewood edition) did not have a resistor - one Bennic capacitor, that was it. When I got adventurous and changed it for a Mundorf Supreme cap of the same value, a resistor had to be added, as the treble had become even more prominent.
 
As it is a while ago since this topic started I feel the need to share mine modification on the ES11 which will result in speakers that will sound "beyond believe".
I'll keep it short.I have tested different capicitors and even more resistors,metal and carbon in mine ES11.
First thing I did was replacing the stranded Naïm cables inside for solid 0.6mm copper cable in a hollow cotton sleeve and a teflon tube over it.Only this replacement made a huge difference in sound for the better even on the supernait II of my brother.Than I went to drivers.
Mundorf Supreme didn't meet my expectations a single bit and found it rather a down than a upgrade.
Switch the mundorf capacitor and resistor for the Jantzen Superior Z-cap in combination with a Mills MRA5 47R resistor and tell me on which level your ES11 has landed...
You won't believe it till you hear it and tell me "are you going back to mundorf supreme?"
 
Interesting thread! Has anyone tried playing around with the ES11 tweeters ?
Cheers, Yair
 
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