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Speaker Asylum: REVIEW: Avance Epsilon 930 Speakers by jonbee

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REVIEW: Avance Epsilon 930 Speakers

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Model: Epsilon 930
Category: Speakers
Suggested Retail Price: $1300
Description: 2 way stand mount
Manufacturer URL: Avance
Manufacturer URL: Avance

Review by jonbee ( A ) on April 05, 2002 at 21:15:43
IP Address: 12.228.10.1
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for the Epsilon 930


Avance is a Danish speaker manufacturer who has tried to break into the American market, but has pulled out. I am writing this review to give a heads up on some well built speakers that are available cheaply from time to time in the used market. The 930 is a discontinued model from the company's top Epsilon line. There are four other models in that line, which are very similar in drivers, designs, xovers, etc., but differ principally in cabinet size and number of drivers.
This line uses variations of the Scanspeak 18W/8546 7" Kevlar woofer, and a 3/4" Scanspeak tweeter. Crossovers are well thought out with good quality parts, and the cabinets are well made and fairly inert. They have a vinyl veneer that is nicer than average, comparable to the Danish Dynaudio Audience line. The 930 has one woofer and tweeter, in a largish (14x14x9) cabinet. This speaker is roughly comparable to the Audience 52, which it also sounds similar to (Danish competitors!).
The sound is well balanced and smooth, and very coherent with good bass to below 50 hz. Highs are clean and extended. The dynamics are as good as most speakers in its price range, and instruments have good harmonic accuracy. The qualities of the sound are very well matched from top to bottom, with no area standing out. Quite enjoyable, overall. However, in comparison to the best of the competition I have heard at this price point, the low level detail and instrumental and ambient cues are somewhat lacking, making the sound a bit 2 dimensional. Speakers like the ACI Sapphire and GR Paradox 1 have more "blackness" behind the instruments for contrast, and display more natural sounding detail. The ACI goes deeper in the bass, with better control as well. The mids are more open, uncolored and separated on the ACI and GR as well. As mentioned earlier, the sound overall reminds me of the $899 Dynaudio Audience 52. The 930 is larger and goes a little deeper than the Dyn. I have not a-b'd them, so I can't say much more than that. At the retail price, I think there are better choices, but I picked mine up for a fraction of that, and they represent good value and engineering at the lower price.


Product Weakness: Not great at depth and low level instrumental definition. Vinyl cabinet veneer.
Product Strengths: Smooth, extended and coherent sound. Well built with quality parts.


Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier: Bel Canto EVO 200.2
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): CJ PFR
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Sony 7000 as transport, Genesis time lens,Sony 333 SACD,MSB Gold DAC
Speakers: Merlin VSM GenIIIRC, Legacy Impact sub, GR Paradox 1, ACI SapphireIII
Cables/Interconnects: Goertz MI2, TQ
Music Used (Genre/Selections): lots
Room Size (LxWxH): 22 x 18 x 8
Room Comments/Treatments: Two walls of glass
Time Period/Length of Audition: 2 days
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): Monster Cable 2000
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner




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Topic - REVIEW: Avance Epsilon 930 Speakers - jonbee 21:15:43 04/5/02 ( 5)