reProducer Audio Labs Epic 55 Midfield Monitor

Recording Magazine (USA)
July 2021
by Paul Vnuk Jr.

This trapezoidal high-rise monitor is toweringly epic.

We first met reProducer Audio Labs in March 2020 with the inaugural Epic 5, a uniquely trapezoidal 5” two-way nearfield monitor with a bottom-firing passive radiator handling lowend dispersion. I found the Epic 5 to be a “beautifully detailed, highly portable, great sounding monitor, custom made for small spaces.” This time around, we meet the larger Epic 55. Everything that made the Epic 5 unique and worthwhile goes double for the Epic 55—literally.

Double-up

The Epic 55 is designed in Breisach, Germany, and manufactured overseas. All internal and external components are custom designed to strict tolerances exclusive to reProducer. The Epic 55, like the smaller Epic 5, is a DSP-free, all inphase, pure analog design offering low distortion, fast transient response, high dynamic range, and flat phase response. The Epic 55, like the smaller Epic 5, is a DSP-free, all inphase, pure analog design offering low distortion, fast transient response, high dynamic range, and flat phase response.

At first glance, the Epic 55 looks like one Epic 5 upside down on top of another. The 20.3" x 7.5" x 12.6" tower is a two-way design featuring two 5.25" coated woofers over and under a custom- designed ultra-light 1" dome tweeter. This inverted, stacked design also adds a matching passive radiator on the top of the cabinet as well as the bottom. To keep the upper radiator free from dust and curious fingers, a magnetic cloth cover that fits flush to the top of the entire cabinet is included.

As with the Epic 5, the Epic 55 is designed to sit on four 1 6/8" rounded aluminum spikes which gives the bottom radiator room to do its job, along with optional silicone pads that isolate the speaker from a surface.

The Epic 55 is designed to work horizontally as well as vertically, and they even made the logo badge spring adjustable for either configuration.

Power, connections and controls

Three internal Class D amplifiers handle power (see the spec sheet). The crossover point is 2.5 kHz, 24dB/oct. The Epic 55 has a single balanced XLR input on the back as well as large, stepped controls for high frequency (±5 dB from 2.5 kHz) and low frequency (±5 dB below 250 Hz), which you can adjust for both room optimization and personal taste. A third stepped knob offers ±15 dB of attenuation. 

Also on the back is a power switch and a standby switch that puts the monitor to sleep when signal is not present and wakes it when it returns.

Finally, while the portable design of the Epic 5 was highlighted by the inclusion of a custom-fitted carrying case, with the Epic 55, you get a pair, one for each speaker.

In use

I set up the Epic 55 alongside its smaller sibling in my untreated home listening and editing space with a Universal Audio Apollo x4 handling speaker switching duties. In addition to video and audio editing and framing out a few rough mixes and demos, I used the Epic 55 as my primary casual listening monitor, just as I had done with the Epic 5 previously.

The Epic 55 was placed directly on my desktop in a nearfield setup, with most of my listening hovering between 52 to 60dB. I would call the sound of the Epic 55 full, dimensional, and immersive. With the Epic 55, I feel like I’m sitting inside the music, rather than feeling like it’s coming forward at me.

On paper, the Epic 5 specs out with a higher reach—up to 38 kHz vs. 30 kHz on the Epic 55. Granted, most of us can’t hear those frequencies, and while the Epic 5 does present as slightly brighter in side-by-side comparisons, the Epic 55 exhibits an airier top end and a wider soundstage.

On the bass side, like many 5" monitors, the Epic 5 presents a nice haptic thump and punch, as mentioned in the previous review. In contrast, the low end of the Epic 55 is fuller and reaches deeper.

I find the Epic 5 also presents as more forward in the midrange, while the mid frequencies come across as more neutral and wide on the Epic 55. Interestingly, I found that engaging the low shelf of the Epic 5, i.e., lessening the low end a tad, gave both the 5 and 55 a similar sound at moderate listening levels.

One of my favorite things about the Epic 55 is that when listening at 60-80dB, the sound is so full and engulfing that it offers the illusion of being louder than it is, which is excellent for getting a loud read on a mix without fatiguing your ears.

Midfield advantage

Next, I set the Epic 55 up on monitor stands at Moss Garden Music, my fully treated mix room. Going in, I wondered how these slim-looking towers would fare next to my usual main monitors, and they did not disappoint. I was honestly impressed by the level they could put out in a midfield position and still fill the space comfortably and believably at 60-100dB listening levels.

While they do not rattle a room like the 10" drivers in my three-way mains, they maintained their fullness, reach and, more importantly, their dimensionality. It’s here that I also become acquainted with their low thrust, which only becomes apparent when the Epic 55 is allowed to stretch its legs in a larger space, at a higher volume.

Epic

The Epic 55 is aptly named and packs a lot of sound into a very slender package. They work equally well in small intimate spaces and moderate-size rooms, balancing fullness, depth, and clarity. They are also easy to tweak to taste. The Epic 55 sounds like few other monitors I own or have reviewed. This may seem like a backhanded compliment, but at times, I forgot they were there. These Epic 55 monitors are a high-fidelity joy to listen to.

Specs

Frequency Response:	40-30.000 Hz ±3dB
Frequency Response:	35-30.000 Hz ± 10dB
Amplifier Power:	1 x 75W RMS, 2 x 120W Peak
Amplifier Technology:	Class D, 115dB dynamics, high current capability
Maximum SPL:	112 dB(C) SPL (pair, 1m)
Woofer:	5.25" (x2)
Tweeter:	1" metal dome with resonance chamber
Crossover:	2kHz, 24dB/Octave
Input Impedance balanced (XLR):	12 kohm
Input Sensitivity symmetrical (XLR):	+4 dBu
Input Sensitivity unbalanced (XLR):	-10 dBV

Price: $3650

More from: reproduceraudiolabs.com (distributed in North America by Eleven Dimensions Media)

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