Product Review
reProducer Audio Labs Epic 5 Nearfield Monitor
RECORDING Magazine (USA)
March 2020
March 2020
by Paul Vnuk Jr.
Editor-in-Chief
Editor-in-Chief
A unique new speaker designed in Germany with boutique sonics, in an affordable, portable package.
reProducer Audio Labs is a new company located in Breisach, Germany. Its inaugural product, launched at the 2019 AES convention in New York, is the Epic 5, a compact 5" nearfield studio monitor designed for professional and project studios alike, with an emphasis on detailed and honest sonics, in a compact, portable package. |
While the company and speaker are new, there's a design / engineering connection to the folks behind the United Minorities brand, maker of the handmade, ultra-boutique Ginko nearfield monitor.
reProducer Audio Labs aim to take the design ethos, knowledge, and most importantly, the detailed sound found in the boutique monitor world, and with overseas production, make models that are more affordable than their top-shelf counterparts. Designed in Germany and manufactured in China, it’s worth noting that there are no off-the-shelf mass produced or OEM components used in the Epic 5; all parts internal and external are custom designed to strict tolerances. |
Frequency Response: |
56-33.000 Hz ±3dB |
Frequency Response: |
45-38.000 Hz ± 10dB |
Amplifier Power: |
2 x 75W RMS, 2 x 150W Peak |
Amplifier Technology: |
Class D, 115dB Dynamic Range, High current and Damping, Response up to 100kHz, very low Noise |
Maximum sound pressure per pair in full space in 1m of 100Hz: |
109 dB(C) SPL |
Power Supply: |
Universal 100-240VAC, 50/60Hz |
Woofer: |
5.25", self-developed, super-fast, resonance free |
Tweeter: |
1", self-developed, metal calotte with resonance chamber |
Crossover: |
2kHz, 24dB/Octave |
Input Impedance balanced (XLR): |
12kOhm |
Input Impedance unbalanced (RCA): |
3.3kOhm |
Input Sensitivity symmetrical: |
+4 dBu |
Input Sensitivity unbalanced: |
-10 dBV |
Speakers and Radiators
Upper frequencies are handled by a custom-designed ultra-light 1" dome tweeter. The low end is handled via a custom 5.25" coated woofer. The crossover frequency is 2 kHz, 24dB/oct. The Epic 5 is a sealed cabinet design, and its flared trapezoidal design is not merely for looks. Instead of a bass port, the Epic 5 makes use of a bottom-firing 6.25" coated passive radiator. A passive radiator looks just like a speaker, surround and all, minus a center voice coil. Its job is to move in opposition to the woofer to disburse its air and energy. To give the radiator room to breathe, the cabinet rests on 1 6/8" aluminum spikes with optional silicone pads that isolate the speaker while protecting the surface of your desktop, meter bridge, or speaker stands. Power is delivered by a pair of internal Class D 75W RMS amplifiers. For optimum performance, the Epic 5 needs to rest on a flat surface. |
Connections and Controls
Rear connections include a switchable choice of -10dB RCA unbalanced or +4dB balanced XLR inputs. In addition to a power switch, there’s a switchable stand-by mode that puts the monitor to sleep after a period of inactivity and wakes it from slumber when a signal is present. In the units I was sent, there’s an audible click as the speakers enter standby mode, but not when they wake. There are also a pair of stepped high frequency (±5 dB from 2.5kHz), and low frequency (±5 dB below 250 Hz) trim controls to aid in room correction and for tweaking your listening preferences to taste. |