Review

Epicentrix Complete Review - Audio & Video Lifestyle - Australia

01 Feb 2007

During my ‘behind the counter’ hi-fi retailing days in London, the very first surround sound systems we sold generally consisted an add-on decoder and 3 pack of speakers to turn a stereo system in a Pro Logic one. This was all well and good at the time and served its purpose. Customers had the stereo system and sound they knew and loved, but it could also deliver the surround effects with VHS video tape, or for the real enthusiast the 30cm diameter predecessor to DVD, the Laserdisc. A lot’s happened in the home theatre arena since then.

However, despite the ensuing advent of Dolby Digital, DVD-Video and now 7.1 channels of surround sound, the same single speaker that was the most important in any home theatre system back in the early days, is still numero uno today. It is, of course, the centre channel speaker.

Now, not a lot of people realise this and assume any little 2-way speaker will do, as ‘it only handles voices, right?’ Wrong. On average, with a Dolby Digital or DTS surround soundtrack the centre channel handles the lion’s share of the surround sound information. It also plays a pivotal role bridging the gap between the main front loudspeakers, so matching these three is critical if you’re to achieve the best possible timbral union. It’s primary function is to carry movie dialogue, but it also handles plenty of other sounds such as those that accompany video movements from one side to the other, which is why it’s best to match it with the stereo fronts, which is why for the purpose of this review I used a pair of Krix’s Neuphonix floorstanders, reviewed on their own in Audio & Video Lifestyle magazine (issue AVL-148).

The new Krix in question is the $1,900 Epicentrix and it’s by far Krix’s biggest centre channel to date. Well, it’s the biggest domestic centre speaker as Krix also manufactures commercial cinema speakers. Having this knowledge of commercial cinema sound is a distinct advantage when it comes to its home theatre products.

The Epicentrix (love the name) came about to compliment the Neuphonix in a multichannel speaker system. Partnering surrounds and subwoofers isn’t as crucial as the front three, although it makes a lot of sense to keep things in the same speaker family and with Krix it would be its KDX as surrounds and any of its Seismix subwoofers. I used components of my usual KEF’s, with the dipole iQ8ds surrounds and PSW3000 subwoofer, while rear centre duties were handled by an in-ceiling pair of Krix Holographix. Everything was hooked up to a Yamaha RX-V2700 AV receiver.

But let’s take a closer look at the speaker in question. Firstly, it’s big; secondly it’s heavy. Aaron’s Hyperboloid HCC-600 has been about the biggest and most impressive centre loudspeaker that I’ve heard recently and the Krix is of even greater substance. It’s longer at just under a metre and weighs a hefty 24kg, the sort of weight you’d associate with a single substantial floorstander. In fact, that’s how you can think of this loudspeaker – it’s like having a third main front, just turned on its side. There’s a bit more to it than just this though – the drivers (there are six all up) are specially aligned and the array has been designed to maximise dispersion. The Epicentrix packs five 5-inch (130mm) coated paper cone bass/mid drivers and a single 26mm dual concentric diaphragm tweeter with the distinctive wave-guide centre plug.

The configuration uses four bass drivers with a midrange driver and the tweeter in vertical alignment. Krix developed a proprietary bass driver for the Epicentrix in order to meet the challenge of delivering as much bass performance from the cabinet volume. Although the drivers look the same as those used in the Neuphonix (they use the same cone and basket) the motor system is quite different with magnets roughly twice the size on the Epicentrix’ bass drivers. Everything’s mounted in a bass reflex cabinet with twin forward-firing ports, while round the back, the Epicentrix can be bi-wired using 4mm binding posts.

Sitting beneath a 42-inch Plasma screen, the Epicentrix is almost as wide and imposing with such a sized screen. It’s the sort of centre that looks more at home beneath a projection screen, which is where I sat it, atop a stand big enough to accommodate the Krix. And although my Yamaha RX-V2700 packs a fairly hefty punch on its lonesome, I thought I’d beef things up a bit and added my ME 550II power amplifier into the mix, solely driving the centre channel. The Epicentrix has been designed and its rated to 200 watts, so I thought I’d put this to the test. The rest of the system was shaping up nicely with a Sony VPL-VW100 projector providing HD images courtesy of Toshiba’s HD-E1 HD DVD player, which is also reviewed in this issue. I certainly had a pretty good system to test this centre’s home theatre ability.

Usually with any loudspeaker I start of with music, but decided to kick things off with what this particular loudspeaker is likely to handle most – movie dialogue and central effects. No matter what the film, as long as someone’s talking the Epicentrix fills in the centre of the soundstage while maintaining a super tight focus on the dialogue. With big screen action films like Spider-Man 2 or Star Wars II: The Attack Of The Clones, the Krix helps immensely in turning on the thrills but it remains extremely subtle when need be also. The good old ‘impress your mates’ pod race in Star Wars is a fine example of having heard it sooo many times before on a variety of systems, the effect with the three big Krix’s upfront is nothing short of awe-inspiring. Apart from the pod action, the Epicentrix also handles the race commentary and it does so with tremendous clarity and dexterity, despite the frantic on-screen action.

Changing to films where dialogue and tonality are more important, such as Das Boot or Ali and the Epicentrix delivers voices with superb character and expression. With such clarity and tonal balance this centre channel speaker lets you appreciate the acting as well as the action. Voices sound rich and wholesome, spreading deep into the room, while the higher frequencies and female vocals in particular benefit from terrific transparency and purity of tone. The three speakers present a harmonious front, with the Epicentrix providing plenty of width to match the Neuphonix’ punch and presence; no matter what the film, the central image is constantly strong and stable.

With music, be it either the Yamaha’s 7-channel stereo, Pro Logic IIx or DTS Neo:6 decoding, the big Krix adds a ton of weight and presence of its own. It’s a natural and very musical performer, achieving a nice balance across the entire musical spectrum. There’s ample, tuneful bass weight, an assured and dynamic midband plus plenty of crisp treble detail.

Beautifully built, the Epicentrix matches the Neuphonix perfectly and is without doubt one of the most articulate and convincing centre channel loudspeakers I’ve ever heard. It’s an expensive bit of kit and you definitely need the right partnering equipment and a room big enough to do it justice, but if you can tick all these boxes then you’re going to be in for a really rewarding home theatre experience.

Rating:

Performance - * * * * *
Build Quality - * * * *
Compatibility - * * *
Value for Money - * * * *

- Audio & Video Lifestyle - Australia , Nic Tatham

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