149 Comments

  1. Bill says:

    Why do you say spealers instead of speakers on your web page? Below ws a cut and past form your site..

    Direct Acoustics
    Home Stereo Spealers

  2. George says:

    I have a pair of Epicure 400 mini tower speakers I’ve owned since the early 70’s!! Are they worth rebuilding or can I get better sound from new Direct sound speakers? I really love the 400’s but the woofers seem to be breaking down when playing wide frequency music loud!!
    Thank you

  3. Bill Riina says:

    Mr. Burhoe,
    We have just ordered a pair of your Silent Speakers from Huw. We have had a pair of EPI 50s from the 1970s, which we love, and are looking forward to enjoying these new speakers. I do not yet have an amp for the Silents and am looking for advice on what to look for in an integrated amp which will match well with your speakers. How many watts per channel is optimal for the Silents, and what other factors do I need to consider?
    Thanks.

  4. Roland says:

    Hi Winslow,
    I live in a very dusty part of the country (the southwest desert) and I was wondering if the upwards facing membranes of the speakers are pron to collect excessive amounts of dirt or will the covers prevent that. Can they be cleaned?
    Thanks
    Roland

  5. Robby says:

    Hi Mister Burhoe. I live in holland The Netherlands. Ive recently bought a very nice pair of Epi 100,and M60 speakers via ebay USA. So the have travelled many miles. I loved those inverted tweeters!! So lifelike twinkeling highs! Ive never heard tweeters thatsounds so good. My question is why did you not use these wonderful tweets in your new designs?

  6. Dale Launer says:

    What a treat! Back in the ’70’s I was a salesman for University Stereo and EPI was our favorite speaker. I even won a chain-wide EPI sales contest (thanks for the 4 180’s).

    After University I became sales manager for a company called Quatre. You may recall their well-regard Gain Cell amp. Great sound, dubious quality as they didn’t like low impedance loads which tended to make them go into DC-offset and lunch a pair of woofers.

    A couple years back I picked up a pair of 601’s. They were in storage for a while and now I have them set up at another home I just bought. Very sweet, euphonic sound. Now, I also have an Quatre Gain Cell amp. They had awesome-sounding bass – and for some reason would just work magic with an air suspension design. I remember someone brought in AR3a – which I thought had satisfying, but somewhat tubby bass. With the Gain Cell they became magic. I would sell these to people with Dahlquists – telling them that 9 out of 10 DQ-10 owners who lusted for a subwoofer – changed their minds when experiencing them with this amp.

    Anyway – I want to try this amp with the 601’s – I think that would work well. But (pardon the long-winded run up to the question) – what kind of load would I be looking at?

  7. wayne says:

    Are your speakers still avail, if so how much to include shipping?

  8. Scott Frederick says:

    I just acquired a pair of 1000’s, and all of the foam in the woofers has deteriorated. The woofer surrounds seem to be some sort of translucent plastic type of material. Are these original, and would the re-foam kits from Human Speakers be a good option?

  9. Perry Boggs says:

    What are your thoughts on the Epicure model 3.0 Speakers? I remember a few different companies offering pyramid shaped speakers but none make any these days. Are they just cost prohibitive or was the shape just a gimmick. Ditto on the Epicure model 20+ thanks again.

  10. David B. Ryan says:

    Hello Mr. Burhoe,
    I have a pair of your EPI MiniTowers, that I purchased in the early 70s from an audio store in Amherst, Mass, from a fellow named Mike (last name not remembered). They have always had wonderful base, but over the years the high end became lacking. They were very little used for the last two decades. A couple of years ago I went on eBay and bought 8 EPI tweeters (part 0940, one has M- TE/70 on the label) to replace the originals. I just replaced the tweeters of one speaker and hooked it up. The base is still great, but the high end is very distorted, not at all clean. What have I done wrong?
    Best regards, David

  11. Tom Knowles says:

    Mr Burhoe-
    will the 4 1/2″ drivers that are in the EPI Micro Tower’s work in the Burhue Acoustics Crimson?
    Specifically, these:

    http://www.ebay.com/itm/PAIR-Vintage-EPI-MT3-Tower-Speaker-8-Ohm-Woofers-for-parts-repair-/221733152293?hash=item33a0536625

    Thanks
    Tom

  12. Jerry Sinclair says:

    Recently purchased a pair if Epicure 10 speakers with the blue woofers…at what point in the timeline did this model appear and what is the difference in EPI and Epicure speakers?….thanks!

  13. Steve Mee says:

    Hi Winslow,

    My father in law is a lifetime audiophile and when I asked him to put a system together for my listening room he specified I get a pair of Silent Speaker II’s. I have been utterly floored by the beauty of their sound. I have two questions that I hope you will be kind enough to answer. Firstly, the room is small (11′ x13′) with wood floors. Is there a recommended distance from the walls and/or anything I should place the speakers on in order to maximize the creamy low frequencies that these speakers can produce? Secondly, I love these so much I was considering purchasing two more and replacing my B&W’s in my main family room with them. These would be used for everything from the full spectrum of music to TV, movies etc. My thinking is that your speakers were probably not designed for such a task and may not perform well in that capacity but I wanted your opinion.

    Many thanks!
    Steve

  14. Winslow says:

    Speakers were intended for any type of home listening.

    Bass coupling is increased by being nearer to floor and wall(s).

  15. Winslow says:

    Epicure 10, I think, 1974.
    EPI focussed on economy and Epicure focussed on quality.

  16. Winslow says:

    Crimson was a different size and designed as a woofer, the two are not interchangeable.

  17. Winslow says:

    Out of my time, as to the 3.0

    20+ was also after I left. My original design philosophy was to avoid two woofers in the same plane.

  18. Winslow says:

    Huw does good work.

  19. Winslow says:

    Impedance should not be a problem, being similar to other 2-way speaker systems, averaging about 6 ohms and a minimum of about 5 ohms.

  20. Bob Waters says:

    Winslow,

    Do you recall who designed and built the Epicure pre and power amplifier?

    Thanks

  21. Winslow says:

    It was a team led by Ivan Gajduko, including Dave MacIntosh and Abbot Lahti.

  22. Dave says:

    Hello Winslow!

    I have a wonderful pair of your Burhoe Blue speakers
    I would like your conformation that these are 8 ohm impedance speakers please?

  23. Winslow says:

    Why do you care?
    Impedance varies with frequency from a low of about six ohms to a high of about 20 ohms. 8 is a reasonable average.
    In the days when tube amps had output transformers with a range of taps for different output impedances and limited power output, it was important to match the amplifier output impedance to the load (speaker) impedance in order to achieve maximum power transfer. That consideration hardly exists anymore.

    When transistor amplifiers prevailed, maximum power transfer occurred at very low impedances. As Speaker manufacturers lowered their impedance, some transistor amplifiers became unstable with the high currents that were generated. This sometimes occurred with impedances of lower than 4 ohms and only with poorly designed amplifiers.

  24. robert levin says:

    I sold your products in the 60’s for Dan Boynton. Do you sell to dealers at all today? – Robert Levin

  25. Winslow says:

    Check with Humanspeakers.com. They are my sales agent and manufacturer.

  26. wayne klyne says:

    Hi Winslow your my hero .I just purchased a pair of Pro 22,s in pristine shape. I am having the tweeters refreshed by Chris Coots in Nova Scotia Canada as we speak.I am having trouble finding the original stands for them.they are set on a angle do you know the degrees of offset.also what is the optimum amplified power I should push through them, are they power hungry yes no maybe.thanks for your time & Energy Cheers PS what does 22 stand for

  27. wayne klyne says:

    Mr Coots is still in business at chris@abitech.ca by appt. only re:rebuilding Energy Pro 22 Speakers, Mirage ect.

  28. Moira Burhoe says:

    I’m getting back to lp’s and I’m looking to buy speakers that you designed. I’m hoping to find some Burhoe Acoustics products because of our last name, but more because I’ve heard so much about your work. Any suggestions on where I might find some on the east coast, preferably Canada?
    And do you know if you have relatives on Prince EdwardIsland or did your relatives come from here originally?

  29. Winslow says:

    My great grandfather, John, came from Prince Edward Island. You should look at my colleague’s website, humanspeakers.com

  30. Winslow says:

    22 was a model in a series. None of the others got used. 22 Harrison Road was George Baker’s address, coincidentally. I don’t remember the angle. It’s not critical.

  31. Julie Gajduko-Biodrowski says:

    John Gajduko was my Dad. He recently passed in September 2018. It was really great growing up with the most amazing stereo sound system. So proud of my Dad for being a part of audio history.

  32. Bryon Mollica says:

    Winslow

    Thanks a million for all the joy you have given me since my first 100s that I got with graduation money from Ohio State university

    I have multiple sets of EPI speakers. 400s 20s 100s 50s,202s and Burhoe Blues. I have a chance to get EPI M1000 towers. Will it be a huge improvement over 400s? I haven’t heard the towers in 50 years. I use Anthem preamp 225( 225 watts per channel ) ,Rega P3 with Ortofon Black with Pars phono Preamp /Rega Saturn. Room is 15 X 22. What is the starting point for placement ?

  33. David Goldstrom says:

    I have been listening to EPI’s since the 1970’s (bought as a teenager) and I still have my original 100’s. Although I’ve heard many speakers, I have rebuilt and listen to my EPI 180’s daily. As it happens, I find that I prefer the fuller sound of my 180’s to my 150’s (actually a large 110), and yet I’m considering changes; HiFi is a great hobby :0).
    Would you say that a Silent Speaker II, with it’s port, is going to sound like either my 150s or 180s, ignoring the room acoustics, which make the best listening area somewhat limited?
    I’m building an EPI 202 clone now, at Huw’s suggestion, which I hope will match or exceed my 180’s, and may put together a 201 clone just to see how it blends into the room, perhaps more like the silent speaker idea(l).
    Have you ever thought about building a Silent Speaker with Huw’s 8″ drivers and aluminum tweeters? What would that be like?
    Thanks for the great design work; I guess I’m listening to you almost every day!

  34. Winslow says:

    I have built several prototypes with different sized woofers. They’re all great but I got stuck on the marketing.

    The main benefit of the Silent Speaker is the excellence and range of its bass. No EPI design comes close.

  35. Winslow says:

    To me, the Towers are far better than anything else.
    My starting point for room placement, is to consider the room as an ellipse and to place each tower at a focal point..

  36. Bryon Mollica says:

    Winslow,

    Had to drive 4 hours each way to get the M1000s. I am blown away. This is what live music sounds like. It’s like I just got all new records and Cds

    The Towers are superior to any modern speaker I’ve have heard costing thousands with all kind of fancy shmanzy ” improvements ” These truly are the Holy Grail !!!

    Thanks again for all your inventions and dedication.

    Some day I will get to Hu’s to hear the Silent Speakers or maybe I should open a store in Philadelphia.

    Yours Sincerely

    Bryon Mollica

  37. norm longtin says:

    I read one review in that placing a pair of silent speaker 2 back to back for both right and left speakers brings a new level to the speaker. is that something you would recommend or is that just a novelty concept. thanks in advance

  38. George Motsis says:

    Winslow,

    I finally had Huw Powell rebuild my M400 tower speakers bought in Newburyport in the mid 70’s. I once again know why I purchased those speakers 43 years ago!! Thanks for your contribution to speaker design and manufacturing!!

    Thanks,

  39. Winslow says:

    Highly recommended.

  40. Glenn Alan says:

    Mr Burhoe,
    A couple of years ago I was able to purchase a pair of your “Silver” Bruhoe Speakers. The cabinets are in very good shape and most of the speakers are pretty good shape also, possible need for refoam on the woffers and one of the tweeters is out.
    I am writing to ask if there is anywhere that these can be repaired and brought back to original specs ?
    I had a friend back in the 80’s that had a pair of Allison One speakers …. and the Silver appears to compare very favorably !
    Your thoughts / feedback would be greatly appreciated !
    Sincerely,
    Glenn Alan

  41. Joseph Barbera says:

    Winslow says the Silent Speaker is far better then any EPI design. Does he mean even better then the !000, 400, 350 that use four 8″ woofers four 6″ woofers or three 8″ woofers?

    norm longtin says:
    I read one review in that placing a pair of silent speaker 2 back to back for both right and left speakers brings a new level to the speaker. is that something you would recommend or is that just a novelty concept. thanks in advance.

    Can someone please explain this method of back to back placement of the Silent Speakers? Thanks.

  42. Ron Goyette says:

    Mr Burhoe.
    I used to sale EPi at Playback the Electronic Playground in Kankakee, Illinois in the late 1970’s. 400 plus were the best we had 4 on demo.
    anyway I have a set of 102 for my bedroom. Where can I get tweeter diaphragms and or complete units if that’s all available ???
    Ron Goyette
    Club Audio and lighting effects
    Global Service technicians, Chicago
    602-770-4804
    ron@gstav.com

  43. Michael C. Barnes says:

    I have been an audio fan for many years. Somehow, I never came across the higher-end EPICURE speakers. I did see the EPI 100s back in the day. I was a big fan of Shahinian speakers and bought a pair of Obelisks in 1977 and purchased updated models and finally the Diapasons. While I was in Thailand, I launched a loudspeaker company called nOrh that was reasonably successful during the mid to late 1990s.

    I bought a pair of Genisys Physics II speakers from FaceBook for only $20.00. I spent another $80.00 upgrading them–replacing the crossovers and refoaming. When I was finished, I could not believe the results. The bass was deep and powerful. The tweeter was detailed and smooth. I became hooked.

    I started buying and upgrading EPI, EPICURE and Genisys Physics speakers. I wound up doing so many pairs that my relatives and friends wound up having speakers on loan.

    I bought one 601 and two 602s. I have a pair of 201s,Epicure 20+, Epicure 14, A70s, M202s, a pair of MT2s, two pair of Genisys 2s, two Genisys 1s, a pair of M400s and a pair of 400+. As I go from room-to-room, I really enjoy the wonderful sound I get from these great speakers. I have the Epicure 20+ in my living room. They look beautiful and just disappear into the room. I use the MT2 for my rear speakers in the living room as the omnidirectional works so great and the height is just perfect.

    I have a home theater room. I am currently using the EPI 201s for the front left and right speakers. I replaced all the woofers with Human Speaker’s woofers because the woofers I got were mutant woofers. These speakers have the most powerful bass of all the speakers I have. They have astonishing power. Putting them against the wall along the side of the screen works perfectly. I use the M400s for rear speakers. This is overkill but works very well. My Epicure 400+ are in my office theater room. I am using a pair of M202s for my rear speakers. My EPI 602s are now at a friends house. I am waiting for him to pay me so I can refurbish two pair sof EPI M602s I have where the woofers were poorly repaired and will probably need to be replaced. I am thinking of using one each for center speakers in my office theater and my theater room.

    None of my electronics is high-end. I am using AV receivers for my AV systems and a variety of CLASS D amps for the other systems. The EPI/EPICURE/Genisys speakres all will take lots of power but are not difficult to drive.

  44. Michael Barnes says:

    I designed and sold speakers under the brand nOrh about 20 years ago. Unfortuantely, I didn’t get to keep any for myself. I was frustrated listening to some of the modern highly praised speakers such as Elac, Pioneer and other highly praised speakers. It wasn’t that they sounded bad. It was they didn’t sound detailed. I came across a pair of Genesis Physics II spekers for $20.00 and bought them. I rebuilt them and was amazed at the sound from the tweeter. I then started collecting EPI, Epicure and Genesis Physics speakers. I even built a pair of modern ported speakers using a new set of drivers from Human Speakers.

    I have acquired so many speakers. I have the Microtower MT2s. 601s, 602s, 202s, 201s, 20s, a70, Genesys Physics I, II and 10. I have given away many other sets to family. It is hard to say what I like the best. I use the 20s in my main theater room because they just fit. The bass is outstanding. I think the MT2s make great rear speakers. They aren’t too big and work great. I put the 202s in one of my home theater rooms as a set of rears. I liked them in front and for a while used them as stands for the 601s. I set the 202s at 16 ohm and wired the 601s in series. The sound was fantastic. I was happy until I rebuilt a pair of M400s. I was sort of sad that I found the M400 sounding better because I now had to figure out what to do with all the speakers as I moved the M400s into prime position. The a70s are in my dining room hooked up to a Class D amp. I have the 201s as the front channel in the living room with the MT2s in the rear. I loaned my 601s to a friend so I could buy two pair of 602s. One pair I rebuilt using new crossovers and woofers form Humans speakers. I then aquired a pair of 400+. I had to rebuild all the woofers — ultimately replacing 4 of them with Human speaker woofers. I found the 400s a bit better so I have my M400s against the wall in my basement behind a pair of working 400+.

    My Genesys II are my desktop speakers for my Plex server. I am not considering moving out my center speakers in two systems so I can use up two of my four 602s. I might use the remaining pair as the rears speakers in my theater room.

  45. Damani Domerson says:

    Hello Mr. Burhoe,

    I have a collection of your Burhoe Acoustics line I currently have the Crimsons, Greens, Light Blues, Blues and Silvers. Other than the Whites, Reds and Infrareds is there any other speakers in the line that I’m not aware of? They are the best sounding line of speakers that I have ever heard. Thank you!

  46. Winslow says:

    That’s all there are

  47. Winslow says:

    All I have is a pair of 150’s, willed to me from a former employee.My business and domestic careers have been quite speckled

  48. Winslow says:

    Are you familiar with Human Speakers? Huw Powell makes replacement drivers for many of my designs.

  49. Winslow says:

    I forgot that I designed the EPI 100 and the two towers and the inverted dome tweeter. The Silent II’s are awesome in the tower configuration.

    Back to back is self-explanatory. Wire each pair in series or parallel, whichever your amp prefers.

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