EPI STAT-450
The EPI STAT-450 is a hybrid: a conventional dynamic woofer paired with an electrostatic tweeter array, in a cabinet over three feet tall. Audio (February 1987, p.74) published a full Equipment Profile, which is the primary source of detailed information on this model.
The speaker is a two-way, sealed-box design. A single 10-inch woofer handles the low end. Three electrostatic panel tweeters handle the high end, crossed over at 1 kHz. Nominal impedance is 4 ohms, and the frequency response is rated at 44 Hz to 20 kHz ±3 dB. Recommended power runs from 20 to 250 watts. Each speaker measures 17½ inches wide, 10½ inches deep, and 37½ inches tall - a substantial tower - and weighs 50 pounds. The original price was $350 each, sold by Epicure Products of Newburyport, Massachusetts.
The reviewer at Audio (February 1987, p.81) found the soundstage particularly impressive when the speakers were angled sharply inward toward the listening position. The image snapped into focus, highs were present, and the stage felt stable. Placement took some care. With the speakers three feet out from the rear wall, bass was thin. Moving the cabinets to about a foot from the wall brought the bass into balance. The review (p.82) put it this way: “For would-be electrostatic enthusiasts, the Stat 450 provides an entry-level opportunity to indulge in an exotic technology.”
Beyond the Audio profile and a brief listing in HiFI-Stereo (February 1986, p.142) that appears to catalog competing speakers in the same period, little else is documented about the STAT-450. Production years are not confirmed in the available record, though the review dates place it in the mid-1980s. It does not appear in standard EPI model lists, and service manuals and advertising materials have not surfaced widely.
- System type: Two-way, sealed-box woofer + electrostatic tweeter
- Drivers: 10-in woofer, three electrostatic panel tweeters
- Crossover: 1 kHz
- Impedance: 4 ohms
- Frequency response: 44 Hz – 20 kHz ±3 dB
- Power range: 20 – 250 W
- Dimensions: 17½ × 10½ × 37½ in (44 × 27 × 95 cm)
- Weight: 50 lb (23 kg)
- Price: $350 each (original)
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