EPIFANI BUILT ITS REPUTATION ON high-end cabs and amps with a uniquely sweet sonic signature, but it’s also made a foray into a lower price point with the Perfomance Series (Nov. ’06). Epifani’s two newest cabs represent both sides of their mission. The D.I.S.T. is their new flagship line: expensive neodymium-driver cabs with “Dual Impedance Speaker Technology” that allows for 4Ω and 8Ω operation. On the other end of the price spectrum, there’s the made-in-China EPIFUNKY line, which Epifani says, “introduces the renowned performance, natural sound, and reliability of the company’s high-end boutique products at a price that is affordable to everyone.”
D.I.S.T.
Epifani sent 4x10 and 1x12 D.I.S.T. cabs for testing, but they’re also offering 2x10 and 1x15 configurations. Before I get to the obvious star of the show—the impedance switching—a bit about the cabs’ construction. They’re made from Baltic birch that’s extensively braced to improve rigidity. There’s a goodly amount of insulation in the cab, but a bit of it came loose during testing. A cool perforated steel grille protects the drivers, and it wraps around the edges of the front baffle, giving the cabs a distinctive look. Each cab gets a rough-and-ready high-impact-resistant covering, much like those spray-on truck bedliners. The custom-designed Eminence drivers have cast-aluminum frames and neodymium magnets. The resulting cabs are even lighter than their equivalents in the other neo Epifani line, the UL series. Each cab has big, well-placed side handles and casters are optional.
The D.I.S.T. cabs achieve impedance switching with dual-voice-coil (DVC) drivers. The primary advantage of impedance switching cabs is the ability to pair two at the 8Ω setting for larger gigs (the amp will see a 4Ω load) or use one at the 4Ω setting for smaller gigs. It’s predicated on the supposition that the 2Ω load that comes from running two 4Ω cabs in parallel would be too low for some amps. While it’s true that some modern heads continue to recommend against 2Ω loads, that pool of amps is in an increasing minority. DVCEpifani drivers were originally designed for subwoofer systems tasked with summing a stereo output in a PA context.
The impedance switching technology in the Epifani cabs worked as advertised, although with the 4x10, the result was not exactly what one would expect. The simplest expectation would be that each cab would get louder in its 4Ω setting, due to the amp’s increased efficiency and the speakers’ resulting higher SPL (sound pressure level). The design of DVC drivers is pretty complicated, with numerous wiring schemes between the two coils resulting in a wide variety of performance specs. Multi-driver cabs like the D.I.S.T. 410 add even more variables to the equation. The 112, however, was notably stronger in the 4Ω setting. Regardless, the D.I.S.T. does switch impedance In a realworld playing context, amps are not always putting out their maximum power, therefore maximum efficiency doesn’t always translate to clearly bigger sound.
The D.I.S.T. cabs sounded fantastic. Both the 410 and 112 were well textured, supportive in the lows, very slightly scooped in the mids, and tickly on the top. They reminded me a lot of the UL-series cabs, which I know well. The D.I.S.T. cabs are detailed and elegant sounding cabs, and the impedance switching, while not a mindblower, is certainly a nice bonus. They’re best suited to those who are committed to the impedance switching concept and foresee the need to mix and match configurations on a variety of gigs.
EPIFUNKY
Epifani spent much of last year ramping up its Chinese production facility, and the resulting gear is the EPIFUNKY line. Epifani is quick to point out founder Nick Epifani’s extensive oversight of the manufacturing and U.S. QC process. With the line, Epifani is bringing its lauded brand to an unprecedented (for them) price point.
The test cabs were well built, although in the context of the D.I.S.T. cabs, they don’t give off the same obvious high-end vibe. Nevertheless, the cabinetry, components, and construction were impressive for the price, and the visual impact is not too unlike that of its much higher-priced cousins. One major bonus: for ceramic-magnet-equipped cabs, they’re impressively light.
The EPIFUNKY cabs held up remarkably well, considering their relatively modest power rating. Rather than just slap their logo on some generic boxes, Epifani clearly sought to deliver its signature tone with the series. I appreciated the propulsive authority and overall coherence of the cabs; each performed as well as more expensive, similarly configured alternatives. Rather than go farty when overtaxed, the EPIFUNKY cabs seemed to just get a little shyer in an inoffensive way. Each would be an excellent option for most players, and considering their price differential with the high-end line, represent a superb value.
EPIFANI D.I.S.T. 410 & 112; EPIFUNKY 410 & 210
D.I.S.T. 410 & 112
Street D.I.S.T. 410, $1,700; D.I.S.T. 112, $899
Pros Beautiful-sounding cabs with impedance-switching flexibility
Cons Expensive, considering D.I.S.T. is only useful to some
EPIFUNKY 410 & 210
Street EPIFUNKY 410, $499; EPIFUNKY 210, $399
Pros Killer tone at an excellent price
Cons None
TECH SPECS
D.I.S.T. 410 & 112
Speaker manufacturer Custom-designed Eminence dual-voice-coil drivers with compression horn tweeter
Frequency response D.I.S.T. 410, 40Hz–16kHz; D.I.S.T. 112, 44Hz–16kHz
Sensitivity D.I.S.T. 410, 103dB @ 1W/M; D.I.S.T. 112, 99dB @ 1W/M
Cabinet material 13-ply birch
Weight D.I.S.T. 410, 58 lbs., D.I.S.T. 112, 29 lbs.
EPIFUNKY 410 & 210
Speaker manufacturer Custom-designed drivers with compression horn tweeter
Frequency response EPIFUNKY 410, 39Hz–16kHz; EPIFUNKY 210, 40Hz–16kHz
Sensitivity EPIFUNKY 410, 102dB @ 1W/M; EPIFUNKY 210, 99dB @ 1W/M
Cabinet material Plywood (type unspecified)
Weight EPIFUNKY 410, 59 lbs., EPIFUNKY 210, 29 lbs.
Made in D.I.S.T., made in U.S.A.; EPIFUNKY, made in China
Warranty Three years
Contact www.epifani.com