Epos ES-28N

Epos ES-28N – a three-way floorstander engineered to complete the Epos line

The third model — and the most ambitious

The Epos ES-28N is Karl-Heinz Fink's conclusion to his Epos trilogy — a full three-way floorstander that builds directly on the driver and cabinet research developed for the ES-14N and ES-7N. Two 7-inch woofers ruled out a conventional two-way approach — the transition region to a tweeter would have been unworkable. A 2.5-way solution was equally unappealing, as it shifts the radiation axis downward and loses energy at ear level. Three ways was the only logical answer, and the result is a speaker that combines the tonal warmth of a two-way with the transparency of a dedicated midrange and the bass authority of a twin-woofer configuration.

Drive units — drawn from across the Epos range

The two 7-inch bass drivers share the basket and magnet system with the ES-14N, but use a revised cone and surround optimised for their role in a three-way system. The 130 mm midrange is derived from the ES-7N woofer, with a mica-loaded polypropylene cone, Nomex spider and a 30 mm voice coil on a glass fibre/epoxy former — chosen to minimise eddy currents and intermodulation. It operates in its own sealed sub-enclosure, completely isolated from the bass drivers. The tweeter is identical to that used in both smaller models: a 28 mm aluminium/ceramic compound dome without ferrofluid.

Cabinet, baffle and downfire port

The cabinet follows the same sandwich MDF construction as the rest of the Epos range, with a 50 mm thick front baffle for additional rigidity. A sloped front panel time-aligns all three drivers. The bass reflex port fires downward, tuned to 29–30 Hz and pressure-compensated to suppress pipe resonances — bringing usable bass extension to below 30 Hz in room. Four adjustable metal feet lift the cabinet clear of the floor, ensuring the port is never obstructed. The crossover occupies its own separate compartment within the cabinet, shielded from acoustic pressure that would otherwise induce microphonic effects in the components.

Crossover and impedance

A modified LKR topology handles the crossover at approximately 300 Hz and 2,800 Hz. Impedance in the midband is compensated specifically for valve amplifier compatibility — though given a minimum impedance of 1.5 ohm at 25 Hz, an amplifier with strong current delivery will get the most from the ES-28N at the frequency extremes.

Specifications

• Type: 3-way passive floorstander
• Bass drivers: 2× 7" polypropylene, hybrid magnet system, optimised cone
• Midrange: 130 mm mica-polypropylene, sealed sub-enclosure, 30 mm voice coil
• Tweeter: 28 mm aluminium/ceramic compound dome, no ferrofluid
• Frequency response: below 30 Hz–25 kHz (in room)
• Sensitivity: 86 dB / 2.83 V / 1 m
• Impedance: 3.6–10 ohm
• Crossover frequencies: ~300 Hz and 2,800 Hz
• Bass reflex: downfire, tuned to 29–30 Hz
• Cabinet: sandwich MDF, 50 mm front baffle
• Dimensions: 1050×250×360 mm
• Weight: 35 kg
• Finishes: black, white, walnut

Frequently asked questions about the Epos ES-28N

Why did Fink choose a three-way design?

Two 7-inch woofers make a two-way configuration acoustically unworkable — the crossover region to the tweeter would be too wide. A 2.5-way approach shifts the radiation axis downward, losing midrange energy at ear level. A dedicated midrange driver was the only solution that preserved both coherence and correct off-axis behaviour.

Does the ES-28N work with valve amplifiers?

Yes — the midband impedance compensation was designed with valve amplifiers in mind. That said, the minimum impedance of 1.5 ohm at 25 Hz means a solid-state amplifier with strong current delivery will extract the most from the bass register.

How does the ES-28N differ from the ES-14N?

The ES-28N is a three-way floorstander with twin woofers and a dedicated midrange, reaching significantly deeper in the bass and offering greater dynamic headroom. The ES-14N is a two-way standmount for smaller rooms — both share the same driver and cabinet philosophy, but the ES-28N operates on a different scale.