Epos ELS3 standmount/bookshelf speakers reviewed

With a name like ELS you'd be forgiven for thinking that this compact Epos is an electrostatic, but the shape and price say something rather different. In fact this is the least expensive and most compact box to come out of the Epos stable so far. It's designed to be used as a surround speaker as well as a stereo one, its diminutive nature making it a convenient choice for front, rear or centre channel duties. The tweeter and woofer are fully shielded so that they can be used close to a television.

The ELS3 is a two-way reflex design that uses a 100mm polymer cone (in a 130mm chassis) for mid and bass duties and hands the higher frequencies over to a 25mm metal dome. Sensitivity or ease of drive is inevitably a little higher/worse than average (87dB at four ohms which is equivalent to 84dB for an eight ohm load) but most decent integrated amps and the better multichannel receivers shouldn't have a problem getting them going.

This speaker really is very cute, a one hand lift, but they don't let this fact stand in their way when it comes to the job in hand. This is a stonking speaker that does far more than you might expect. It's perhaps worth noting that expectation is always tricky with small speakers, you're almost surprised when they are good because they have a psychological advantage, one that's fully harnessed by the likes of Bose with its sat/sub systems. But size does matter and this box is about as small as you can go without compromising midrange performance.

What's more when you are familiar with the capabilities of compact £200 speakers it's clear that this one's a winner. Put them on the end of a decent system and they create scale and depth of image with ease. All things being equal smaller cabinets resonate to a lesser extent than big ones which is a definite bonus for imaging. The soundstage is wide and deep with instruments being more real as a result. It's also unusually transparent and coherent for a budget speaker, you can hear right into the mix; the music is delivered is fluent and clean.

They even have usable bass capabilities, which while unlikely to shake the furniture, will be more than enough to annoy the neighbours. Heavy tracks coming across in dynamic, deep and surprisingly tactile form. Voices also have remarkable presence, there's no shortage of atmosphere.

Inevitably there are limitations to what can be achieved with such a compact speaker, and not surprisingly level is the most obvious one; they harden up if you push the volume too far. But that's often the case with budget loudspeakers as a whole so it's not a serious criticism.

What is does do well is time and image beautifully. Qualities that sound rather Hi-Fi but in fact are critical to the recreation of a convincing musical experience. Timing counts because, well apart from being the secret of living, it's fundamental to music. The rhythm, as Yello once said, is divine, but only if its reproduced correctly. Dynamics, which essentially is the sense of life in the music, is also an area where the ELS3s score unduly well for their size.

Verdict:

You'll need decent electronics to get the level of performance the ELS3s are capable of, but that's true of any speaker. Alternative/bigger designs will give you higher volume without distortion and others will deliver deeper bass, but few sound as clean and convincing while taking up so little precious room space.