If you are looking for new speakers, you owe it to yourself to check out EFE (1 Viewer)

[Torgny Nilsson]

After exhausting research on the net and via magazines, and after listening to countless speakers in person, I decided to upgrade all my speakers except the sub with EFE speakers (the titanium dome 22's and 36's). I was blown away by the performance of these speakers when I listened to them at Ed Frias' carpeted home, and they perform just as well in my wood floored home.

Though I could not convince my wife to let me get EFE's top of the line T-60 speakers (which are the best speakers I have ever heard and match any $20,000 speakers I have ever heard), the 22's and 36's that I got come awfully close. I even overheard my wife tell her friends recently that she now has a hard time listening to other (lesser) speakers.

If anyone is in the market for $1,000 per pair speakers, I highly recommend EFE. And if the T-60's are not out of your range, you owe it to yourself to give them a listen if you are in the Southern California area.

And make sure you get your name on EFE's waiting list for his Pro-One 5.1 processor. It produces an unbelievably true signal compared to any other processer I have owned. It is also the only piece of stereo equipment my wife has ever urged me to buy when she heard it.

 

[Kevin*Harley]

Where can you find them? I'm in S.Cal

 

[Torgny Nilsson]

EFE is in Escondido. You can e-mail Ed Frias at [email protected]

 

[Tim Reed]

I also have three EFE T-22's across the front three channels of my HT (also have the AR.com DIYs for the back two channels and have an Adire Audio Rava Sub). I - - at Ed's recommendation tried out the "1 ohm" version (Ed's speakers are readily adjustable by changing resistors at the tweeter terminals) of the T-22s (note: the version I have is nominally an 8 ohm load- -just so you don't confuse the 1 ohm with the actual speaker load). I agree these are a truly great speaker for the $. And Ed is a great person to deal with. I also agree, that after listening to these speakers for the past 4 months (approx), almost everything else I listen to, just sort of sounds less than satisfactory (that includes my Paradigm studio 100 v2's upstairs). I'm spoiled.

Anyway - - if you are in the market for MTM type home theater speakers - I don't think you can do better than the EFE T-22's. The only downside is that they are not shielded - - so placement of the center channel with a direct view TV is delicate. But I have mine positioned on top of my entertainment center about 4 or 5 inches above my Toshiba (have to fuss with the exact position to avoid effects on the picture) - - and the picture is fine. RPTVs would be no problem at all.

 

[Mark Dickerson]

Are these speakers (which I have never heard of) only available through Ed in Southern California?

 

[JohnnyG]

No offense intended and maybe it's just me, but this thread sounds like a commercial.

 

[Joe Wilmore]

It is just you. I have the T-22's as well, and they are amazing speakers. If you check the reviews of the EFE speakers at audio review, it is all 5 star ratings for every one of his speakers. He is also a great guy, and will talk to you about speakers for almost too long if you let him.

 

[Richard Travale]

No offense intended and maybe it's just me, but this thread sounds like a commercial.

My thoughts exactly. Then again, I'm sure some people thought the same when the first SVS reviews started rolling in.

 

[Joe Wilmore]

Except that the owner of EFE does not frequent these forums.

 

[Lee Carbray]

This does sound like a commercial, but only because the speakers seem to be relatively unknown.

Any pics or website?

 

[Anthony_Gomez]

Anytime a possitive or negative post about a product is posted, it is advertisement (for getter or worse). ..it just may not be an advertisement put out by the company

just think of how whenever a brand new SVS product comes out....you get tons of these threads which promote the product as the net effect. I have nothing against this.

We are all looking for good equipment and more so, a good price/performance ratio on a product. Many new products (especially from DIY roots) have the best price:performance ratio. If people never posted about these "not so common products" (especially genuine, unaffiliated reviews), we will never have the opportunity to get them.

just my 2 centavos

btw: I admit to have accused people of advertising in the past, but I try not to do that now until I know for sure that is what the case is

 

[JohnnyG]

I remember a story a year or so ago of a company that was compensating their customers for doing just this sort of thing. When I read the original post, this is the first thing that crossed my mind.

Like I said, I certainly didn't mean to offend or accuse anyone and I sincerely apologise if I did.

 

[Anthony_Gomez]

Johnny,

I don't doubt there are companies that do this. I don't "think" this is one of them. No need to apologise If you have to for this, then damn...I'd be saying sorry for a whole boatload of stuff I have said in the past...and will probably still say

FYI I do know that EFE did the audioreview.com DIY speaker and it had some really good reviews.

I am about 1hr away from Ed, so I might have to head down there some time to see if the hoopla holds up to it's name

 

[Brian Bunge]

Torgny was seriously considering the GR Research A/V-1+'s along with the EFE speakers before he made a decision. Since I never heard back from him after his move I figured he'd gone with the EFE speakers. I imagine him being able to hear them first helped in making his decision. So I seriously doubt this is any kind of paid endorsement. No more so than any of the other speaker companies frequently mentioned around here anyway.

I, for one, am glad to see he is happy with his purchase.

 

[Torgny Nilsson]

I moved in the middle of this discussion and just wanted to clarify that this was NOT a paid ad for EFE speakers. Ed Frias did not ask me to post anything, I did not get any discount for doing so, and I posted the thread months after I had received and fully paid for my speakers. And I only posted the thread because I was so blown away by the speakers.

And yes, I was SERIOUSLY torn between the Rutledge speakers and EFE. I lost a lot of sleep deciding between the two. Both have exceptional reviews and comments and both companies are a pleasure to deal with. I don't think you can go wrong with either one.

I went with EFE because they were made a couple of hours away from where I lived at the time and I could more easily talk my wife into going to listen to them and approving the purchase.

 

[Michael Colby]

I also own the T-22s. They sound fantastic. I'm not an employee of EFE either. In fact, I think there are no employees. Just Ed Frias and whoever builds the cabinets for him. I like the T-22s enough that I ordered the T-60s. They should be here in a couple of weeks.

 

[Lew Crippen]

Any pics or website?

My question as well. I spent a little time with Google and could not find a WEB site, or any pictures. Can you help us out Torgny?

I’d be interested in some reviews that included some specs and technical information—just to round out your observations.

 

[Chris Quinn]

There is no website you have to e-mail Ed at the above given address.

 

[Michael Colby]

I have pictures of all the EFE models. I'll be happy to post them if someone will explain to me how to do it.

Lew, I havn't seen any technical reviews of any EFE speaker. I doubt there are any due to the extremely limited production. For example, I've had the T-22 for a couple of months and the serial numbers are 34a and 34b. The T-60 pair Ed is building for me right now are numbers 18a and 18b. And the T-60 has been in production since 1995.

 

[Lew Crippen]

The T-60 pair Ed is building for me right now are numbers 18a and 18b. And the T-60 has been in production since 1995.

Wow, only about two pair a year. Now that is exclusive. No wonder I’ve not heard of these.