Episode Speaker Reviews – An Honest Review (2024)

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I recently had the opportunity to listen to a professionally installed set of Episode speakers – specifically the Signature by Episode 7 Series in-wall and in-ceiling architectural speakers in conjunction with an Episode in-wall subwoofer.

I had heard built-in home theater systems before, and so kind of knew what to expect, but I must say the first sounds from this Episode system still came as a bit of a shock, and a bit of a revelation.

There were no speakers visible, and yet suddenly there was this enormous, rich, and detailed surround sound presentation all around me that was nothing short of spectacular.

Episode 7 Series In-Wall and In-Ceiling Speakers with 8 in. Woofer

Episode 700 Series In-Ceiling Speaker with 8 in. Woofer

Episode 7 Series In-Ceiling Speaker with 8 in. Woofer [not available on Amazon]

Episode has been making architectural speakers and accessories for home theater and whole-house installations for almost fifteen years, and have become a favorite of both home theater aficionados and professional contractors alike.

An “architectural” speaker is one that is designed to be built into the house – usually in the wall or in the ceiling.

This allows for discrete, or even completely invisible, speakers which can be optimally placed to fill a room, or an entire home, with sound.

And Episode makes some of the finest architectural speakers available. The Signature 7 Series in particular is known for superb sound quality – the Episode website says “If you’re a true audiophile, opt or the 7 Series” – so I was quite looking forward to the experience.

But before I go into that, let’s talk a little about these speakers’ features.

Features of Episode 7 Series In-Wall and In-Ceiling Speakers with 8 in. Woofer

The Signature by Episode 7 Series has a number of truly high-end features, including:

  • A honeycomb fiberglass Nomex woofer
  • A pure titanium tweeter
  • Gold plated push terminals
  • High power handling and high efficiency for extended dynamic range
  • Tweeter and woofer level adjustments
  • Specially designed baffles and tweeter placement for maximum dispersion

Episode’s philosophy is quite simply put: in order to give the best and most immersive theater experience, you need the very finest audio reproduction – low distortion, wide dispersion, and flat frequency response.

The Episode is Ready to Play

The system I listened to featured an in-wall subwoofer – the In-Wall Dual 8 inch – and Episode Signature in-wall and in-ceiling speakers – the SIG-78-IC and SIG-78-ICSURR (Surround).

I was a little skeptical that ceiling-mounted speakers several feet above me could really offer surround sound where I was seated, but the imaging was actually about as seamless and complete as I have ever heard – and with stunning sound quality, dynamics and detail.

And the Episode in-wall subwoofers offered real and visceral impact on the low end.

The Echo Game scene from The House of Flying Daggers – one of the most difficult audio sequences for any surround sound system to reproduce – was presented with astonishing coherence.

The trajectory of the beans was solid and fluid, and the high-frequency sounds, like the shattering glass, showed the Episode Signature tweeters to be realistic, smooth, and warm, with plenty of detail and no harshness whatsoever.

Wall-E also presents special challenges to even great home theater systems. The lack of dialogue means that the ambient sounds and sound effects and the movement and exact placement of those sounds is even more important than in other films.

With the Signature by Episode 7 Series in-wall and in-ceiling architectural speakers positioning and movement were always perfect – I could track the action with my eyes closed – and the integration of music and more subtle ambient sounds was just right.

Everything I watched and listened to had the same effect: I felt as if I was in the movie rather than just watching it – that special moment one gets with the best home theater systems where the sound and the picture come together into one immersive whole.

And the Episode 7 Series architectural speakers proved just as impressive with well-recorded surround sound music – the stunningly hard and beautiful Arriving Somewhere by Porcupine Tree with its best-ever concert sound, or the overwhelming spatial experience of Beethoven’s 9th Symphony on Pentatone, in a performance as moving as the recorded sound.

Episode Speakers Review: The Final Verdict

Contractors and professional AV (Audio-Visual) installers seem to love Episode speakers for a number of reasons:

  • They are very easy to install
  • They are extremely well built
  • Episode offers complete solutions and supporting accessories
  • Customers love them (and, by extension, love the installer!)

I loved them because they sound amazing.

The Signature by Episode 7 Series in-wall and in-ceiling architectural speakers have a warm, rich and smooth sound quality, tons of detail, low distortion and incredible dynamic range, the In-Wall Dual 8 inch subwoofers provide plenty of impact, with deep, thundering bass, and the complete system comes together in a seamless and completely convincing surround sound image.

Highly recommended!

Episode 700 Series In-Ceiling Speaker with 8 in. Woofer

Episode 7 Series In-Ceiling Speaker with 8 in. Woofer [not available on Amazon]

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