Gear Shed
Epifani
UL901
By Jonathan Herrera NICK EPIFANI’S EPONYMOUS AMP company was an early adopter of two technologies that are now entrenched in bass amplification: Class D amplifiers and neodymium-speaker-equipped cabinets. I recall my early encounters with Epifani products — and Nick’s Italian-accented evangelism for his products — fondly. At the time (the mid 2000s), Epifani gear was cutting-edge and sophisticated and boasted an enviable roster of endorsing musicians, including Anthony Jackson, Matt Garrison, and Oteil Burbridge. Aiding Epifani in its early growth was the office’s close prox-
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imity to Fodera’s legendary Brooklyn workshop. Many a visting artist (myself included) would pilgrimage to Fodera and then make the 20-second trip downstairs to visit with Nick and see what Epifani was cooking up. Since then, Class D amps with switchmode power supplies and accompanying neodymium cabinets are mainstream, with even the most affordable entry-level gear utilizing the technology. What, then, can set Epifani apart from its many contemporary rivals? The answer, one hopes, is sound. Epifani has always had an excellent sonic reputa-
BASS MAGAZINE ; ISSUE 6 ; bassmagazine.com
tion, largely due to the well-textured, harmonically rich midrange of perhaps its most classic amplifier, the UL502. Released a decade ago, the UL502 paired a Class D power amp with a linear power supply in an exceptionally useful and well-designed two-channel head. With the UL901 reviewed here, Epifani is revisiting its “UL” preamp design, but has revised the power amp to reflect the almost ubiquitous shift in the industry toward IcePower Class D/SMPS modules. Epifani has also moved manufacturing to China, like almost every other amp manufacturer, al-
