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Episode EA-DYN-12D-100 12 Channel Amp Review

Rate this amplifier:

  • 1. Poor (headless panther)

    Votes: 78 56.5%
  • 2. Not terrible (postman panther)

    Votes: 54 39.1%
  • 3. Fine (happy panther)

    Votes: 6 4.3%
  • 4. Great (golfing panther)

    Votes: 0 0.0%

  • Total voters
    138

amirm

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This is a review and detailed measurements of the Episode EA-DYN-12D-100, 12 channel "zone" matrix amplifier. It is on kind loan from a member and costs US $1,387 although used ones may be available for less.
Episode EA-DYN-12D-100 multizone professional CI matrix amplifier analog review.jpg

These would normally go in an equipment rack in custom install (CI) systems. So the front panel doesn't need to be pretty or anything. Here, it is not bad with channel pair indications and power button. Back channel exposes the full capabilities of the amp:
Episode EA-DYN-12D-100 multizone professional CI matrix amplifier analog back panel toslink br...jpg


Same or different digital and analog inputs can be distributed to any of the stereo zones. For testing, I only used Zone 1. Toslink digital and analog input is provided as is pass through to increase the number of channels. Subwoofer output is provided which I did not test. There is a gain control for each zone.

Spec indicates ICE class D modules are used for amplification.

Two fans on the side would howl as soon as the amp was stressed, seemingly going by the signal level than any change in operating temperature. Definitely not something you want to use in typical home listening.

Episode EA-DYN-12D-100 Amplifier Measurements
I only focused on testing Zone 1's left and right channels starting with analog input. I adjusted the gain for 25 dB. As you see, there is good bit of channel mismatch here:
Episode EA-DYN-12D-100 multizone professional CI matrix amplifier analog measurement.png

They should really provide two pots to allow this to be dialed out as it is unlikely that these small trim controls maintain accuracy. That aside, distortion comprised of third harmonic is quite high, sinking the amp below our competent category.

Digital Toslink input improves noise but since we are distortion bound, SINAD is not changed much:

Episode EA-DYN-12D-100 multizone professional CI matrix amplifier Toslink Optical measurement.png


Best multizone amplifier CI review.png


Best multizone amplifier CI zoom review.png


Using Toslink we see good SNR:
Episode EA-DYN-12D-100 multizone professional CI matrix amplifier Toslink Optical SNR measurem...png


Frequency response test shows that there is no frequency dependence:
Episode EA-DYN-12D-100 multizone professional CI matrix amplifier analog frequency response me...png

But boy, is that too much difference in gain (1 dB).

Channel separation using Toslink is very good:
Episode EA-DYN-12D-100 multizone professional CI matrix amplifier Toslink Optical channel sepa...png


Multitone reflects the high level of distortion:
Episode EA-DYN-12D-100 multizone professional CI matrix amplifier analog Multitone measurement.png

It is essentially bad everywhere.

Distortion sets in early and changes in nature:
Episode EA-DYN-12D-100 multizone professional CI matrix amplifier analog Power 4 ohm measurement.png

Episode EA-DYN-12D-100 multizone professional CI matrix amplifier analog Power 8 ohm measurement.png


It is basically bad everywhere:
Episode EA-DYN-12D-100 multizone professional CI matrix amplifier analog Power 4 ohm vs freque...png


It meets its power spec however:
Episode EA-DYN-12D-100 multizone professional CI matrix amplifier analog Max and Peak Power 4 ...png


And doesn't droop much (likely because it is designed to power a lot more channels than what I am testing):
Best multichannel zone amplifier review.png

Episode EA-DYN-12D-100 multizone professional CI matrix amplifier analog Power 4 ohm FTC measu...png


Paradoxically, it gets worse as it warms up, but not much:
Episode EA-DYN-12D-100 multizone professional CI matrix amplifier warm up analog measurement.png


Conclusions
The Episode EA-DYN-12D-100 brings to table a lot of output channels with the typical input matrix functionality. Use of class D modules means it is very light with high channel density. Performance falls far short of what we would for hi-fi use. Then again if you need 12 channels, building a performant of system out of hi-fi gear to match it will be much more expensive and harder to match on capability front. So really a different tool for a different job.

Given that members would most be interested in hi-fi use, I can't recommend the Episode EA-DYN-12D-100.

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As always, questions, comments, recommendations, etc. are welcome.

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What’s the primary use case: multi-room or multi-channel audio?

Thanks for yet another review!
 
Would have voted "not terrible" regarding the use case, if there wouldn't have been the channel mismatch. It's beyond me how anyone who feels the need to get sound to so many zones would buy something mediocre like this amplifier. Even Restaurants or other public places would be better off with a solid 100V amp.

Thank you for the review, Amir!
 
Thanks for the review Amir.

I've owned a couple of ICEPower amps, and agree it's only good enough for commercial / distribution use.

However, someone will doubtless be along shortly to tell us that it's audibly indistinguishable from a Purifi amp.
 
Last edited:
I voted "Fine" for several reasons:
  • In a surround setup, which is the intended use case, all channels would typically be properly level-matched through calibration.
  • The amplifier is built for rack-mounting or can be placed in a closet, so fan noise is unlikely to be an issue in most practical setups.
  • In a surround or distributed audio system, does the distortion profile even matter that much? At -50 dB and 15 kHz, it’s questionable whether such distortion would be audible at all. It's 1/316th of the fundamental.
  • To my knowledge, there are very few other options that offer this many Class D channels in a single unit.
  • RCA sub-out for each channel
  • Clipping lights
  • Audio sensing
 
Last edited:
This must use the cheapest bottom of the barrel ICEpower modules?
 
Is it possible that age resulted in the channel mismatch? Tho even if so it just means cheap volume knob.
 
Is it possible that age resulted in the channel mismatch? Tho even if so it just means cheap volume knob.
As far as I know, it is a brand new unit. You can see the plastic still on the front panel.
 
Performance is poor... Might as well buy 6 of the A7 Amps you just tested... That will give you 12 better channels with way more power.
Or buy 12x Fosi V3 Mono... Or 6 of the dual Mono Amp (with single psu + filter) setups... It would be a bit more expensive but be way cleaner and provide more power.
 
I was never a great fan of ICE modules but this is worse than what I've seen so far. Maybe the distortion is added in the preamp section already?
 
Bad times 12. Considering how expensive is to pay for labor installation of 12 channels in a house, not a sensible choice. Thank you Amir for showing its poor performance.
 
I was never a great fan of ICE modules but this is worse than what I've seen so far. Maybe the distortion is added in the preamp section already?
Don't think so, the distortion pattern looks very familiar with the old, dead cheap small ones.
Must be the equivalent of 6 100asx (?) if they fit in there.

Really bad stuff.

Thanks Amir!
 
I only focused on testing Zone 1's left and right channels starting with analog input.
Any chance to get a few bridge mode measurements (power…)? Or it’s bad enough to not be worth?
 
Well this is a right mess... cheers for the testing though and exposing the shortcomings of this amplifier.


JSmith
Probably those performances are more than satisfactory for the type of use intended, music in a clothing store or listening in multiple environments as background music and not for critical listening, I think that for the price and for the type of product the performances are absolutely satisfactory
 
Performance is poor... Might as well buy 6 of the A7 Amps you just tested... That will give you 12 better channels with way more power.
Or buy 12x Fosi V3 Mono... Or 6 of the dual Mono Amp (with single psu + filter) setups... It would be a bit more expensive but be way cleaner and provide more power.
These products are professional, the fan starts immediately as soon as you turn up the volume, they are projects that are based on durability and reliability, not on hifi performance.
Think about creating a system with 12 mono amplifiers, which then maybe overheat, which are not made to go on 18 hours a day 6 days a week, then maybe after 6 months or a year one or two burns out, then after three months another one.... And instead of having your efficient diffusion audio system for 10 years you are always there solving problems.
These products have a different philosophy, they should not be evaluated as a hifi power amp because that is not what they do
 
Probably those performances are more than satisfactory for the type of use intended, music in a clothing store or listening in multiple environments as background music and not for critical listening, I think that for the price and for the type of product the performances are absolutely satisfactory
Exactly. It seems many are becoming overly fixated on the SINAD rankings, often overlooking the fact that 0.1% THD+N has served as a reliable and accepted standard in professional audio for decades -and with good reason. Regardless of its placement on a SINAD chart, that level of performance has consistently proven to be more than adequate in practical, real-world applications.

The review itself is a bit confused. It strikes me as somewhat contradictory -on one hand, it acknowledges multiple times that this amplifier isn’t intended for a typical hi-fi setup, yet on the other hand, it’s ultimately judged by exactly that standard and ends up not being recommended.
 
It should be better, but it's fine for its intended purpose: ceiling speakers in a large home or in a small store.
 
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