Apogee Acoustics - Full Range "Ribbon" Speakers...

[Robin]

In researching the Beveridge - electrostatic speakers. I came across another wonderful speaker line "Apogee Acoustics"... Several of you must have owned or auditioned these beauties.


http://www.apogeespeakers.info/company_history.htm



http://www.apogeespeakers.com/



Apogee owners even have their own forum like us, which is still active, even though the Apogee Acoustics company is no more...



http://audioworld.com/cgi-bin/sw/fo...+Users+Group&number=1&DaysPrune=45&LastLogin=


The reviews of the Apogee line were truly glowing.... The Apogee Ribbon speakers really had an amazing run, yet another speaker I would love to audition someday...

 

[Robin]

Apogee Speakers...

As I recall, I beleave Alan (sleepysurf) had owned a pair of Apogee Stage's prior to owning ML's...
I wonder what Apogee's sounded like as compaired to Martin Logan's?

 

[garmtz]

I have heard them on several occasions. They have some qualities that really set them apart from ANY other speaker. They have a more 'dark' sound than ML, but they have (mid-)bass slam to die for and have HUGE staging. They don't focus as well as ML's, but their imaging is very natural, as well as their tonal balance, which I said can be on the dark side, but they can make acoustic instruments sound very real.

 

[Robin]

Fascinating...

I have heard them on several occasions. They have some qualities that really set them apart from ANY other speaker. They have a more 'dark' sound than ML, but they have (mid-)bass slam to die for and have HUGE staging. They don't focus as well as ML's, but their imaging is very natural, as well as their tonal balance, which I said can be on the dark side, but they can make acoustic instruments sound very real.

garmtz,

What you discribed in very interesting to me...

I have read comments of other ML owners, which discribe them as like listening to headphones, were as ML's have much more of a open soundstage, from other reports I have read...

These speakers also come up on Audigon and Ebay from time to time as well.

Thanks for the information.

 

[Cherian]

I see a few on ebay now.

http://cgi.ebay.com/Apogee-Mini-Gra...2QQihZ016QQcategoryZ14993QQrdZ1QQcmdZViewItem

Looks a lot like the Carver Amazing speakers.

 

[kwr]

Apogee's have a justified reputation for being a finickity, amp busting, high maintenance and utterly wonderful speaker. They have (on average) better dynamics, greater presence, maybe not as much detail as an electrostatic. I think they are closer to Maggies in sound than ML. I have only heard the Stage and Divas both many years ago. At that stage the company had just gone bust - they looked pretty risky to own. The brand has been kept alive by DIY enthusiasts. Locally (Australia) Graham Keets manufactures very high quality ribbon replacements, dispenses advice and is capable of manufacturing a replacement speaker which has the faults ironed out.

http://www.perigee.com.au/

They are not a speaker for everyone and are perfectly capable of sounding awful with poor positioning, amplification etc. The ***** who was demonstrating the Divas to us had them jambed up on a wall and kept telling us how wonderful they sounded. Pulled off the wall they did sound good. We still bought Quads at the time.

Kevin

 

[sleepysurf]

As I recall, I beleave Alan (sleepysurf) had owned a pair of Apogee Stage's prior to owning ML's...
I wonder what Apogee's sounded like as compaired to Martin Logan's?

Indeed, I owned the Apogee Stages from ~1990-1999, during my days as a fledgling audiophile, when I didn't have the time, nor $$, to assemble a decent system around them. Although I was driving them with an (underpowered) Adcom system, they still sounded lush, with palpable low/mid bass, crystalline mid-range and highs, and imaging to die for. When I bought a new home in 1999, I (mistakenly) thought they wouldn't fit, and decided to part with them. I also feared the ribbons would soon be on their last leg, and with my usual impeccable timing, that was right before Graeme "GRAZ" Keet started offering replacements. I still regret selling them.

I purchased my ML Aerius i's in hopes of re-capturing that unique "planar" sound. But the ML's, while excellent, IMHO, still pale in comparison to what the Apogees could do. As I recall, the Stages, with their larger radiating surface area, seemed to "push" their 3-D soundstage FORWARD from the plane of the speakers, towards the listener. To this day, I vividly remember playing Michael Jackson's "Liberian Girl" and literally being shocked, as his voice erupted right in front of me in the song's opening. In contrast, ML's seem to create a soundstage eminating BACKWARDS from the speakers plane. Not that the ML soundstage is any less deep, just more remote. Of course, this perception might merely reflect the acoustics of the two very different rooms I've had those speakers in. I think the Summits probably come closer to my Apogee "acoustic memory", and am still contemplating getting them (perhaps when Costco has them marked down an additional 25% off

)<G>.

 

[Joey_V]

To this day, I vividly remember playing Michael Jackson's "Liberian Girl" and literally being shocked, as his voice erupted right in front of me in the song's opening. In contrast, ML's seem to create a soundstage eminating BACKWARDS from the speakers plane. Not that the ML soundstage is any less deep, just more remote. Of course, this perception might merely reflect the acoustics of the two very different rooms I've had those speakers in. I think the Summits probably come closer to my Apogee "acoustic memory", and am still contemplating getting them (perhaps when Costco has them marked down an additional 25% off

)<G>.

That may just be positioning... though not sure... it could be the speaker. I know for sure though that the way I have my Summits setup, the stage is quite infront of the speaker. And I have experienced that same, "Oh my... he's right there in front of me... spitting at me!" type of deal. It's cool for sure!

 

[kach22i]

The only Apogee's I ever had a chance to hear were the mini monitors with the ribbon tweeter they made in their last days of existance. They were around $600 as clearance items, did not push a lot of air around but were pleasant perhaps even polite.

I did get to listen to Melior One's by Musetex driven by Musetex electronics, now that was a show! Nothing could touch the way these speakers did drums, given they were built like drums with a skin in tension I suppose that's understandable.

 

[Robin]

Fascinating Apogee Stage experience...

Indeed, I owned the Apogee Stages from ~1990-1999, during my days as a fledgling audiophile, when I didn't have the time, nor $$, to assemble a decent system around them. Although I was driving them with an (underpowered) Adcom system, they still sounded lush, with palpable low/mid bass, crystalline mid-range and highs, and imaging to die for. When I bought a new home in 1999, I (mistakenly) thought they wouldn't fit, and decided to part with them. I also feared the ribbons would soon be on their last leg, and with my usual impeccable timing, that was right before Graeme "GRAZ" Keet started offering replacements. I still regret selling them.

I purchased my ML Aerius i's in hopes of re-capturing that unique "planar" sound. But the ML's, while excellent, IMHO, still pale in comparison to what the Apogees could do. As I recall, the Stages, with their larger radiating surface area, seemed to "push" their 3-D soundstage FORWARD from the plane of the speakers, towards the listener. To this day, I vividly remember playing Michael Jackson's "Liberian Girl" and literally being shocked, as his voice erupted right in front of me in the song's opening. In contrast, ML's seem to create a soundstage eminating BACKWARDS from the speakers plane. Not that the ML soundstage is any less deep, just more remote. Of course, this perception might merely reflect the acoustics of the two very different rooms I've had those speakers in. I think the Summits probably come closer to my Apogee "acoustic memory", and am still contemplating getting them (perhaps when Costco has them marked down an additional 25% off

)<G>.

sleepysurf,

I was hoping you'd see this thread and describe more about your experiences with the Apogee Stages you once owned. You see, I did a search of past posts and read your comments from 4/05... Thank you for relating your marvelous experiences in greater detail regarding the sound / imagining impact the Apogee - Stage's sonic signature had on you... I really appreciate your excellent descriptions as well... .

Thanks again...

 

[sleepysurf]

Of note, somebody in Ont, Ca has a pair of Stages (with stands) listed on eBay for only $1500... a pretty good deal IMHO. Alas, I'd need to reconfigure my entire listening room to squeeze them in, not to mention ?? WAF. Hopefully they'll go to a good home.

Of note, Apogee Acoustics provided stellar service on a comparable scale to ML. My Stages had the maple finish, but the grains were a bit mismatched. I called Apogee, and they explained how to remove the covers and paid shipping both ways to have them refinished. The "customer service" clerk I thought I was talking to turned out to be Jason Blooms wife, and she confided to me that Jason had attended Clearwater High School, and really missed the Tampa Bay area. They even called me back to ensure I was happy with the re-finish.

I sold my Stages in 1999 to a chap from Miami, who drove all night to Tampa, to pick them up. They were in immaculate condition, and I gave him a short demo, before we packed them up. We were both a bit choked up as we loaded them into his truck... me for letting them go, and him, upon realizing his audio dream!

 

[Craig]

Sleepysurf,
Aren't the Analysis Audio speakers very similiar to the Apogees? The St Cecilia Sound store in Clearwater had a nice pair of speakers Analysis Audio (don't recall the specific model) speakers and the last time I was in the store they were on sale at his demo/clearance price.

I had a chance to hear them and did sound wonderful and were similiar sounding to the Summits but had their own unique transparent sounding quality. I considered them at one point but they looked like they would take up a little more real estate in the living room much like the larger logans.

If Brian still has them in his store I'm sure he would let them go at a significant discount. I thought they were a nice looking speaker.

 

[Robin]

Wonderful...

Of note, somebody in Ont, Ca has a pair of Stages (with stands) listed on eBay for only $1500... a pretty good deal IMHO. Alas, I'd need to reconfigure my entire listening room to squeeze them in, not to mention ?? WAF. Hopefully they'll go to a good home.

Of note, Apogee Acoustics provided stellar service on a comparable scale to ML. My Stages had the maple finish, but the grains were a bit mismatched. I called Apogee, and they explained how to remove the covers and paid shipping both ways to have them refinished. The "customer service" clerk I thought I was talking to turned out to be Jason Blooms wife, and she confided to me that Jason had attended Clearwater High School, and really missed the Tampa Bay area. They even called me back to ensure I was happy with the re-finish.

I sold my Stages in 1999 to a chap from Miami, who drove all night to Tampa, to pick them up. They were in immaculate condition, and I gave him a short demo, before we packed them up. We were both a bit choked up as we loaded them into his truck... me for letting them go, and him, upon realizing his audio dream!

sleepsurf,

What a sweet story. I wonder if the gentleman from Miami still has you beautiful Stage -Apogee's and is still loving their sweet sound. It is what I would like to think anyway. Thanks for relating it. It was just wonderful.

 

[Robin]

Apogee - Diva System on Audiogon...

When I was researching the Apogee Acoustic "Ribbon" speakers I found, what looked to be a totally awesome Apogee Diva system:


http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?vaslt&1066703453


The owner of this posted 'Audiogon' system seems to have them amplified with about $100K to $150K just in, Jadis JA-500 (400 watts/channel) mono block amplifiers four of them, alone... Simply an amazing tubed Apogee system from what I can see...


(The Apogees shown in this photo are the Full Range) - TomDac

 

[Robin]

A close-up of the Jadis JA-500 amplifiers...

Jadis Tubed amps. look tres cool, wouldn't you agree...?

 

[kach22i]

That's one room in the house that the furnace can be disconnected from.

More A/C, more A/C!

 

[JonFo]

Wow, that's a lot of tubes. Can you imagine the re-tube bill for that?

I heard Apogee's many years ago and thought they sounded great. But was much more impressed with ML's when I heard then a year later. Different rooms and all that, so hard to tell.

 

[Joey_V]

Oh my.......

 

[risabet]

I sold Apogee's way back in the day and they were an amazing line of speakers. The Scintilla, which was a 1 ohm speaker, had the most incredible dynamics of any speaker I have heard. They also had the unfortunate ability to make amps shoot sparks, literally, when the output devices melted from too much current. When properly driven the entire line had an uncanny ability to sound amazingly lifelike.

 

[patlad]

The tube amps are Jadis JA-500 monoblocks. You can see the new models at the north american distributor site:
http://www.pierregabriel.com/Jadis/Page/ElectronicsIntro.htm