Apogee hit a home run with the Stage. Although it was their smallest and cheapest full range ribbon, there was nothing about it that was entry level. It benefited from trickle down technology since Apogee was one of those rare companies whose first products represented their attempts at the state of the art, and their later efforts were their products that would incorporate the same technology but tailored to be more accessible at lower prices.
Even today people don't realize what a great value the Stages are.