Apogee Speaker Reviews

Lissnr · « **Reply #20 on:** 15 Jul 2013, 04:38 pm »

I don't know how much qualifies as top secret but here goes:
My first set of Apogees were Mini Grands in very nice condition. I drove approximately 5 hours to audition them, then buy and bring them home. I brought my amps (VTL MB-125 monos) with me to see if they would work with them and they did NOT. But I wanted the Mini G's so much and they were the private pair of an audio store owner so he took them in trade + $$$ (undisclosed amount due to the top secret nature of this thread) and I returned home with the speakers AND a mint pair of Classe Model 25 solid state amps (250 per channel each) which he was bi-amping with.
Kept those a few years then moved to a bigger room and celebrated by locating a mint pair of Duetta Sigs (and another long drive...almost 6 hrs each way, to retrieve them). They were 2nd owner, who was best friends with the original owner from the day they left the dealership so he knew them perfectly and they were.
I found a pair of Calipers down the line, while still enjoying the Duettas...they needed some TLC and were quite reasonable but their drivers were all good so I thought they would make a nice 'back-up' just to have...as I was so hooked on the Apogee sound already. They were only a 3 hr drive (plus several tolls) but were the first pair I purchased that did NOT have original boxes. So, I took all the measurements off the website, bought some plywood and some 2"x4"s and built crates for them which I hauled with me when I went to get them. I listened before boxing them and they were well worth the asking price so I took them.
Fast forward :I was having some audio-buddies over one day and one of them fell in love with the my Duettas and happened to have a hi powered solid state amp in his system. No, I wouldn't give those up but I asked him if he was a little handy and told him I'd let him have my 'back-up' Calipers for a good price. Good deal...he cleaned them up and enjoyed them thoroughly.
Then he started hinting how my Duetta Sigs would be even better for his room. All along they were playing flawlessly at my place but the only caveat I ever had about them was they had started off as Duetta 2's (then had been sent back to factory for full upgrade to signatures) but they had left the older style wooden base feet (which in retrospect are probably even more stable than the newer metal style). But I had always thought in the back of my mind that if another truly mint pair became available...I would like them with the latest feet... Fast fwd again and I made a deal with my buddy that if he would pay me what I did for them (over $2500 but less than $3K...classified information) AND I could find another mint pair (with the "new feet")...then I'd go get the new ones, absorb the hassles of retrieving them...(since I was so good at this already??) and then sell him mine.
Well, the best laid plans....suffice to say it was a HUGE event acquiring the supposed mint pair... I promised my friend mine and delivered them to him AND helped him set them up...(yes, He IS local)... but when I finally got the new ones to my place (NO, I didn't drive this time...I hired a carrier and wow what an undertaking that story was)... but when I finally hooked them up it took all of 23 seconds to hear both bass panels buzzing like bumble bees in a tin can!!
Enter Rich at True Sound Works... I had always promised myself that "maybe...someday" if I could ever swing the costs and down time...that it would be really cool to get my Apogees completely redone. Well, my hand was just forced so off they went.
And here we are today...looking and sounding better than dreamed of and finally being all I was looking for. How much? well let's say that soup to nuts it's somewhere in the neighborhood of twice my original investment...+/- a bit and well worth every penny. Highly recommended as Rich Murry is truly an artist and a professional who sure as hell knows his way around these 'Sacred monoliths' I / we have become so fond of...
There's a LOT more storytelling but I realize this isn't the place to go into it with anymore detail...though I may do some kind of serious review and maybe something of an "associated equipment" story line... Whatever. Happy Lissn'n

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BobM · « **Reply #21 on:** 16 Jul 2013, 02:59 pm »

I am the one who bought Grant's old Duetta Sig's/ I haven't heard Grant's new rebuilt Duetta's yet (he's keeping them isolated until he has the system humming perfectly), so I can;t comment on the improvement or difference. I can tell you about my "upgrade" of his old Duetta Sig's.

Here's what I did ...
- removed the crossover from the speaker and put them in a separate outboard box
- potted the inductors
- replaced the caps with a variety of others in various values (e.g. Auricaps, Sonicaps, Russian PIO's, V-Cap teflons, original Spragues)
- updated the resistors to Mills
- removed the H-M-L switch (big improvement getting this out of the circuit)

These upgrades have these singing beautifully now (not that they didn;t sound good before, but they are so much more transparent and dynamic and wonderful now).

Enjoy,
Bob

Lissnr · « **Reply #22 on:** 16 Jul 2013, 09:06 pm »

I forgot to mention the efficiency of the updated Duettas ...I had asked Rich if they are any easier to drive after his rebuild and he said yes, they should be about 87db now and they will maintain their same impedance of about 3.8 ohms. He mentioned how so many owners use solid state amps for their obvious current delivery and especially noteworthy bass delivery but that they should now be a relatively easy load for any competent tube amp outfitted with 4 ohm taps. I know Rich can supply Audio Research equipment and tells me his new favorite tube amp is the Reference 75 which he actually used during the break-in / trial period of my speakers and mentioned it was an absolutely fantastic match! For myself personally, contrary to all my previous talk about the Classe Model 25 SS amp(s)...I'm a total tube amp guy from ages ago and very quickly after landing my original Duettas I again put tube power back into their blessed ribbon hearts...After a complex bi-amplified Dax 1 combination of Conrad Johnson Premier 12 monos (140 wpc) handling the bass panels and a Cary SA 280 V12R F1 Edition (100 wpc) handling the M/Twtr ribbons I have simplified somewhat for the time being and am running just the Cary at the moment which works very very well with the new D.Sigs... Of course, I'm currently awaiting a pair of high powered tube monos which are due in a few weeks and will likely add some considerable punch at approximately 200 Wpc but that's a whole other story... Suffice to say that Yes, they are not a particularly difficult load to drive butas always, more power is generally better than less. Enjoy!

Rocket_Ronny · « **Reply #23 on:** 16 Jul 2013, 10:25 pm »

Cool story.

Back when Apogee first came on the scene with their statement speakers I was going to buy them and biamp with 2 Electron Kinetics Eagle 7as, I already owned one amp. Then I got out of audio for quite a long time. I suppose if I had bought the Apogees back then I would still have them today and saved countless dollars and time messing around with speakers.

Rocket_Ronny

a.wayne · « **Reply #24 on:** 18 Jul 2013, 04:43 am »

Hello ,

Which apogees, the Eagle 7a will not drive 1 ohm loads its mostly an 8/4 ohm load type amplfier..

BobM · « **Reply #25 on:** 30 Jul 2013, 01:44 pm »

So my daughter and I went over to Grant's last night to hear the new broken in, totally refurbished and updated Apogee Duetta's. First, some back story. Grant has always loved a lush, beautiful and blooming sound on his old Apogees, which I now own. I updated them to be more transparent, faster, tighter sounding. So I had the more open sounding system, IMO at least, but my room isn't as large as his and I couldn't achieve the soundstage that he gets in his space.

Now, with his new Apogees, Grant has gone "full tilt bozo" in the opposite direction. These speakers are fast, fast, fast, open, tight, detailed and exemplary in every way. They make my formally "open" system sound slow and lacking in detail. And this is with his old Cary amp, which is usually thought of as a warm sounding brand. I think maybe some of this might be attributable to the Oppo CD player he was using. I can't wait to hear them again once his new DAC (Lampizator) and new amps arrive and are broken in. These updated Apogees made soft female vocals and piano sound "THERE", and rocking blues sound "LIVE". I really believe they actually do it all very well indeed. Not something many people can say about any speaker.

My daughter came back and we double checked our hearing on my system. She said, "it sounds great dad, but now that I've heard Grants speakers I know it can sound better yet". She then went upstairs and told my wife that I need a bigger room. My wife agreed, just as soon as she gets a bigger house.

SteveFord · « **Reply #26 on:** 31 Jul 2013, 12:05 am »

Face it, BobM, you're doomed.
At least mine only wants a remodeled kitchen.

Rocket_Ronny · « **Reply #27 on:** 31 Jul 2013, 12:28 am »

Quote

Which apogees

It was one of the first Apogees, I don't know the model, around 1982 if memory serves. From what I knew the Eagle 7A could easily drive a 2 ohm load. I forget what power it was to put out into 2 ohms but it was a lot.

This mating of 2 Eagle 7a and Apogees was only my desires at the time. I did not go to the next phase of implementation.

a.wayne · « **Reply #28 on:** 5 Sep 2013, 01:03 am »

Hello RR,

Late in responding , I Tried the Eagle 7a before , it will not drive 1 ohm scinnies or the Fullrange speakers, not stable at all. Interesting in hearing from others regarding what current or past amplifiers have worked for them on 1 ohm scinnies or the fullrange ...

Regards ...

Markkunkel · « **Reply #29 on:** 15 Sep 2013, 06:23 pm »

Hi, folks Brand new here, but long-time Audiogon and original Apogee forum member. Back in the Duetta fold with IIs, and wondering about active crossovers...anyone?

Many thanks,

Mark

RadioWonder · « **Reply #30 on:** 16 Oct 2013, 01:56 pm »

Apogee Centaur
Audiophile
http://www.apogeespeakers.com/reviews/centaur_audiophile.htm
Home Theater Review, February 1991
http://hometheaterreview.com/apogee-centaur-electronstatic-loudspeakers-reviewed-/

The Apogee Centaur was also reviewed by Anthony H. Cordesman in Issue 77 of The Absolute Sound February/ March 1992...

Lissnr · « **Reply #31 on:** 16 Oct 2013, 06:39 pm »

Hi Mark, welcome to the forum. Duettas 2's! You have really nice speakers and we both have a lot in common. A couple of quick questions first: How big is your room? What are your main electronics? ( tube, ss or ?) any room treatments or serious limitations to spkr placement? As far as active crossovers ( I'm a big fan and believer as I have done it this way through Apogees for many years) are you simply looking for more power out of necessity or are you thinking of mixing/ matching for the best of both worlds? Or?? You'll get a lot of strong opinions on both sides of it ( and I know both ways too) all I can say is that a well executed active crossover system can be truly exceptional....there's lots to talk/ think about. Again, welcome.

benzmerc · « **Reply #32 on:** 19 Apr 2014, 04:52 am »

Hi, My name is Saladin. I am from Malaysia and I have a pair of very good condition marble color Apogee Duetta Signature which I got from a Doctor in Singapore. I already own a pair of later series Apogee Stage which I am using as a surround speakers for HTS. I regrettably sold my Audio Note 3.1x DAC because I needed a XLR DAC which is lacking in the Audio Note. I am now looking for another XLR tube DAC after selling another Proceed AVP2. I sold my Krell KSA 200S long ago(regretted)and bought a BAT 500(using a Fourier component tube and Cary audio monos tube amplifiers but cannot power the Apogee! I am using the BAT VK30 tube pre amplifier to a Blue ICE digital power amplifier to drive the Apogee(no problem but cannot match the sound of the Krell or the BAT). I was wondering if I should buy an used Krell later model
power like the FPB 200 or just use back the KSA 200S? My source are CEC TL-1X transport pairing with the alchemist forseti apd34a dac using audience digital and IC. XLR input not working on the DAC. Speaker cables are Nordost SPM. Thanks for your assistance.

GT Audio Works · « **Reply #33 on:** 23 Feb 2015, 12:07 pm »

I cant claim to be knowledgeable of the used Apogee market....But $10g for one non functional Full Range Ribbon !!??
http://www.ebay.com/itm/APOGEE-FULL-RANGE-RIBBON-SPEAKER-RIGHT-CHANNEL-LEVINSON-CELLO-FISCHER-CONNECTOR-/221698140501?&_trksid=p2056016.m2516.l5255

Davey · « **Reply #34 on:** 23 Feb 2015, 04:02 pm »

Well, that's sort of an oddball ad and I'm not sure how real it is. But the Apogee repair and replacement parts market is fairly interesting.
This is a brand that's been significantly changed through the years since the company folded. Repairs are very expensive no matter which way you approach it.

Dave.

NIGHTFALL1970 · « **Reply #35 on:** 23 Feb 2015, 04:53 pm »

I owned a pair of Apogee Centaurs that I bought new in 1990. I had them for 22 years when one ribbon disintegrated. Cost of speakers new was $1800. Cost of one new (old stock) ribbon was $1800. So I bought Magepans.

a.wayne · « **Reply #36 on:** 24 Feb 2015, 12:21 am »

What maggies did you replace them with , Better ..?

a.wayne · « **Reply #37 on:** 24 Feb 2015, 12:26 am »

Quote from: GT Audio Works on 23 Feb 2015, 12:07 pm

I cant claim to be knowledgeable of the used Apogee market....But $10g for one non functional Full Range Ribbon !!??
http://www.ebay.com/itm/APOGEE-FULL-RANGE-RIBBON-SPEAKER-RIGHT-CHANNEL-LEVINSON-CELLO-FISCHER-CONNECTOR-/221698140501?&_trksid=p2056016.m2516.l5255

listing looks like a joke ..........

NIGHTFALL1970 · « **Reply #38 on:** 24 Feb 2015, 05:05 pm »

I replaced the Apogees with Magnepan MMGs. Then I upgraded to 1.7s. I like them even better than the Apogees. They sound fuller and more open.

rollo · « **Reply #39 on:** 24 Feb 2015, 08:07 pm »

Quote from: SteveFord on 31 Jul 2013, 12:05 am

Face it, BobM, you're doomed.
At least mine only wants a remodeled kitchen.

Nope, he will get a bigger house sooner than later. What state is the question.

charles