[SteveFord]

Apogee Caliper
 Stereophile Nov 1986
http://stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/911/index.html

Apogee Caliper Signature
 Positive Feedback Online, Issue 14
http://www.positive-feedback.com/Issue14/calipers.htm

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

Apogee Diva
 Absolute Sound Nov/Dec 1988
http://www.apogeespeakers.com/reviews/diva_theabsoutesound_novdec1988.htm
 Best Of Audio
http://www.apogeespeakers.com/reviews/a_search_for_the_ultimate_speaker_bestofaudio.htm
 HiFi News June 1988
http://www.apogeespeakers.com/reviews/diva_hifinews_june1988.htm
 Stereophile August 1988
http://www.apogeespeakers.com/reviews/diva_stereophile_august1988.htm

Apogee Duetta II
 Stereophile April 1986
http://stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/848/

Apogee Duetta Signature 
 HiFi News and Record Review, Dec 1988
http://www.apogeespeakers.com/reviews/duetta_sig_hifinews_dec1988.htm

Apogee Scintilla
 Hometheater Review January 1987
http://hometheaterreview.com/apogee-scintilla-loudspeakers-reviewed/

Apogee Stage and Mini-Grand
 Stereophile  August 1990
http://stereophile.com/floorloudspeakers/789/

Apogee Stage Electrostatic
 Hometheater Review February 1990
http://hometheaterreview.com/apogee-stage-electrostatic-loudspeakers-reviewed/
 

[flintstone]

Great stuff..........I like this from the Scintilla review:

"'It certainly was a heady time for all involved. I have always hoped that someone with more money and ego than brains would pick up the fallen sword and bring Apogee speakers back to life. However, I have come to believe that it is wishful thinking and meant to be a relic of the past.'


Well, that did happen...........http://www.apogeeacoustics.com/


Dave

[oboaudio]

The Apogee Scintillas, Stages and the Hill Plasmas working together.  Using each speaker in its best
 range utilizing xovers.   

[apog]

Duetta Sig review from Hi-Fi News & Record Review  Dec 1988

http://www.apogeespeakers.com/reviews/duetta_sig_hifinews_dec1988.htm

This review kick started the process which eventually led to upgrading from Slant 8s to True Soundwork's version (Duetta Ultimate).   

[Lissnr]

Hello Apog, Your room looks great! I love your extensive use of the GIK panels and corner bass absorbers...I'm glad I'm not the only Apogee owner not afraid to thoroughly treat his room. I have "stock" Duetta Sigs but will inevitably be sending them to Rich someday to be updated w/ new fresh drivers and ...whatever seems prudent. I LOVE my Duettas and couldn't imagine any other speakers... What are your room dimensions? I am 13' x 18' x 7' sidewalls sloping up to to a 9' centerline height...Great listening chair in your pics too... And a Duetta "Ultimate" is simply "THE Ultimate". Congratulations to you.
My system is on A'gon under "My Transporter Room"...I've done a few more updates since the pics there but you can get an idea. Thanks for starting this post!
Best regards...Lissnr

[jimdgoulding]

Wonder why this technology has not reappeared?  If it should it would be out of my reach but some guys could trip.  Best deal on planers has to be Magnepan but the old Apogee's were lovely sounding.  Apogee is gone, right?  Cryin shame.

[ptmconsulting]

The Apogee brand was purchased about a decade ago by a guy (Graz) in Australia. Graz continues to supply and improve the drivers. He will still sell the tweeter ribbons to a DIYer to replace the old drivers, but will only sell bass panel ribbons to approved Apogee repair shops, since they are so difficult to align and properly restore (and one oops means a ruined driver).

http://www.apogeespeakers.com/

There's also an Apogee look-alike (Analysis Audio) on the market right now. They look damned similar but claim to have somewhat different technology. They certainly are more efficient, and as you suspect, much more expensive.

http://www.analysisaudio.com/

[rollo]

   Look alikes is far as it goes. Different design useing magneto - static membrane. The sound is different as well. The Analysis being more dynamic and linear. Not as colored as the Apogees which are warm in character " the Anti Maggie" Maggies can be bright or thin Apogees not. It all in the execution [ system]
   Which is better ?? None just different. Different strokes for different folks.
   A disclaimer, we are dealers for Analysis.


charles

[apog]

Hello Apog, Your room looks great! I love your extensive use of the GIK panels and corner bass absorbers...I'm glad I'm not the only Apogee owner not afraid to thoroughly treat his room. I have "stock" Duetta Sigs but will inevitably be sending them to Rich someday to be updated w/ new fresh drivers and ...whatever seems prudent. I LOVE my Duettas and couldn't imagine any other speakers... What are your room dimensions? I am 13' x 18' x 7' sidewalls sloping up to to a 9' centerline height...Great listening chair in your pics too... And a Duetta "Ultimate" is simply "THE Ultimate". Congratulations to you.
My system is on A'gon under "My Transporter Room"...I've done a few more updates since the pics there but you can get an idea. Thanks for starting this post!
Best regards...Lissnr

Hi.  I don't want to derail this review references thread too much, but thanks for the kind words.  The diffusors are GIK; the rest of the treatment is from Real Traps.

I think it's pretty much a necessity to treat small rooms like mine:  15' L x 13' 5" W x 9' H.  I can strongly recommend Rich regarding new ribbons / panels & am in total agreement about loving the Duettas.

Also, I checked out your transporter room & thread.  That's an amazing number of hours you put in both in creating the room and equipment research.  Sounds like it was worth it though.  Enjoy your system.

[Lissnr]

Hello SteveFord, Apog and all, I thought it was about time to give a worthwhile update on my system status. As I had mentioned on my A'gon  'Virtual System': "My Transporter Room"' I was hit hard by hurricane Sandy and while I managed to save all of my gear thanks to believing the weather warnings, my room itself was severely hit and suffered extensively. Ultimately I had to replace everything from 4' down [ including] the floor as well as the wiring, outlets, and of course all the sheetrock layers, etc...it was truly a legitimate catastrophe and one that has taken me the best part of 6 months to finally put back together. As one fortunate aspect it was sheer fate/coincidence that I had decided to take the plunge and actually had already shipped my beloved Duetta Sigs to True Sound Works where Rich Murry was about to begin their complete restoration procedure. Fast forward to today and the room and my rebuilt Duettas are now together again. And sounding awesome! I will be posting some fresh pics and more updates soon. All I can say is "It's great to be back AND sounding better than ever!"

[SteveFord]

Good deal on saving the gear.
Yeah, we like pictures!

[a.wayne]

Ahhh, err , Pics ...........

[Lissnr]

Sorry for the wait. Here are my new [completely rebuilt by True Sound Works]  Duetta Signatures in my choice of custom paint color...I chose a medium gray to match my room...

t

[apog]

Big CONGRATS!!! on the Ultimates. Love the paint.  The highest compliment I can give to the Ultimates is that if there exists anything at all in the music being played that I might like, the speaker will find a way for me to hear it.  My opinion is that aural happiness is personal and results from successful integration of one's musical tastes, sound preferences, room & equipment.  Hopefully, everything has come together for you.

[simon wagstaff]

Many years ago I had a pair of Duetta signatures that I bought used for $2K and a Counterpoint SA220 to drive them. I liked them a lot but found the image to be unfocused. sold the pair for $2,500. Looking back I realize how much money I would have saved, how much enjoyment I would have gotten, how much easier life would have been had I just kept them and performed upgrades/updates along the way. I think a good pair of subwoofers would have helped as well. I am sure you enjoy them very much!

[Lissnr]

Thank you for the enthusiastic response to my updated TSW Duetta Sigs and I agree with you completely that once you find the speaker that "Reaches you" (an old 1960's saying??) then making it all come together with the rest of the equipment really is that much more exciting and satisfying.
 As for my speakers I couldn't be more pleased with all the work done and to me they certainly represent my "Ultimates" but officially Rich at TSW actually has an even MORE extensive edition he calls his "Ultimates" and which apparently,somehow, go even further. Initially when I spoke to him about the rebuild he did mention that option to me but honestly I felt that his "complete restoration version" [if you can call it that] would suit me just fine (and honestly the additional cost to go 'Ultimate' was quite considerable). As you can see and imagine, I am quite pleased with mine.
Apparently the "Ultimates" do even more?? though I don't know exactly where/how. "My" version included all the main aspects you can see and (and not so readily see) such as ALL completely new 'Graz sourced' drivers, completely new crossovers, socks & grilles, binding posts and wiring, frame stiffening and of course paint of your choice (did I forget anything??). He also assures me they are built to such a level that I should never have any concerns about their continued superb performance and reliability until well after my grand-kids have enjoyed growing up with them too (don't have any of those yet but he made his point).
As for performance aspects I'm afraid to begin here as I should probably compose a more serious/formal review (and will certainly do so in the near future) but suffice to say that virtually EVERYTHING you have ever admired in your favorite Apogee (or even favorite "planar" ... or do I dare say favorite speaker of any type???) ... you will hear has been taken to the Nth degree in this rebuild...Do you believe it's possible...[I'm telling you IT IS] to achieve a smooth, even, completely coherent tonal balance combined with instantaneous transients, dynamic impact 'off the charts', highs that sing like Angels and bass extension that rattles metal garbage can lids (remember Metal garbage cans??)... (IF you have the power to do it).
These guys simply sound like the best marriage you can make between all the virtues of a planar and whatever you thought you had to miss out on by not having dynamic drivers...(again: amplifier dependent)...you CAN have it all.
OK, I'm starting to sound more like an advertisement than a satisfied customer and that's not what I'm here for but if I've made my point that I couldn't be happier with my decision and that's what matters for now. My only advice to anyone on the fence about investing the resources to have your Apogees reborn...all I can say is IMHO once you hear what they can truly do then all those ads in the big magazines for the ultra high end speakers (at 3X, 5X, or 10+X the price or more) won't interest you anymore (not that I have heard them all because of course I haven't but I get to a lot of shows and have heard a lot of exceptional systems in dealerships and private homes over the years). A pair of these will put you smack IN the league of/if not better than the Magicos, the YG's, the Rockports, the big Wilsons, the Raidho's...you get the idea...and they do it all AS A Planar!
OK, have to wrap it here. BTW Simon W. the Counterpoint SA220 amp was one of the best amps in its day to drive the Duettas back then...I was a big Counterpoint fan years ago when I started with their pre-amps; First an SA 1000, then the 3000, then the 5000 and an SA 100 amp as well as their DA-10 and DA-11 transport and processor...a classic 'hybrid family' theme that did a lot very well. See if you can find another pair of Apogees (preferably within one days' driving distance from where you live) then send them to Rich...
You will be DONE.
Sorry about the rambling guys...BTW it's nice to have this forum! Happy Lissn'n!

[simon wagstaff]

Well, that is a wonderful point in time when you can just sit back and listen to music and not worry about the gear. I feel I have reached that point with my Gallo Ref 3.5 and Van Alstine U70.

The MOSFET Counterpoint amps had a tendency to blow up, I started out with an SA-20, then it blew up, hence the SA-220. it was a nice match for the Apogees.

So, what did this whole process cost/  What is left from the original speakers?  Looks like everything is swapped out but the frames?

[apog]

...
As for my speakers I couldn't be more pleased with all the work done and to me they certainly represent my "Ultimates" but officially Rich at TSW actually has an even MORE extensive edition he calls his "Ultimates" and which apparently,somehow, go even further. Initially when I spoke to him about the rebuild he did mention that option to me but honestly I felt that his "complete restoration version" [if you can call it that] would suit me just fine (and honestly the additional cost to go 'Ultimate' was quite considerable). As you can see and imagine, I am quite pleased with mine.
Apparently the "Ultimates" do even more?? though I don't know exactly where/how.
...

I think the biggest difference regarding Rich's 'Ultimates' is that he replaces the magnets with stronger magnets and ensures they are matched and properly aligned.  I'm not technical enough for it to be meaningful so never asked for clarification re 'stronger'. 

[SteveFord]

Here's a link for any other Apogee owners who may be thinking of going this route:

http://www.truesoundworksaudio.com/index.html

[Rocket_Ronny]

Thanks for sharing about your Signature rebuild. Very nice indeed.

Can you share if you had bought the speakers and sent them for rebuild, or just bought a pair rebuilt? And of course everyone wants to know if they can afford such a pony so if you don't mind talking price we are all ears.

Are your speakers more eff. than a stock pair? If so, do you know by how much?

Thanks for sharing any of your top secret military info.

Rocket_Ronny