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

[Robin]

Another excellent Apogee - Diva System...

Diva System...

 

[User211]

Just for the sake of accuracy, the amps on the first page were incorrectly identified as Jadis JA-500s. I am amazed no one noticed...

This what they really are.

http://www.tuberesearchlabs.com/products/gt800.htm

I dunno!

 

[wrat]

I still have my Apogee Stages, I smoked several Adcoms with them a 545,then 2 555,s
In the right room they truly are a world class speaker

 

[sleepysurf]

I still have my Apogee Stages, I smoked several Adcoms with them a 545,then 2 555,s
In the right room they truly are a world class speaker

I see you're located in South Florida. Did you, by any chance, buy your Stages used (circa 1998) from a guy in Tampa??

 

[CCH]

'Enjoyed all the pictures. They sure do look like my old Carver ALS's!

 

[MPS]

Here's one very interesting product:http://www.tetrimaki.fi/english/highend_speaker.html It's a hybrid desing like most MLs. Beautiful ribbon sound and extended lows due to dynamic bass element.

 

[wrat]

I see you're located in South Florida. Did you, by any chance, buy your Stages used (circa 1998) from a guy in Tampa??

Nope bought em brand spankin new from Sound Advice in 1992

 

[Wardsweb]

I have a pair of Duetta Signature speakers in my work shop out back. One of the bass panels needs replacing after a cat tried to run up it. That project has been on the back burner since 2004. They are phenominal speakers, but like others have said, they can be a PIA. You better have amp(s) that can handle a VERY difficult load. Even more so than my CLS.

 

[C.A.P]

I have a pair of Duetta Signature speakers in my work shop out back. One of the bass panels needs replacing after a cat tried to run up it. That project has been on the back burner since 2004. They are phenominal speakers, but like others have said, they can be a PIA. You better have amp(s) that can handle a VERY difficult load. Even more so than my CLS.

Any interest in selling ?

 

[User211]

User211 has defected - just arranged for a pair of refurbished (Graz drivers) Duetta Sigs with external x-overs - well, at least, I have e-mailed an offer the seller will accept.

This has been on my mind for yonks... now I have gone and done it, all being well...

Seriously doubting my amps ability to handle them... but hey, if they don't, that's life, and I'll just have to get something else.

 

[tonepub]

Nice speakers!!

 

[User211]

Yup - big shake up chez Justin.

Anyone wanna buy some Ascents with panels about 1.5 years old? Actually, before they go, I'll live with the Duettas for a while. If I decide they are better, the Ascents will go, if not, the Duettas will!

 

[Bernard]

If I decide they are better, the Ascents will go, if not, the Duettas will!

I hope that if the Ascents go, Justin does not go from this forum!

 

[sleepysurf]

Ahhh! Brings back memories of my old Apogee Stages! I sold mine right before Graz came along to save the species! They were too large for my small room at that time. Hope you get the Duetta's!

 

[User211]

I hope that if the Ascents go, Justin does not go from this forum!

The dark side lives here: http://www.audioworld.com/cgi-bin/sw/forumdisplay.cgi?action=topics&forum=Apogee+Acoustics+Users+Group&number=1&DaysPrune=

I'm not rating the Ascents chances, but you never know! Certainly the seller likes them much more than MLs, providing a long list of why he thinks they are better.

Rest assured, I will post saying exactly what I think, for what it is worth. I'll probably do it on my system thread, and post a few pics too. I am sure some will be interested.

Sleepy - the room doesn't look to small - it's just the furniture and other clutter getting in the way, and stopping you from getting them away from the walls. If it was dedicated, you could chuck it all out and it'd be OK, I reckon. Nice room, BTW.

 

[C.A.P]

Time for a KRELL upgrade as yo0u are gonna need more than glass packs to run them !

When pushed with the right amp Appoges are breathtaking

 

[User211]

Maybe, maybe not. The Sigs are one of the easiest. My amps are rated at 80 Watts, but can deliver 130 Watt peaks. Actually, the printed spec that came with the amp says 170, but I think it is a misprint. Check the following post by Graz, who was blown away with some weak 25 Watt DXT tube amps connected into his own modified design:

"WARNING - this thread is looking for ultimate amplifiers, that deliver in all respects.
The recent amplifier tube thread got me thinking as the experience I had told me in no uncertain terms that an established good ref amplifier I know well and have heard over 8 years was missing bits from it's performance. Truth is - having the Apogee's, even the less demanding ones still have a base level of requirement that goes beyond what many speakers need. Being generally inefficient, power requirements are high to achieve the FULL dynamic response the speakers can deliver. In extreme cases such as the Scintilla - an amplifier needs to deliver almost 1200w into a 0.85 ohm load on peaks to truly drive the speaker to the acoustic power limit. BUT - this is only one limit. Live music reproduction needs a level of realism that most Apogee's can convey convincingly if driven properly. Air, space, scale, timing. An amplifier that can flatten the foils may still come up well short in terms of realism. Everybody knows an Audiophile that turns up the wick to disguise the fact they should be changing their kit!!

So let's look at what we actually really need to get this complete set of requirements!

Many hare have stated they need the full power, so lets look at a few of the true power requirements to drive to the full sound output of the following 5 "specimen" classic Apogee's;-

Caliper Signature. About 100w into 2-3 ohms.

Duetta Signature. About 120w into 2.5-3.5 ohms

Diva. About 300w into 3-4 ohms. Likes biamp.

Scintilla. 1100w into 0.85 ohms. Gulp.

Full Range. 900w into 1.6 ohms. Needs biamp.

All amplifiers need to be fed what it takes to really drive as designed, in the case of the Scintilla and FR this means several "cooker" lines from the power board, or else the amp will not be performing optimally...


OK, so that's power. What about realism? How do we define it? Measure it? Agree on it? I will open up here - the recent DXT amplifiers taught me the 25w mono powers sound more realistic than a Musical Fidelity M3's power amps, driven by the MF's pre section. I also learned the bottle-tube DXT pre amp further added realism to this picture, when not changing source or speakers. Something in the music was surviving despite the comparative low power, so whatever "absolute amplifier" would have to retain this ingredient!

My (at the time 77yo) mother once commented in a comparison between 3 amps (ICE1000asp/ICE500a/Nuvista M3) "the last two don't sound so ALIVE as the first" amp. No commercial bias, old ears. Yet what she stated we were in complete agreement on. This ingredient.

What is it - and what amplifiers have it in spades, PLUS the power requirements and composure to drive the full dynamic envelope?


Curious - Graz"

Another possibility is tube amps on the mid/tweeter, SS on the bass - which needs the real power. The impedance isn't as low as Logans.

Check out the Scintilla power requirements:devil:

 

[sleepysurf]

...Sleepy - the room doesn't look to small - it's just the furniture and other clutter getting in the way, and stopping you from getting them away from the walls. If it was dedicated, you could chuck it all out and it'd be OK, I reckon. Nice room, BTW.

That pic was from my old pad many yrs ago, before marriage, kids, and life got in the way! I've told my wife I hope to someday end up in an ALF with a dedicated listening room!

 

[C.A.P]

HERE Scintilla , Scintilla , Scintilla...........:devil: I have a cookie ! Mr Krell wants to stuff you full of current !:ROFL:

 

[User211]

Yeah - the Scintilla was/is a real Apogee, built to give Dan a reason to make insane amps...