Apogee - entry options for the common and not so common man!

[Graz]

So now there is a new Apogee Duetta, but the no-limits design demands a price tag that is out of reach? I understand : )

How can a regular audiophile get into Apogee? I have been asked that over time by many people less than able to buy our flagship model speakers. I am a real person myself, and understand. Luckily – I have not often been short of an answer! First up – a fact. Apogee was always the pinnacle of the high end and priced accordingly – as were (and are still) the amplifiers required to properly drive them. Panel Apogee's cost the same as production cars when introduced, their highest model cost more than many serious sports cars. And of course – no Apogee could ever be called mass production, there was never the call.

When the original owners passed control of Apogee Acoustics to a/d/s the company was in bad shape. It had come into existence and been sustained through infusions from (non audio) businesses the owners had – when that stopped the balance plummeted. ADS had the brand for a while, considered, and dumped. A gap for air, and then I stepped in and have been here for about 15 years at time of writing, how time whizzes by...

When the speakers were essentially abandoned in late 1999 something extraordinary happened, once the highest priced semi-production speakers of all time were being panic sold by clients in fear of being left without spares! 26-6 ribbons were being sold at $1000/pair by dealers that had stock, bass panels far dearer. People were divesting as fast as possible, and some real genuine bargains were to be had. I picked up some (mildly buzzing) Duetta Sigs for $3k – in Australia they sold for $12-15k when new. People (including me) that never would have believed they could own the speakers now had them, and many were yet to realise the potential of what they had. When I entered the picture as spares andnew speaker manufacturer the trend slowed as people realised there were not only spares, but ones that enhanced the original product. Truly Apogee brand speakers have an unusual story, and their unique history has seen a statement product line made originally for the ultra wealthy audiophile reach the more regular person as well.

More on time. Allowing for the real devaluing of money by inflation and monetary policy over time (send your emails to those who run the banks, not me!) the numerical amount of money needed to buy something is considerably higher than in the 1980's!! Whether chasing a Mars bar or a Mansion – things are certainly dearer by number now.

However, after all of this - there are real Apogee's out there for many budgets, from Centaur Minor hybrids upwards, getting into a pair of original Apogee's has never been better value.

Panel Apogee's understandably start a little higher, and have some definite minimum amplifier requirements to factor into system expenditure. I have seen damaged Calipers sell for less than $500 on several occasions, and if they are restored by our global team of Installers with basic new Bass and MRTW ribbon installation/replacement they can be making excellent sounds for as little as $3500 plus your old speaker. Add some more supportive stands and some bracing and you are hitting $4500 or so. In real terms considerably less investment than when manufactured, whilst performance is better than ever! Next up come Duetta's, similar story to the Caliper's but all up around $1k dearer. Obviously – if a new exotic paint finish is on your mind, tight tolerance crossover upgrade, or accurate magnetic realignment during a bass installation this would add to costs. But typically each option runs about the same as a medium priced audiophile rca interconnect, yet delivers more performance or value.

Scintillas and Divas occupy the next couple of rungs of the Apogee performance ladder (in no particular order). Prices rise accordingly as panels and handling become more specialised. Being 3 way designs enhancing crossovers becomes more complicated and expensive, but performance from properly restored speakers can still be considered up there with state of the art offerings from other established speaker brands, at several times the price.

Essentially such remanufacturing of an original pair of speaker results in a speaker that exceeds the original in performance and quality, often addressing original tolerance issues to make audible gains. An essential service for the long term owner, and means of obtaining genuine performance for fair-price speakers for those looking to get into the Apogee brand.

Side-dish – in 2004 I made a statement speaker (Definitive) to explore how far the Apogee magnetostat could be taken – just for fun and learning.

Since 2004/5 I have been making panel Apogees “Classic” for anybody that wanted a pair. These work out a bit dearer than a full blown rebuild type for type, but still offer good value.

Since 2006 I have offered the high efficiency Synergy 1.5 in type one or the slightly revised type two versions, and incidentally these are now “out of production”, replaced by the new Duetta Advance 7.

For those who already know they like Apogee's from the perspective of their industrial art looks, and realistic planar sound, but are seeking a speaker to end the upgrade cycle – the new Apogee Duetta Advance 7 is a logical choice. Made to closely resemble the 1980's Duetta Signatures in many ways, but made in a way to address all structural and longevity issues of the speakers these speakers are truly built to last a lifetime. Such a speaker demands materials of far higher values than the original Apogee's, and engineering tolerances far in advance of what was possible back then. They are much heavier, and the finish is in keeping with their engineering and class.

From a restored hybrid to an all new state of the art planar it can be said more now than ever that Apogee has something for it's widest demographic of clients...