Synergy 2

[apogee_admin]

As promised here are a couple of pics of the new Synergy 2's in Ferrari red.

Synergy 2

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Synergy 2 (with flash)

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I delivered and to Neal's and set them up last Friday afternoon. We had them roughly setup by early evening, initial impression was good considering the room had no acoustic treatment as yet, and the speakers needed running in. So we left them playing and did the sensible thing - had a curry and went down the pub

Saturday was spent upgrading Tony's pair of Synergy crossovers which also gave Neal's speakers time to loosen up, then back down the pub to relax!

Finished off at Tony's on Sunday morning. The sound was spine-tingling, I know I am biased but I haven't heard any speakers doing what the Synergys can do, simple purity of tone and effortless sound, they just simply sound right.

Tony's Synergys

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We borrowed some of Tony's acoustic room treatments and headed back over to Neal's to do some fine tuning. We spent a couple of hours playing with positioning and the acoustic treatments. The sound improved immensely, and considering we were probably only at about 50-60% of optimum as the speakers were still running in Neal was extremely happy.

Jon

[Vansloneker]

Thanks Jon, and thanks Neil and Tony.

[JarreYuri]

Very nice indeed!

[artm]

First, let me say that I have no doubt that this speaker is fantastic. But you say the sound went from "good" to "about 50-60% of optimum" between Friday evening and Sunday morning?

How can that be when we've heard all along that a lot more time is required for a break-in period?

[Graz]

Optimal run in time on a Synergy or any of the modern Apogee and Perigee's (post 2000) can be as high as 300 hours of play, though they do sound nice freshly made. A funny thing that caused us some stress with the Apogee Synergy release in 2006 (London show) was the courier co lost them in transit and they only turned up with hours to spare! Consequently they had less than 20 hours on them in when people heard them, and audible break in was heard for those who stayed over the show!! Mad times. The higher efficiency of the modern series speakers means fewer watts, longer burn-in versus the old days of high power requirements where you could actually feel the warmth in the inductors after an hours play!!

Apogee Synergy 2 is of course a development of the 2006 Apogee Synergy speaker, with quite a few modifications. In the main they are almost identical to their predecessors as seen from the front, almost all of the differences being internal or visible from the back. Efficiency is the same as the Synergy 1, though dynamics are more evident due to the extra case rigidity.

1) More structural strength, bass aperture reinforcement

2) Rear grill

3) Deeper, stronger xover box

4) More internal structural strength

5) Massively improved clamp design and material, related closely to DEFINITIVE

6) Uprated clamp to ribbon bonding

7) Uprated tension stays and tuning system

8) Uprated grill fixing / tension system for the front

9) Uprated MRTW side fixings

10) Uprated magnet damping on bass - all new magnet shapes

11) Uprated wiring, tailored to each unit

12) Uprated plinths

13) Uprated rout finish, ridges and logo - now all custom made tooling

14) Uprated foil resistor design for TW, able to be configured for 3 different levels internally - no switches*

15) Uprated xover > audiophile panel wiring throughout

16) Uprated foam damping, now two stage

17) Uprated case jointing - ridge biscuit jointing used on all case sections

18) Uprated tension hardware, stainless, and custom moulded sections

19) More paint stages

20) Re-worked KLM1 bass ribbon

21) Custom foil MR and TW ribbons

22) Extra case front support on the slant side

23) Extra rigid clam tightening for the front to back sections

24) Enhanced case gasketing

There is a lot more - once I got started on the revisions to be honest I got carried away!!! This speaker design was never commercially influenced and could better be compared to a musical instrument than a commercial speaker design. There will likely never be a great amount of these built and sold so this is unlikely to be a huge problem! One unavoidable influence on the final pricing of the Apogee Synergy 2 is the ever rising cost of rare earth magnets, something I will discuss in detail when the web site is updated with new data (long overdue).

The Apogee Synergy 2 can still be configured for all modes of operation from passive single amp up to active triamp in any combination, and all connections are still made with copper binding posts. Synergy 2 has all of it's TW xover built into the panel, whilst most of the bass and MR xover is built into the external block. Using this combination the TW ribbons still retain a little bit more protection! The internal level/shaping circuit is set to a "high" position for the TW on leaving here, though to be honest I like the "med" position myself by a huge margin. Changing this is a matter of removing the case front, and carefully changing the connection of one wire on an internal fixing, not so hard but better carried out by somebody I have trained such as an Installer.

The xover used in Neal's red speakers MR and Bass has been built by Jon Oakey, using values he arrived at in long term development with Synergy 1.

The development of the Apogee Synergy 2 has been probably the most enjoyable professional journey of this year for me, a pleasant distraction...

It should be noted that the feet used with both Synergy's pictured above under the plinth are not standard - and have been fitted by the owners to taste. Standard trim for Synergy is either 3,4 or 5 point spike fixing to bite the floor under a carpet - where the plinth is designed to touch the top of the carpet gently. With a board or tile floor positioning is achieved on button headed bolts, final positions marked and then the bolts removed carefully (assumes flat floor).

* during run in the speakers TW is set high to actually get some power running through it. Some might like this setting and continue with it (depends on their kit and room), though final placement for this is best set once some hours have been logged on the speaker.


Take care - Graz

[Vansloneker]

Graz, is this the new speaker you talked about earlier?

[Graz]

Hello Vans

No - the new speaker was due for release a few months back but I have a situation that has come up that is as yet "unresolved", something unforseen - not to do with my speaker. Steps are underway to resolve this now

I had been considering Synergy in a new light for some time when I had orders, and rather than make the standard design I figured this would be a prime time to do the creative overhaul on what was to be Synergy 2, and better serve clients. It actually turned out to be a bit of fun!

There are in fact 2 new real Apogee speakers (not counting the revision to Apogee Synergy). One is familiar, almost retro with some massive twists. The other, visually similar with some interesting new approaches to planar engineering. Both use state of the art parts, engineering, tolerances. I would prefer the new releases be made when things are better and so I plan to release both speakers here once the situation referred to is sorted...


Take care - Graz

[JarreYuri]

I can't wait!
Very exiting!

[MattC]

Graz, impressive engineering to be sure. I would love to hear it.

Now, if only I could convince you to produce a state of the art planar headphone, priced in the $900-$1,500 range, intended to compete with Audyze LC-2, Sennheiser HD-800, Beyerdynamic T-1, and HiFiMan LE-6, etc. Judging from the activity I see at Head-Fi, these models are simply flying off the shelves, and qualify as more-or-less high-end impulse buys for audiophiles with money to burn (unlike me, of course).

[Vansloneker]

A ribbon headphone? I've once had a Stax. A big leap into "I've never heard this before". But not really a pleasure to have on your head physically. Made from the cheapest plastic and I was afraid it would break if it ever should drop. I also wanted to turn up the volume all the time. So for the sake of my ears, I returned it.

[MattC]

The Audeze and HiFiMan are planar headphones. Many people feel that the Audeze ($945) is the best headphone available at any price today - and now with the Schiit Lyr, it can driven to perfection with a relatively affordable amp ($450).

The audio landscape has dramatically changed.

[Vansloneker]

I see it's a magnetostatic headphone rather then electrostatic. You say it's it's better then Stax? Pricing is a lot below what I paid for the Stax. I never listen to headphones anymore. For the occasion I would consider the in-ear Stax, other then that, why waste on headphones when you have Apogees?

[MattC]

Why? What's the cost of properly running an Apogee?

- Acquisition cost of the speakers
- Acquisition cost of the ancillary equipment
- Acquisition cost of a suitable large listening space where music can be played loud and yet not disturb neighbors?
- Cost of the energy necessary to run a big Apogee system for one year?

Now, what's the acquisition and energy cost of a SOTA headphone system? A lot less - meaning an exponentially larger potential market.

I love my Apogees - and the ship has utterly sailed on aircraft-carrier like loudspeakers.

[steve_pan]

As convenient and good sounding headphones can be, i can't listen to them more than 20 min. even if there are the most comfortable thing you can put on your head-ears.

To me it isn't natural on how too listen to music, and i much prefer the Apogee speakers even at very very low volume over headphones.

[christoph]

@jon and the two happy synergy owners

thank you very much for involving us mere mortal apogee users in this divine and rare action

has anyone heard the synergy with excellent tube gear yet? the synergy with its merciful impedance imho demands to be mated with excellent tube amps

last sunday brad was at my place and we both were in awe how extraordinary his only 30 watts per channel KR Audio 350i amp played in combination with my studio grands with all new graz KLM5 ribbons

it sounded so extremely spacious with a very deep stage and highly resolved and yet unbelievably smooth and pleasant with absolutely no listening fatigue. to die for...

it sounded so good, that i wonder how (if even? ) my scinnies will sound better with solid state amplification...


@the lucky synergy owners

PLEASE at least try some excellent tube gear once. give it a chance, you won't be disappointed.
KR Audio kronzilla is on top of my wishlist. the "cheapest" 22 watt per channel version should suffice for the synergy


cheers, christoph

ps: soon i will hear the grand and FR at henks place. i'm very much looking forward to that

[MattC]

Don't get me wrong. I love Apogees. But I also want to see Graz stay afloat, and a produce a product that will sell in the thousands, if not tens of thousands, every year.

Let's be real. Getting people to purchase Apogee replacement ribbons, and thus allow Graz to recoup his original investment, has been a hard sell, to say the least.

[Graz]

Next week I am having a few people round here, one will be Don with some of his DXT valve monos. They are tapped to suit the Synergy 2's, and the particular type he is bringing is 45w. Synergy 2 is about 95db/w so this will work fine - however a bit more power works well also.

***

Don't know if Brad looks in here but we need to talk soon, as the new release speakers have the efficiency to suit...

***

Hello Matt! The thought of 1000>10000s is scary! That would suck the fun out of this if it were ever a reality. What I make is low production volume and special, kind of like the high end market without the shrinking!!!

Take care - Graz

[steve_pan]

Don't get me wrong. I love Apogees. But I also want to see Graz stay afloat, and a produce a product that will sell in the thousands, if not tens of thousands, every year.

Let's be real. Getting people to purchase Apogee replacement ribbons, and thus allow Graz to recoup his original investment, has been a hard sell, to say the least.

Yes Matt, i understand what you are saying now

I always thought, that the Centaur series was one of Apogee's most -best on getting buyers into the brand. Excepcional performance into the high end with a relatively cheap speaker. I think it made a lot of owner's to go after the full range ribbons one day and got a hole lot of audiophiles into the Apogee sound.

It's just a thought

[User211]

Christoph - if I get the chance of a listen, I'll make the offer of hiking my 211 amps around if they are interested. What I think they are faberooney, you have to accept that they may not be everyone's bag, though.

More power than required - they're good for 80 Watts parellel single ended - rising to 170 on transients!

[christoph]

hi justin

i know this sounds a bit weird but when i was in the shower half an hour ago i thought exactly the same as you.

"maybe justin can show those lucky synergystas his tube amp..."

i cannot rank your amps though but i'm sure they sound excellent

i'm not sure if they sound as good as the KR Audio amp because that's the best one i've heard so far...


cheers, christoph

[Graz]

With tube amps almost everything is won or lost in the transformer. The tube amp mfr's that have paid particular attention to this area are the ones that seem to get the best sonic results that I have heard so far.

The transformer tap for Synergy 2 (or Synergy) would be 2 or 2.5 ohms.


Take care - Graz

[User211]

Spec suggests trannies optimised for 4-8Ohm loads. Fine for a Duetta Sig - not so good for Syngery...

Try it and see I guess.

[Groove-T]

No problemo if you hook the S 2 onto the 4 ohm tap.
Power is enough there.