So, how would this Super Diva compare to a Scintilla, other than the advantage of image ht w the Diva being well over 1' taller?
Another Apogee thread? You bet!
- Thread starter spiritofmusic
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The height won't be noticeable over scintilla as a scintilla like Christoph's is taller than normal but the bass panels are bigger and easier to drive. The room required is much larger and scintilla has 4 50mm pure ribbons as compared to one 25 mm of diva if I understand Jon right
Out of curiosity, have any of you guys heard and or compared the Analysis Audio Amphityron to one of the big Apogees?
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Hi yes I have heard three Amphi and 5 omega. Lovely mids and musicality, but don't have the same bass and dynamics. Very good though, but then if you hear a good horn or a giant cone you will feel you are missing out on bass while if you have a full range you won't. The US distributor of analysis mods them well
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What do you mean - they mod them. Do they mod Apogees or the AA speakers.
By the wqy, I used to own Duetta Signatures back in the day.
They mod the AA speakers. Crossovers points are changed with a choice to upgrade to Mundorf and then AA. There is a guy in the US I will try visiting at some point who runs the Amphi with each driver mono blocked using Merrill amps through a Trinnov with audionote pre and a TT. Interesting set up am curious to check out.
The duettas today should likely be better. If you are ever in N.Y., Lissnr on this forum has a good duetta set up with the Lampi in a small room. Guess you have a bigger room now though
I'm going to lump planers and electrostats for just a moment and call them panel speakers. Why do you suppose that the Apogees were so successful at delivering bass extension and impact when this is the characteristic weakness of other panel type speakers? What did Apogee do that was different?
Caelin, I have no idea
When negative expectation bias is turned on its head so spectacularly, it makes for a potent, hyper vivid experience
When negative expectation bias is turned on its head so spectacularly, it makes for a potent, hyper vivid experience
I think it is the nature and design of the large ribbon woofer driver which makes the difference in the larger Apogee models, versus the woofer panel of a Magnepan or of an Analysis Audio woofer driver. The Apogee woofer driver makes a great deal of high-resolution output from approximately 40 Hz or 50 Hz to approximately 200 Hz or 250 Hz -- a very critical range for realistic music reproduction.
I have never heard a Magnepan woofer panel or an Analysis Audio woofer panel or a Martin-Logan hybrid (other than the Neolith whose 12" and 15" drivers produce a lot of output in this frequency range) produce the quality and quantity of output in the frequency range as a big Apogee woofer panel.
I heard the Stage and Duetta and Diva many years ago, and only Henk's Grands recently.
I have never heard a Magnepan woofer panel or an Analysis Audio woofer panel or a Martin-Logan hybrid (other than the Neolith whose 12" and 15" drivers produce a lot of output in this frequency range) produce the quality and quantity of output in the frequency range as a big Apogee woofer panel.
I heard the Stage and Duetta and Diva many years ago, and only Henk's Grands recently.
I wouldn't lump electrostats into the mix, I owned Quads, ML, Beveridge, Accoustat, KLH & Maggies and bass is their Kryptonite, there's just nothing down there; they're born with nothing below the knees. Like an amputee athlete who can be magnificent up above but not much going on down below and at best can be assisted by some wheels or prosthetics. The only exception is the Soundlab A1+B1 combination which do create an amazing natural bass if not overdriven, the rest of them even if they have the surface area to generate low frequencies start farting with a little power and volume which is what you need for bass to come alive. Unlike ESLs planars like Apogees & Analysis can do bass but they need a lot of juice, high quality juice if you want the magic but so very few amplifiers have both qualities even today...
What set the Apogees apart from the rest is the same what sets your products apart from others Caelin, the man behind the company! I don't own AA speakers but a very close friend owns a pair, I think it's the Amphytrion but I'm not sure. I've heard them many times over the last 5 years including their transition from stock crossovers to the modded ones Ked mentioned, from tubes to all Lamm and Weiss & CEC front end all of which I know very well and use almost daily but there was never even a single moment that I found the AAs indulging, engaging or even the least bit intimate. To me AAs sound, dull, bland and distant just the opposite of Apogees, I had almost the same exact gear on my Divas and they were mesmerizing specially at higher volumes when that magical bass came alive. While visually AAs might resemble Apogees sonically they have nothing in common. I haven't heard any of the modded Apogees Ked & others are discussing here and people working on them might be credible technicians in their own right but I know one thing for sure, they're NOT the man behind the legend
!david
There is a speaker that I had never heard of that is showing in Munich. It is a planar design that claims to have the bass power of the Apogees and fine delicacy of a ribbon. From a company based in Spain. A friend of mine is in Munich now and says that it is truly exceptional. Perhaps one of our WBF EU members has heard this speaker?
Alsyvox
Alsyvox
I heard, it. Had a lot of bass but very tough to say in show conditions if it had good mids and if the bass is good quality too, there is lots of it. The bass as sounding localized but that could have been due to the show conditions. The coloring etc as atrocious
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Caelin, Ron sent me a link to them just before the show
The Google link came to nothing
Just a domain name banner saying "coming soon"
Doesn't inspire much confidence
The Google link came to nothing
Just a domain name banner saying "coming soon"
Doesn't inspire much confidence
I couldn't find via a google search either. But the web link works fine. alsyvox.com
It seems like it may be a new company. I really don't know. But, I now have four people that are saying the same thing. That it sounds incredible. 3D was a term some used. At the beginning of the ahow it sounded a bit harsh on some vocals but the report is that clearer up as the show went on. Typical of ahow systems.
In any case, I usually dismiss these new Apogee or new electrostats. But I trust the guys giving the reports so if I get the chance I am going to check it out myself. I just wonder if they are using panels from Aussie Apogee? One thing is sure - these are expensive. 87€
Equally curious to learn more about these. Please let us know what you think when you hear them/speak with the manufacturers as a fellow industry professional.
Hi Caelin, restored Apogees are using panels from Graz in Australia. They are not expensive. Only the Grand, if one can find one properly restored like Henk's, is expensive. The full range in the US is 30k, all out assaults on duettas are 15k USD. Last year in a three day NY tour I heard XLF with spectral and VTL, magico with Vitus, kondo kagura and top level CJ, all with high sources and analog, all excellent systems, and easily preferred the duetta with Lampi and TRL tube amps. Despite being a Lampi fan, I should say it was the speaker that made the system. Divas will be around 20k.
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So, guys. I am definitely interested in going 'back' down the Apogee rabbit hole.
Is there any consensus as to what is the best path. Rebuild an old original; buy a new design?
As an aside: I hooked up my Quad 57s this weekend just to remember what it is that made them such an iconic speaker. It really is a reliable reference for transparency and coherency. We all know the limitations but it sets a high watermark when evaluating a potential new speaker. Many reviewers use the term, "Quad like", but seldomly is that actually true.
Is there any consensus as to what is the best path. Rebuild an old original; buy a new design?
As an aside: I hooked up my Quad 57s this weekend just to remember what it is that made them such an iconic speaker. It really is a reliable reference for transparency and coherency. We all know the limitations but it sets a high watermark when evaluating a potential new speaker. Many reviewers use the term, "Quad like", but seldomly is that actually true.
I had read somewhere that although the Scintilla was the most difficult to drive that it had the best sound quality (when driven properly) compared to Duetta, Full Range and Diva. Do you have an opinion on this?
Lol. I just ran a long thread here describing why my choice on the apogee front is the scintilla http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showt...sle-with-horns&p=446493&viewfull=1#post446493
I have read good things about True Sound Works who rebuild Apogees. http://www.truesoundworksaudio.com/apogees-for-sale.html
TRUE SOUND WORKS AUDIO, INC.
775-267-4244 office
775-781-2203 cell
2664 Wildhorse Lane
Minden, NV 89423
richmurry@yahoo.com
TRUE SOUND WORKS AUDIO, INC.
775-267-4244 office
775-781-2203 cell
2664 Wildhorse Lane
Minden, NV 89423
richmurry@yahoo.com
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