Visit to Henk van der Hoeven -- Apogee Acoustics Re-builder/Restorer

[bonzo75]

The best solid state sound I have ever listened to used the Constellation Audio Hercules II monoblocks / Altair II. I can imagine it would be a great match for ribbons ...

The Constellations sounded good on Magico Q3s. Also heard them on Neoliths.

Have heard the Altairs only in Munich. Not my choice. The only rockport I have relatively liked is the Grand Mira II, which is a very different design. Tall, slim, like a line source, but a Dapollito, MTM design, with front and side firing woofers. No rear-firers. It's quicker and more immersive than the others. Think a bit light on bass, but nothing that can't be fixed by a sub.

 

[flyer]

Possible, but you are focusing on one of the parts of one of the examples. Being in those different rooms, I am quite sure the only that made a difference to me was the TT.

Hi Ked,

Just an update on my system, i now have the Aries Cerat Impera II preamp and the upgraded server from Totaldac, it is a whole different world now... One wonders how I managed to like omitting such preamp and server upgrade.

Always welcome. If any use, I am exhibiting with that same system, along with a world premiere new chassis for the Aries Concero 65 amplifier, at the Brussels hi end show on October 15 and 16 (check www.nmhighendinnovation.com).

Best,
Michel

 

[bonzo75]

Yes I want to. I have been traveling a lot.

 

[853guy]

Hi Ked,

Just an update on my system, i now have the Aries Cerat Impera II preamp and the upgraded server from Totaldac, it is a whole different world now... One wonders how I managed to like omitting such preamp and server upgrade.

Always welcome. If any use, I am exhibiting with that same system, along with a world premiere new chassis for the Aries Concero 65 amplifier, at the Brussels hi end show on October 15 and 16 (check www.nmhighendinnovation.com).

Best,
Michel

(Sorry to hi-jack the thread momentarily...)

Michel,

Would you mind describing the system you'll be showing in a little more detail, if possible?

Hopefully I'll be able to make it across the border for the show.

Cheers!

853guy

 

[flyer]

Hello 853guy, I opened a new thread in the audio shows chapter. We can continue there if you like:

http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showt...ation-Show-in-Brussels-October-15-amp-16-2016

 

[Ron Resnick]

. . . The only rockport I have relatively liked is the Grand Mira II, which is a very different design. Tall, slim, like a line source, but a Dapollito, MTM design, with front and side firing woofers. . . .

I cannot imagine you not liking the Arrakis, with its height and M-T-M configuration (but, then again, you are a little difficult to predict. : )

 

[853guy]

Hello 853guy, I opened a new thread in the audio shows chapter. We can continue there if you like:

http://www.whatsbestforum.com/showt...ation-Show-in-Brussels-October-15-amp-16-2016

Nice idea. Thanks, Michel!

 

[bonzo75]

I cannot imagine you not liking the Arrakis, with its height and M-T-M configuration (but, then again, you are a little difficult to predict. : )

Am not really. It's always been panels and horns, and I have always been trying to get past the dynamics and bass issues of panels, a problem that got sorted with some of the apogees (without giving up the panel midrange). Horns were a big source of frustration as there was no medium term compromise (it was all out in a big room with high cost or a parody)

The Grand Mira II was a good compromise for a mid-term speaker, which I could have sold off easily in the used market. But these cones to me will never have the mids of a panel or the dynamics and bass of an apogee or a bass horn, or that realism, and both a restored duetta and the hORNS Universum have taken care of the mid-term issue, though the latter has a poorer resale value in the used market due to lack of awareness.

 

[GuillaumeB]

Hi Ked,

Just an update on my system, i now have the Aries Cerat Impera II preamp and the upgraded server from Totaldac, it is a whole different world now... One wonders how I managed to like omitting such preamp and server upgrade.

Always welcome. If any use, I am exhibiting with that same system, along with a world premiere new chassis for the Aries Concero 65 amplifier, at the Brussels hi end show on October 15 and 16 (check www.nmhighendinnovation.com).

Best,
Michel

Nice! My upgraded d1 server hopefully arrives today...

Guillaume

 

[morricab]

Am not really. It's always been panels and horns, and I have always been trying to get past the dynamics and bass issues of panels, a problem that got sorted with some of the apogees (without giving up the panel midrange). Horns were a big source of frustration as there was no medium term compromise (it was all out in a big room with high cost or a parody)

The Grand Mira II was a good compromise for a mid-term speaker, which I could have sold off easily in the used market. But these cones to me will never have the mids of a panel or the dynamics and bass of an apogee or a bass horn, or that realism, and both a restored duetta and the hORNS Universum have taken care of the mid-term issue, though the latter has a poorer resale value in the used market due to lack of awareness.

So, do you own Universums now? What are your main speakers?

 

[bonzo75]

So, do you own Universums now? What are your main speakers?

No. I sold my Veritys. I am waiting to buy another place, and then speakers. No rush. Prices are down 10% since Brexit, but no saying if they will go down further or back up.

 

[Zero000]

The speakerless audiophile LOL.

Just buy some small high quality monitors I reckon, til the time comes.

 

[bonzo75]

The speakerless audiophile LOL.

Just buy some small high quality monitors I reckon, til the time comes.

No thanks. I don't want to buy any speakers. I don't listen to music much at home anyway. 2 - 4 hrs a week tops. I am going to collect small ancillaries to building up, until I finally add the speakers.

 

[bonzo75]

Apogee Divas which were once owned and tuned by Dan Agostino are up for sale in Connecticut. They have old stuff.

I also read an interesting comment from Gallant Diva on the Apogee forum

"What he did was, and he showed my the pictures, to use two Fullrange woofers, with the MR/T panel sandwiched in between, for each side. That would make each speaker very wide. Naturally, his room was very big, roughly 40 by 30. He drove both woofers in parallel using a Krell KBX, and all Krell Reference amplifiers. He claims that Dan D'Agostino of Krell visited his room and said that was the best sound he had ever heard -- but then he would say so.
I am just thinking that may be the best sub for Apogees is to use a ribbon panel itself. I am thinking of using the woofers of my second FRs to be add-on subs. I know folks have tried crossing the ribbon panels by taking the bass out of them to gain MR enrichment. But I normally go to the opposite side . Has anyone tried Apogee woofers as subwoofers?

 

[Folsom]

Speaking of Apogees....

Heh, I've checked my Goodwills for vinyl, but never walked out with anything, let alone Apogees.

 

[LL21]

80k euro for the grand, but only 17.5 for the FR. With grand you are also paying for the exotica and fine tuning. Fyi, when the grand was made the divas were 9k USD and grands 85k, then the costliest speaker.

Just re-reading this thread...who are the key players out there in producing fully rebuilt Apogee Full Ranges in 'as new' condition?
- John Oakey in the UK
- Henk van der Hoeven in Benelux?
- Anyone else?

And for those who are familiar Alsyvox...it seems their 2 speakers (Botticelli or Caravaggio) sit on either side of the scale of the Full Ranges? The Full Range is 2.0m tall and 1.0m wide...the Botticelli is 1.77m by 0.64m wide. Of course, the Caravaggio is 2m tall but 1.38m wide because it is 4 panels (2 + 2).

 

[Ron Resnick]

Just re-reading this thread...who are the key players out there in producing fully rebuilt Apogee Full Ranges in 'as new' condition?
- John Oakey in the UK
- Henk van der Hoeven in Benelux?
- Anyone else?

True Sound Works in Nevada, USA

http://www.truesoundworksaudio.com/

 

[LL21]

True Sound Works in Nevada, USA

http://www.truesoundworksaudio.com/

Thanks!

 

[Lissnr]

Thanks!

Rich Murry is True Sound Works in Nevada. I have been dealing with him for well over 10 years mostly with rebuilt Duettas as well as a brief (1 year) stint with Divas that we concluded were just a bit too big for my modest 13’ x 18’ room. Finally ended up with a beautiful pair of Duetta Ultimates he built for me which are sounding magnificent [if I may say so myself]. Kedar had visited my room a few years ago ( he mentions his “Visit to New York to hear Apogees with Tube Research Labs” and he enjoyed my system apparently quite a bit (that was with Duetta Sigs but not my current Ultimates...).

I'm still doing typical upgrades along the way... mostly cabling but I recently went from a Lampi Big 7 while Kedar was here up to a Golden Gate and just recently a new GG2 with the latest engine and upgrades.

Very pleased. Nice to see this thread continuing.. Apogees are imho quite remarkable transducers... By the way... as much as I enjoy SS into them (I sometimes run Krell FPB 350 monos), I personally still prefer high powered tubes. Go figure.
Best regards, Lissnr

 

[Lissnr]

Rich Murry is True Sound Works in Nevada. I have been dealing with him for well over 10 years mostly with rebuilt Duettas as well as a brief (1 year) stint with Divas that we concluded were just a bit too big for my modest 13’ x 18’ room. Finally ended up with a beautiful pair of Duetta Ultimates he built for me which are sounding magnificent [if I may say so myself]. Kedar had visited my room a few years ago ( he mentions his “Visit to New York to hear Apogees with Tube Research Labs” and he enjoyed my system apparently quite a bit (that was with Duetta Sigs but not my current Ultimates...).

I'm still doing typical upgrades along the way... mostly cabling but I recently went from a Lampi Big 7 while Kedar was here up to a Golden Gate and just recently a new GG2 with the latest engine and upgrades.

Very pleased. Nice to see this thread continuing.. Apogees are imho quite remarkable transducers... By the way... as much as I enjoy SS into them (I sometimes run Krell FPB 350 monos), I personally still prefer high powered tubes. Go figure.
Best regards, Lissnr

Oops, quick footnote... I just looked over the pictures Kedar had taken at my place when he visited...the speakers are my latest, the Duetta Ultimates... I mistakenly said [above] that they were an earlier pair of rebuilt Duetta Sigs purchased from Rich a few years prior. FWIW an easy way to differentiate the 2 models is by the 2 tone paint finish often seen on the Ultimates ( I eventually chose those colors from an Audi S4 at my local dealership after comparing every brand of car paint colors I could find... BMW, MB, Lexus, Porsche... you name it...!).Thanks