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RE: Heard a reference level planar speaker last Saturday

Josh, you are speaking about things you don't really know about. You obviously have only very limited experience with Apogees or planars other than Maggies. All planars suffer from similar limitations, this is clear. However, some are more limited than others.

One thing is for sure, the Apogees have less of a one note bass than most other planar speakers. This has to do with the trapezoidal shape and variable tuning of the bass panel that spreads the resonance over a wider frequency range and reduces the peak. Maggies, having a rectangular panel, are the most susceptible to a resonance peak, the main cause of one note bass. However, as I have explained it also has a lot to do with amplifier choice.

For the record, I wrote the review on the Apogee Caliper Signatures from Positive Feedback so I will explain a bit further. I ONLY heard one not bass from my Caliper Signatures when a friend brought his Krell KSA250 over one time. It had more slam but no texture and was a clear one note boom. It has to do with the fact that most SS amps are OVERdamped and Apogees generally don't need that damping to control the bass. I had very good success with a wide range of low and zero feedback amps (including a pair of 20 watt SETs up to the mid 90s db...loud enough for most listening).

As to my experience with planar speakers: I have owned in this order: Audiostatic ES100, STAX ELS-F81, Infinity IRS-Beta, Apogee Caliper Signature, Acoustat 1+1, Acoustat Spectra 2200, Acoustat Spectra 4400, DIY ribbon hybrid with BG Radia driver and 10 inch woofers (full active).

You will notice that I did not ever own Maggies. Why? Because after hearing several models from friends who owned them (1.5qr, 2.2(3?)r, 1.6qr, and 3.6) I never wanted to own them. Compared to many other planars I have owned they sound veiled, especially at low levels (and especially compared to the electrostats like Audiostatic and STAX) and compared to the other planars they sound dynamically constrained. I recently heard the new 3.7 and I still feel the same way.

The only planar speaker that I am still perhaps intersted in trying someday would be an ET VIIIb.

As to further experience with Apogees, I have several friends who are serial Apogee owners. The friend who has the rebuilt and improved Scintillas also has the Studio Grand and the Centaur Major, both of which can be easily driven with my 30 watt KR Audio SET and we have proved this even in a large room. The friend who rebuilt the Scintillas (he is an approved installer here in Europe) has the Apogee Grand (arguably the best speaker ever made), the Full-Range (the original Apogee), and several smaller models.

Two other Dutch friends have Scintillas, a German friend also has a Grand as well as my old Caliper Signatures and the littlest one the Stage. He used to also have a pair of Divas as well as Maggie 3.6 and a pair of VMPS RM30 planar hybrids.

Suffice to say I have heard Apogee compared to Maggie many times and Maggie always loses. Maggie compared to Acoustat also loses (Acoustats are far more coherent, work much better at low levels and have better bass).

Are Maggies bad? Of course not but they are simply not playing in the same league.

My point was that I heard a rebuilt Scintilla that was to my ears a reference level speaker, built like a tank but with a beautiful finish. It was supported by reference level electronics and the sound was far far beyond what most people achieve with their systems. Does the rebuilt Scintilla cost a lot more than a new 3.7? For sure. Is it more than a new 20.7? No. Is it better? Probably.

If I could have the purity of the STAX and the power of the big Acoustats or IRS Beta, then I would have the perfect speaker. The only one I have heard that comes close to that ideal is the Apogee Grand and the Dali Megaline (except for deep bass...it needs perfect subs).

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