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| Apogee | Manufacturer | Model | Comments |
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Apogee | Mini-Grand | Ribbon design. Black satin finish. Excellent condition and sound
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Apogee | Mini-Grand DAX | dedicated active crossover |
Apogee Mini Grand with DAX |
APOGEE GRAND SERIES
The 'Grand Series' is the culmination of twelve years of research and development that significantly advances Apogee's patented Full Range Ribbon technology. A major technical achievement is Apogee's newly patented conductors that follow 'sine wave' paths. This serpentine pattern stiffens the critical junctures between conductors and reduces hinging or bending that can alter the signal. The rear wave of the midrange ribbon is free of mechanical intrusions, thus there is nothing to obstruct the signal between it and the listener. The midrange is clear and resolute. Subtle sounds shimmer and capture ambient information, the result of a refined dipole transducer design that radiates forward and rearward Apogee's Grand Series Ribbon speakers are hand-crafted beginning with the fabrication of our patented ribbon woofer assembly to our selected wood and gloss finish.The Studio Grand
The 'Studio Grand' incorporates Apogee's patented sine-wave ribbons throughout and dedicated subwoofer stands that provide seamless dynamic integration. Also included is a two-way active crossover (DAX) between the subwoofers and the ribbon arrays. Elegant precision leveling pods allow the system to be conveniently leveled by the listener with the speakers set in their final position. The 'Studio Ribbon Array' can be purchased separately without the subwoofers.
The Mini Grand
Our smallest and least expensive model in the 'Grand Series' is the 'Mini Grand'. Able to provide the utmost of musicality and dynamics in a compact package, the Mini Grand consists of Apogee's highly acclaimed 'Stage' Full Range Ribbon Speakers mounted on their own dedicated stereo subwoofer stands and the DAX electronic crossover. The Mini Grand subscribes to Apogee's modular building system as the 'Stage' and their subwoofer modules can be purchased separately.
'The Studio Grands do... stand out as one of the finest speaker systems have ever heard, and as one of the most revealing- both in terms of musical nuance and differences in audio electronics and front ends. Further I have yet to have an audiophile drop in for a listening session that does not share my opinion... see what state of the art can do.'
... Anthony H. Cordesman Audio Magazine, November 1994
"On the other hand, there's an undeniable sense of unity, both physical and sonic, to the Mini-Grand's totally integrated design. I found its overall performance stunning. I'd recommend the Stages themselves, which cover most of the frequency range, without a second thought—not surprising if you've read what I've written about them here and elsewhere. I must qualify my recommendation of the Mini-Grand subwoofers in that I suggest a moderate-sized listening room and careful matching of driving amplifiers. But when used with intelligence and careful selection of driving components, the total Mini-Grand system is an exceptional performer."—Thomas J. Norton Stereophile
The Mini Grand The 'Mini Grand' is able to provide the utmost of musicality and dynamics in a compact package, the Mini Grand consists of Apogee's highly acclaimed 'Stage' Full Range Ribbon Speakers mounted on their own dedicated stereo subwoofer stands and the DAX electronic crossover. The Mini Grand subscribes to Apogee's modular building system as the 'Stage' and their subwoofer modules can be purchased separately. The Apogee Mini-Grand system is a three way speaker. Two patented ribbon drivers reproduce frequencies above 80Hz. Frequencies below 80Hz are handled by the Mini-Grand subwoofer system which utilizes two Apogee custom made 8" woofers per cabinet. The sub-woofers also function as rigid stands for the Stage. (Apogee Acoustics Inc.) The Mini Grand subscribes to Apogee's modular building system as the 'Stage'. Though the Mini-Grand's cosmetics are new, its heart remains the Apogee Stage. The Stage sits atop the subwoofer on brackets that allow for variable tilt-back—an important feature for proper setup. For those unfamiliar with the Stage, it is a two-way, inherently full-range design. The midrange/tweeter is a 26" ribbon which handles the range above 600Hz. A dipolar, electrodynamic driver takes over below that frequency. Apogee calls this driver a ribbon, but this is not quite correct—it's a large film panel with embedded conductors, located near a large array of permanent magnets on one side. The drive-unit is loosely analogous to a planar electrostatic driver, but the operating principle is electromagnetic rather than electrostatic—no external polarizing voltage is required. The current in the conductors reacts to the fixed, permanent magnetic field, causing the panel to move. The Stage can be bi-amped via two sets of terminals on the rear. A two-position switch selects between two level settings for the midrange/tweeter—Normal and High—altering the overall balance. While I briefly experimented with the High position, I ultimately did most of my listening in the Normal mode, consistent with my extensive previous experience of the Stages. Even when used alone, the Stage—the most domestic of Apogee's non-hybrid panel designs—is an awesome loudspeaker.Stereophile ( review) For more information, see "Hi-Fi News & Record Review", July 1994, pages 40-47 |
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Specifications for Mini-Grand Speakers |
Height (Stage): 98cm
Height (Subwoofer): 29cm
Width: 67cm
Depth (Stage): 7cm
Depth (Subwoofer): 50cm
Subwoofer drivers: 2 x 8" Vifa dynamic cones
Ribbon Bass (Stage): Dual sandwich Aluminium/Mylar (etched)
Midrange/Tweeter: 6 segment Aluminium/Kapton panel (etched)
Max Sound Level: Guessed at 103dB
Sensitivity: Guessed at 86dB
Frequency response: 25Hz (-3dB) to over 25kHz
Crossover frequencies: Sub to panel 70Hz / bass panel to mid 700kHz
Suggested amp power: 100W (into 8 ohms) High current 4 channels needed
Impedance nominal/minimum: 4 ohms / 3.25 ohms
Weight: 55lbs per cabinet , 60lbs per stage
Finish: black satin finishApogee Stage: Two-way dipole speaker system with a 12" by 26", electromagnetic film-diaphragm woofer and a 0.7" by 26" ribbon midrange/tweeter. Crossover frequency: 600Hz. Crossover slope: 6dB/octave gradually increasing to 12dB/octave. Frequency range: 30Hz-20kHz (no tolerance specified). Sensitivity: not specified. Nominal impedance: 3 ohms. Recommended minimum amplifier power: 100W.
Dimensions: 37" H by 26" W by 2" D (without stands) Weight: 60 lbs each..
Finish: optional parchment, anthracite, or black sand, with or without mahogany or basswood trim.
Serial numbers of units tested: Not noted (1990); 003639/003584 (1994).
Price: $1995/pair (1990); from $2995/pair (1994); no longer available (2003).Mini-Grand Stereo Subwoofer: Drive-units: two reflex-loaded 8" cone woofers per side. Crossover frequency: 80Hz (provided by outboard, DAX crossover network). Frequency range: 24Hz-80Hz (no tolerance specified). Sensitivity: not specified, designed to match Stages. Impedance: 3 ohms nominal. Recommended amplifier power: 75W minimum, 200W maximum.
Dimensions: 11" H by 27.5" W by 18.75" D. Weight: 55 lbs each.
Finish: black sand.
Serial numbers of units tested: none shown.
Price: $2595/pair (includes DAX crossover, below); no longer available (2003).DAX Crossover: Input/Output: balanced or unbalanced. Crossover frequency: 80Hz. Crossover slope: 6dB/octave gradually increasing to 12dB/octave. S/N: 100dB (A-weighted). THD: 0.003%. Nominal input level: 1V. Level controls: ±3dB in 1dB increments for both Stages and subwoofers.
The DAX is a two channel Dedicated Active Crossover designed specifically to be coupled with the Diva, Duetta Signature and Caliper Signature speakers. It provides exceptional tuning flexibility whiich enables users to sculpt a tonal balance to meet their listening requirements. The DAX will accomodate a wide range of preamplifier and amplifier charactereistics.
"Apogee also furnishes the Mini-Grand with an outboard electronic crossover. Like the active crossovers they've supplied with some earlier Apogee loudspeakers, they refer to it as a DAX (Dedicated Active Crossover). And like those other crossovers, it's designed specifically for this application. The specified crossover frequency of the Mini-Grand DAX is 80Hz, with a rapid rolloff in the stop-band (see the "Measurements" sidebar). Front-panel controls permit level settings of ±3dB on both the high- and low-pass sections, to accommodate individual setup needs and/or differing amplifier sensitivities. While use of identical amps on the top and bottom is usually a good idea (and Apogee's apparent preference), many users will, through design or necessity, elect to use different models or even different brands.
The DAX is designed to be used in either balanced or unbalanced mode, to be chosen through internal jumpers. Reconfiguration is a bit of a hassle-in order to get inside the chassis, you have to remove the control knobs-but not all that difficult." Source
Specifications for the DAX
FROM STEREOPHILE, VOL.13, NO.8 (AUG. 1990)
APOGEE DAX ACTIVE CROSSOVER
Arnis Balgalvis auditions the dynamic DAX/Diva duo
Dual-channel, dual-passband, non-inverting active crossover, with external power supply. Cross-over frequency: 330Hz. Filter slopes: 6dB/octave gradually increasing to 12dB/octave. S/N ratio: -90dB (A-weighted). THD: 0.01%. Inputs and outputs: balanced and single-ended. Gain: balanced=2, single-ended=1, with internal 6dB gain adjustments in 1dB steps for low- and high-pass sections. Input impedance (switch-selectable), balanced: 600, 1.2k, 2.5k, 5k, 10k ohms; single-ended: 5k, 10k, 20k, 40k, 80k ohms. Output impedance: 6 ohms. Front-panel controls (per channel) for mid/tweeter level (0 to -6dB in 1dB steps), woofer and mid/tweeter balance (in 0.2dB steps), rake control ±2dB at 5kHz (in 0.5dB steps) hinged at 1kHz. With six-window numeric LED readout. Dimensions: 21/2" H by 18" W by 123/4" D (DAX), 21/2" H by 61/2" W by 11" D (power supply). Weight 5.5 lbs
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