Seeking thoughts on Apogee Caliber Ribbon speakers

Bombaywalla, Apogee Calipers, Divas, Duetta Sigs, with mostly Krell amps of various vintages.

I've heard them in the homes of folks involved with both companies. They can be a nice audio experience, unlike many speakers that just hurt my ears or are so full of distortions and colorations that I would not even bother writing about them.

However, the bass is never really right, and there is always a midrange coloration on transients. Nearly every Apogee owner I have ever known stays away from music they do not do well on which includes, but is not limited to, music heavy in bass transients, music using lots of standup bass.

The newly updated models from Magnepan are truly superior, much more neutral, much easier to drive. I do not own them, I know nobody at Magnepan, but if I wanted a panel speaker I'd have them.

Omsed,
thanks for your feedback.
yes, I can see now why you have the opinion that you do. All the Apogees you have experience with have Kapton-backed ribbons & the Kapton does impart its signature to the sonics.
And Krell amps. Hmmmm....I was never a fan of them.
I heard a reconstructed Diva with Krell Reference amps in a person's home & I came away less than satisfied with the overall sonics.
The other Apogee speakers (Scintilla & Full Range) that you do not seem to have any experience with are much better sonically. The Scintilla has free standing ribbons that are just aluminum foil with no Kapton backing. The bass panel does have Kapton - no way around that due to its size which demands some structurally integrity.
As an owner of a Scintilla I can tell you that I do not shy away from any music - the type that has a double-bass/standup bass included. I personally think that the Scintilla does a superb job of the bass. It's not cone- driver bass; it's planar bass. Nevertheless it's room-filing, punchy & compliments the music - never less & never more.
I think that we have different opinions driven by our different experiences.
The Magneplanar have gotten better (& yes they have always been easier to drive) but IMO they still cannot measure up to the Apogee Scintilla.
If I could have another speaker, I'd buy a SoundLab....

Omsed, Very interesting comments about the Apogee BASS because for me, BASS, along with many other attributes of the Apogees which got me hook to Planar sound, and I'm afraid that is forever. And oh yeah! What Bombay said exactly!!! :-) Bombay, hope you have been enjoying the Scinnies. Curios, have you been to the Apogee website? Wondering what is new there since I have not visited the site for a long time.

Henry

Bombay,

I just wanted to add it is amazing we both have the same thought. For 15 years, I thought to myself that if without the Apogees, God forbid, the Soundlabs are probably the Planar for me as well. I began to have that thought after hearing a pair of the Soundlabs A1 10 years ago.

Omsed, Very interesting comments about the Apogee BASS because for me, BASS, along with many other attributes of the Apogees which got me hook to Planar sound, and I'm afraid that is forever. And oh yeah! What Bombay said exactly!!! :-) Bombay, hope you have been enjoying the Scinnies. Curios, have you been to the Apogee website? Wondering what is new there since I have not visited the site for a long time.

Henry