Phasecorrect, "Arcing?"
"Anemic bass," you got to be kidding. One of the great sonic successes of the big Apogees are their deep bass that play seamlessly with the mids and highs.
For realistic acoustic bass, there is no better. Certainly, certain box speakers can produce more slam, which works for electronic bass reproduction. If that is solely your cup of tea, then by all means... but if you want to hear a cello, drum, acoustic bass, etc.. and you want it to smoothly integrate, it is here the large Apogee panels will excel.
"Metallic highs," If you have ever heard a Diva, Scintilla, Duetta, or Full Range, then that term wouldn't have occurred to you. In fact, I haven't heard anyone characterize the highs of Apogees as being "metallic."
"...." I suppose by this, you mean everything else...
I can't say anything about other panel speakers except that the ones I've heard do a better mid than any dynamic drive I've heard. It is true, they are all room dependent to varying degrees. Floor reflections can be simply nullified using a rug.
It is the speed of the ribbon or panel that defines fine texture in a voice or instrument that sets them apart. Apogees extend this speed and clarity to 30Hz and lower.
