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Apogee Returns! Bookmark and Share Posted Sun Sep 24, 2006, 6:56 PM ET
By Paul Messenger

Apogee fans will be delighted to hear that the legendary full-range ribbon is back—only it's now manufactured in Queensland, Australia by English immigrant Graeme Keet. Universally known as Graz, he's been in Oz for 18 years, and started offering a repair service for Apogee owners when the company went out of business. He then introduced the Perigee hybrid ribbon models, has now worked out a way of mechanising ribbon production and is putting the Synergy model (shown here at the Roy Bird Show) into production, with a UK pricetag of £13,000/pair ($24,500). The sound in the undamped dem room did seem rather bright, but Graz claims to have achieved dramatic improvements in efficiency over the original Apogees. He can also make replicas of the original models if requested.

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Reader Comments 

Posted Mon Sep25, 2006, 3:38 AM — By Hans Jonsson

Nice to see these products again. When will we be able to read a formal review?

Posted Mon Sep25, 2006, 7:07 AM — By Bob Aranyi

I have been told by people attending the show that these speakers were best at the show. Please review immediately!

Posted Mon Sep25, 2006, 8:44 AM — By Matthew Nicholas

Congratualtions to Graz on a labour of love. Can't wait to read a full review in Sterophile. Aussie Aussie Aussie.

Posted Mon Sep25, 2006, 9:34 AM — By titan57nl

When can we expect a full review at stereophile?

Posted Mon Sep25, 2006, 12:15 PM — By Joseph Manley

Wonderful! Apogee reborn, and with current state of the art technology and construction. I expect to see many "best of show" accolades for these, just as happened with their illustrious ancestors (a pair of which grace my listening room). Please review ASAP. This is a breath of fresh air. Congratulations to Graz - there is a dedicated group of Apogee owners that consider him a lifeline of salvation for their beloved ribbon speakers.

Posted Mon Sep25, 2006, 2:54 PM — By Les Ehman

I can't wait to read about them and eventually listen to and probably own. Les Ehman

Posted Mon Sep25, 2006, 3:21 PM — By Mike Alazard

Well done, Graz!! I hope you get the chance to show them off a a show or two in the US!

Posted Mon Sep25, 2006, 4:46 PM — By John Atkinson

Please note that Stereophile does not review products that are not formally distributed in the US. So while this erstwhile Scintilla user is as intrigued by what Graz is doing as you guys are, a review in Stereophile is a long way off. Sorry.

Posted Mon Sep25, 2006, 7:28 PM — By Florian Wiegand

Gratulations to Graz and hail to the finest speakers in the world. As a Apogee fan i am thrilled to see this new light on the horizon! Its about time we got really good speakers back which can be bought new. I thank Graz for all his hard work and with the ribbon support, my GRAND's will run for years to come !!! I was deeply dissapointed when they canceled my holliday and blocked my way to come. The lack of internet access and my mail accounts has prohibited me from writing sooner. All the best to Graz and hail to the finest speakers in the world! -Flo

Posted Mon Sep25, 2006, 8:31 PM — By Joe

Awesome looking speakers! How do we get them in the US??? I hope they offer some reasonably priced units as well. Wait, wasn't Apogee from the US? We'll just have to colonize them.

Posted Tue Sep26, 2006, 8:18 AM — By Jeff Blazey

Boy, am I glad to see this! Being an Apogee owner in the present, this makes me smile. After spending what may be some very pleasant time with other speakers, I have always returned home to my Apogees for the musical goods. So far I've yet to find a musical crowbar big enough to remove them from my system. These look like very nice crowbars. And what's this garbage about not reviewing products that aren’t "formally" distributed in the US? Maybe Mr. Graz should wear a tux. Is that "formal" enough? Gee that's why "airplanes" and "delivery trucks" were invented...so they could "formally" "distribute" items to your doorstep from any part of the world. Come on JA, this is the global 21st century and this is NEWS. Jeff Blazey

Posted Tue Sep26, 2006, 9:52 AM — By JoeE

Is that price serious? I'm an Apogee fan and was looking forward to their re-introduction. The price seems a trifle high for the size I see there. If that price is correct I'd better grap a pair of the old ones right now! After all, he can at least supply repair parts for them.

Posted Tue Sep26, 2006, 6:28 PM — By Roy Drake

I attended both the Hi Fi News and the Sound and Vision shows and the Synergy speakers were in my opinion the best sound I heard. Despite a less than ideal room for such large dipoles, when the source music's recording quality was upto it they gave the best sound quality I have ever heard from a Hi Fi. The guy next to me just sat there with his mouth open then looked at me, words did not need to be exchanged. The magic of my Quad electrostatics was there but backed up with huge dynamic range and the punch of a hammer blow. They did not seem to have any weaknesses, shame I have not got £13000!

Posted Thu Sep28, 2006, 10:38 AM — By Dorival de Oliveira

Graz is the only man in the earth capable of Apogee revival. A perfectionist man that always loved Apogee and produce repairs better than the original ones. Dorival, Sao Paulo, Brazil.

Posted Fri Sep29, 2006, 10:17 AM — By Fred Manteghian

Let's hope he brings them to our HE2007 show in New York next spring!

Posted Fri Sep29, 2006, 12:46 PM — By Mike Patterson

JA how many products do you review that are "factory direct"? Seems I've seen a few, you know, on that internet thingee. Mike, Duetta owner and Apogee lover.

Posted Fri Sep29, 2006, 6:11 PM — By Charles

WOW! I now have a reason to continue living. I have been treasuring my MiniGrands (purchased used) for just over 10 years now and continue to love them far more than anyone should love inanimate objects. It is gratifying to see the marque reborn from the ashes. Looking forward to the opportunity to listen to (and one day PURCHASE) a new pair.

Posted Sat Sep30, 2006, 7:33 PM — By alan

Big up your chest Graz, this was the best sound I have ever heard in any room at any show in the last ten years, the Synergy/Apogee,Rowan absolutely blew away the Martin Logan,Audio Research system I heard in another room,in my opinion not even coming close.The sheer power and presence of these speakers is something to behold,I feel I have been very lucky to have heard them, thank you Graz for reviving a classic, I reckon the yanks will buy shed loads of them, who needs Wilsons at $100,000!! Apogees Rule!!

Posted Sun Oct 1, 2006, 11:07 PM — By Guy La Rue

You can count on 6moons to do a review...Srajan is always open to new product.

Posted Mon Oct 2, 2006, 2:32 PM — By Mike

Hi hope Srajan doesn't review these speakers. I find his reviews a chore to read...too much flowery language, especially the pretentious French phrases, and never seems to get to the point. Perhaps, Steve Rochlin of Enjoythemusic.com would do the honors.

Posted Tue Oct 3, 2006, 4:32 AM — By JINNY ROACH

well done Graz & Esme, you have worked extensivley on this project with many ups and downs, however you have achieved the most fantastic sound in the world and Im sure will be apprieciated by all music (best sound) enthusiasts the world over...again fantastic! cant wait to sit back and listen again!!!

Posted Sun Oct 8, 2006, 5:32 PM — By Guy La Rue

Yes I know,Srajan is into meditation,patchouli,tantra,flower,and all that fluff, but he's not afraid to review small obscure company,give him credit for that....

Posted Mon Oct 9, 2006, 9:38 AM — By Mike

So I'm not the only one who has a problem with Srajan's reviews. I like his website, probably the best online site, but I really dread it when he reviews a component I like. Did you read his review of the Supratek Cabarnet Duo? Major fluffage - almost unreadable. I really hope he leaves the poetry to the poets and the French to the French, and start getting back to the basics of reviewing. Getting back to the Synergy. This is just too important a product not to review - we're talking magazine cover. If Stereophile doesn't review this, some other major mag will, to Stereophile's detriment. Let's hope if this speaker turns out to be the bomb, Graz doesn't get greedy and raise the already high price so only reviewers (ie, reviewer/dealer price) can afford them. Then I would lose all respect for the guy and instead go buy a Soundlab who has a better track record here in the US.

Posted Sat Dec 9, 2006, 12:55 AM — By Pär Eliasson

As a long time Apogee user it is really wonderful to find out that brand new full-range ribbon speakers can be bought again, even at a price! But these speakers were never that cheap back in the 1980s either. And I think it is not until recently, with the use of the many super power amplifiers that can be bought today, that you are able to fully understand what magnificent speakers they really are! You can never go back to "boxes", again after listening to a pair of well-kept Apogees driven by a suitable amplifier.

Posted Mon Aug13, 2007, 6:44 PM — By Bill

How about a review now that Apogee Acoustics have two U.S. dealers? Click the "dealers" box on his website for more information. Also, let me take the time once again to say the world became a less musical place when the original Apogees went out of production and became a sadder place when we lost Apogee founder Jason Bloom in 2003. I'll never forget calling Apogee with a placement question, and them connecting me to Jason himself.

Posted Fri Mar14, 2008, 9:47 PM — By Garth

Is there something smaller?

Posted Fri Mar21, 2008, 12:23 AM — By Tony

How in the hell do spammers get to post on this site? That is ridiculous. Sure does take the fun out of reading the info you want to see. I sure hope you guys review Graz's speakers. I have an old set of Duetta Sig's that I'll never part with. Interesting how the new would compare to the old.

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