Apex III

The ultimate floor-standing tower for high performance audio and home theater applications!

With four CSS SDX7  6.8 mid-woofers, three FR125S mid-range drivers, and a single RAW Acoustics RA104.5 ribbon tweeter combined in a four-way design and housed in a slim tower for maximum performance, the Apex III is a real aural force to be reckoned with!  Best of all, these are video shielded meaning  that they are perfectly suited for use in high-resolution, multi-channel audio, and home theater environments.  No longer must you compromise between audio or home theater applications - the Apex III is equally adept at both roles.

The Apex III is not inexpensive, but "statement" speakers rarely are. The Apex III combines the sheer dynamics of large horn systems with the smooth sound and detail available only with conventional direct radiators. If you add the pin-point imaging and soundstage depth found in small monitors to the equation, you're almost to where the Apex III takes you.

The Apex III starts with a rock-solid foundation: a quartet of CSS SDX7  6.8 mid-woofers, mounted in a net total of 4 cubic feet, and tuned to 26 Hz with a large, rear-terminated slot vent. Thanks to their XBL²™ motors, these drivers are simply unmatched in terms of clean output, bandwidth, and dynamics in any size factor below 10" in diameter. Consider that this quartet has as much swept volume as most high-end, high-excursion 12" drivers, and it's easy to see that a true subterranean bottom end is easily achieved. And because of the small diameter of these woofers, the overall visual presentation of the speaker is not compromised - the cabinet is slender and proportioned.

Crossing over at  500 Hz to a pair of the phenomenal FR125S midrange drivers, the performance continues right through the critical midrange frequencies. The FR125S units are unrivaled for use as wide band drivers; relieving them of the first decade of sound is paid back richly; midrange detail and clarity is startling.  Dynamics are uncompressed and stunning. Neutrality is guaranteed.

Above the FR125S mids sits a custom ribbon tweeter, measuring a scant 19mm wide and 60mm long, handling the top 2+ octaves starting at 4500 Hz. The RA104.5 is up to the task of mating successfully with the drivers covering the bottom 7+ octaves.  This ribbon provides the right level of detail, air, and immediacy needed to finish the overall sonic presentation.

Mounted at the top of the rear is a single FR125S, run full-range.  Attenuation is by a single 8 Ohm 100watt L-Pad, which allows the user to dial in the desired amount of ambience. Unlike most ambience circuits, which contain just a tweeter, this is a true 100 Hz to 20 kHz ambience solution, creating one of the most holographic and exacting sound stages possible.

Blending it all together is the key. Just as a proper blend of spices and ingredients brings a gourmet dish together, the crossover is really the heart of the matter. The best drivers in the world are wasted if the crossover does not properly integrate them as a cohesive unit. The crossover is not a simple, textbook solution, but a fully engineered and voiced design.

Containing these superlative drivers is a robust, well-braced, and attractively proportioned cabinet. Standing 54" tall, 17" deep, and just 10" wide the Apex III cabinet is at home in nearly any environment.  Drivers are arranged in a WMTMWWW configuration, with good symmetry and close driver spacing.  The rear-firing driver is located at the top, while the rear-firing port is located at the bottom.  Plenty of bracing is utilized to keep box vibration to an absolute minimum - the largest unbraced area is kept to less than 1 square foot!

The frequency response is an amazing ±1 dB from 60 Hz to 16 kHz.  Anechoic bass is 3 dB down at 24 Hz.  In-room bass extension is typically to 20 Hz, while the top end extends out past 30 kHz.  True acoustic bandwidth beyond the limits of audibility.

The impedance is smooth and free of glitches, indicating a well designed and damped enclosure.  A minimum of 3.8 Ohms is seen at 300 Hz; over the audio bandwidth the total impedance averages 6 Ohms, meaning it is compatible with nearly any amplification source.