RICHARD MOSCATELLI'S SYSTEM

I purchased a new pair of Apogee Duetta Signature Series speakers in August 1991.  At the time they cost $4,000 (US) for the pair.  I have run them with a pair of Forte Model 6a  200 wpc bi-amped for the past few years.  I use a Forte model 40 preamp and a Proceed CDP CD player.  I have an old Denon DP 37-F turntable with a Signet 5.0ml cartridge.  The speakers are in fairly large room (15' X 24') placed approximately 7' apart, 3' from the rear wall and several feet from the side walls. I use original SYMO cable for the speakers, lower end XLO for everything else.

A couple of months ago, I moved the system to the room I have described above, from a somewhat smaller irregularly shaped room.  After moving them around in the new room and tweaking some acoustic dampening, I placed them on the long wall. The speakers have absolutely opened up!  I was genuinely pleased before, but now they are even more dynamic and the soundstage has increased.  I have auditioned different power amps and CD players, but have come to be satisfied with my current sound.  My next upgrade will probably be a new turntable (VPI or equal), since I have 2000 LPs.

I have attempted several times to mate a subwoofer with the Duettas. I have tried REL, Mirage, and Velodyne.  Not the top models, but very good ones.  I always find myself turning down the sub to the very lowest possible settings, hence little or no influence on the overall performance.  I, therefore, am convinced that the Duetta Sigs deliver all the natural base I want.

While I am always looking for the next tweak (cables, power conditioners, etc.), I can't imagine listening to another pair of speakers (well maybe a pair of Divas!!).

Thanks for the website
Yours truly,

Richard Moscatelli

Additional information:
I would like to update the information with the following changes which have improved the performance of my Duetta Sigs. In my previous description.
I spoke of my inability to satisfactorily mate a subwoofer with the Sigs, but since then I have accomplished just that. From the Audiogon website, I purchased an almost new Paradigm Servo 15 with its X-30 crossover, and am running signal out to the crossover and back to the amps. First of all the Paradigm is drop dead gorgeous in rosewood, and the build quality is first rate. It has a 400 watt amp, and enough connection possibilities to satisfy most everyone. The sub is connected with one cable to the back of the X-30. I have tweaked the crossover settings and have place the sub between the Duettas. I am very happy with extra low frequency punch and the have relieved the Duettas of that responsibility. The Paradigm seems to be quick enough to keep up with the ribbons.

I have also switched from original Symo speaker cable and tried the Alpha-Core Goertz MI 2 Veracity cables. Not a huge improvement, but for the price ($154 for a 4' pair) they opened up the midrange enough to keep them. Alpha-Core has a 30 day no risk return policy. 

I also purchased a used heavy duty 5 shelf equipment stand. I can't believe I'm saying this, but I believe it has improved the performance too! It especially helped my turntable loose some feedback and rumble.

PRENTICE GEDDIE'S SYSTEM

The Duetta Sigs have been a revelation,  They are the most natural sounding speakers I have ever heard.  They are smooth as silk, measure almost completely flat across the frequency spectrum, and are a real delight.  If I take good care of them -- and if I can find replacement ribbons for them whenever I do need to make a repair -- I may never ever own any other speakers.

The Duetta Sig soundstage is full-sized -- I can look a singer straight in the eye when I’m standing in the room.  The Duetta Sigs are very accurate speakers, yet they do not have even a hint of harshness in them.  Initially, there were two noticeable and measurable “bumps” in my in-room bass response, a 12 dB one at 50 Hz and a 6 dB one at 100 Hz.  Since that time I have added a good subwoofer and an outboard crossover to the system, and this has flattened the response remarkably.
I am now driving the Duetta Signatures with a CODA Continuum Audio Stage amplifier which delivers 200 watts into 8 ohms, 400 watts into 4 ohms, and a lot of current.  The combination of this new amp and the new subwoofer have really made a difference in my room, and I am delighted with what I’m hearing.
My Duetta Sigs are set up flanking a big screen television, 53 inches apart, 30½” from the rear walls, and 19 inches from the side walls. We live in an average-sized house, but all the rooms on the main floor are laid out in an “open design.”  There are two large archways in the left wall of my listening room which open to other rooms on the main floor.  I can fill up the whole main floor of the house with pure, sweet music anytime I want ... and I frequently do.

If you’ve never owned Apogee speakers, I encourage you to buy a pair if you can find them on the used market in good condition.  In my experience, there is nothing as revealing, as sweet and pure, and as realistic as an Apogee speaker!  When mated with a good subwoofer, even a small hybrid speaker such as the Centaur Minor will amaze you with its transparency, clarity, and natural soundstage.

Prentice Geddie (Apogee Acoustics Users Group Forum)

MARK PALMER'S SYSTEM

It took me a solid six months of 'near misses' to get the Duetta Signatures. Stateside this model is regarded as the pinnacle of the Apogee chain, mainly because the Diva is seen as a huge power hog. I know that this is unfounded, but so it goes. the upshot is that any Duetta Sigs that appear on Audiogon, AudioReview etc are snapped up even before the ink has had time to dry on the screen.
My set up now is a Naim CD2, a pair of Quicksilver Silver Monos (outstanding US made tube monoblocks) and the Duettas. I am running the CD player directly to the power amps. I also have an Audible Illusions Modulus IID pre-amp waiting in the wings for the Linn LP12/Ittok/Dynavector combo that should be arriving next week.

Quicksilvers are indeed something special. From the age of 11 I have owned valve amps almost exclusively. A Rogers Cadet III came first, Quad 22's, a Leak Stereo 30, a Radford STA 25 and 50, and just before leaving England, a Michaelson & Austin TVA 1 Export.
Take all the positive attributes of a great valve amp: crystaline mid-range, sparkling, but never over-bright highs (even with CD's), a presence that borders on live, and the transient attack of a panther, and you have the Quicksilver Silver Monos.
What you also get, which is quite unexpected, is the tightness and extension in the bass of a much more powerful solid state amp.
In my quest for an amp that could drive my old Calipers and didn't sound atrocious I went through 11 amps (all in the space of a few weeks), including a 600 watt Perreaux.
This amp, though capable of driving the Calipers loudly, failed the 'Wild Side' test badly. One of my favorite test tracks is 'Walk On the Wild Side' from Lou Reed's Transformer. The bass is an acoustic upright. Depending on how well the speaker/amp combo renders this as an acoustic instrument with all the resonance of a large wooden chamber and all the slap of gut strings, you can eliminate one of the two from the equation. I had already played this track using a modest valve amp made in Washington. Although the amp couldn't provide quite enough power, the tone was sweet and the double bass did sound like what it was. The Perreaux made it sound like the Fender Precision bass from 'Communication Breakdown' leaden and heavy, no subtlety whatsoever.
Finally I just called the previous owner of the Calipers and said "what is going to work with these?" He suggested the ARC 100 that he was using with his Avalons ($4,250). Too much money I cried. And then he mentioned the Quicksilvers that he used to own. "These will do the job. And used you should be able to find a pair for $1,200.

He was right on both counts as I eventually discovered. But finding these monoblocks was almost as difficult as finding a pair of Duetta Signatures. People who know about these obscurities of the hi-world just don't sell them. 
Anyway to cut an already far too long story down to a moderately long one. I found the Quicksilvers (I only drove 450 miles round trip for these). They are just wonderful. The only amps I can think of that could replace them would be Quicksilver 135 monoblocks. These are over-achieving monsters - a knockout punch in a velvet glove. They are rated at about 150 watts per channel with KT 88 tubes, but with the 6550 C's will easily top 200 WPC. They will also handily hit 350 watt transient peaks.
A Class A Stereophile recommended component in their last end of the year issue.
Sadly these things are $8,500 a pair, so I don't think I'll be listening to them in the comfort of my home very soon. The owner Mike Sanders is very approachable and rather laconic. His whole life is devoted to hand-building these works of art. No circuit boards at all - point to point wiring throughout. I mentioned to him once that I was using Apogees with his amps. All he said was "Hmmm, yes a difficult load for any amplifier. How does it sound?"

Great Mike, just great.

Mark Palmer

CARL SHAW'S SYSTEM

Just got a demo pair of Apogee Duetta Signatures from the importer here in Taipei, Taiwan.  Sitting by the long wall in my living room.  Driven by an used Jadis JA200, also from the same source.  Unbelievable sound. Terrific, huge, sound image and sound stage.  Very authentic vocal and string reproduction.  Has all the virtues of small monitors, with significant improvement on all respects.
JA200 produces much more power than Duetta demands.  Do not feel Apogee's  "power thirsty" fame at all.  Actually the speaker will rattle if I turn the volume too high.  JA200 came with the Gold Lion KT88 of later production, may be made in China.  Will replace for the Tung-Sol 6550 in due time (i.e., when any KT88 break), should have significant improvement.

I asked my contractor to make a pair of 75*55*9 cm wooden base (filled with sand), and securely screw the Duetta into the base.  Also insert coins between the panels and the aluminum feet's to reduce the shaking. These tweaks significantly improve the base and satiability of sound stage.  Any suggestions on the proper tweaking of Duetta will be greatly appreciated.

Carl Shaw