Monitor Audio Apex 10 Bookshelf speakers
Small speaker systems Monitor Audio Apex 10 in the current line of the British company takes an intermediate position between traditional hi-fi Gold/Silver/Bronze series and an elegant design Radius series. They are made in hi-tech style and available in black or white color. Build and finish quality should be admitted as reference. The bodies, which combines cast details from metal and dense polymer, are not only massive - they seem to be completely devoid of resonances and are not able to vibrate at all. The design of adjustable support is thought out, which when rotated at 90 degrees turns into wall mounting. Dustproof grills are held by magnets and can't be the reason of clash. Spring terminals for acoustic cable slightly overlap the back wall, but provide a very firm clamp. Smoothly flaring bass-reflex port HiVe II has an unusual "gearing" form and put on the faceplate. Maximally possible for such sizes 140-mm mid-woofer with aluminum diffuser is used in the speaker. There is the range of small holes, which quite effectively "erode" resonant frequency of the dynamic. The tweeter, used in Apex 10, is identical by construction and class to those, which are put in models of Silver series - gold-plated aluminum dome with very lightweight Gold C-CAM sound coil.
Apex line has all the components to create both stereo system and home theatre. Apex 10 can be installed on special floor stands. Apex A40 with analog speakers is suggested to be used as central channel and for the channel of low-frequency effects - AW12 subwoofer in the same hi-tech finish.
Apex 10 saved all the signs of signature sound. Power and intelligibility of bass amaze. We listened several times to the fragment with big orchestral drums, which are too tough for even floor standing systems. And here they are audible very well and with details - kicks follow different drums with different power. In middle case the system adds nothing from itself, does not "overact" musical material - its sound is linear and clear. Sound stage is close to ideal and in accordance with the strictest audiophile rules. There are depth, accurate focus and scale. It is hard to find any faults in Monitor Audio Apex 10. For example, in the middle band a light compression is still captured. And the upper range is somewhat simple - discants are transferred in calm, neutral manner, but it seems to be devoid of subtle tonal shades. However, comparing advantages and disadvantages with stated price, you understand that there are no reasons to criticize this model. No wonder that it was called Apex - it is superior to many competitors.
