I've owned a pair for about 6 months now. I had to repair the rotted foam surrounds on the woofers, but that was pretty easy. They sound really, really good. They have very clear defined sound, the high end is very crisp and detailed. The midrange is a bit less pronounced but nothing ever seems to be lacking, just clean and easy. The bass is present and deep to almost subwoofer frequencies, but not boomy or overwhelming. Deep and tight. They work great as a pair and for the few hundred dollars I got them for they're a steal in the mid-fi category. They sound better than several speakers I've heard priced around $1000. I think in 1983 they sold for $1300 or somewhere thereabouts.
I'm using them with an Energy 12" sub and 3 APM 22's as center and surround speakers. As a set, they're great for music, movies, and I use them for 5.1 BluRay audio which is astounding. I have them paired with a Sony STR DN1050 receiver. My source material is either BluRay, vinyl, or my music server direct optical to the receiver. My entire music collection ripped flac, and a few hi-res albums at 24/96. The Sony APM speakers produce every sound and nuance with clarity, dynamics and no ear fatigue which I believe is the real benefit of the flat speaker drivers.
If you have the opportunity to buy APM speakers, the way it works is the more numbers the lower the quality. The best are the 4, 6, 8. Then the mid-fi 22, 33, 55, 66, 77. Then the rest are a step down and I can't vouch for the sound quality. I have 2 pair of 22's and 1 pair of 33's and I don't think I'll ever part with them. I have a close friend with 77's and I will attest to the fantastic sound of those as well.
You will notice, reviewers that bash APM speakers usually have only experienced the cheap rack system ones, not the espirit line which is a huge step up (ES). Similar look but major difference in build quality and cost.
|
![[Thumbnail]](https://www.hifidatabase.com/static/gallery/4/10854-Sony_APM-33W_wm.jpg)
