Apogee Stage/Mini Grand

They are the same. I think they're somewhat tweaky to set-up.

The speakers are the same, though the Mini-Grand models tend to have a higher-end cosmetic finishes. I'm not sure if mounting brakets differ between the Stage with stands or the Stage with Mini-Grand base.

I used my Mini-Grand tops with Stage stands for a couple of years. Later, I built my own subs to replace the Stage stands.

The Duetta Sigs are a different beast. They are taller, wider, lower impedance, and less efficient than the Stage. The sound is more laid-back than the Stage.

Setup is a time consuming process, but the rewards are there for those that invest the time.

Rick

I second Rgodin

Thanks for the information everyone. Rick, if you don't mind me asking, why didn't you keep your Mini-Grand tops with the Stage stands and build standalone subs? It seems you would have more design flexibility and placement options with standalone subs.

Mike

The Stage stands are a bit on the "cheap" side, construction wise. Even with the bases fully weighted, I felt that they could be easily knocked over.

I duplicated the height and width of the Mini-Grand subs to retain the look and sound of the original. The custom subs are about 9 inches deeper than the original and weigh over 90 pounds each. They are built out of 1.5 inch MDF, heavily braced, glued, and screwed. They provide a stable base and are not going to get tipped over.

Instead of the dual 8" drivers of the Mini-Grand in a port loaded configuration, I used a single 11.5" in an acoustic suspension cabinet with some light equalization at 25 Hz. The sound is cleaner, tighter, and more powerful than the original.

I tried the subs away from the Stages, but their size makes them hard to place without causing family problems.