Review

Apex Complete Review - The Star - Malaysia

27 Jul 2009

A pinnacle at the price

No frills required for a good, old-fashioned musical experience.

Krix must be one of the most underrated loudspeaker manufacturers in the business and I suspect it is because the Australian company has been unable to push itself as aggressively as its European and American counterparts.

Founded by Scott Krix three decades ago, the company is possibly one of the most acclaimed loudspeaker makers Down Under but has an almost negligible profile elsewhere. A shame, really, because Krix turns out some fine hi-fi, home theatre and commercial loudspeakers that are on a par with anything from the other side of the globe.

Our last run-in with Krix was in the mid-1990’s, when we were introduced to lovely compact models like the Brix and Superbrix, but the distributor then lost interest in the product and the brand faded away here.

Well, there’s a new Krix distributor in town, and they’re bringing in a number of models, all representing excellent value for money. The Apex floorstanding speaker on the rack this week has its origins in the early 1990’s; this is the current incarnation.

Minimal effort

This generously-proportioned two-way design won’t cause any double takes, being a throwback to the good old times when simplicity over-rode cosmetic considerations.

The cabinet is well-built and sturdy, if somewhat light at around 14kg per unit – I suspect internal damping could use with some reinforcements but no provision is made for this. A 165mm fibre woofer and 28mm fabric tweeter are mated here, crossing over at 2kHz. The frequency range is quoted at between 50Hz and 20kHz, with a sensitivity of 86dB and nominal impedance of 8 ohms. Despite the low sensitivity and power handling of around 100 watts per channel, the Apex turned out to be easier to drive than I expected (more on this later).

The enclosure is a bass-reflex type, ported at the rear and measuring 805mm x 205mm x 295mm (H/W/D), with an internal volume of 36 litres. The choice of construction material is 17mm MDF, and the finish is a light cherry. A single set of terminals are provided at the rear of each unit, another sign of the minimalist approach.

Krix provides a set of four spikes per speaker, and these can be screwed in at the bottom and adjusted, to ensure the cabinet doesn’t wobble. Again, given the type of integrated plinths and housing for spikes we are witnessing these days, the arrangement on the Apex seems archaic. Well, simplest methods cause the least headaches!

Holistically happy

Initially, to optimise the drive units on the Apex, I fired up the locally-made Stranwood Artemis integrated amplifier (which has been turning out to be quite a robust little beast, even at a mere 50 watts) and hooked it up to the speakers.

Among the sources were Yamaha CD S-1000 (review out soon) and Bluenote Stibbert (improved) CD players, using DH Labs Air Matrix RCA and Audio Magic Excalibur II XLR interconnects respectively. The sources were later linked to a Promitheus Audio TVC passive preamp feeding a McIntosh MC402 power amp, with cables from Audio Art and PearCable. Amps and CD players were plugged into a PurePower 1050i AC regenerator.

My impressions of the Apex during the early sessions with the Artemis were more than favourable – despite the modest power, the amp drove the speakers with ease, and I was struck by its seeming synergy with the Apex, even at higher volume levels.

When I switched to the main system, my early perceptions of the Apex were reinforced, with the speakers possessing a smooth and crisp treble, with an open and natural midrange. There was a tinge of lushness a t times, and this made the speakers more forgiving of the signals fed into it. Vocals were projected out from the mix, suitably delineated from the rest of the band, although the overall presentation was more laidback, although not overly so, than up-front. I placed the speakers well out into the room, where they appeared to breathe more easily, especially in the lower frequencies.

I thought the bass, while well resolved and detailed, lacked that last couple of degrees of tautness and slam that I prefer – still, it was full and articulate, and at no point did the Apex show any loss of control. However, the mid-50’s low frequency rating was puzzling because you would expect a box this size to have the ability to dig deeper octaves. Fortunately, what it was able to execute in the lower frequencies, it pulled off with flair.

The Apex also exhibited a well-spread soundstage once I had the speakers at the optimum distance from each other. Sure, I have heard more expansive floorstanders in the areas of staging, and others with deeper resolving capabilities, but none at this price.

While the Apex delivered ample detail, down to the nitty-gritty, it was the holistic presentation that was pleasing to the senses. Authoritative when required, subtle when necessary, these were very involving speakers that should ensure hours of musical enjoyment.

More for less, less for more?

There’s no doubt that, for the price, you can surely opt for better-known brands, but you may find them less enthralling and perhaps a bit too compromised. The Krix Apex required less from the rest of the system to deliver hugely entertaining results, and if you’re shopping around for a floorstander, this one certainly merits repeated auditions. You may have to try them with a range of ancillaries before you catch them out.

LUST FACTOR: Very musical. Easy to drive, own and enjoy.

REALITY CHECK: Lows could be tighter. Brand still relatively low profile.

DISTRIBUTOR: Divine Audio Visual (03-77272199)

- The Star - Malaysia , Sujesh Pavithran

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