By Mark Farmer
Entertainers, performers, sound companies and houses of worship are constantly on the lookout for the best possible combination of vocal microphone and monitor. Since there are no tried and true combinations manufactures are always on the prowl. The development of new design concepts and driver mounting are always being invented and improved. Moving forward with monitor technology, Apogee created the FS-2.
Features
As with any on stage monitor each one has it’s own properties and design. The Apogee FS-2 floor monitor is a small profile wedge measuring, 22.5" wide, 13.6" high and 19.25" deep. As dense as the enclosure feels when picked up it only weighs 55 pounds. The surface is coated with a durable epoxy-based resin coating.
Inside the solid enclosure are two components, an Apogee 12"low frequency driver and an Apogee 2" high frequency horn driver. The horn driver is mounted to a polyurethane 40° x 60° vertical horn flare. Four small ports symmetrically surround the 12" driver. Frequency response of the two drivers covers 50 Hz to 19 kHz plus or minus 3 dB. According to Apogee, the FS-2 will handle 126 dB of continuous level and max out with132 dB of sound pressure level at one meter.
Access to both drivers is via a pair of Neutrik™ NL-4 connector’s flush mounted on each end of the stage monitor. Putting the connectors on each end is a nice touch keeping audience members from looking up at a performer and seeing rows of monitors and monitor cable connections.
The processor is a two channel, two rack space unit. All XLR inputs and outputs are balanced connections. There are a pair of Neutrik™ NL-4 connectors for each set of A and B channel outputs from the front panel. A large thumb-size (rocker type) on/off button is at hand on the front panel of this Road Version. This processor also includes what Apogee calls ‘PAR’ or "Positive Amplifier Return" circuits to protect drivers from harm. Small recessed screws are available to set up a user Preset for custom limiting, depending on wattage and type of amplifier used. XLR Input and loop Thru jacks on the front panel permit input from any console. Individual ground lift switches split the Input and Thru XLR jacks. A pair of Level knobs for Channel A and Channel B control the individual Level Control for the NL-4 outputs on the front panel. Two dual-color LED's monitor the HF and LF PAR circuit within the Status area on the front panel. These LED’s also monitor the limiting circuit by turning red, reminding the operator to adjust gain before driver damage occurs. Individual HF and LF control must be done with the amplifier channels.
The Lo and Hi Frequency Return banana-jacks, AC and outputs to the amplifier occupy the territory in the rear of the processor. The power voltage is selectable for European or U.S. AC standards, 220 and 240 or 100 and 120 volts perspectivly.
In Use
At a recent event, I enlisted the help of the David Grisman Quintet, at the new historic Great Southern Theater, to test this new monitor wedge.
Set up of the FS-2 took some time since the wedge can not be used without the Apogee P-FS2-RV Processor. This processor, as with other Apogee processors controls amplification, crossover points, limiting, box equalization, limiting and driver protection. Banana jacks on the rear of the processor take the amplifier outputs from two channels of a selected amplifier. Console XLR output for monitor mix two was plugged into the Channel A Input of the processor. Inputs for the amplifier come from the rear panel of the P-FS2-RV. These are split by the LF (Lo) Output and a HF (Hi) output, which run to the perspective HF and LF inputs on the amplifier. The last connection made was joining the NL-4 cable to the speaker output on the front panel of the processor. Simply, the Apogee processor becomes the last device in the signal chain before amplification.
David’s monitor layout called for five independent monitor mixes. Enrique Coria, the acoustic guitar player of the band gladly allowed the Apogee wedge to be used amongst the four other matching monitors. The other four wedges were proprietary Live Technologies bi-amped wedges, utilizing a 1" HF driver and a 12" LF bass driver. The guitar player required only his guitar in the Apogee wedge. This allowed for a good comparison from the other wedges.
Prior to the band showing up, CD’s and a Shure SM 58 were used to match up the gains (drivers and overall) to the other monitors on stage. The processor appeared to lower gain compared to other monitors on stage. This could be from the processor or possibly the different Ohm rating on the Apogee drivers. This theater has a few frequency peaks between 100 Hz and 160 Hz that were removed from all the wedges on stage including the FS-2. This was done from 31-band graphic equalizers inserted on each mix out of the console. Noticed first was the monitor and processor’s ability to sum the two drivers making them sound like one. The sound seemed to radiate from the floor rather than the enclosure in front of my feet. No buzzes or overtones were heard from the enclosure during set up or during the concert. The pattern on the horn was tight and controlled and kept the sounds in front of the monitor as opposed to throwing it all over stage. The microphones used on the acoustic guitar were a Neumann KM-85 and a SHURE SM-81, which were placed about two feet from the wedge. The Neumann had a slight 1 kHz presence peak that was removed from the 31-band EQ. With two very sensitive microphones so close to the wedge a few dips from 2.5 kHz to 5 kHz cured any feedback problems at high volume levels. After the show Enrique commented the wedge sounded, "better than most of the wedges he had used during the entire winter tour." He also commented that it, "was not overly bright (like all the other monitors he had used) and made my guitar sound round and full." I had to concur with him after listening over his shoulder during the soundcheck. Not only does this wedge look great on stage it has a super low profile and sounds delicious. The amplification used was a Crown Macro-Tech 1200, which could have been a bigger amp, but not in this particular application. Apogee recommends at least 400 watts per channel at 8 Ohms or 600 watts at 4 Ohms for absolute performance from the FS-2.
Conclusion
Being a fan of the Apogee products since first hearing the AE-5 in a nearby theater has created a renewed admiration for their products. These are constructed and designed at a top-notch level. Each of these products has been designed correctly the first time.

Mark Farmer is a sound engineer with Live Technologies in Columbus, Ohio and a regular contributor to Pro Audio Review. He can be reached on the Internet at: mixthat@columbus.rr.com

Product Points

Apogee Sound Inc.
FS-2 Floor Monitor

Plus
+Sound Quality
+Quality construction of enclosure
+Low stage profile
+Connections on sides of monitor
Minus
-Must purchase processor
-Longer signal path with processor

Apogee Sound Inc.
2180 South McDowell Blvd.
Petaluma, California 94954
PH: 707.778.8887
FAX: 707.778.6288

WEB:
www.apogee-sound.com
thornton@apogee-sound.com