APOGEE SX COATING PROCESS
The Apogee SX
coating process is a state-of-the-art coating system designed for Apogee
loudspeaker enclosures that are used under harsh or adverse environmental
conditions.
A. Cabinet Construction
All SX cabinets
are constructed without the usual handling amenities that are common
in Apogee cabinets. The elimination of the external/integral handles
prevents unwanted water and foreign elements from being trapped inside
the enclosure.
B. Coating
(the coating is applied in a six step process to each loudspeaker cabinet.)
Sealer Coat -
The sealer coat is a moisture resistant alky based long oil
synthetic resin, which imparts dimensional stability by filing all pores
in the wood. This coat is applied on both interior and exterior cabinet
surfaces. Light sanding prepares the surface for the next coating.
Primer Coat (two step process)
The primer coat
is a highbuild, solid aromatic polyurethane. This coating is applied
in two steps that enable the cabinet surface to undergo further sanding
between primer coats and provide a bond for the topcoats.
Top Coat #1 (two step process)
This topcoat
is a high solid, polyester based, UV (Ultra-Violet) stabilized, aliphatic
polyurethane that requires a two step procedure to apply it to the cabinet
surface.
Top Coat #2
The final top
coating is a texturized coating of aliphatic polyurethane that is applied
as a finishing coat, providing a cosmetic enhancement and final seal
against the elements.
C. Water-Resistant Drivers
All of the driver
components are sealed and protected by a proprietary solution that is
formulated to saturate the cone surfaces. This treatment protects the
cones against moisture and insures long-term cone mass stability.
D. Splash Guard Grills
All SX treated
cabinets are fitted with a grill made of expanded steel, coated with
a powder-coat finish to protect against corrosion. Each grill is then
covered with a sonically transparent nylon mesh (.05 mesh size) that
breaks up water droplets and prevents unwanted elements from contacting
the drivers.
E. Weatherized Connector Box
All electrical
connections to the loudspeaker are mounted in a specially fabricated outdoor
junction box. This box is hermetically sealed against moisture, dust or
any unwanted element while allowing the addition of steel or plastic wiring
conduit.

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CUSTOM COLOR OPTIONS

The standard colors for all Apogee enclosures and associated hardware is black or white, but custom colors are available as an option.
Finishing Process - All Apogee enclosures undergo a highly sophisticated
and controlled finishing process using high-performance state-of the-art
materials. Following the assembly process, each raw enclosure is rough
sanded, and then a catalyzed filler compound is applied to fill small
surface imperfections. Next, each enclosure is fine sanded to prepare
the surface for four separate coats of paint. The first coat is a catalyzed
polyurethane primer, which further levels the surface and provides a highly
adhesive base for the three-color coats to follow. All three-color coats
are sprayed on evenly to build up an adequate paint thickness to resist
surface penetration due to abrasion and rough handling. For the final
color coat the application process is altered to create a textured finish
which better resists abrasion.
"Catalyzed"
paints are typically two-part mixtures (catalyzed and hardener) which
are combined in controlled proportions just before being used. When combine
proportions, a chemical reaction takes place, which causes the paint to
harden or "cure" in a relatively short period of time. This
catalyzing process actually results in the cross-linkage of the polyurethane
polymers, resulting in an extremely tough and durable finish.
Color Selection - In addition to black we can paint virtually any color imaginable, including metallic or metal-flake finishes, although we can only guarantee the match of solid colors. To match a specific color we must have either a fan chart sample or an actual paint sample. We have Sherwin Williams color charts on hand, but we can match any chart sample you send us. We can also match or analyze actual paint samples such as a piece of painted wallboard or paint chip. Samples need to be about the size of a quarter or larger, and the painted surface must be relatively flat (non-textured) and non-porous. We may or may not be able to accurately match a swatch of fabric, depending on the texture and color consistency. Our computerized colors matching system analyzes the color chart or paint sample and give us a formula for mixing the four primary colors. Unlike most common paints, catalyzed polyurethane paints are blended, not tinted, which means they only come in the four primary colors. Because of this, the blending process is much more difficult, and even a slight mistake will ruin the entire batch. To prevent this, the formula is programmed into an automated paint mixer, which dispenses the appropriate primary colors in highly controlled proportions.
Grill Foam - The grill foam on all Apogee speakers is only available in dark
charcoal gray as it cannot be effectively painted or dyed. The user, can
of course, covers the black metal grill with any acoustically transparent
material of his/her choosing.
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