Doctor's Orders-Part Two-The New Listening Room Of Steve Williams

[Steve Williams]

There was one interesting caveat in the manual whicjch simply said

50 hours burn in gives 70%

200 hours burn in gives 90%

what I have been hearing each day is really but ever so subtle

These speakers right out if the box where a joy to listen to

 

[Steve Williams]

People have been asking to see a few photos of the rear baffles. I am hoping to get to that today. Frankly once I sit down to listen, I find it difficult to get up and take some photos of the rear of the speakers.

Was also asked how much sound di I hear when I am behind the speakers. Once again I keep forgetting to do this as sitting in my chair listening has been a daily experience from which I become immoveable


I have been listening to a lot of tape and vinyl over the past few days as this has been a great lesson for me in timbre, tone and dynamics

 

[Steve Williams]

here are two posts from a few days ago where the findings were somewhat surprising


Sunday at 8:48 PM

Today was probably the best dauy of listening so far. The speakers first of all are settling in nd I am amazed as to just how quick the burn in process with Zellaton is. Perhaps it is related to the construction of the drivers and their relative light weight and what they are constructed with,\. Nonetheless it was a day of learning for me. I understand now why Gideon prefers to listen to analogue when he plays music on Zellaton speakers.

Here is the first caveat which really shocked me. Foer years my go to arm and cartridge hghas been the 12" SME3012R with the Van Den Hul MSS and rarely have I played with the SME 3010R and my ZYX UNIverse Premium copper cartridge. One thing that I have never done I have to admit is to send my VDH MSS back for overhaul at 150 hours as it has always sounded so good so I honestly don't know if this is a factor but today listening to both arms and cartridges I have to admit that my clear favorite which emerged was the SME. 3010R with the ZYX. It sounded so much better tha theMSS on the SME3012R. I must admit this shocked me but that is fact number one

Playing the vinyl version of my favorite demo disks as great as they have been sounding the 10" arm with the ZYX was truly the winner

 

[Steve Williams]

my lesson in timbre tone and dynamics.......


Sunday at 9:01 PM

Then the balance of the day was listening to tape and the second learning experience was tone,timbre and dynamics which for me defines a system. I have most all of Ed Pong's Ultra Analogue tapes and these are all virtually duos or trios with only piano, cello and/or violin. The tapes are superbly recorded and also well mastered.

This gave me an in depth lesson as to what true timbre of these instruments sound like. Never have I heard a piano sound so realistic in my room as I did today and by there same token the beauty of the violin and cello strings resonating with each bow movement brought goose bumps and raised the hair on my head. I have listened to these tapes countless times and always marveled at the sound I heard. Today however was totally different as for the first time the tone , timbre and dynamics of the strings and keyboard was the most realistic I have ever heard. The seamlessness of the Zellaton drivers and the wide band driver produced music in my room Im betting as good as it sounded the day Ed Pong recorded them.

More on this tomorrow as Im exhausted playing conductor with my hands . The experience I had tonight with tape on the Zellatons was simply breath taking

Big Dog RJ is right on. You dont hear the boxes nor a single driver. The coherence of the drivers and wide band created a lifelike sound stage with proper depth height and width. The music came midway down the side walls to my ears.

 

[Steve Williams]

Dear Steve,

Congratulations on your new speakers, and for having the courage to change speakers in a system that was already top notch!

Please provide an estimate of the improvement perceived by you. 5%? 10%? 20%?

That's a very good question and of course anything I sat would be filled with bias. I will let others comment but to may ears with now about 100 hours on the speakers there is a dramatic uptick in comparison to the big Wilson speakers . I will never knock Wilson as I had a 35 year love affair with so many different Wilson models all of which provided aural pleasure. BUT the difference in sound in every respect such as timbre, tone, dynamics and sound stage is out of the box so vastly superior that I would in clear conscience say north of a 50% improvement.


From @ray-dude as posted above

Absolutely delightful morning visiting with Steve and Gideon!

This is my third visit to Steve's listening room in the past nine months, and the progression/transformation over that time has been amazing. First was the addition of the Taiko Olympus + I/O, then the Zellaton EVO's as a decidedly next level amuse bouche, and then today to meet Gideon and hear Steve's Zell Ultra References (finally!) in person

Congratulations to Steve for the courage and resolve to embark on this level of audio transformation. Each of these steps was an enormous leap of faith from an already very high mountain top, but each step has been transformational. It's been a privilege to hear and witness the step by step evolution in Steve's listening room, and I've learned a spectacular amount about high end audio in the process. Thank you Steve and Cathy for being so generous in opening your home and sharing in your journey

 

[Steve Williams]

Beautiful speakers, congrats!

thank you and I know you are a huge proponent of subs. I wish one day to have the pleasure of hosting you as I just have never heard a bass response in my room as good as this Once again and now with the knowledge of what I am hearing, subs are just never going to happen.. So unnecessary

BTW, when I had the Plural Evo here on loan as I awaited delivery of my Reference Ultra, there was a member oof WBF from San Diego who drove up for a listen. WE played all digital as that was what he was used t and when I played one song in particular he almost fell off his seat as he turned to me and said the bass was so deep that he thought we were having a California earthquake. When he returned home he phoned me and asked for Gideon's phone number because he ended up buying the loaner set that was in ny house. The bass in thesis speakers is so good that it obviates all thoughts about the need for subs

 

[Steve Williams]

Congratulations on your new speakers! Visually, I think these are a better fit for your size than the Wilsons were. Looking forward to hearing them!!

Jerry

I look forward to having you over when ever you make a trip to the other side of the mountain that separates us. The trip will be worth the drive IMHO. Simply put and in every facet of what I hear, these Reference Ulta speakers simply destroyed my big Wilson. Sad but true

 

[VPN]

That's a very good question and of course anything I sat would be filled with bias. I will let others comment but to may ears with now about 100 hours on the speakers there is a dramatic uptick in comparison to the big Wilson speakers . I will never knock Wilson as I had a 35 year love affair with so many different Wilson models all of which provided aural pleasure. BUT the difference in sound in every respect such as timbre, tone, dynamics and sound stage is out of the box so vastly superior that I would in clear conscience say north of a 50% improvement.


From @ray-dude as posted above

Absolutely delightful morning visiting with Steve and Gideon!

This is my third visit to Steve's listening room in the past nine months, and the progression/transformation over that time has been amazing. First was the addition of the Taiko Olympus + I/O, then the Zellaton EVO's as a decidedly next level amuse bouche, and then today to meet Gideon and hear Steve's Zell Ultra References (finally!) in person

Congratulations to Steve for the courage and resolve to embark on this level of audio transformation. Each of these steps was an enormous leap of faith from an already very high mountain top, but each step has been transformational. It's been a privilege to hear and witness the step by step evolution in Steve's listening room, and I've learned a spectacular amount about high end audio in the process. Thank you Steve and Cathy for being so generous in opening your home and sharing in your journey

North of 50%! Wow! Amazing! You should be so happy! Enjoy!

Do you know the two crossover points of the 7” midrange driver? I am curious to know the frequency range in which they play in this speaker.

 

[SCAudiophile]

Steve, Congratulations and thanks for posting all the updated photos!

 

[Steve Williams]

Steve, Congratulations and thanks for posting all the updated photos!

Thanks Mark. I always appreciate your input

 

[Steve Williams]

Ive been asked a few times now

1.how far are you from the rear of my speakers from the front wall

2. Some have asked for photos of the rear of the speaker to see the baffles

3. how much music do I hear coming from the rear baffles.

I just measured and I am 38" from the rear of the speaker to the outermost pleat of the drapes. If I measure to the innermost part of the pleat it is 42"


I still have not listened as to what comes out the rear baffles as my system is off as I took the below photos with measurements

 

[Steve Williams]

In the Reference Ultra there are 6 rear baffles and the speaker is not ported.

IIRC the Plural Evo has one and maybe 2 baffles behind the tweeter and is ported along the bottom of the inner wall of each speaker

 

[Steve Williams]

 

[2ndLiner]

View attachment 154757View attachment 154758View attachment 154759

Hi Steve! Other than looking very cool, what function do the rear baffles provide? Again, immensely enjoying your audio journey vicariously

 

[Steve Williams]

Hi Steve! Other than looking very cool, what function do the rear baffles provide? Again, immensely enjoying your audio journey vicariously

This was in some paraphernalia I have on Zellaton In Zellaton speakers, the baffles play a crucial role in minimizing unwanted vibrations and resonances, which can negatively affect sound quality. They also improve dispersion and cabinet tuning, particularly in their semi-open baffle design. This contributes to a more accurate and natural sound reproduction.

 

[Steve Williams]

Hi Steve! Other than looking very cool, what function do the rear baffles provide? Again, immensely enjoying your audio journey vicariously

A Google search also provided these answers as I am no expert in these rear baffle designs

Here's a more detailed breakdown:

• Vibration and Resonance Control:
  Baffles, especially those in high-quality speakers like Zellaton, are designed to be rigid and minimize vibrations that can color the sound. This is particularly important for the delicate drivers (woofers and tweeters) and the cabinet itself. By reducing these vibrations, the baffle helps ensure that the sound reaching the listener is as close to the original source as possible.
• Improved Dispersion:
  Zellaton's semi-open baffle design is engineered to optimize how sound waves spread out into the listening room, providing a wider and more natural soundstage.
• Cabinet Tuning:
  The baffle's design can also influence how the speaker cabinet resonates, which is another factor affecting sound quality. Zellaton's cabinet improvements, derived from their high-end Statement speakers, likely include refinements to the baffle to further enhance this tuning.
• Protection:
  While not the primary function, the baffle also serves to protect the speaker drivers from dust, debris, and accidental damage.

 

[Steve Williams]

Michael

Needless to say I am no expert in giving answers to these questions but the one thing I am absolutely fascinated by and I might be wrong when I say it but it is the wide band driver that seems to create magic to these speakers coupled with the fact that every driver is made in house to strict
Zellaton standards. I’m told that one reason the wait is so long in getting the speaker is that there are way more drivers that are discarded in order to find the few that meet their strict standards. When you listen yiu cannot hear any single driver and for sure you cannot hear the tweeter. I’m not sure but this could also be related to the wide band driver

And finally the biggest take away for me after 35 years is that unlike Wilson where everything is set up like a laser directed to the ear height and sitting distance from the speaker. If your ass isn’t in the sweet spot and the ear height is set for someone else then your listening experience will be far from accurate. This is not the case with the Zellaton. The off axis dispersion is such that listening enjoyment need not be where my one chair is

Years ago Gary Koh visited with his wife and daughter and every few songs I suggested someone else sit in the chair. After Gary left he sent me an email that I thought always rang true. He said that the shortcoming was the one sweet spot. Listening he said should provide enjoyment for many listeners regardless of where they are sitting and he designs speakers to provide that off axis enjoyment. I have never forgotten that email.

How many times have I gone to audio shows and in spite of sitting in the sweet spot in the Wilson rooms I found myself having to try to elevate my ears as the speakers were set up for a talker person. Don’t get me wrong. When Wilson is set up perfectly for that one person it is audio bliss. Tge Zellaton is a different breed in every way that I am still discovering. The wide band driver is simply magic.