The End Of A 35 Year Journey ---Zellaton -The Reference Ultra Final Frontier

[Audiohertz2]

Steve, here’s what your upcoming listening room will look like
ZELLATON Reference Ultra with Schnerzinger at an event yesterday in Hong Kong.

So Halcro is still a thing …. ?

 

[HP_buddy]

Another update from my listening room with Zellaton Plural Evos in partnership with the new Soulution 331 integrated amplifier. On best quality LP and CD recordings, I continue to hear the uncanny skill of the Soulution 331 bringing each recording space into my room to an immersive degree. The Soulution partnered with the Plural Evos "set the table" beautifully. Player or section positioning is beautifully individualized and their dimensions so realistic. There is this unique and special way with layered air and space between each player or section of players. Microphone placement, diameters of the recording studio and stage- back and front walls - all are reveled on recordings that offer such cues. The dynamic open-window Plural Evos spring to life with the Soulution 331 driving them in irresistible flow and tactile action. This is all combined with a tonal beauty- in every range of color and register- that brings me very close to what I hear in live concerts.


Some examples: Pat Metheny strumming deep next to Joni Mitchell on her "Amelia" - into "Pat's Solo" - on Joni's superb live LP recording, "Shadows and Light" (offering huge air and space!). Their intertwining chemistry on stage - in surrounding air- is uncannily alive with this system. Jaco Pastorius' bass has that special new Soulution bass quality: deep, resonant, flowing and naturally coherent. Another example is Nina Simone performing in a large compartmentalized studio space on her LP, "I Put A Spell On You" (Acoustic Sounds Label reissue- fantastic!). She digs deep on her soulful "Feelin Good" in which she starts out solo (breathing slowly into the airy and quiet recording space) with strings entering deep and individualized. Also pulling out of the collection a Japanese pressing of a live concert held in Tokyo by the IceMan, Albert Collins, in which the stage is brought into my listening room (expansive in lateral and layered depth) with sax great AC Reed blowing strong in his airy space shared next to the dancing Collins. The Plural Evos and Soulution deliver all of Collins' leaping swagger and pinpoint highest guitar pricks (without glare, congestion or blur!) - his husky voice letting loose into the air of the hall.

More to come - and thanks as always to my friend and AudioArts mentor Gideon Schwartz for guiding me in my musical journey!

 

[Steve williams]

Another update from my listening room with Zellaton Plural Evos in partnership with the new Soulution 331 integrated amplifier. On best quality LP and CD recordings, I continue to hear the uncanny skill of the Soulution 331 bringing each recording space into my room to an immersive degree. The Soulution partnered with the Plural Evos "set the table" beautifully. Player or section positioning is beautifully individualized and their dimensions so realistic. There is this unique and special way with layered air and space between each player or section of players. Microphone placement, diameters of the recording studio and stage- back and front walls - all are reveled on recordings that offer such cues. The dynamic open-window Plural Evos spring to life with the Soulution 331 driving them in irresistible flow and tactile action. This is all combined with a tonal beauty- in every range of color and register- that brings me very close to what I hear in live concerts.


Some examples: Pat Metheny strumming deep next to Joni Mitchell on her "Amelia" - into "Pat's Solo" - on Joni's superb live LP recording, "Shadows and Light" (offering huge air and space!). Their intertwining chemistry on stage - in surrounding air- is uncannily alive with this system. Jaco Pastorius' bass has that special new Soulution bass quality: deep, resonant, flowing and naturally coherent. Another example is Nina Simone performing in a large compartmentalized studio space on her LP, "I Put A Spell On You" (Acoustic Sounds Label reissue- fantastic!). She digs deep on her soulful "Feelin Good" in which she starts out solo (breathing slowly into the airy and quiet recording space) with strings entering deep and individualized. Also pulling out of the collection a Japanese pressing of a live concert held in Tokyo by the IceMan, Albert Collins, in which the stage is brought into my listening room (expansive in lateral and layered depth) with sax great AC Reed blowing strong in his airy space shared next to the dancing Collins. The Plural Evos and Soulution deliver all of Collins' leaping swagger and pinpoint highest guitar pricks (without glare, congestion or blur!) - his husky voice letting loose into the air of the hall.

More to come - and thanks as always to my friend and AudioArts mentor Gideon Schwartz for guiding me in my musical journey!

I thought I had PE coming on loan until my Reference Ultras are ready but the PE became so popular that Gideon sold the ones supposedly coming to me. So the good news is, that on loan, I have coming a pair of STAGE. Very much looking forward to these. Thank you Gideon

 

[Lowlands]

I thought I had PE coming on loan until my Reference Ultras are ready but the PE became so popular that Gideon sold the ones supposedly coming to me. So the good news is, that on loan, I have coming a pair of STAGE. Very much looking forward to these. Thank you Gideon

A pair of Stage on loan...... How cool!
Classics or Ultra's?

 

[Steve williams]

A pair of Stage on loan...... How cool!
Classics or Ultra's?

well as Paul Harvey used to say...."and now you know the rest of the story".......yes Stage Ultra were coming however they were to arrive late May and with new speakers arriving in June, Gideon and I went back to Plan A where Plural Evos are to arrive in the next 1-2 weeks and Gideon insists on flying out to set them up for me before he leaves for Munich. Zellaton does not move quickly as I am learning as their entire production is hand made and as I posted earlier it all depends on availability of parts. I came to learn that those shiny attachments on the bottom of the speakers are manufactured by Rolls Royce and their drivers are made in house to a very high specification ....hence many are rejected

 

[Big Dog RJ]

Have not heard with mine but Emile in Holland is driving his with tubes and I was told there are some users driving theirs with as little as 20 wpc tube amps

Yes! That I can confirm. Came across the big Zelatons on my last trip to Spore Aug 2024. Long lost dealer mate of ours had them set-up in his refurbed room. His other good mate had just taken delivery of the awesome Genesis Tributes but I didn't get a chance to audition the Tributes, even on my second trip, only to learn that they were shipped out to the chaps new place in HK. Perhaps on Another trip will do so. Until such time, those Zelatons were driven by a full array of Conrad Johnson ART amplifiers: ART27A (35W Class A stereo power amp KT88 version), ART88 preamp and the ART Phonostage, awe-inspiring! Possibly one of the best I've heard to date in terms of dynamic driver design. The Zelatons do something very unique to the presentation and most of all, you actually don't hear much of that typical box/cabinet character at all, compared to most other cabinet type speakers.

Also, the most important factor regarding Zelatons. is that chief designer / owner of CJ (Jeff Fischel) uses exclusively Zelaton speakers as his primary Reference speaker system when designing all of CJ's top of the line ART gear. Before JF took ownership, messers C & J used WIlson's exclusively... go figure!

Congrats Steve, you'll be supremely impressed with the Zelatons, also you'll wonder why you didn't get these much earlier!
The toons are fine! WOOF!
RJ

 

[Steve williams]

Yes! That I can confirm. Came across the big Zelatons on my last trip to Spore Aug 2024. Long lost dealer mate of ours had them set-up in his refurbed room. His other good mate had just taken delivery of the awesome Genesis Tributes but I didn't get a chance to audition the Tributes, even on my second trip, only to learn that they were shipped out to the chaps new place in HK. Perhaps on Another trip will do so. Until such time, those Zelatons were driven by a full array of Conrad Johnson ART amplifiers: ART27A (35W Class A stereo power amp KT88 version), ART88 preamp and the ART Phonostage, awe-inspiring! Possibly one of the best I've heard to date in terms of dynamic driver design. The Zelatons do something very unique to the presentation and most of all, you actually don't hear much of that typical box/cabinet character at all, compared to most other cabinet type speakers.

Also, the most important factor regarding Zelatons. is that chief designer / owner of CJ (Jeff Fischel) uses exclusively Zelaton speakers as his primary Reference speaker system when designing all of CJ's top of the line ART gear. Before JF took ownership, messers C & J used WIlson's exclusively... go figure!

Congrats Steve, you'll be supremely impressed with the Zelatons, also you'll wonder why you didn't get these much earlier!
The toons are fine! WOOF!
RJ

Patience is a virtue. I never thought I would make a speaker change but having heard the Zellaton I knew I had to. The Plural Evo loaners ship next week and Gideon willl be flying out to set them up. My speakers have an ETA of mid to late June. Not bad having ordered them mid January but as I came to learn, everything is handcrafted by Zellaton and the drivers are so unique and have such strict specifications that Im understanding many are rejected.

 

[Steve williams]

Yes! That I can confirm. Came across the big Zelatons on my last trip to Spore Aug 2024. Long lost dealer mate of ours had them set-up in his refurbed room. His other good mate had just taken delivery of the awesome Genesis Tributes but I didn't get a chance to audition the Tributes, even on my second trip, only to learn that they were shipped out to the chaps new place in HK. Perhaps on Another trip will do so. Until such time, those Zelatons were driven by a full array of Conrad Johnson ART amplifiers: ART27A (35W Class A stereo power amp KT88 version), ART88 preamp and the ART Phonostage, awe-inspiring! Possibly one of the best I've heard to date in terms of dynamic driver design. The Zelatons do something very unique to the presentation and most of all, you actually don't hear much of that typical box/cabinet character at all, compared to most other cabinet type speakers.

Also, the most important factor regarding Zelatons. is that chief designer / owner of CJ (Jeff Fischel) uses exclusively Zelaton speakers as his primary Reference speaker system when designing all of CJ's top of the line ART gear. Before JF took ownership, messers C & J used WIlson's exclusively... go figure!

Congrats Steve, you'll be supremely impressed with the Zelatons, also you'll wonder why you didn't get these much earlier!
The toons are fine! WOOF!
RJ

was that the Zellaton Statement that the ART27A was driving. Those are the big ones

 

[Steve williams]

I might be wrong but I think there will be an Ultra version of each speaker in the Klassik Line

 

[Big Dog RJ]

was that the Zellaton Statement that the ART27A was driving. Those are the big ones

Could well be, they were top of the line. Cannot recall the model, only the price tag knocked me off the seat... when I finally woke up, then I realised the CJ Art gear, and all was well. I'll check and confirm when I next chat to chappy.

Note* those "rejected" drivers from Zelatons end up in Wilson's...!!! Oopsie doopsie

 

[Steve williams]

Here’s a link to the Statement

https://www.zellaton.de/de/statement.html

 

[Steve williams]

I'm hoping for this Friday ETA---loaner Plural Evos....I cant remember when I have been so long without music.......

 

[Kbh57]

Mr. Williams, I'm the guy who bought the Plural Evos Gideon showed at SWAF. Gideon hasn't set them up yet but he has a trip planned. I went to SWAF with a vague idea that I might find an amp-buying speakers never crossed my mind. I really like the speakers I have now. The Zellatons were really special and I went back every day for long listening sessions and couldn't resist. Beautiful sound in that room-better than set ups at more than twice the price to my ears in a cavernous, untreated room. I can't wait to hear them in my room- I think they will be great, but you never know until you know. Oh, and I did find an amp-Burmester 218.

As excited as I am, I'm sure you are in for a special experience. Congratulations.

 

[Steve williams]

Congratulations on your great purchase. Gideon called me shortly after the show and asked if I had any objections. I encouraged him to sell them to you. I was quite happy to wait for something else. He has a set of Plural Evos en route to me now and he going to fly out to set them up. Probably will come to you first but I don’t know his plans. He will be at Munich and I know he wants to visit before. I’m sure he would do the same with you

 

[Big Dog RJ]

I'm not a Zellaton owner, since I'm very passionate about Electrostats and panels in general. However, I do have a lot of respect for Zellaton, and more so after learning that Jeff Fischel (owner & chief designer of CJ) uses Zellaton speakers exclusively, as his reference at CJ's HQ, so that certainly means something.

I will say this though, and emphasise the fact that Zellaton speakers are not ordinary box/cabinet type systems. These are probably the most neutral and transparent cabinet types I've ever heard to date. They seem to present the sound with one type of material in the most uniform pattern possible. Rather than those multiple driver arrays, with all sorts of driver materials, ribbon tweeters, plasma, beryllium, fabric domes, diamond this and carbon that... plus heavy bracing of cabinets... I can clearly hear the drivers firing off in all sorts of directions, especially those HF ribbons, they wonder off into the woods! Then there's the typical box colorations, which I can identify instantly!

Zellaton doesn't have any of these typical characters of the standard box types, and with that in mind, their performance and presentation is extraordinary! Truly remarkable achievement, I'm not really sure how Zellaton does it but they do something very very right.

You have to actually audition a Zellaton to understand what I'm referring to. They are supremely superior to any box dynamic driver type I've heard to date. IF I was in the purchase decision to get a different type of speaker system, other than the beloved CLX's that I'll never change regardless of price, Zellaton's would be that speaker.

Considering their price range, it's a little beyond my finances but for those who can afford Zellaton's, this is ONE speaker system where your dollars are fully justified. Nothing more to add.

Cheers and a mighty WOOF!
RJ

 

[pk_LA]

I'm not a Zellaton owner, since I'm very passionate about Electrostats and panels in general. However, I do have a lot of respect for Zellaton, and more so after learning that Jeff Fischel (owner & chief designer of CJ) uses Zellaton speakers exclusively, as his reference at CJ's HQ, so that certainly means something.

I will say this though, and emphasise the fact that Zellaton speakers are not ordinary box/cabinet type systems. These are probably the most neutral and transparent cabinet types I've ever heard to date. They seem to present the sound with one type of material in the most uniform pattern possible. Rather than those multiple driver arrays, with all sorts of driver materials, ribbon tweeters, plasma, beryllium, fabric domes, diamond this and carbon that... plus heavy bracing of cabinets... I can clearly hear the drivers firing off in all sorts of directions, especially those HF ribbons, they wonder off into the woods! Then there's the typical box colorations, which I can identify instantly!

Zellaton doesn't have any of these typical characters of the standard box types, and with that in mind, their performance and presentation is extraordinary! Truly remarkable achievement, I'm not really sure how Zellaton does it but they do something very very right.

You have to actually audition a Zellaton to understand what I'm referring to. They are supremely superior to any box dynamic driver type I've heard to date. IF I was in the purchase decision to get a different type of speaker system, other than the beloved CLX's that I'll never change regardless of price, Zellaton's would be that speaker.

Considering their price range, it's a little beyond my finances but for those who can afford Zellaton's, this is ONE speaker system where your dollars are fully justified. Nothing more to add.

Cheers and a mighty WOOF!
RJ

I was hoping to hear them at Steve's! But Gideon sold the pair that were incoming. Hopefully Steve will let me come down and listen when he gets his.

They might just be the ultimate blend of both electrostatics and boxed speakers.

 

[Steve williams]

I was hoping to hear them at Steve's! But Gideon sold the pair that were incoming. Hopefully Steve will let me come down and listen when he gets his.

They might just be the ultimate blend of both electrostatics and boxed speakers.

My loaner Plural Evos have shipped. I should have them next week

My Reference Ultra should arrive end of June

 

[pk_LA]

Site is slow. I suspect it is on account of the massive DDOS attacks underway now. We are getting hammered across the country.

 

[ashandger]

I'm not a Zellaton owner, since I'm very passionate about Electrostats and panels in general. However, I do have a lot of respect for Zellaton, and more so after learning that Jeff Fischel (owner & chief designer of CJ) uses Zellaton speakers exclusively, as his reference at CJ's HQ, so that certainly means something.

I will say this though, and emphasise the fact that Zellaton speakers are not ordinary box/cabinet type systems. These are probably the most neutral and transparent cabinet types I've ever heard to date. They seem to present the sound with one type of material in the most uniform pattern possible. Rather than those multiple driver arrays, with all sorts of driver materials, ribbon tweeters, plasma, beryllium, fabric domes, diamond this and carbon that... plus heavy bracing of cabinets... I can clearly hear the drivers firing off in all sorts of directions, especially those HF ribbons, they wonder off into the woods! Then there's the typical box colorations, which I can identify instantly!

Zellaton doesn't have any of these typical characters of the standard box types, and with that in mind, their performance and presentation is extraordinary! Truly remarkable achievement, I'm not really sure how Zellaton does it but they do something very very right.

You have to actually audition a Zellaton to understand what I'm referring to. They are supremely superior to any box dynamic driver type I've heard to date. IF I was in the purchase decision to get a different type of speaker system, other than the beloved CLX's that I'll never change regardless of price, Zellaton's would be that speaker.

Considering their price range, it's a little beyond my finances but for those who can afford Zellaton's, this is ONE speaker system where your dollars are fully justified. Nothing more to add.

Cheers and a mighty WOOF!
RJ

My thoughts EXACTLY! Also a big fan of CLXs ever since I first heard them years ago. Many thanks for sharing.

 

[Lowlands]

I recently had the Plural Evo on audition for about two weeks and to my ears it is an absolutely wonderful speaker. For my tastes one of / if not THE best I have heard for / in a 'normal' livingroom setting & with somewhat 'manageable' proportions. Prior to the audition at my place, I heard it really shine at a friends place (driven by Impera II / Ianus Essentia). The Ultras ported bass offered a punch & fun-factor that I had not heard the Ultras do (disclaimer: only heard the Ultras @ Rhapsody in NL in a rather large room, so context ! , YMMV, etc.). Ianus provided plenty juice for the Evos b.t.w...

Despite my friends place seeming 'somewhat similar' in terms of shape & dimensions , sadly, due to a [fill in curse] acoustic quirck specific to MY room we could not make them work without my subs and without having to seriously remodel / rebuild / refurbish my room. It was not a 'slot-in' replacement, which was more or less a requirement for me. That made it to much of a gamble (and to big a project 'to go') for the money for me at this time. I was however very sad to see them go...
For clarity, the understanding is we ran into a limitation of my room & acoustics (that does not have an easy fix), not of the speaker. Any speaker will likely (depending architecture) face this problem..

Very keen to learn of Steve's experiences with the Evo vs Ultra's in his dedicated room...