Zu loudspeakers

the sound of Tao

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Jul 18, 2014
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Think the two way and three way speaker thing is definitely a concept best left to inanimate things... one human relationship at a time is more than enough lol

Have more than one and the next thing you know one of them will be trying to tell you which end of your fuse to put in first.
 

spiritofmusic

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Jun 13, 2013
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Graham, interesting as a thought experiment. I would have to run horns at the other end of my room, w extra long lengths of spkr cbls. This might prove a bottleneck in SQ. Or two complete systems front and back. Now we're in unobtanium budget territory.
 

the sound of Tao

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It makes sense to me to maximise the use of everything upstream of the amp at least if not upstream of the speakers.

It would be possible to do long speaker cable runs to horns at the other end but less than ideal but if you went long ics and then you can even explore a different flavour of lower watt SET for the horns, that could be very nice... say some 45s.

Either way you could just initially trial running with two pairs at the same end with the same gear to see if owning Zus and horns is the way you really want to go... and just trial the Pap horns for a no risk in home demo if they still offer it. Summer is coming for you guys... horns + beer = :)
 
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bonzo75

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Feb 26, 2014
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Zu Audio is having a sale on their Zu Omen Dirty Weekend start soon. These speakers go for $999 in the basic finish. I know many guys here on the site paid more than that for a few inches of their interconnect cables or a few centimeters of their power cord.

So if you read the reviews and bought into the buzz of the popular brands, and got a Wilson Alexx, Magico M3, or something like that, but now you are only playing the same 20 records over and over, or worse yet, you are down to just a few audiophile songs like Hotel California, Tin Pan Alley, Take 5, and Son of a Preacher man, it's time to make that move to high-efficiency and Zu! Zu sounds incredible with great recordings, but sounds really amazing with normal music - that normal people listen to. Zu also sounds incredible with inexpensive SET amps like Audion and sounds good with SS Pass Labs.

I am not a filthy, disgusting, lying, exaggerating, misleading, slimy reviewer - so be warned: Zu is all about conveying the emotion of music. If you want analytical detail, stay with the well-marketed box speakers. Also, Zu excels at rock, jazz, soul, and blues. So if this type of music is not part of your regular diet, look elsewhere.

" but now you are only playing the same 20 records over and over, or worse yet, you are down to just a few audiophile songs like Hotel California, Tin Pan Alley, Take 5, and Son of a Preacher man"

This is spot on.
 
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Exlibris

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Graham, horns remain a mirage concept for me. The ones I would love to consider most are too tall for my space, won't be able to get in, and too pricey.

Ie AG Trios w Basshorns, Cessaro Liszts, Pnoes, Azzolina Sferas, ACerat Symphonias.

Animas just don't do enough for me in the lower mids/bass, Sadurnis are not practical re demo/after sales.

That leaves AG Duos Mezzos XD and PAP Trios Horns. The latter of course having yr enthusiastic thumbs up, the Duos I know well over 5 years regular exposure at Blue58's.

The choice likely would be btwn these two, if ever the temptation gets too much.

Then again, I've watched tv docs on polygamous arrangements, and I can't say I'm on board the human version of having yr cake and eating it. I'm not sure the audio equivalent is any less emotionally complicated.

Have you ruled out:
hORNs Universum III
Odeon 33
Destination Audio Nika
Diesis Audio (various models)
OMA
 

morricab

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Apr 25, 2014
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Have you ruled out:
hORNs Universum III
Odeon 33
Destination Audio Nika
Diesis Audio (various models)
OMA
Some good choices there...I would add Live Act Audio Ref 408 or 112 and Dynamikks Monitor 10.15 mkiii or 12.18.
 

spiritofmusic

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Jun 13, 2013
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Another thumbs up to Zu. I've had a low level hum issue w the built in sub amps. Chief designer Sean Casey has sorted a solution, and is providing it at no cost beyond carriage, despite my spkrs being out of warranty. Great service, and another reason why Zu is likely my last ever spkr.
 
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spiritofmusic

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We all buy gear for different reasons. Hopefully mainly because something sounds good. But for me anyhow, high up on the list is whether you feel a connection to designer ethos, and the company takes care of you. For me, the Zu sound always "spoke to me", and when it came to ongoing comms w the company, reading the reports of their music lover driven demos, and then meeting MD Sean Casey at Munich, and really registering his deep passion, single minded determinism to produce spkrs that reproduced music the way he felt music should, well away from the blind alley he felt 99% of spkrs were failing at, and then episodes like my zero cost sub amps repair, they represent what I call "uber friendly/uber focussed". I am so pleased I read Sjraen's reviews of Zu online on 6Moons in 2007/8.
 

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