Zu loudspeakers

[the sound of Tao]

Thanks Marc

 

[spiritofmusic]

Graham, Zerostargeneral here is the go-to man re Mayer. Audiophile Bill can really vouch for the amps too. SETDrugs is currently too ecstatic w his Zus on Mayer to leave a cogent response LOL.

Certainly they'd be top of my list re a change from Nat if I was to go for an all-out superior triodes/top Zus assault.

 

[the sound of Tao]

Very much agreed. Thomas Mayer would be among the first amps I’d explore Marc where it at all possible to upgrade. Till then I’ll happily live with my LM508ia. Might still just get some Elrog valves to test my foot in the water.

 

[spiritofmusic]

I'm pretty convinced that a need for absolutely silent amps will be needed. For now as well, but certainly for much more neutral and transparent new Zus, and especially on the outside chance I go to horns.
To listen to 118dB eff Pnoes in a highly revealing room w 1.46W 46 Mayers, and 101/105dB Hadrons/Gran Sferas w 28W 211 Mayers, and be aware of a totally black background w zero noise/hum, is a revelation. I've been aware of low noise via Blue58's own design 45 tube amps powering AG Duos, but the Mayers I think are at an even quieter level.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Unfortunately, silence costs LOL.
The budget for base level Mayer 10Y, 845 or 211 amps, plus Zu Definitions 6 or Experiences, w maybe outboard quiet SS to Zu subs, will be $60-70k. Since the chapel here is an endless moneypit, it may not happen. Since things are so compelling as they are, this kind of move is lovely to contemplate, but not one to fret over. Being in the moment right now is just fine.

 

[the sound of Tao]

I think Ra might take comfort from your previous post Marc

 

[spiritofmusic]

Graeme, you don't know the half of it. FWIW, $80k spent on my new room equates to this imagined Mayer/TOTL Zu upgrade. That was always the way it was planned.
Had I stayed in London, this sum would be sitting in my bank account waiting to potentially be spent on eg Mayers/new Zus. But in that situation, my acoustics would have been so poor that it would have been money wasted.

$100k needs to be invested in further essential restoration costs here on the chapel, seriously big audio spending cannot take priority.

What I'm chuffed about is that upgrading is now on a whim rather than a necessity when I was still unsure about my sound. Even coming home from stellar demos of Apogees, Mayers/Pnoes and Gran Sferas, ACerats featuring Symphonia horns, and my l/t benchmark compare ie SGM/AG Duos, which in the past have left me insecure about my choices/particular path and evolution, are now just stellar data points useful as compares but not driving me to the demon drink.

As long as that stays the case, I can muse on Mayer/new Zus, but not to distraction.

 

[the sound of Tao]

Reality can be a salvation. I love the music I am hearing tonight completely. I don’t sit here needing anything more musically or indeed much sonically but I have a glass of shiraz as well anyways and my cup indeed is half full. I however am delightfully sober. The music is fantastic and for the first year in my life I am streaming happily away and can play any music I want and enjoy it all. Perfect really.

 

[spiritofmusic]

And tbh, its time for me to get back to what it's all about ie music. Weird that. Audio upgrading ain't that different from the hot rodder that polishes his cylinders lovingly, revs the engine, poodles around the block, then plans his next engine mod.

So, it's entry level listenable and engaging server and dac next. And after 4 years of not buying a ton of music as I used to, it's now time to investigate Discogs, Ebay and local s/h record shops for my 12" and 5" fixes, and next year w streaming, all those deep genre searches for Tidal/Roon to reveal to me.

Daydreaming and saving hard for yet more upgrades will esp take away from my intention to pig out on classical vinyl.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Reality can be a salvation. I love the music I am hearing tonight completely. I don’t sit here needing anything more musically or indeed much sonically but I have a glass of shiraz as well anyways and my cup indeed is half full. I however am delightfully sober. The music is fantastic and for the first year in my life I am streaming happily away and can play any music I want and enjoy it all. Perfect really.

Graeme, get you 100%.
Blue58, who I've visited at least once every 2 months for the last 4 years, wants for v little in his system of SGM 45 tubes Java pre AG Duos Omegas c.2010 vintage. The new Duos XDs and Duos Mezzos XDs are out there, and may well be "better" Duos than his near-decade old pr, but there is no want for anything as we tour Tidal/Roon from Steve Wilson to Aaron Copeland to Sarah Vaughan to London Grammar to John Coltrane to Magma. I know he occasionally lingers on the XDs. But is right back in the moment afterwards.

 

[caesar]

Anyone compare top-level Mayer stuff to Audion Golden Dream 300B? Audion 845 amp?

 

[caesar]

Just found this video clip that shows a factory tour of Zu. One can get a sense of the Wilson-type (but much less stodgy) finishes they are able to put on.

The video also affirms that Zu is a legit operation, not a guy building stuff in his garage.

The latter part of the video shows Sean Casey talking about music with the guy who recorded the video. Although rambling at times, in 2 minutes one can get a sense of Sean's authenticity as a human being and his passion for music - he's not yapping about his speaker's technology or designs. This helps explain and connect the Zu phenomena of why normal, non-audiophile music is so amazing with these speakers.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Caesar, I've talked to Sean on a few occasions, incl in depth chat at Munich. It was fascinating to hear his take on how audio and spkrs had taken a wrong turn in recent decades, how he's a horns, and esp WE man at heart. How horns were his first project when he was a jobbing designer, but how he had to switch to the Zu form to ever sell anything (horns are impossible to get right and market at anything like reasonable prices/profit margins). And how in great part to the immediacy and immersion of horns, he formulated his USP of high efficiency/zero crossover drivers, totally SET/OTL friendly 8/16 Ohms, in domestic sized cabinets w great paint finishes. And the religious belief that all music should sound great thru them incl those pesky hot mixes.

 

[caesar]

Caesar, I've talked to Sean on a few occasions, incl in depth chat at Munich. It was fascinating to hear his take on how audio and spkrs had taken a wrong turn in recent decades, how he's a horns, and esp WE man at heart. How horns were his first project when he was a jobbing designer, but how he had to switch to the Zu form to ever sell anything (horns are impossible to get right and market at anything like reasonable prices/profit margins). And how in great part to the immediacy and immersion of horns, he formulated his USP of high efficiency/zero crossover drivers, totally SET/OTL friendly 8/16 Ohms, in domestic sized cabinets w great paint finishes. And the religious belief that all music should sound great thru them incl those pesky hot mixes.

So what’s the theory on horns being unpopular? Americans have more space than Europeans. And those living outside of cities can better accommodate them than city dwellers in tiny apartments. Also, technologies to integrate drivers have improved. What’s going on?

 

[SETDrugs]

Unfortunately, silence costs LOL.
The budget for base level Mayer 10Y, 845 or 211 amps, plus Zu Definitions 6 or Experiences, w maybe outboard quiet SS to Zu subs, will be $60-70k. Since the chapel here is an endless moneypit, it may not happen. Since things are so compelling as they are, this kind of move is lovely to contemplate, but not one to fret over. Being in the moment right now is just fine.

Marc,

Why not just consider a speaker change only first ( whenever the new Def or Experience is out) based on what Phil is reporting of the advancements and breakthroughs of the new Druid ? Especially if the sub integration of the new Definition fully addresses some of the issues you're experiencing right now. You can worry about the other stuff afterwards if needed.

 

[SETDrugs]

Caesar, I've talked to Sean on a few occasions, incl in depth chat at Munich. It was fascinating to hear his take on how audio and spkrs had taken a wrong turn in recent decades, how he's a horns, and esp WE man at heart. How horns were his first project when he was a jobbing designer, but how he had to switch to the Zu form to ever sell anything (horns are impossible to get right and market at anything like reasonable prices/profit margins). And how in great part to the immediacy and immersion of horns, he formulated his USP of high efficiency/zero crossover drivers, totally SET/OTL friendly 8/16 Ohms, in domestic sized cabinets w great paint finishes. And the religious belief that all music should sound great thru them incl those pesky hot mixes.

This is exactly the reason why I've lost most if not all interest in traditional horn speakers after owning Zu. This and the fact that most horn speakers aren't too practical for a nearfield bedroom system which I'm running.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Kevin, absolutely. Other than a hint of grunge and lack of ultimate transparency w my Nats triodes, I'm still totally sold on them. But certainly if I ever do go down the Defs 6 road, or Experiences, I do know that the concept of the quietest, purest, most crystalline SETs will be pretty persuasive, and this will mean serious consideration of Mayers 845s or 211s. But this is just mental window shopping atm. I'm still minded to make a few more changes to my current setup to eek out a little more performance.

 

[spiritofmusic]

Kevin, maybe you, and esp Phil, can help here. Much as I love what Sean has achieved w the Zu sound, I remain a tad confused by the Zu range/choice.

I could get it more if Zu was limited to Dominance at the very top, then Definitions, Druids and Soul Supremes. But we also have the Omens Dirty Weekend, Omens and Omen Definitions. There's an Omens Bookshelf in there too, I believe.

From what I can glean, Sean aims these models at particular listeners, w particular listening tastes, in particular types of rooms, near/far field etc.

I can't deny I find this confusing to say the least. Indeed I know someone who was seriously considering Zu who baulked at the range of choice and bought elsewhere.

I find "tyranny of choice", er, tyrannical LOL, and if I was a newbie to Zu, I might also walk on by.

Why does Sean insist on so many models that are at least superficially similar to each other? Just why does he offer Omens, Omen Definitions, Omens Dirty Weekend, Soul Supremes, Druids 5, Druids 6, now soon to be joined by Soul Supremes 6? That's SEVEN models that look more similar to different.

What specific buyers would plump for each type of Omens or Souls or Druids?

Even in a hobby involving listening, we still buy w our eyes first. And these seven models deffo look more similar than different.

 

[KeithR]

Easy- a lot of snowboarders and non-audiophiles buy the more inexpensive gear and will never consider a Soul Supreme or Druid VI. Hence the Dirty Weekends, etc.

Spirit, maybe just wait until a set of TM gear comes up used. I've seen them periodically even here.

 

[caesar]

Kevin, maybe you, and esp Phil, can help here. Much as I love what Sean has achieved w the Zu sound, I remain a tad confused by the Zu range/choice.

I could get it more if Zu was limited to Dominance at the very top, then Definitions, Druids and Soul Supremes. But we also have the Omens Dirty Weekend, Omens and Omen Definitions. There's an Omens Bookshelf in there too, I believe.

From what I can glean, Sean aims these models at particular listeners, w particular listening tastes, in particular types of rooms, near/far field etc.

I can't deny I find this confusing to say the least. Indeed I know someone who was seriously considering Zu who baulked at the range of choice and bought elsewhere.

I find "tyranny of choice", er, tyrannical LOL, and if I was a newbie to Zu, I might also walk on by.

Why does Sean insist on so many models that are at least superficially similar to each other? Just why does he offer Omens, Omen Definitions, Omens Dirty Weekend, Soul Supremes, Druids 5, Druids 6, now soon to be joined by Soul Supremes 6? That's SEVEN models that look more similar to different.

What specific buyers would plump for each type of Omens or Souls or Druids?

Even in a hobby involving listening, we still buy w our eyes first. And these seven models deffo look more similar than different.

I'm with Keith. Normal people go with Dirty Weekends. Maybe stretch to an Omen for $2K. After all, $2K is a lot of money, even for an upper middle class family with kids, and all other types of expenses.

The rest of the models at higher prices are for audiophiles