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Zu Audio Speakers...Not a Discussion!

Reviving this thread..

has anyone tried upgrading the dirty weekend with the Omen Def driver and the druid supertweeter?

Seems like a good way to upgrade if the standard cabinet could withstand the "pressures".....

Just wonderin':smoke:
 
Sorry to revive an older thread - but there aren't many threads about Zu Audio around for me to jump into.

Funny about the Anthony Gallo Reference speakers, then moving to Zu Audio - that's pretty much what I'm doing as well. I have some AG 3.1 with the 4" maple platforms I'm selling in order to try out some other speakers. I had an offer on the platforms alone, the same day a fantastic pair of Electric Blue Omen Mk 1-b showed up on Audiogon. It's getting a bit crowded with 4 pairs of speakers in the Home Theater/Listening room, and with the Omens on the way, so I'm going to need to sell some gear!

I'm currently running a Decware - Zen Mystery Amp, out to Decware MG944, testing out some prototype Decware speakers nick-named El Camino, I have my Anthony Gallo Reference 3.1 as well. My Source is a PS Audio DirectStream DAC fed from a mildly tweaked out Lenovo Tiny Form Factor PC pulling music off a Synology NAS. Cables are all DIY milspec silver over copper. Everything powered by a PS Audio P10 Power Plant - I even went as far as wiring the the dedicated, filtered outlet with 8AWG milspec silver plated copper wires - home run back to the circuit panel (which surprisingly made a bit of a difference).

I'm looking forward to giving the Omen a spin, I should have them in a few days - I was hoping to jump into the Zu Audio lineup a little higher, like a set of Druids, but this deal happened at the right time, and in the right color. :)

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I like the design concepts - so hopefully I like the speakers as well. :thmbsp:
 
I'm a picky bastard, and my L shaped room tends to ruin good speakers. I turned down a $5500 pair of my dream speakers for the $1000 pair I already had, because my room just wrecked the sound of them. The Zu however, being as affordable as they are, would have to be pretty bad for me to flip them quickly. There is always room for efficient, crazy-blue speakers in this house. LOL

I have tracking for my speakers, but with the weather I have a feeling it's going to be delayed. I should have them middle of next week at this rate.
 
I'm slowly completing my upgrade to my Superflys. A few years ago, I installed the MK 1.B drivers, and just ordered the new tweeters with Clarity caps from Zu. Hope to receive them in a few weeks.

So far, I'm happy with the sound combined with my 45 SET amp running Cunningham CX-345 or RCA UX-245 globe tubes.
 
Art K. said:
Congrats. I hope you enjoy them immensely.
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Well after a couple of days I have top say I like them, I don't love them, yet. Bass is amazing, tight and defined, treble...well, lets say its a little bright. I don't think its my room as the previous speakers (Epic Epos2) did not have this trait. Any ideas?
 
I don't have any suggestions as I have not listened to your speakers. Give them a good audition and if you don't enjoy them thoroughly then move them on.
 
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The Omen's are a bit tricky to set up. Mine sounded best when pulled out into the room with a slight back tilt so the tweeters are aimed at your ears rather than at your belt buckle.
 
Poultrygeist said:
The Omen's are a bit tricky to set up. Mine sounded best when pulled out into the room with a slight back tilt so the tweeters are aimed at your ears rather than at your belt buckle.
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Agree with the set up suggestions about back tilt and toe in.

Make sure they are broken in by playing music constantly.

Also, here are some suggestions about speaker placement:
http://www.cardas.com/room_setup_main.php

Consider room treatment as well.
http://arqen.com/acoustics-101/room-setup-acoustic-treatment/

I'm not affiliated with any of these companies.
 
I have Walnut finished Omen Def MK 2 with Radian tweeters and absolutely love them. They were really fussy in terms of placement. I too have them slightly tilted up and toed in. I had mixed feeling the first month or so, but once they broke in they just sounded amazing. I have had them for about 7 month now and all I can say is they are truly great sounding speakers, especially with vocals, guitar, and drums. FWIW I am running a PrimaLuna Tube Integrated with them.
 
Here are mine I picked up yesterday. The sound is very accurate compared to the Vandersteen C2e. They are faster. I also tilted them just a bit about 1/8" up on a 1 1/2 " granite tile that sits on rubber sound absorbers.
I'm still playing with positioning, the toe is makes a big difference. What I like is how how the highs seem to hang a few milisonds longer.image.jpeg
 
I feel one thing that perspective buyers need to be aware of is that these Zu speakers may not be as efficient as purchasers expect them to be. The Stereophile review of the Zu Essence measured them at 92.5dB efficiency, which is well short of their spec of 97dB. This could be a significant issue for people wanting to use them with flea watt amps.
 
So I'm finding that sometime ( I was listening to Bruce Springsteen - The Wild the innocent) when there is a heavy drum section Bruce's voice seems to get lost in all the music, distorted maybe? I'm playing with placement of the speakers but I can't seem to get a clean reproduction. I hope you know what I mean.
 
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