Zu Definition Review - Part Trois!

miklorsmith · « **on:** 2 Oct 2005, 09:17 pm »

I've been reading a 3-part review of the Wilson Alexandrias which gave me the idea of running this one in a few separate parts.

I. Painting

Everyone knows I'm a fan of Zu. I owned the Druids and loved them, but am fortunate enough to be able to move up to their flagship speaker, which is the subject of this review. Of course, I haven't heard them yet but much reading and e-mailing of owners has me convinced they will be stupendous. Zu has known I would be ordering these and we've been working on a paint color for about the last month. For the record, the Druids are the best speaker I've heard so far.

The process is fun. First, the customer thinks of a color that might look good on the speakers. A telephone call to Zu describing the color yields a computer-generated mock-up of the color on a virtual Definition. If that color is suitable, Zu sends an actual painted chip of that color along with a "DuPont Chroma Library", containing hundreds of automotive-quality chips around that color that are darker, lighter, more or less metallic/pearled.

Now you've got a chip and a book of comparative colors to see how you'd like to change the color, if at all. Zu will send you another chip if you wish or, like me, you may opt to tell them "paint now!" Zu then orders the full batch of that color and goes to town!

Once the paint dries, they bolt the whole thing together and play the speakers LOUD to let them break in. Mine will have about 125 hours of 100 wpc love on them before they ship Tuesday. That doesn't sound like a lot of juice but the speakers are 101 db efficient and that is ear-damaging stuff for sure. Zu believes this is a critical part of the sale, as these speakers are fully compatible with tiny amplifiers. At normal playing volumes with small amps, the speakers may literally never break in.

Pricing for a high-gloss automotive finish is a $1,500 add-on to the $9,000 selling price. There are less expensive options too. Remember - your pair will most likely be entirely unique, very high on the cool factor.

II. FIRST IMPRESSIONS

They're here! FedEx brilliance wasn't bright enough to find my house, so I braved ridiculous traffic to pick them up. Packing is first rate. The speakers are shrink-wrapped and encased in custom foam inserts, then double-boxed. Needless to say, they arrived in perfect shape. Each box weighs 120 lbs., which I was able to drag down to my basement alone though I don't recommend this.

The finish is a satin, dark, vivid red. It's really beautiful with the black and polished aluminum drivers. The paint shop really has their stuff together and job is evenly applied. All box-corners are consistently, slightly rounded. Overall fit and finish are utterly first-rate. The Zu badge is painted the custom color, the aluminum parts are very well finished. I couldn't find a flaw though admittedly I was more interested in listening than looking for problems.

Last night, I was running an old Technics CDP as transport, Red Wine Monica-2 DAC, Modwright pre, and dual-mono RWA Clari-T. This combination was awe-inspiring. Liz Phair's Exile in Guyville has a song called "Shatter". It features a diffuse, distorted, slow electric guitar for a couple of minutes. On the Def's, the image was gargantuan, seemingly a function of the room itself and not the stereo. When Liz enters, minutes into the song, she was precisely located and small, between the speakers. The contrast was dumbfounding.

Pink Floyd's "The Happiest Days of Our Lives", from The Wall, features a strumming, steel stringed acoustic guitar. I could feel the vibrating of individual strings, even with chords, like I've never heard. Detail is at once prominent and immaterial.

Treble is better than the Druids, and is as good as anything I've heard. Bass extension is present without drawing undue attention. Playing loudly, the room becomes an issue. But, at normal volumes the room seems not to be in play, even with the speakers 4" from the front wall. Fundamentally, I alternately found myself listening to individual instruments, then letting the whole fabric lay over me. In various "mental modes", nothing detracted from the portion I chose to focus on. Translation - these are very balanced speakers.

This is just a teaser, and I intend to do a "right" job of this review. But, I'm excited and want to share.

miklorsmith · « **Reply #1 on:** 7 Oct 2005, 03:19 pm »

Afterimage · « **Reply #2 on:** 7 Oct 2005, 10:40 pm »

Thanks for the review/impressions so far. Keep us updated as they beak in. What other speakers have you owned besides the Druids?

miklorsmith · « **Reply #3 on:** 7 Oct 2005, 10:49 pm »

Backwards, chronologically, Druids, homemade Fostex 206E BR boxes, Gallo Acoustics Ref. 3's, Tannoy dual-concentric monitors.

Zu has added break-in as a freebie for anyone that wants it on Def's. Price is a little extra for Druids or Tones. Thus, my pair has about 125 hours on them so far. This correlates to about 70% by their calculation, where 400 hours (average) is 100% broken in.

Paul_Bui · « **Reply #4 on:** 8 Oct 2005, 03:36 am »

Congratulations! I am sure you're in love with the music more than ever.

miklorsmith · « **Reply #5 on:** 8 Oct 2005, 08:58 pm »

Music is a beautiful woman I love from afar. I make plays and get closer and closer. She's taking off her underpants for me now.

I don't love her more, but I do know her better and the feelings are deeper.

miklorsmith · « **Reply #6 on:** 24 Jan 2006, 05:17 pm »

There is no perfect speaker. I am blessed and cursed to have a broad-ranging taste in music. I like girl-with-guitar, solo piano music, ensemble jazz, straight-ahead rock, metal, hip-hop, and techno.

I have a room that I suspect is leaky in the bass. The room is big and has a stairwell essentially behind the speakers. I think this is allowing the leading pressure-wave an easy escape. But, the room is fixed. I can't realign it or rebuild it.

What's happening? With most music, everything's peachy-keen - love the speakers. With synth music? Everything's very balanced and it sounds very sweet. Visitors are amazed by how clean and balanced it is. Me? I want to hear more leading edge on the bassline and more kick. Tone and speed are excellent, but I want more.

Same thing with rock - I want to feel the kickdrums. Strings popping on the bass are very well portrayed and that's not a problem but I want more solidity in the bottom.

There is an attenuator for the sub-bass array but I never turn it up past noon, as the bass seems to become ponderous and overtake the balance and speed of the overall presentation; unforgivable considering this is a primary strength of the speaker.

So, what does an out-of-control audiohead do in such a circumstance? UPGRADE!

Yep, I've sent the Def's back to Zu and going for the Pro upgrade. I'm doing it a little different from Srajan though.

I'm going with a TacT 2.2x. This unit offers full tonal control for subwoofers (back array) and main speakers (front array). Further, it allows varying crossover frequency and slope. The stock version allows the front 10" drivers to play to their natural roll-off at 40 hz. I will be able to vary this crossover to taste. If I decide to go with a 2-watt SET amp for the main array, I could cross at 120 hz instead, getting the main amp entirely out of the bass range and allowing it to do its magic in the mids and highs.

I found a Bel Canto e.one S300 ICEpower amp on Agon which puts out 150 wpc in stereo to run the high-eff back drivers and I'll be using the Clari-T for now on the main drivers.

Will this solve my issues? It freakin' better! It's fun to do and I'm not willing to give up what these speakers do so well. So, it's a natural next step. I'll be on Vacation from Thursday through Feb. 3 and the speakers will probably be back some time following that. More to be revealed. . .

2bigears · « **Reply #7 on:** 24 Jan 2006, 06:25 pm »

that's a cool journey you are on with those Zu's.should turn out to be killer sound.congrats

referenceaudionz · « **Reply #8 on:** 27 Feb 2006, 08:41 am »

I have to tell you about a great combination for maximum kick (thwack, dynamics, leading edge, everything). Tubes sound good, but if you want great, 100w NuForce are the answer on either Druid or Definition with passive TVCs. The silver TVCs (long, long burn-in) behind Bluenote's Koala or Stibbert with tube output stage really opens up the top end of these speakers. Get the Ref 8's while they're being run out.

I was not impressed by either Nuforce or Druids at first (I'm a dealer for Zu, Bluenote and Nuforce). But I could hear the potential in both. NuForce has fixed the major problems I had with the amp's wiring choices and minor RF fixes – they now sound great out of the box. The Defs impose no limits on your taste in music. And the Druids just improve for months. Both have to be hammered at high volume for at least 200 hours.