[jtcf]

Just took delivery of a used pair of these last week and finally have them up and running today after a few headaches.First with FedEx then one speaker wasn't working (easy repair thankfully). Anyway, I am in love now! I've gone from Tekton to Harbeth C7s and now these.I never really could get into the Tekton sound though I tried for a couple of years. The Harbeths are wonderful and I even bought a ss amp to swap in for my "rock n roll" evenings but it was hopeless to push them very hard.
These Zu Defs though!Putting them through their paces today they will play everything I've tried so far with no hint of strain as loud as I care to listen and acoustic music and female vocals are just excellent. Each instrument and even back up vocals are all separated clearly. They don't quite have the beauty of tone as the Harbeths do,but they come close enough that I'm not missing it.I'm very sensitive to sibilance and brightness and there is none. I smile instead of cringe at those particular notes that I know are coming up. I still need to tweak their positions a bit to try to increase the depth perception is all.I have them on the ss Modright KWA 100SE right now and am so looking forward to listening with my Aric Audio Transcend in se mode to hear what tonal changes will happen.
Music today was Santana,James Gang live,Bruce Cockburn, Joan Baez,Led Zeppelin, Shawn Colvin,Peter Green

System: Cambridge CXC, AM Tubadour ll,MicroZotl 2,Modright KWA 100SE,Aric Audio Transcend,ZenWave cable

[mick wolfe]

Thanks for the excellent review. That's a speaker I've got my eye on when they go back into production. Currently have the Zu Omen DW's and have thoroughly enjoyed them for the last couple years. So I basically know where you're coming from when you hint that all music genres are invited to the party. I've been on both sides of that fence with the various speakers through the years. Many only wanted to deal with "polite" material. In the last 5 or 6 years however, my interest only lies with speakers that can "do it all". Probably why the Omen Def II's are one of the 2 or 3 speakers at the top of my list.

[djbnh]

Just took delivery of a used pair of these last week and finally have them up and running today after a few headaches. I still need to tweak their positions a bit to try to increase the depth perception is all.

I have the MKI version with upgraded tweeters. Some time ago I swapped out Zu's stock footers/spikes for eight of Herbie's Audio Lab "Threaded Stud Glider" Regular / 3/8"-16 / 2". [Used code "audiocircle" at checkout for 10% product discount.]


The Gliders make it wicked easy to tweak speaker placement/rake, redoing my set-up post-installation was a breeze compared to the initial set-up. The Gliders also made a solid positive impact in the speaker presentation, for what I felt was nominal coin; they also improve the speaker's stability. NOTE: I have thinnish carpeting over plywood floors in a dedicated audio room. YMMV

[jtcf]

@djbnh thanks! I will check those out.There are some metal gliders on them now with stick on felt that wouldn't be stable to tilt.I definitely need to tilt them in order to get the high end sparkle.I was adjusting my listening height up and down and when the tweeter is firing just a little higher above ear level the cymbals and decay are incredible.
@mike wolfe my feelings exactly. It took me a long time and lots of experience listening to components that are touted to be closer to SOTA.I wanted to like them but more often than not they were really nothing special after all.I'm a big fan of the smaller boutique crafters.
We lost power yesterday after the big storm swept through the midwest so no updates to share

[jtcf]

Finally had some time (and electricity!) to at least plushies around with positioning. The farther apart they are the better they sound in my room.It's like all of musicians are finding comfortable spots to sit and stand on the stage, but all playing together with a natural sound. Tiny increments of toe in or out will adjust the center image forward or back to an individual owners taste. The bass is just excellent. Tomorrow I will hook up the tube amp:-)
One thing I noted is that the "metallic sound" that some people have mentioned with these Eminence drivers  can be heard if they are too close to a side wall or hard piece of furniture. It's merely a reflection and not the driver at all. Scoot them away two or three inches and it disappears.

[jtcf]

Hooked up the Aric Audio amp today and really enjoying it. It's a little smoother with more nuance and can't quite do bass drums like the Modright of course. I have a couple of HSU subs that I use with the Harbeths if I feel the need. I'm very happy with these Zus and glad I took the chance to purchase them.They play everything I've thrown at them very very well. Soft intimate music,brass,piano, rock.They fit in my system effortlessly. Goldilocks speakers:-)

[jtcf]

Update: After a couple of weeks of sliding these around to find the perfect spot and really critically listening they were sounding more and more grainy and shouty in the upper mids,hmmm... please do not be more speaker than my room ca handle:-( I moved the G.I.K. room treatments around, contemplated diffusors, a new preamp,totally rearranging my room,etc.Today I hung some fabric on the front to simulate grills which helped but was too muffled. Then as I was removing the fabric I touched the paper cone around the whizzer which was vibrating violently, hmmm. Try not to laugh,but I grabbed a few paper napkins and gently tucked two around each whizzer effectively damping the cone.It absolutely did the trick.I could hardly believe my ears!Just doing that eliminated 99%of the grain and shout.Dang!Plus the entire presentation cleared up.

The underlying problem could possibly be the floor which is wood over a basement so I'll definitely pick up a couple of tiles to try under the plinth also.I'm just feeling so relieved now. I wanted to post this in case anyone else was struggling setting up their Zus,scratching their heads and wondering why they can't get them locked in. Evil vibrations.