Hey:
Glad to hear you are enjoying your DA-1.1's. I wonder now that you have them broken in whether you would be willing to share your thoughts on how the DA-1.1's compare to the Acoustic Zen Adagio's which you replaced. I think there may be folks out there who have not heard of Daedalus or have and are interested but have yet to hear the speakers in person who may be wondering how they compare to other models with which they are familiar.
Well, I have to say that these 2 sets of speakers sound quite a bit different from one another. And Lou is right - considering that the DA1.1s cost considerably more, I'd be pretty surprised (not to mention, upset) if they didnt perform quite a bit better. And the short answer is that they most definitely do. But IMO, they especially excel in the areas of the smoother and more liquid midrange that provide so much body to the instrument and vocal sounds, and in the deeper and more extended bass. I really think this has a lot to do with why they sound so natural and musical. And why so many people consider them to be so non-fatiguing.
When I got the Adagios, I was replacing a pair of Vandersteen 2Ci's that I'd lived with for about 25 years! I felt the Adagios were a nice step up. They are all around excellent speakers, well worth the money, and a great value at their price point. Anyone looking for a pair of speakers in that price range can definitely put them towards the top of their audition list. IMO, they do detail (jaw-dropping) and imaging at a level quite close to the DA1.1s. This is most likely due to that circular ribbon tweeter. However, because the sound isnt quite as "full-bodied" in the midrange and bass regions to balance it out, this ultra-level of detail does call attention to itself somewhat. This is not so much of a knock at the Adagios - Frankly, I find that this is what many, many hi-end speakers at that particular price point actually do. A lot of people seem to love that sound. And I cant argue with them really - it can be very striking to hear. And after all, it is all just a matter of personal preference.
I myself, also loved the added detail and the better imaging that I got from the Adagios over the Vandersteens. But for me personally, I decided that if I wanted a speaker that I could stick with (hopefully for 25+ years again), I needed a speaker that approached things in a different way - something that could do the detail and imaging like many of these hi-end speakers, but added a 'bigger', 'fuller' and more balanced sound. I also quickly determined that I was going to have to spend considerably more money.
After I chose the DA 1.1s, and while I was waiting for the new speakers to arrive, I have to say that I was actually a bit worried that I might lose some of that greater detail and imaging I got with the Adagios. I thought that, if anything, that is where the trade off might be. But after a lot of critical listening, I find that all that very fine detail that comes along with the higher frequencies is still present in the DA1.1s - it just doesnt call attention to itself so much. Again, it's personal preference, but this is the type of sound I prefer - 'natural' and 'musical', instead of just 'hi-fi'. So far, I'm thinking I made a great choice.