Ideal speakers for the little gem

Wind Chaser · « **Reply #20 on:** 22 Mar 2005, 03:35 pm »

Quote from: Dmason

www.visaton.de German. There is a tab for English. Apparently heavily into R&D and offer the new B200 to answer the burgeoning interest in open baffle speakers. They hit it out of the ballpark with this one.

These look interesting. Is there a North American distributor?

miklorsmith · « **Reply #21 on:** 26 Mar 2005, 05:03 am »

OK, the Druids have arrived. They have 3 hours total on them. They are in the spot on the carpet where I set them down when unpacking. They have no right to be anything but raw with potential.

A better description would be "best speakers I've ever heard". Dan the Man, you've told me to trust you and I have, to excellent effect. Now listen - find a pair of the MK IV's to hear. I haven't had the open-baffle bliss yet and I can't compare. However, these have tremendous low-level ambience and Smoked the Metallica test. Laid it to waste and laughed. This is with no bass reinforcement, just the mains. The HCA-2/Gallo Ref. 3 combo would be embarrassed were it here.

I have yet to have a speaker convey adequate bass in my 30 x 15 x 15 room. Oops - not anymore. These crank ridiculously on my 6 wpc. Freakin' loud and dynamic. Also tuneful and delicious.

Zu says 250 hours to break in fully (probably 500 really). Can't wait.

Dmason · « **Reply #22 on:** 26 Mar 2005, 02:34 pm »

Miklor,

Good news for you! These Druids are supposed to be new. They look different from the old ones, maybe that nice machined phase plug. I get the strong impression that Zu's partners have their roots in pro audio, which is good.... At any rate, I bet they are dynamic as hell, 101db? Now THAT is what we should all be after!! Having all available dynamic headroom really lets the music breathe. I guess we both have high sensitivity 10 inch bicone full rangers raging away in our places. The effect is NOT subtle.

Maybe you could shoot a couple pix of your audio monoliths, for some eye candy.

miklorsmith · « **Reply #23 on:** 26 Mar 2005, 09:52 pm »

My wife took special exception to these bad boys. Really, really hates them. We had an early morning conversation and I laid it all on the line - just short of "I'm keeping the speakers, make your choice". They are really tall in a way that says "couldn't they make them shorter?"

However, as I told her, you only have the choices that are available and if that's what it takes, I'll pony up.

I've had Patricia Barber, Norah Jones, and Paul Simon playing today at quiet volumes and these do quiet great too. No glare, dips, or humps, and they're shoved in corners to maximize my wellbeing. I can't wait to have a chance to pull them out in the room. They actually aren't that heavy for how tall they are.

They don't sound like anything I've heard. They really keep all the good stuff from each camp. Most impressive.

From what I gather, these are a significant rework. The old ones were 12 ohms and the new ones are 8. I think the phase plug and supertweeter are new too. I'll post a PM with photos. Can't figure out how to insert them here.

Paul_Bui · « **Reply #24 on:** 26 Mar 2005, 11:35 pm »

For the last few days I've played several CDs that are of totally different genres: Oyestein Sevag's Visual, Happy Rhodes' The Keep, Chris Isaak's Heart Shaped World, Eva Cassidy's Songbird, Patricia Barber's Cafe Blue, Fritz Reiner's Vienna, Bryn Terfel - Opera Arias, TLC's CrazySexy Cool (borrowed from my daughter). Speakers are the BB FTA-2000s.

With each and every disc, the ClariT drives the said speakers with the kind of bass control and tone purity that I had only expected from super expensive electronics. I begin to realize and agree with the saying that this little amp doesn't sound tube nor solid state. It doesn't posses the holographic imaging capability, so if you're a soundstage freak, look else where. That said, I can still hear layering and what goes on towards the back of stage if the recordings have it; it's just unlike the same sort and level of imaging SET tubes have to offer IMO but YMMV.

Like a good sport car which improves with mileage, the ClariT performs better and better with time flying by. Oh yeah, it's like wine too. I didn't enjoy it this much during its 1st month - apparently, break in needed. Yet, I didn't enjoy this much before it has reached its 3 month mark (or so).

Here's my confession: I asked Vinnie to upgrade mine to monoblocks with Black Gate caps and a few more goodies added. They will have arrived by the first week in April I hope.

JeffB · « **Reply #25 on:** 29 Mar 2005, 10:55 pm »

miklorsmith,

What is it about the Druids that your wife doesn't like. Is it aesthetics, size, sound quality, too much bass?

miklorsmith · « **Reply #26 on:** 29 Mar 2005, 11:12 pm »

My wife (as many) would love invisible speakers. That being technically impossible, she would accept speakers built into the wall with color-matched grills so as to be close to invisible. Third priority would be monitor speakers, sitting on a bookshelf with some accent fabric over them. You get the idea.

The Druids say "LOOK AT ME! I KICK MAJOR ASS!!!" They are tall and industrial and don't have grills. Not really the stuff my wife thinks is compatible with our, or any, decor. We had a major, big-time discussion over them whereby I beared my soul and won.

Now I think she likes how they sound. That part is undeniable and sands the sharpest corners of ire.

Man, I wish you guys could hear these things. I wish I had a cool-o-meter so I could flash up a ridiculous score that would get the phones over at Zu ringing off the hook. If a couple more of us would pony up the miniscule risk and report back, The Gang might be further swayed.

If anybody in the Seattle area wants to check 'em out, I'll host an audition. These guys deserve a loud voice crying from the highest rooftop.

tyee · « **Reply #27 on:** 2 Apr 2005, 12:12 am »

Hi miklorsmith
I'm in Vancouver BC. Would love to hear those speakers. Let us know when you could host an audition!

miklorsmith · « **Reply #28 on:** 2 Apr 2005, 12:22 am »

I've got a guy coming over Sunday around 5:00 if you're interested.

Let me know how many and I'll make snax. Bring your amp if you want and we'll really get it cookin'!

Vinnie R. · « **Reply #29 on:** 18 Apr 2005, 02:58 am »

Hey miklorsmith,

Looks like Srajan of 6moons is onto those Druids

http://www.6moons.com/audioreviews/q/tao_2.html

Here is a quote from the link above:

"I like this Tao of Q cable very much. The theme of natural materials and design purity appeal to me. It's why I recently ordered an essentially single-driver speaker (8.5-octave coverage plus super tweeter above 12kHz) with 101dB of reflexes, the Zu Cable Druid Dark [left,] to kick off an exploration into this new beat of miniaturization and back to basics. This specific variant on the theme includes micro and low-power transistor rather than tube components, examples of which are Peter Daniel's radical Patek chip amp [left overlay] and RedWine Audio's Clari-T. Like the Tao cable, these components represent a special artisan's approach to audio in both concept and execution. That trend is something to which I plan to devote a few upcoming reviews."

miklorsmith · « **Reply #30 on:** 18 Apr 2005, 02:28 pm »

I knew y'all wouldn't listen to me, so I hired guns!

I sent him an e-mail about a month ago waxing about the Clari-T/Druids and secifically said the combo "trounced" my Gallos to get a nibble.

Of course, it's completely true and truer by the day. The boys at Zu will be contacting you shortly, Mr. Vino.

I feel like "happily married guy" setting up my friends with other hot friends.

Just for kicks, I broke out the SPL meter this weekend. On a heavy techno track with thunderous bass, I was getting 105 db average, 3 feet from the speaker. No evidence of clipping or compression was audible. Strangely, it didn't sound ear-hurting loud. Sounded like I was at the club (or as I remember anyway). That they can do this AND sparkle with Patricia Barber at social volumes is unprecedented in my experience.

JeffB · « **Reply #31 on:** 22 Apr 2005, 10:20 pm »

I was looking at the binding posts on the Zu Druids.
From the picture, I don't know what kind of post that is or how a speaker cable would connect to it. :?

budbrew · « **Reply #32 on:** 22 Apr 2005, 10:37 pm »

That's a Cardas binding post. It only accepts spades or bare wire but they are nice to use.

miklorsmith · « **Reply #33 on:** 22 Apr 2005, 11:08 pm »

They close both positive and negative at the same time, have a rubberized grip, and a finer thread-pitch than a standard post that gives a bomber connection. Best posts I've used, but they don't let you just plug in bananas. The included cables have spades standard on the speaker end and you can run locking bananas on the amp end (I did).

These continue to grow and astound. They have become more fluid and articulate. Bass is not thunderous but is very quick and integrated. You don't just hear drumsticks on the side of the drum, you feel it. Plucked strings are felt as much as heard. There is no temptation to separate the music into parts, it just washes over you seamlessly. I don't hear a speaker.

I am having an intense love affair and my wife doesn't mind. She didn't love how they looked, so we're moving into a bigger house where they can have their own room. Yay!!!!

mcgsxr · « **Reply #34 on:** 22 Apr 2005, 11:14 pm »

Miklor you are a man after my own heart - buy the speakers, then drop the dough on the matching house!

I move into my new place in August, but have not yet built the speakers that will go downstairs.... still planning, and measuring etc...

Guess I did it the wrong way around!!!

miklorsmith · « **Reply #35 on:** 22 Apr 2005, 11:20 pm »

If you have your eyes on the prize, there's no bad way to do it.

Congrats. Sounds like you have a little time to get everything squared away so that you're ready to roll when you're in!

I'll have to fight with my wife, as the stereo room (in the bassment) is going to double as the kids' play room and I want to corner-load the speakers which is not space efficient. I've got a thousand reasons she can't tell me no.