[Mad DOg]

first off, i'd like to thank Sotantar for hosting this listening session...he was very hospitable! great host! THANK YOU, Sotantar for opening your home to us!

secondly, i'd like to thank the wonderful folks from Zu for making the 12 hour drive down to LA from Utah!!! Adam and Sean are class acts! very knowledgeable and friendly...good guys! glad i got a chance to meet them in person! it's always cool to meet the folks that make the product! got to meet Mark Schifter of AV123 before and now Adam and Sean!  (all great guys BTW)

thirdly, it was nice to meet harleymyk...and good to see sa-dono (again)!

so how do the speakers sound??? well, i'm only going to share my general impressions because i felt the room setup was not ideal as i did bring my Onix Ref1s and had a very difficult time setting them up to get the same type of presentation i get at my place. we were finally able to get a good clean image by placing the Refs about 4 ft into the room...still not the best sound but the imaging decent...Sotantar has a very live room...i felt i was getting alot of reflected sound at the listening position...but given the circumstances which weren't ideal, i was rather impressed with what i heard from the Zu Druids...very detailed and smooth...definitely at the same high level of detail as the 626Rs and Ref 1s...now i just tried to get a general feel of the speaker since the setup wasn't ideal and we listened to a lot of unfamiliar music on unfamiliar equipment...

also as a nice surprise the Zu folks brought over a new speaker model...the Rune...let me tell you, this speaker looks VERY nice for a mere $1,500 for real wood veneered floorstanders (the maple looked awesome)!!! very close in sonic characteristics to the Druid (but less refined). but at the price point Zu is targeting, these are gonna be very competitive...

anyways, i was impressed with what i saw and heard...so i'm definitely looking forward to receiving the Druid monitors to A/B with the Onix Ref 1s at my place in a more familiar environment w/ my equipment...it should be VERY interesting to say the least...so stay tuned! i'll most likely be hosting a listening session when i receive the Druid monitors being sent around for audition and will post a thread to invite those who might be interested in attending...
 

Adam and Sean, it was good meeting you! Hope to see you again when i host...Happy listening!

[HarleyMYK]

First, let me also thank Mr. and Mrs. Sotantar for hosting.  These events are great!

I tend to agree with Mad DOg that the room tended to bounce the sound around, especially when there were many instrument or notes playing simultaneously and at higher volumes.

The Zu speakers are very attractive, dynamic, and efficient.  We tried the Druid with my $399.95 nOrh SE-9 integrated tube amp, and I think everyone was very impressed.  It did not have the balls and volume of the ASL integrated ($1199 plus the cost of the upgraded tubes) but the SE-9 was very detailed, had excellent full sound, and went to as high a volume as most would want to listen to.  With the volume at 2 o'clock I thought it was a great combination.  With the volume at 3 o'clock the sound was not as clean.

Another great thing about this was the range of music that everyone brought.  I played Hotel California from Hell Freezes Over as well as  passages from Maple Shade's CDs of Bob Willoughby "Blues, Booze & Oldtimey Soul" and Alan Gampel playing Chopin's 3rd.  Sean played the first cut from Boingo and the last couple cuts from Rusted Root "When I Woke".  I think Mad DOg played Diana Krall "Live in Paris".  With his Ref 1's in the initial position, the sound stage was so wide, that the bass player seemed to be four feet to the left of the left speaker!  Sa-dono played some Dave Mathews Band cuts - at least that is what I remembered.

Thanks again to Sotantar for hosting!


Ref 1, Druid, and Rune



Sotantar's Druid, Mad DOg's Ref 1, and Sotantar's ASL



seated: Adam, Sa-dono, standing:Sean, Sotantar, Mad DOg, HarleyMYK




Listening Room

[shokunin]

Man, too bad I missed all the fun     Maybe next time I'll be able to meet the guys at Zu.  Sontantar is a generous host and I hope to return the favor to him for the audition he gave me.  

Did Zu end up shipping their sub?  I don't see it in the pictures and I doubt I'd miss that monster.  

[Sotantar]

Good Morning all.  First of all, let me say that I was honored to host this event.  I thought it was very cool.  It was actually better than I anticipated, thanks to all the players.

I would like to thank Sean and Adam for driving all the way from UT to CA and for lugging their speakers and cables with them.  You guys are too much.

I would like to thank HarleyMYK for bringing his nOrh SE-9, (great little amp, ESPECIALLY for the price!!), and for the potato samosas.

I would like to thank Mad Dog for bring his Onyx Ref-1, (beautiful speakers).

I would like to thank Sa-Dono, (and John), for bringing the Monarchy preamp/dac and the Bryston.

Thanks to all of you.  It was a pleasure to meet you all.  Very nice, gracious people.  This is truly what this hobby is all about imo.

I thought that Zu's new speaker, The Rune, was excellent.  A floorstander for $1500 that sounded close to my Druids.  I feel Zu has a hit on their hands here.

I am sorry about the room reflections.  I have heard that people feel sorry for me!!

If you would all like to chip in and start a charity, I could sure use an updated improved listening room!!   Please send donations in care of.....

Once again, it was great to meet all of you and I certainly enjoyed listening and learning about all the different music that was played.

More later,
Peace

[Sa-dono]

I also want to thank Sotantar and his wife for holding this gathering. Also thanks to Adam, Sean, HarleyMYK, and Mad Dog for bringing along speakers, gear, and/or cables as well.

I can't say I was able to get a great impression of the speakers, due to all the room reflections, unfamiliarity with the gear, and not being able to listen to many of my cuts in an ideal fashion. The Zu speakers do seem like great speakers though, and the Rane's appear like they will be an incredible deal for the money as a floorstander. Finish on the speakers was indeed very nice. I'll wait until I hear the Pro Studios before doing any detailed review. All in all it was good to meet all the great guys there..although certain people were missed (you people that are bums know who you are j/k of course..).

[randytsuch]

Hi,
OK I know I was one of the people who was missed (at least I hope I was ).

I had planned to come, then found out my daughter's first piano recital was Sunday afternoon, and as much as I would have liked to been at Sontantar's, this had to come first.

Then, it turned out, I did neither.  I was sick in bed.  You know what feeling bad is, it's telling your 6 year old daughter you're too sick to go to her recital   .

Hope to make the next get together in LA though.

Randy

[Sa-dono]

Yes..you were certainly one of the missed Randy. I hope you're feeling better and have a quick recovery.

[Kishore]

Nice to place faces to the 'unknown heros online' ...

Sotantar,
You should replace the artwork behind the TV with a plasma

Is the Druid2 so close to original Druid wrt sonics?

Zu speakers sure look great & modern...

Cheers,
Kishore

[Brad]

How do the Runes compare to the Druids in efficiency?
Is it a different driver?

Sounds like everyone had a good time - can't believe the Zu guys made it all the way from UT to CA

[John Casler]

Great reviews,

I too ended up missing, but look forward t hearing the Druids at some point.

Looks like the listening area is somewhat  "farfield" for "high dispersion" speakers.

It does look like Sonatar has some anti-reflective treatments but at that distance, (guessing more than 12 feet) the room takes over.

I would have been sitting on the front of the table   No seriously  

When you get sound outside a speaker and it isn't Q-Sound recorded, it is either a phase anomalie or reflection off the wall.

Looks like everyone had a good time.

Too bad I missed it.

And Hey Randy, I still have to get you over to do the 626 thing.

And it looks like Shokunin will be dragging over his HYDRA this afternoon to see it it does the same "magic" on my system as it did in Mad Dog's.

Will report what it does with the 626Rs and the RM40 TRTs.

[Sotantar]

Plasma TV... Hmm  That picture has to go though for sure.  Sa-dono, I thought you had time to put on whatever music you wanted to.  I understand the associated equipment part.  It definitely was not the, "all classical thing", not that there's anything wrong with that.

That new Zu speaker is really great looking and sounding.  There is something about their speakers that I just happen to identify with.  We only heard one cut basically on them and I was not even on-axis and the imaging and attack was excellent.  They were not positioned with much care as well.  Basically, I dont think the event was as much about,"critical listening", as it was about listening.  

It was cool though

[Mad DOg]

yeah, we really didn't do any "critical" listening due to room reflections...however, the session did give me a flavor of what Zu speakers are capable of in a more ideal room...IMHO, they are fine speakers definitely at the high level the Onix Ref1s and VMPS ribbons are at in regards to detail and smoothness...

once i get the pair of audition monitors, i'll be able to do more critical listening and comparisons...i've got high hopes that the Ref 1s and Druid monitors will be closely matched...

[Sa-dono]

Sa-dono, I thought you had time to put on whatever music you wanted to.  I understand the associated equipment part.  It definitely was not the, "all classical thing", not that there's anything wrong with that.

I was able to hear the music I wanted to..just was not able to do any critical listening between the room and gear (I believe one of the connections was "off"). Oh well..I still got a general idea of what the Zu's are capable of..and it was great meeting everyone (except Mad Dog Okay...you caught me..that's just because I already knew him ).

[randytsuch]

Hi John,
I know I said I would come over and listen when I got a chance.
I was letting your 626's break in, plus have been busy at work.
Work should be better in a couple of weeks, then I will give you a call.

Randy

[Zu]

The trip to LA was awesome.  It gave us a chance to meet some of the coolest guys in all of audio and listen to some good music too.  Our only regret is that we couldn't have stayed longer.

Thanks Sotantar and family for showing us so much great hospitality and letting us invade your space.

MadDog, Harleymyk, and Sa-dono it was great to meet you guys and we look forward to getting your feedback on the monitors and hopefully many more products in the future.

We're definitely going to have to make another trip to LA soon.

Adam
Zu

[Mad DOg]

...We're definitely going to have to make another trip to LA soon.

Adam
Zu

Adam,

If you do plan to make a trip out here when the monitors are in my hands, you can probably stay at my place...we've got a spare bedroom and bathroom that you and Sean can probably camp out in for a few nights...that way you'll be close to the action...

[hectic1]

MD, I have a feeling that within the year you will have listened to about every speaker possible with the Ref 1's. If you still have you Ref 1's at the end of the year that should really be a testament to how awsome these speakers really are. I find myself liking mine more and more every day!    Keep up the good work guys!!! I'm planning on taking the Ref 1's over to the local VMPS dealers house for a session with the 626's! I'm going to try to get Jackman to bring the 1801's along to really spice things up.

[Sa-dono]

MD, I have a feeling that within the year you will have listened to about every speaker possible with the Ref 1's. If you still have you Ref 1's at the end of the year that should really be a testament to how awsome these speakers really are. I find myself liking mine more and more every day!    Keep up the good work guys!!! I'm planning on taking the Ref 1's over to the local VMPS dealers house for a session with the 626's! I'm going to try to get Jackman to bring the 1801's along to really spice things up.

That would be fun..but I figure MD is too busy for that. I figure at least probably a good 6-12 more speakers may be possible though. I think I'd have to bug him a lot to meet that goal Keep us updated on that comparison..that would be fun..Ref 1's, 626R's, and 1801's. If nothing else...it'd be a great day of music

[Sotantar]

Did anyone end up with my wife's John Mayer cd?

[Mad DOg]

Did anyone end up with my wife's John Mayer cd?

No...i take it that this CD is missing...