Hiya Guys,
There has been lots going on behind the scenes with the Zu Home Tour. It looks as if we have settled on
Saturday May 1st. From here, everything else is still a bit tentative but this is [about] what you can expect.
We'll start the event at 11:00 with three hours of private demos of the different Zu speakers that will be here. I'll have the Blue Room (38x15) set up with Zu Definition. The Redrum (17x14) will have Zu Essence and the Green Room (9x11) will have a pair of Zu Druid Credenza. During the private auditions, you guys can bring your own amplifiers to swap into the systems to see how they preform with a familiar piece of gear. I haven't quite settled on which of my amps we'll use where but I'll be using the Welborne DRD 300Bs, the Handmade 2A3, and either my Ming Da 300Bs or my modified JoLida 102B (EL84) or the modified Radii KT-88 mono blocks. The sources in the Blue Room will be the Opera LP5 turntable with the Dynavector 507 arm and the Havana USB DAC (Foobar). The Redrum will have the Bolder modified SB-3 (statement mods) and the Green Room will have the Bolder modified SB-3 (uber mods) and my little AR ES-1 turntable. All of the preamps will be the modified Korato's.
At 2:00 the party will open up business. It looks like we will end up doing some sort of BBQ. We still haven't got all the details but it will likely be someone like the Lions Club. We'll set them up out in the driveway. We'll also set up a tent with tables and chairs. As we get closer to the event, we'll firm up what type of food and what time it will be served.
Also, it looks like Ron is going to send several of the Zu modified Denon 103 cartridges. I'll get them mounted and aligned then several times during the event I'll walk everybody up the Zu cartridge ladder so you can hear the differences. Thankfully (as most know) my Dynavector 507 will let us swap carts very quickly. I'm guessing since its the same cart with different mods, I should be able to swap them out in about 30 seconds and be back spinning vinyl again
After talking to Ron at Zu, it looks like Mark Selby and Tia Sillers will be making the trip north and do an acoustic set for our event. I don't know if any of you have his Dirt release. If not, you need to get this. Its a smokin' hot bluesy release that doesn't have a bad song on it at all. I don't have his latest yet but I plan on picking it up soon. Here is the link to his website so you can sample some of his music online.
Mark SelbyI plan on building a stage down in the yard below the front deck where they will perform. Be sure to bring your lawn chairs or blankets for this live, outdoor event. The concert will be broadcast over....wait for it.....Zu speakers
I will need to enlist help from a couple people for microphones and cables. Not quite sure what we'll need yet as I haven't talked to Mark but when I do, I'll post what the needs are. I'm guessing it will be just a couple of good vocal mics. I suspect we will be plugging guitars directly into the mixing board (which I've already got). Also, if somebody has a couple of portable light bars and a controller, that would be appreciated too. Chris Hoff, if I could borrow a big BPT power conditioner for the concert venue, I would appreciate it. I'll likely use my Radii's for amplification.
By the time of the event we should have a fair amount more room to party behind the house. between now and then we'll be pouring a new patio that spans the full length of the back of the house. Also, we'll be installing a short retaining wall against the back hill that will include landscaping the hill too. There are a few other things planned back there but by party time, the back yard will look dramatically different than it does today.
OK, all that typed, I'm holding back a few things that Ron and I have been talking about. I can't post anything
yet but it looks like we just might be premiering one if not
two brand new Zu product offerings
You guys will be the first to hear them! Should be pretty darned cool.
As it stands now, we are planning on about 60 people as a preliminary number of party goers. Because of the limited space,
we will make the event RSVP only. At some point nearer the event I'll make a post for reservations. No doubt this number is going to rise, I'm guessing to about 75. Since we are adding party space to the back yard it shouldn't be an issue but
everybody needs to start praying right now for dry weather. If it rains with that many people here, we could be packed in like sardines. I'm working on a Plan B for relocation of the concert if it rains.
As I mentioned, we are going to run a shuttle from a local parking lot back and forth to the house. This will keep my neighbors much happier. As we get closer to the event, I'll post where the lot is and give you guys the phone number to our driver.
Once we get closer to the event I'll resurrect this post and start filling it in with more details.
Looks like it's going to be one heck of an event
A big thanks goes out to Ron and the fine folks from Zu for making much of the event possible
Zu Website
