GoodSoundClub - Romy the Cat's Audio Site

In the Forum: Audio Discussions
In the Thread: A quest for a better monitor.

Post Subject: Zu's interesting, but not with flea ampsPosted by zanon on: 11/14/2009

Mani at al.
I have a paid of zu druids. Running them with 15W amp (d-class) and it is not enough for high level, although it does better than you expect. The soundstage sensitivity measurement was 97dB, but their test did not load the driver correctly. They suspended it in the air, and the bottom (which has a vent) should have a flat surface next to it about 1/4 inch. I suspect that that would increase the sensitivity somewhat, although I don't know if it would bring it all the way up to the asserted 101dB.
They are not horn substitutes, but they do some interesting audio things. Directly coupling a driver to an amplifier is interesting both sonically and, I think, musically. The speakers are very directional in my overly large, high ceiling room, so I position them with a fair amount of toe-in. Thus, I get very little time smear, which clarifyies the attack, but it also does not feel like the room is being fully loaded as it might be with different speakers. Local constraints mean I cannot experiment too much more with position. On axis it sounds special, off axis it is nice, but not special.
One nice feature is that they do not do barrel-roll treble, although I fear that the new version, with lower sensitivity and a ribbon tweeter is a step in that direction.
The tone in the midrange is surprisingly good. This part of tone was revelatory to me.
All in all, I cannot understand why a speaker with such ragged frequency response does not sound worse. I have no idea how to understand how above average dynamics, and below average ragged frequency response, sums to what I hear.
Thinking of new amps. Have no idea how to judge sensitivity. Short term leases, as discussed elsewhere on the site, would go far to increase education level.

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