Soliloquy 6.2i vs VS vr4jr , Zu Druid & Usher 6371


I have the Soliloquy's and have the ' upgrade' bug !
I am not able to sample equipment very easily and am looking to narrow down my choices here .
I am using an Audio Aero Prima integrated amp with a Granite 657 CDP .
While I don't have any real problems with this set-up I would like to improve on it .
My listening room is small at 11ft. X 12ft. thus I listen in the near field , @ 6ft. from the speakers . I do listen to rock music but usually at low volume levels as well as contemporary blues and some female vocalists like Diana Krall. I value good ole toe tapping head bobbing involvement most of all .
The only other speaker that I have any experience with is JM Labs Electra 926. I did not care for them as they did not have any 'heart' and were a little tizzy on the top end .
I would like to know how these choices would compare to my Soliloquys in my situation . Would these be a side ways move or an upgrade ? I realize that each one will have a different sound and would like to know what that difference is .
Any other moves from the Sols, that were an improvemnt, would be welcomed .
Thank you .
saki70

Showing 5 responses by matrix

Tvad & Aktchi, I see the Gap in pricing is a decision for some that something is missing in the model structure, but they have already filled that gap.

It's simple they seem to have wanted to provide the biggest bang for the buck on a SMALL and simple speaker with the Druid and tones for overall music listening, and an all out assault still using the same philosophy with small footprint but quite a bit heavier and sizely definitions for the very serious rooms and demanding applications.

They Will still sell you the Druid in most cases with a single FRD that does its thing, but Simply Sell you a Method Subwoofer which will put you right in the middle of the cost range between the 2, and yes it integrates just fine, now you can BUY 2 Methods I believe but will then be approaching the cost of the definition, which simply is why they would most likely point you to the simpler and more intergrated approch of the Definition.

So I do not see them doing anything with the druid and adding an Internal Sub or something to simply make another powered tower... However if the demand is there than I guess they could consider it, but no way will it be as compact as the druid is, and then it would cost probably 5500.00 a pair anyway to fill the concern of your Gap between 2 Models.

So keep it simple in fixing the 40hz issue, add the Method subwoofer and its done and in the price range you want to see, it is designed with very fast drivers to keep up with the druid for this purpose I understand, and then they can Universally sell The druid to the SET single driver group, and just have someone get the package with a Sub for the Theater Rock group and there you go with the in-between pricing.. It makes perfect sense... Cause any more and you might as well get the Definition.

I mean you can take the definition and cut off the 4 drivers on the back and run the Front's only which would just be a Druid plus or something and give you 2 Drivers vs. 1 driver but still the same issue with wanting to go under the capabilities of a full range driver at 40 hz and you end up with the same problem at a 5500.00 range speaker anyway and would still need to add more bottom end, unless they break down and start putting in crossovers to give you a passive woofer pair or something like a conventional speaker.

Just my opinion, but Zu is attacking a Niche for a certain purpose, they are not a mass manufacture, I mean does every speaker manufacture fill the gap? Sure many do we have all seen the Glossy adds with a speaker using 1 driver, than 2 drivers, than another model going from a 4.5" midrange to a 6" midrange and Adding an 8" on the bottom and this and that and So on... But I do not see the realistic application in this instance.
By the way don't forget, How many In-betweens can you really get with a SIngle driver full range, no crossover system?

In multi driver systems its a whole different world, Okay lets offer a Monitor 2way, Okay lets kick it up to a D'Appolito 2way for our next marketing step up, okay now lets take our Big monitor D'appolito 2way and Stack it on top of a bass cabinet with a 12", Okay lets now take our 2way and stack it on a Midbass + Woofer section for our Next step up using a 10" and a 13" driver, now we got a 4 Way system...

Opps I might have just described Infinity, Wilson, and nearly 99% of the speaker manufactures out there.. I am not bashing but making a point that a Single Driver Full range is a SINGLE driver full range, not many variations to build an In-between model just to hit a price point, so yes I think unfortunatly for those concerned will have to buy a Druid pair and an Extra box the method sub, and find 3 spots in a room to place them...
I understand, but that was not my point, Definitions use Subwoofers on the back, so what else would they do to satisfy no subwoofer anyway that you are asking between the Druid and active Definition? I mean unless they run an active sub system with the druid nothing will solve the issues you are asking about.. minus the slim chance they would put a standard passive woofer system with crossover to be driven with the FRD full range driver in a single cabinet and come to a more conventional design, maybe bi-wire capable posts on the back..

Now I am coming to the conclusion that the Druid if placed at the 5500.00 mark and this discussion would not have existed and everyone would be Happy with the Tone on the low end the Druid at the mid point, and the Definition at the high as long as the numbers matched up?... That is just standard progression then.

So bottom line is your interest is not in Zu speakers, but in something that is not a crossoverless Full range system, so there is no void to fill in this type of design, see what I am saying? Now I could see them putting the definition front array by itself but you will still simply achieve the same as the druid with better dispersion and 3db better output maybe this is what you are looking at. So I am not sure what is being asked. But yes it was just to play devils advocate, I don't think much will be done that cannot be done now with the current Zu combos unless they have developed a whole new system using nothing like the drivers they are now, maybe a dual 5 inch full range or some other drivers completly, or simply a CUT in half Definition, 1 Full range, 1 Super tweet, Dual 10" instead of 4 10", but again this would be the same as running Dual Method Subs or even a Single with the standard Druid. I only jumped in cause I have interest in seeing what you guys think would be what is missing due to I can't figure what would solve this for less money than just adding the single subwoofer, AGAIN the definition is simply a 4 Driver sub system with set crossover electronically just not adjustable.

I am not a designer and I am sure nobody here is, but like I said if you were working with a handfull of Scan speak drivers with multiple crossover parts sure anybody can come up with "Bridge the Gap Models",,, I just don't see what to do beyond them eliminating the whole FRD driver system in the first place and it would not be the same style anyway.
Aktchi, sorry I forgot to say I think the new system you are refering too from 6 Moons is the Definition PRO, it is the same cost as the definition 1.5 however removes the Internal Amplifier, so you must supply your own electronic crossover and Amp costing you more obviously than the standard definition in the end, basically this gives you control over the bottom end tuning in you do not have over the standard definition, along with more power handling and deeper capability's at higher spl's.... These are not listed on the website now and they just came out production wise very recently I believe... I am no Zu pro, but to do anything further with a single driver full range I would guess they would have to build a Cabinet horn style like all the other guys and it would be Huge in comparison to what they are doing, again I think they are looking for a different market than the standard full range guys.
But yeah don't make a sideways move to Druids with what you guys have, and Maybe I should have said this, but I am not a Druid fan after hearing them so much, but the Definition is a whole other world, those are the speaker for me not the druid for sure, actually I don't even consider them a very common sound at all. Kinda like Saying the Klipsch Low end stuff sounds like the K-horn heritage series, no way in my opinion.

I got ya... Just was confused Cause basically you guys were saying NO SUBWOOFERS, which no matter what with the definitions or the Druids adding the bottom end you would need to Have a couple extra A/C wall plugs was my point for the extra amps... So I see that a Zu model of something like the druid with built in active woofer section would probably take care of the issue... I thought they just built something called a "Mini Method" to deal with this but maybe they will intergrate them into the Stereo cabinet pair, I hope so!