Zu Soul Superfly

Firstwatt should work great with them. You might also confirm with Zu.

I don't get that paint surcharge---on Essence its 1200 bucks. And Soul is smaller than Essence, correct?

I would concur with Zanon that the Druid does not have HF extension for my liking. I have not heard Soul.

However, the more expensive brethren do much better in this regard (I own Definition 2s)---not a beryllium tweeter, make no mistake---but I do not find a lack of detail in the high frequencies.

I think the biggest drawback of Zus so far is that they aren't as amplifier friendly as a 100db speaker would allow you to believe. Or should I say, they don't sound good on all types of amplifiers. Amplifier matching on my Def2s has definitely been more difficult, but at the same time more pleasing.

KeithR

On the subject of imaging---I think it's a lot more a function of the room and placement, than speaker.

Since I had a Rives L1 solution installed in my room, imaging has been very good an every speaker to enter the room.

for you Zu guys---i just ordered a Triode 845SE integrated amp for my Definition 2s. It's a 20 watt SET driven by 845s, of course. Can report back on the sound---but the build quality at its price level seems impressive.

I also have a Mcintosh MA6600 that works very, very well with my Zus. I had a BAT integrated before, and the McIntosh is 100% better match for Zus. If you go SS, you need warm SS.

And i'm one of those silly guys with a treated room as well--- while Zus may work great in untreated rooms, the discerning audiophile who takes the effort and time to put simple treatments will be rewarded. The difference in clarity, imaging, bass definition, and detail was night and day in my room---i would estimate 70% of your sound is speaker/room interaction. There are things I wish I had done differently now-- but putting in a bass trap or two, treating first reflections, putting some bookshelves in the back of the room, and dealing with a lowish ceiling (in my case--boy i wish i had 10' ceilings) are extremely easy to do and well worth it, despite any kind of speaker design.

Cheers,

KeithR

Putting basic room treatments is certainly better than the audiophile who has 10k+ in cables, vibration pods, racks, stones, rca caps, cd demag machines, power conditioning boxes, power cords, voltage machines, etc. unfortunately i know too many of these folks. and the basic laws of physics govern room acoustics, unlike the rather subjective laws around other audiophile obsessions. but we can agree to disagree.

and with current technology, the stuff can actually look good (which 10 years ago it didn't). check out Art Panels by several manufacturers, for instance. having a zillion tube traps isn't good looking---but custom bass traps are pretty invisible in any room. and a custom bass trap costs less than an interconnect these days!

and sure Avery Fischer Hall doesn't sound great---but Disney Hall and the Meyerson do sound pretty good imo.

Speaker, amp, room. keep it simple and it works. the Soul buyer isn't going to change there room, just like any other inexpensive speaker buyer. so at least get the amp right.

cheers,

KeithR