Nah, surely the anticipation is always the best bit until they really settle down! Or was it Tom Petty who said that the waiting is the hardest part.
Must admit you've reminded me that longer term I may experiment with taking the Naim power supplies out of the loop. My recall is that the Druids upstairs at Audio Counsel were incredible, utterly compelling, on a bare cdx2, 202, 200, which is my system minus power supplies. Weren't the Presence on the end of the sake thing? Thus my calculations re: Headline, Hi-Cap, XPS2 and indeed possibly bodily organs!
I wonder if anyone here can explain this phenomenon of the improvement you get when you remove Naim power supplies?
Mike |
I gave the Virtue Audio TWO.2 4 days straight to burn in with my speakers while I was away from home and things have improved greatly. Class D amplification may be a very legitimate option for these speakers.
Its a trade off of strong points between the two amplifiers.
The presentation of the Virtue is musical warm and relaxed with the Zus while the F1 is more neutral and aggressive leading to a more raw presentation.
The Virtue seems to throw a larger soundstage than the Firstwatt and may be a little more delicate and neuanced while the Firstwatt kicks the Virtues' tush in the bass impact department although the Virtue is still nice and extended in the low end.
I should mention this Virtue TWO.2 is using batteries rather than AC.
I'm getting the feeling that it will be difficult to make these speakers sound bad. |
Well, I for one have broken down and ordered these without a preview session. After reading some of the posts here, I can hardly wait until "mid to late August" to receive them. It is promising when I hear comments about how versatile they seem to be. |
I took delivery of Superfly #'s 21 and 22 (11th pair, presumably) on June 29 and am still putting some break-in time on them. They have replaced a pair of B-rated (Stereophile) speakers that I still like very much, but not nearly as much now as I used to. I have listened to them with both SS and lower powered tube amps (the latter is typically sweeter, though for me not necessarily better). The only music source tried so far is digital (Apple TV) running through a Theta DAC. All I can say is that for $1,800 (plus $109 shipping), the Soul Superfly's are the best audio money I have ever spent. I had not previously listened to Zu speakers, and ordered the Superfly's based upon comments/reviews of other Zu speakers. Construction and finish are excellent, and the overall listening impression is (for me in my room) much bigger than their size would suggest, and they go much lower than I had imagined they could. Detail in the highs is very good, not great, but where they REALLY shine for me is in the mids. Voices and single instruments are particularly clean. If there is something else out there that is even close at this price, I'd be very surprised. |
So the questions are surely:
Would you feel the sane if you'd paid $2,600?
How big is your room?
How is it furnished?
What do you think is missing from the top end and what would we have to pay to get that?
Sorry, for all these questions but I'm an impattirnt purchaser waiting for my own and I am craving detail and pics from others.
Actualt, how about some pics :)
Mike |
Kenp88,
I would just pull the tweeter on that myself, normally Zu hot glues the single capacitor to the back of the supertweet with the resistor, mills normally, you can remove it, and replace with a much better cap to get the highs more extended and silky. I believe their current cap in most models is the Kimber cap on the standard setup, its not bad, but I don't like them, to hard and flat sounding in my opinion. They use to use the Solen fastcaps 10 years ago and then started using Mundorf Silver/oils for the higher end models and special editions.
This model obviously comes in the "Superfly" with a Mundorf cap I believe. I would just do this yourself if you want for much less money, a pair is not too bad for these caps, but pricey.
I found the better caps for the money are the Clarity MR's and the Jantzen superior Z's. You can do a pair of Jantzens for about 20 bucks! Most of the Zu super tweets have a single resistor and a 1uF cap or 2uF cap and thats it. Easy to find out calling them or pulling it yourself by just removing the 4 screws. One caution however is that the Big time Mundorf, Clarity caps etc... Are PHYSICALLY as large as the tweeter, and when mounted to the back they take up the entire size and just fit thru the tweeters mounting hole. This is just he same if Zu does it for you, I have modified several in the past. |
By the way Zu also favors a "Battery" of caps on their tweeters in many models, meaning if they are using a 2.0 uF total value they use Dual 1uF caps strapped together, this can down the size slightly as well vs. one large cap, if you use mundorf Silver/oils this gets very expensive and is why they offer the upgrade at a much higher cost I assume, as in the Definition II. Essentially mundorf caps are Dual caps inside of one already, so this would mean a 2.ouF value is actually 4 caps filtering the tweet... |
Sorry just realized you have the Superfly I guess which is with the tweeter upgrade, never mind! The 1800 price threw me, it was a promotional. |
Undertow,
Its my understanding the non-superflys aren't even being built/sold yet.
On a side note my Dynaco was delivered today (some really nice speaker cable too). I can't wait to give the Souls a listen with tubes, but I may have to hold up on that for a couple of days to get a handle on the cables as I need to offer feedback on them. |
Yeah, I had to pony up 2600 for the Superfly. They told me they weren't making the standard 1800 set until late August or September. |
Mike,
Room is 21 x 21 with a much larger extended area to the side. And yes, $2,600 is still a very big steal. Furnishings are typical, a couple of soft chairs, big sofa, floor to ceiling curtains behind the furniture, hardwood floors with rugs, typical (hard and soft surfaces). Top end detail is not as crisp (in comparison to mids) as I might wish for, but see Undertow's good post. Pics would be unremarkable and would ruin your hard on.
Kenp88 |
Undertow,
Thanks for the wise tip.
Kenp88 |
What is the difference in sound between1 and 2 x1uf mundorf silver oils? I have a single mundorf 1uf on my Druid Mk4/08 tweet |
Ha,
I can assure you little will reduce my hard on right now :) Mind you, you people across the pond do seem prone to premature ejaculation. If I'd had a speaker two weeks I'd be letting it bed in and seeing how things warm up rather than thinking of changing caps :)
Thanks for all that Kemp88. It's all adding to the picture.
I'm wondeing if we can tempt some of the purchasers below your number to step out of the darknesss.
Mike |
You could be waiting months for the Zu's to bed in, although this time of year is better for running speakers in, then when it is cold.
I suspect the other 8 or 9 owners are lying comostose in their listening chairs, surrounded by CD's and Albums, having forgotten to eat and drink due to their state or euphoria produced from their Zu Soul Superfly's ;)
James |
Hey Bill,
Don't you think the AA PX-25 would rock the Souls? I have a hard time believing not. As everyone knows that is one ballsy amp that can respectfully drive ~90 dB/6-ohm nominal speakers.
That said, talk of amp "requirements" are next to meaningless without establishing room size & volume requirements. It is surprising that so many such discussions go on here without giving those critical parameters their due. Everyone knows that the guy who wants 95 dB needs 10x the power of the guy who is quite happy at 85 dB!
IME a beefy 2A3 amp drove the Druid quite well. |
I've used a few different amps at this point with my Souls and ironically, the lowest powered one has sounded the best. My 10wpc Firstwatt F1 sounds better to my ears than my Dynaco ST-70 (Zu recommended) and than a Virtue TWO.2 I have on loan (also briefly tried a borrowed Panasonic xr25 digital which I didn't care for).
All three amps sound great, but I plugged my F1 back in for the first time in a week today and its my preference. Better bass in terms of slam, texture and tightness. Its harmonically leaner than either of the other two but its simultaneously detailed and refined with a very live "raw" feeling. I wouldn't mind a little tube magic, but I'll have to keep searching for something that doesn't give up what the F1 does right to find it.
I've got a mid sized room and am not going to sweat over wattage. |
Gopher,
Thanks for your (further) feedback. I may be in the market for a toddler-friendly HE speaker in the near-mid future and at a bargain price as I've drastically reduced my audio budget (and suffered little in doing so).
As I think I mentioned to you previously my favorite amp now is my FW F3. So close to the best SET and better in important ways too (bandwidth, noise floor). I am sure it would be a good match for the Soul (which has caught my eye).
[I really, really like my Cardersound Tybones but they are just begging to be knocked over by the 1 year-old. A couple close calls already. I figure they might be better off in the bedroom. Like some others here, I refuse to have a "man-cave", insisting that our main system be in the living room as a family centerpiece.]
I had a pair of Druids 4-5 years ago that I enjoyed very much. In the shop powered by a 2A3 SET, they helped me complete 25% of an airplane.
The Soul is undoubtedly superior, reasonably priced, and obviously toddler-proof with a high driver and fat bass resistant to disturbance.
I would suggest you try a FW F3. By all accounts it is much closer to the SET sound than the F1. When I had AN/Es (which I might return to if not for the same kid-friendly issues), the F3 and a Korneff 45 were a toss-up for me. That is saying something. |
>>My 10wpc Firstwatt F1 sounds better to my ears than my Dynaco ST-70 (Zu recommended)<<
It's not surprising you'd prefer the F1 over the Stereo 70. A stock ST70 is certainly pleasant but in modern teems also quite flavored, however euphonically. It has very soft bass and extreme top end, and while it has energy, it doesn't deliver slam.
There are many circuit and parts modifications that push a more accurate sound through a ST70s excellent output transformers, but anyone expecting the transparency, bursty dynamic vitality, improved bass and extended treble along with traditional midrange appeal from an unmodified ST70 -- especially from a speaker as wideband and revealing as Superfly -- will be sweetly disappointed. it can be made quite good, but there ar many more contemporary alternatives.
I know Zu has recommended Dyna pairings wih Soul for people who want tube characteristics inexpensively, and that's right. But if you're starting with a FW F1 as your reference, you'll have to hear something more compelling than a stock ST70 to sell you on a tube amp, I think. And I say this as a former owner of many stock and modified Dyna 70s.
Phil |
Paul,
From the emails we've exchanged and from reading a lot on the forums, I'd love to pick up an F3 when one comes available. The Pass built one is out of my budget at the moment, but hopefully a rawson built clone will come up soon... it seems like people are really holding on to them these days since Tim retired.
Phil,
I think you are absolutely right. The stock Dynaco is a good recommendation for someone wanting to get into tubes inexpensively with these speakers, but not really an 'advanced' piece.
It does sound nice--fat warm ans as you noted euphonic, but it was putting me to sleep... literally. I was falling asleep an hour and a half earlier than usual with that amp.
I will say this though--listening to a couple other good amplifiers reminds me of how good the Firstwatt is and makes me realize I'll really need to step up to something 'great' to better it... tubes would be nice, but the experimenting I've done has taken away some of my feeling of urgency to move to something else and the thinking that my pairing is less than optimal. |
We need more pics. To those who have received their souls- bust out with some pixels. Are you liking the cosmic carbon? I just got off the phone with Sean, since mine haven't shipped I am still talking color options, so I would love to see some in situ shots. Thanks |
Did you see the ones in my audigon system? I'm a crappy photographer, but I'll ask the wife to take some shortly if you want so more.
I'm keeping my F1 and upgrading it to an F1J. Hopefully this will be the ultimate for me.
I've resolved to sell the Dynaco-I don't prefer it to the Firstwatt or Virtue. Its very nice, but not what I want.
As for the Virtue TWO.2, I'm going to upgrade my enthusiasm over it. Until tonight I'd been using the integrated as a poweramp. Today I finally swapped the jumpers to bypass the volume pot (i.e. make it a power amp) and its REALLY kicking ass with the Soul Superflys. MUCH ballsier presentation--it finally SOUNDS more powerful to my ears. Very detailed, warm, engaging sound. I like what I'm hearing. This unit doesn't belong to me and is a loaner through another audio forum (but I'm tempted to make it mine depending on how the F1j fares).
Whether I buy it or not, for those out there with a tubed preamp, I'll give this an absolute recommendation for the Superflys. This thing is kicking some serious butt! |
I changed a couple of variables in my system and gave the Dynaco another shot and I'm actually liking it a good bit more. I kept my reference ICs on my pre1 to F1/TWO.2 and threw on a "magwire" IC between my pre's second outs and the Dynaco and a pair silver speaker cables--(Grover SR, an old version I still have on hand) between the Dynaco and Souls and I've gotta say, its sounding great.
More balanced, lush and musical and very dramatic sound. I think I will keep this sucker as its matted to my extra cables anyway. Whether you believe some in cables or not or just consider them tone controls, this was a move towards what I was looking for in many respects. Interestingly I think I prefer how my digital sounds with my SS amps and analog with the tubes.
I'm very excited to have the option of switching between what I consider very good solid state and nice sounding tubes at will and without cluttering my living room.
As Phil stated in previous posts, the Superflys let you REALLY see the difference between different amplifier's presentations. That said, this will probably conclude my amp rolling for at least a little bit. I'll report back when I get the JFETs in my F1 though.
Time to go enjoy some music. |
Gopher:
I mentioned to you on 7/06/2010 about upgrading your F1 to the F1J. I've read here since that you are going to do so. One potentially huge difference (problem?) for you, especially if you are using a tube pre: the input impedance for the F1 is 100K ohms single-ended and the F1J is 15K ohms (note at www.firstwatt.com under products it says 100K and 10K respectively, clicking on F1J it says 15K single-ended). Rule of thumb (from conrad-johnson): pre output impedance < 10% x amp input impedance, i.e. your pre must be less than 1500 ohms or you will probably lose some of the low-end frequency. You might want to send an email to Nelson Pass at nelson@passlabs.com and discuss this, especially if your pre has an output impedance greater than 1500. I'm anxious to hear what you think of the Soul/F1J combo, if and when you finally upgrade. |
Regiggey,
Thanks for the concern. I asked my dealer who in turn asked the designer of my preamp and he said the following:
"I do not have the spec. of this F1J machine, but I guess it should be some SS power amp. The MM Pre has a cathode follower output stage, it should push this F1J fine."
A lot of the tech talk is lost on me, but I am concerned now reading this rule of thumb as the published specs are of my pre are:
Input Impedance: 100K Ohm
Output Impedance: 700 Ohm
Hmm, I already bought the damn Semisouth R100s and got an audio buddy to agree to do the update for me... Is this likely to be a poor match? |
The rule of thumb is 10:1, that is, the input impedance is 10x the output impedance between the two components. I've also heard the rule of thumb is 20:1, but hey, it's a rule of thumb right, so the truth is probably somewhere in the middle, somewhere between 10:1 and 20:1.
MM Preamplifer has 700 ohms output impedance
700 ohms * 20 = 14Kohms
F1J amplifier has 15Kohms input impedance
14K < 15K
So you should be good. |
Gopher:
You will not have a problem. Your are telling me that your pre output is 700 ohm which is less than the critical number of 1500 ohms for the F1J. 10% x 15000 ohms = 1500 ohms (F1J input single-ended impedance is 15K ohms (K=1000) or 15000 ohms. 700 ohms < 1500 ohms, so you will have no problem. Now, I'm assuming that the person who will be updating your F1 will be doing what Mr. Pass does when he updates a F1. To be safe, have your guy contact Mr. Pass via email and discuss it with him. |
OK, I think I mis-read you and was concerned about input impedance.
Nelson Pass was goodly enough to post step by step instructions for the conversion on diyaudio as he does with all the Firstwatt deigns.
Step by step:
1) You match up a pair of SemiSouth R100's or equivalent and
drop them in for Q1 and Q2
2) You eliminate the Zener diodes
3) Raise the input cap values to 10 uF
4) Replace R1 through R4 with 22 ohms
5) Replace R5-R8 with 47K ohms
6) Set the bias pot to +14V on the Drains
All Greek to me, but I sourced the R100s from a group buy on diyaudio and have a competent friend willing to do the update.
Off topic--or back on topic, rather. These Soul Superflys have been the single most meaningful upgrade to my system. I'm listening many hours daily virtually every day. I'm really confused as to why Zu speakers have been so controversial over the years. Based on what I read on forums, I really expected them to have a weird sound but they sound very right to me, making real music.
The other owners really need to chime in! I feel like I'm all alone here. |
Mrs. Gopher needs to post those pictures and we need to hunt down and stalk all the other owners.
Mike |
Gopher,
"I'm really confused as to why Zu speakers have been so controversial over the years."
Because they were :
A- New to the Game
B- Mixed with many early 21st century Chinese copy gear, and or companies plagued with tech issues and name smearing early in the internet game. Most "Audiophiles" never saw a web page until early 2000's... Stereophile magazine, and too good to be true were the run of the mill advertising of the time.
C- And possibly the most controversial they heavily marketed direct, and with single driver wide band, no crossover voodoo. Which is like Tubes or vinyl to the mass marketed even upper scale boutique customers.
D- Entering a highly saturated audio market virtually at the peak of internet sales, Forums, and the revival of Vinyl... Who knows! |
Mahughes,
I'll try and get a few more snapped this weekend for you.
Undertow,
Interesting thoughts. Hopefully they'll be able to move past it once the Soul gets more exposure. It will be easier to hear it sound its best w/o the plinth gap and placement sensitivity (from what I've read, never heard druids).
Everyone else,
I think I've completely flip flopped on my preference of my F1 to my restored/slightly upgraded Dynaco ST-70. The Firstwatt, though more detailed, with better top to bottom extension and resolution just sounds a bit my mechanical than the Dynaco.
I half wish I hadn't bought the JFETs to update my F1 to an F1J, as I'm actually quite content with the Dynaco, but I may as well finish the project I suppose... I suspect Zu speakers just prefer tubes though. |
Gopher,
"I'm really confused as to why Zu speakers have been so controversial over the years."
Because:
A- They do not have "hi-fi" top end. Hi-Fi sound has extreme resolution/exaggerated HF. This make "hi-fi" crowd not like them.
B- Measure badly, and Zu not post its own measurements. This make "engineering hi-fi" crowd not like them.
C- Setup poorly, so sounded bad (recess HF plus upperbass/MF suckout plus freakish midbass). And played with inappropriate flea-watt amplification. this make normal people not like them (although I think most speaker setup badly does not seem to hurt them all)
D- they are different.
I think D is biggest reason, C is smallest. |
I can understand what you're saying, but there are just so many accounts out there of people pationately disliking these speakers and I can't understand it.
I understand not every piece is for everyone, but I feel like this brand is far more polarizing than it should be. I mean, I've owned and heard a lot of things that don't do it for me and that I wouldn't recommend, but I'll readily acknowledge that every single high end speaker I've heard has had at least some redeeming values. These values seem to get overlooked by Zu naysayers.
I kind of expected them to sound very different and unique in signature to be so polarizing (like the Koetsu cartridge I used to own) but its presentation is very natural sounding to me... |
People become passionate about this stuff. is OK, is part of hobby.
I think HF extension is biggest difference, Zu does not have it (which I think is much more natural than the artificial hi fi extension). They do sound different because of that.
and I don't want to open this discussion again but i think they sound lousy with flea amp. You need 40-50W minimum. |
I have a suggestion regarding Zu Soul threads.
I recently spent a decent (read really significant) amount of time reading through all 6 pages of 285 posts and would like to make a recommendation that we subdivide the Zu Soul discussions into some primary sections.
I realize that Audiogon is not set up, first and foremost, as a discussion forum so this is not as easy to manage as it would be on other purely (primarily) discussion based audio forums. I also realize that threads can take on a life and direction of their own! Not much can be done to control that.
There is a lot of great information and debate within a number of the posts in the Zu Soul Superfly thread. And it would be great to be able to access some of these specific posts and areas more directly and with greater ease. Ideally, these sub-sections would grow to be more specific, pertinent, robust, and would dig deeper into the topic.
For example, one of the major discussion areas within the Zu Superfly thread is amplifier matching and synergy with the Superfly, another is general amplifier recommendations for pairing with the Superfly, and there is also a lot of coverage of the F amps. Each a possible dedicated thread in its own right.
Another example is impressions of the Superfly by owners who have received them. To this end, I have submitted a thread on Standard / Superfly Owner Impressions. Perhaps the primary posters in a particular area could take on creating a specific thread for the area that they have contributed most to.
Please know, that I do not want to de-rail this thread in any way. It has been a pleasure following its twists and turns and especially the sparring between 213Cobra and Zannon and I have learned a great deal through it. I will be happy to repost my thread/post under a streamlined Thread Header system that works for all.
Let me know what you think.
- David. |
The thread has posted and is titled:
Zu Soul Owners' Impressions: Standard / Superfly
and is listed at Audiogon under:
Community/Audio Reviews/Speakers
|
>>You need 40-50W minimum.<<
I recently had another experience that undermines any notion of a hard-and-fast rule about minimum power requirements for Zu speakers. Again, for the record, while I understand the enthusiasm some people, including Sean Casey and Adam DeCaria, have for the sound of 2w 45 SET amps (they've brought a Yamamoto to my own systems to try to convince me of it's viability as a match), flea power isn't sufficient for me. Some people will be thrilled with sub-ten-watts amplifiers on 101 db/w/m Zu speakers. However, I use 25w SET on both my Zu systems, 845 in one case and 300B PSET in another, in an open plan house where rooms aren't fully bounded. One room is 20' x 14' x 8.5'. The other is 22' x 12' x 10'.
I recently had a chance to buy a pair of NOS Quad II Jubilee mono block tube amps. The Quad II is, I've long maintained, the most SET-like push-pull tube amp. It's also only marginally more powerful than classic SET single tube designs at 15w each -- less than the big glass 845s and any number of PSET configurations. I don't need this pair of Quads; I just bought them because I wanted to own them.
The Quad II becomes marginal into low impedance speakers, but it's still quite viable into the 6ohms Zu Definition. Into 12ohms (Druid) and 16ohms (Soul) it's in its sweet spot, and a sweet spot it is. I heard a pair of Quad II on Druids a few years back, in passing, but not with a chance to listen closely. I put the current reissue as well as rehabbed originals on my list of recommended amps for Druids and Presence, particularly. But now Ive been able to listen for days on end and not only are these amps tonally beautiful, revealing and convincing but they are more than sufficient dynamically on Druids -- and by extension, Superfly. I will make a point of hearing them on Superfly soon, but I already know the answer, given my familiarity with the similarities, differences and assets between Druid 4-08 and Supefly, and the Quad II behavior into 16 ohms.
Designed in the early 1950s for it's 1953 debut, the Quad II represents Peter Walker's sense of innovation and responsibility against the backdrop of a still-struggling Britain in recovery from WWII. It's a simple circuit that wastes nothing in terms of resources. The amp was designed to be affordable in a nation still oriented to scarcity, built into a maximally-efficient packaging footprint requiring minimal sheet metal and parts. But nothing was skimped in the critical transformers.
Sure, today's legacy-informed Quad company has added 40w and 80w updates to the classic Quad II topology, bringing Tim DeParavicini to the task of improving on Peter Walker's elemental design from nearly 60 years ago. And of course they offer an excellent reissue of the original Quad II which is affordable by modern high-end standards.
I normally consider 15w below my satisfaction point for amplification with Zu speakers, but the Quad II upends that bias. Even a highly-dynamic Blu-Ray soundtrack isn't too much for it, in a room of my dimensions noted.
Phil |
David,
Interesting post as is your other post on the subject. I actually think it just is what it is and if there is a demand then other threads will thrive.
However... cracking photos. Convinced me I was right to not go for cosmic carbon but lovely to look at nevertheless.
Mike |
Hi Mike,
I think it is smart to make the investment in a finish that works for you.
The percentage seems large, but is off of a small base amount.
So much less expensive than working a decorating budget for a room around a pair of speakers.
What finish did you go with?
- David. |
I'd like to know what finish you went with also. I am waiting on some pics from Sean of a brown finish that an early customer requested. He indicated to me that it was only a $100 dollar upgrade. That being said I did like the cosmic gray color on the first pic in natural light. Anybody else able to provide pics? |
Hi folks.
Ever since I heard the Druids I Googled loads of images and really struggled with the piano black and silver trim. It was obviously just me but I found it looked a little old fashioned. Nothing wrong with that in many ways but it just didn't do anything for me.
I fell in love with the black trim and have decided to gp for maple with black. No idea how it will look but goodness knows there's enough speakers in maple with black trim and if it looks have as good as those then I will be very happy with that.
Let's face it. Zu speakers are finished magnificently so it should be impressive.
Must admit I can't take my eyes off David's pics. They're very sexy. |
Re. "I fell in love with the black trim and have decided to go for maple with black."
Mike,
Looking forward to seeing your photographs of the maple/black finish. Are you going with a matte or gloss maple finish?
Venicelake,
What type of brown finish?
- David. |
What type of brown finish? This brown finish (pardon the mess, I have 2 small children and rearranged the living room to better handle the speakers): http://img337.imageshack.us/img337/6408/dsc0094p.jpg http://img80.imageshack.us/img80/3524/dsc0093l.jpg http://img685.imageshack.us/img685/6372/dsc0095cx.jpg I wish I had better pictures of it. It's a very subtle color but looks great. And yes, that's Sean Casey's Yamamoto amp on the side there. A very interesting piece of gear, to say the least. |
That brown doesn't look bad at all and I suspect my wife would have liked that better than the cosmic carbon.
I've got the same problem you appear to with a part of the sofa blocking a part of a speaker... I don't hear an obvious imbalance, but it drives me nuts knowing the interaction isn't ideal.
How does that Yamammoto drive your Souls? I've still gotta hear my Firstwatt with JFET update, but my limited experience tells me these speakers love tubes. |
So, madmilkman you are the guy with the brown soul. Thanks for the pics. Now we need a full report on how they sound and what that yammy is doing for them. |
Good to see more pictures but what's up with you people? You scared to go round the back or something? :)
Suspect there will be quite a few of us who recognise real world rooms like that. Good to see and, yes, actually the brown looks good.
My maple is wood rather than gloss or matte after much domestic negotiation. She's convinced it will look like the (supposedly maple) fireplace. I'm convinced it will look like the copper beech Hutter Racktime.
I shall post pictures and sound reports when the speakers arrive, however, I long ago abandoned any pretence at real photography when I acquired an iPhone. I suppose I could be sad; film it with the Flip HD and take some stills off of that.
Mike |
Hey Zanon, madmilkman has posted pics of the soul with the designer/builders own 2 watt "yamplifier" Do you know something he doesn't? When are you getting your souls? |
Venicelake:
When I listen to my audio system I have very specific ideas about where it performs to my satisfaction and where it does not perform. I know what I like and do not like about my sound very clearly, and I also have clear ideas about what I want as next step. In general, I do not like trying any new component without knowing first what I want component to do. Then I can judge by "am I closer or far?"
In my system, the problems I hear with midbass and upperbass have little to do with Zu Druid and mostly to do with room. The problem I hear in tone up and down again have little to do with Druid and mostly to do with amplifier (I think).
Therefore, my next investment will be focused on those two areas. Not on changing druid.
Still, I am intersted to hear about Soul and very much want opportunity to listen to it. Maybe I can convince friend to buy it. |
Zanon,
I still don't fully subscribe to your belief that the Zus sound bad with low power, but I've gotta admit, I've now listened to them extensively with two amps with 35 tube watts and 85 ss and they do open things up a bit more than my Firstwatt.
It could just be the characteristics of the amps, but sound stage is a good bit more imersive and holographic with my Dynaco and borrowed Virtue TWO.2.
That said, the lower powered amp still offers the best bass performance of the three which is not something I associate with under powered amplification. |
Venicelake:
My experience with Druids has been similar to Zanon's. I've gone as low as 4.8 watts (Almarro A205) to as high as whatever Monarchy SM-70 Pro monoblocks will output into 12 ohms, plus a number of amps with power in between. In my system and room and to my ears, 4.8 watts just didn't cut it. I found the FRDs didn't really come alive until I gave them about 25 watts. For now I've settled on an Audiosector Patek that makes about 50 watts.
That doesn't invalidate Sean's Yamamoto or 213cobra's Quad IIs or anyone else's low power amp experience. One of the cool things about Zu speakers is you can drive them with almost anything, subject to your tastes and budget. If you ever talked to Sean, as I did, at length before I purchased my Druids, he'd tell you the same thing.
After you get your Souls, feel free to use any amp you please.
:-)
David |
