2. speakers
  3. 1303596895

Did anyone hear the Zu room at CES/THE 2011?

I did. The first time I listened, they were playing the giant $45k (Dominance?) speakers, biamplified with a pair of Pass Labs XA30.5s. I thought they sounded excellent. Then I went back, and wasn't so impressed witht he sound. I saw that they had replaced the Pass with a 2.5 Watt SET amp (I think the internal sub was still powered by a Pass). To me, the life, energy, resolution, and naturalness just wasn't there. At least one other person there who had heard both said he preferred the tube amp, saying it "made him feel more connected to the music." I wanted to say, "No, the king is naked! You're just saying that because you think you're supposed to," but I didn't. I recognize that he may have heard something I didn't. Apparently, others thought the same as him, because they left the tube amp in for the rest of the show. So my question is, was I the only one who thought the Pass sounded better?
honest1
team212's avatar
team212
248 posts
 
Yes Like you I heard both versions-- I must admit I did not care for either--Zu's frankly are sort of uninvolving and I cannot "gel" with them.

Those big fella's they were demonstrating sounded as if the drivers had been cobbled together in a box to make music come out-

I put Zu in same category as DeVore bland and boring

There are better out there.

Des
Ag insider logo xs@2x
drubin
3,265 posts
 
Not sure I recall ever hearing anyone describe DeVore as bland and boring, or even dis them at all. But that's been my impression the few times I've heard them.
telescope_trade
555 posts
 
Hi Team212,

Every ones ears are different, but "uninvolving" would be the farthest from what I would describe Zu as. I have Omen Defs
and they are very involving! Rich, open, airy, super dynamic, and most of all musical. My guess is something was up with the synergy of the system, or set up, or a combo of things?? But, I have never heard the Dominance so cannot speak for them, but, my experience with Zu has been fantastic, and I have owned many speakers.
glory's avatar
glory
1,614 posts
 
212,

What speakers do you own?
team212's avatar
team212
248 posts
 
Morning Glory,

Easy boys!-- don't want to upset the applecarts just he did ask for

opinions and I fully understand the speakers I mentioned will /could

mate superbly with other first rate ancillary equipment.

I'm simply stating my observations and my reasoning for not putting them on my prospective lists-and

decisions made with my own music Compilations.

Harbeth, ProAcs and SF Guarneri's at present.

Just sold Big Rockports ( my Shindo amp not quite powerful enough!) before that Avalons, Wilson, SoundLab,

B+W, Stacked Quads,Snell AIIIs,Dahlquist, Klipschorns,Dayton

Wrights, Chartwells/etc.

Good Listening,

Des
More to discover