Hello Kirk,
I usually only read through threads of interest and never respond., however in reading your thread I became frustrated with how things seemed to get off track. There is some great info here, I only wanted to offer input based on my experiences. I have had the opportunity to set up more than a handful of Zu speakers in some great and some worst case scenarios. It is my goal to answer your questions with a little more specifics and have full expectations of getting blasted:
Can anybody comment on what setup works best with the Druids and/or the Definitions? I have read >10ft to the listener for the Definitions.
Although 10 is usually close, I generally start out by calculating the overall listening space. The rule of thumb that works best for me regarding the ZU speakers is:
The distance from speaker to speaker is equal to 85 to 86% of the distance from the listener to the speakers. Most speakers are best suited for 80 to 84%, so it may look a little odd at first but the sound stage will be incredible!
Does the floor material matter? I have read that they need to be placed on hard surfaces, not carpet - true?
I have had the opportunity to setup with both scenarios and in short (as someone else stated) it doesnt matter, but please have an area rug covering the middle of a hardwood floor to cut reflecting sound waves. Most of the discussions on floor material are probably regarding the Druids due to the vent at the bottom of the speaker. Most folks would naturally think this works as a bass port but is actually used to control the impedance of the driver. The only thing critical is the height of the Druid off the floor not the floor type. If the height is not correct the driver will not be correctly dampened. I think Adam of ZU suggests that you be able to push a regular CD between the Druid and the carpet. This appears to be a little black magic but I have found that I can see the driver traveling at greater distances and somewhat erratically if the height is not set properly.
They appear to work in a fairly standard triangle pattern - separated by X feet, user seated Y feet away.
Answered above
I hope.
Toe in?
The Definitions, like other high efficiency dynamic loud speakers, can get aggressive depending on the equipment; I suggest starting between 18 to 22 degrees
.just make sure they are the exactly the same. The Druids are a bit different in that they are voiced to be less aggressive and more forgiving than the Definitions. I typically start by setting the Druids to face directly toward the listener (sitting in the listening position you should not be able to see the sides) and adjust out to taste from there.
Do these speakers do the "head in a clamp thing" or does it support multiple listeners reasonably well?
The Zu speakers have a 30 to 40 degree dispersion (best guesstimation) which is a great benefit in setting up in difficult rooms. The controlled dispersion minimizes problems with sidewall reflections and still gives you a listening window large enough for two or a crowed three on a couch. I will still take the middle, thank you!
The ZUs have the ability to utilize the long wall of the room. Some of the best results I have had have been on the long wall and it doesnt need to be in the middle either. Dont be shy in trying both, you may be very surprised.
Distance from back / side walls?
The distance from the rear wall is more critical for the Druids that the Definitions. Without over simplifying things, the Definitions have powered sub-woofers and in most cases the bass can simply be dialed in to fit the room. As with all speakers there is a trade off between bass response (close to rear wall) and soundstage depth (away from rear wall). For best results pull them out as far as your spouse will allow and tweak from there. In real world scenarios, usually start out around 4 to 5 feet from rear wall and adjust to taste. Side wall distance is not an issue. It really doesnt matter if you have a side wall close or not. Again, this is due to the dispersion characteristics of the ZU speakers.
The Druids, like most other speakers, are more critical to rear wall placement. Being they are designed to start rolling off around 31 Hz, you will need to get closer to the rear wall to get a chance for the room to actually develop those frequencies. In most cases 18 to 3 work well, keeping in mind the closer to the rear wall the more shallow the soundstage. It is a trade off and only you can make that decision. I have set up numerous Druids and have never gotten less than 31 Hz out of them. However if you are using SET tube amps that have the ability to convey depth it would be a shame to waste it. You can always add a subwoofer at a later date and get the best of both worlds.
As for as spikes (however I do not recall your asking), it really depends on where you are with your system. If you already have your source/pre-amp/amp/interconnects and speaker cables nailed, what are you waiting for?
One last note, I like most other folk I dont respond to these sort of threads due to the politics and verbal quibbling. Sorry if I stepped on any toes...
Best regards,
Ron
