Anyone listen to Zu Audio's Definition Mk3?


Comparisons with the 1.5s and the others that came before? Getting the itch; again......
128x128warrenh
Well...I've placed my order for the Mk.IV's. I've been using the Mk 1.9's for the last ~3.5 years. I've been using Atma-Sphere M60's and love the purity, speed and transparency. Hope the MkIV's take me even farther down the path to musical bliss?!

One area I haven't been able to get "right" in my current room is the truly 3D holographic effect. It's really the only remaining "high end attribute" that I'm missing. I've had this attribute in a couple of other systems/rooms (i.e. Avalon Eclipse/Manley Neo Classic and, not quite to same degree, Druids/Atma M60's). Do the Mk IV's improve upon the previous models regarding this attribute?

Nearly 10 years ago I heard a most amazing thing at a dealer in Indy. Speakers were Proac Response models ( not sure which model, around $7000), driven by Cary 805's. I swear I could make out the lips, neck, body, legs of musicians...it was so "dense, palpable, and 3D" that it really was hard to believe. Is this kind of experience possible with the Mk IV's and a proper SET?

I have tried a Melody 300B SET (~8w/ch) with my Def 1.5's before upgrading them to 1.9 and it was a huge disappointment. They really sounded like there were pillows blocking the speaker compared to my Atma-Sphere's. The Atma's were far better in every attribute...by a large margin. I do not intend to ever give up my M60's, but am curious if an 845 SET with the Def Mk IV's has the potential to duplicate what I heard with the Proac/Cary 805?

Audio language seems to be fairly inadequate to describe how each of us hears/feels the music. I apologize if my ramble is unclear...mostly just excited to hear what the MkIV's can do and wonder if that last unfulfilled audio attribute can be integrated with all the others fully sated by my current Definition system? I refuse to trade any of the strengths of my current system though!

Thanks for any guidance!
Phil,
It`s been very interesting and informative reading your detailed description of the DEF. MK IV. Have you heard the 12" PHY driver in the Tonian Classic12.1 or say the Ocellia speakers, are they similar(minimal/no crossover design) in sound?
Thanks,
Germanboxers, what you are asking for is the holy grail of audio IMO. Room and power are important elements beyond simply amp and speaker interactions. What people lost in the dust flying around Glory's contrarian testimony is that his own personal achievement of this very goal was realized largely through power and not simply amps, cables, sources, etc. You two should chat.
Power and room acoustics are really really important.
After years of listening direct from the mains in an area with a highly corrupted electrical supply I installed a c.$6000 power conditioner which opened up the soundstage and lowered the noise floor, but as with all conditioners, there was some pinching of dynamics due to restrictions in current supplied to power amp during peak passages. I recently progressed onto installing a standard $600 (small fraction of cost of conditioner) balanced power transformer; soundstage expanded a little further, but now unlimited dynamics.
This change has NOT been subtle, so my advice is go for a cheap 4kV (at least) transformer to give your system totally balanced power and you will not be disappointed.
On the subject of room acoustics, I really object to dedicated listening rooms. Great if you have the real estate, but most of us have to live and listen in the same space, and you want to welcome, not banish the family.
So for me the SpatialComputer Black Hole anti-wave generator has been a Godsend.
With my current Zu Def2's they'd always sounded great except for bass node/standing wave issues esp. around the 27Hz region. Rather than redesign the room or load it with obtrusive traps etc., I gave the Black Hole a whirl.
It has really tamed these bass excesses so the whole musical spectrum shines. On acquiring the Def4's I am even considering one or two more units to totally subjugate this acoustic issue for good.
Happy to expand further on these issues, but total cost of c.$2000 has transformed my system, taking it to a level that spending 10x this amount wouldn't have acheived.
Spirit - did you eliminate the power conditioner in favor of the balanced power transformer, or are both employed? Also, do you plug all of your equipment into the balanced power transformer, or just some pieces?