What amp are you using with your Zu Essences?

FWIW, the Essence ribbon tweeter output is "aggressive" with solid state gear, but nothing that can't be accommodated/resolved through careful (small) changes in positioning. I found that toe-in so that the tweeter output intersected on the rear wall behind the listening position minimized this in my room. Listening height plays into this as well.

That said, all of this went away with tubes. The impedance curve of the tweeter shelves down the output just a little on my Manleys. My Manleys are a very good match for the Essence albeit a pricey one at the new list price.

PMB

Telescope: are you still running the XPA-2? How is it treating you?

Morganc,

Yes, I am using it with a Peachtree Nova as a pre/Dac
and the combo is wonderful! I want to maybe try tubes
sometime, but feel no need at the moment.

Nice Telescope.....I talked to Sean and Adam at Zu and they both prefer Solid State with the Defs. Their favorites are the Pass Labs from the F3 to the M2 to the XA 30.5. What types of music do you listen to? What soumds the best on your system?

To digress a little, I am using an Almarro 318B with Zu Druids and the amplifier is wonderful. However, the sound from the Almarro is heavily dependent on the pre tubes. I settled with a Mullard brown base CV569 (6SL7) and a Sylvania 6SN7GTA for wonderful warmth and detail. The SED 6C33C power tubes bettered the Sovteks with a little more detail and extension.

This tube combination (by my ears and preference of course) gives the best midrange that I have ever heard out of any amp and still had delicate and revealing highs without harshness. With the wrong pre tubes, the Almarro sounded dull and blurred. Perhaps the Zu people did not have the Almarro on their list because they did not tube roll it or perhaps did not review it, as it bested the Melody I2A3 which they said is "awesome".

I owned a Cary 300SEI with Western Electric 300B tubes and the Melody I2A3 recommended by Zu, but found the Almarro 318B to sound superior overall, especially for midrange warmth and engagement. The Almarro also has delicate and revealing highs and can even rock when called upon with its measured 20 Watts of SET output. The Melody I2A3 had a tad more finese and silkyness in the highs and a little more forward soundstage. The Cary, 300SEI although very nice, suffered from a little bit of the dryness that I almost singularly seem to hear in some of the Cary equipment.

However, the Almarro won handily in overall midrange presence, giving out an immediate front row center sound with full tube 3D realism and depth. It was wonderful with vocals, instrumentals and jazz, yet still possesed engaging sweet yet detailed silky highs - and as mentioned, can play rock when called upon without being embarrassed. The Almarro should have no trouble powering Zu Essence, Sous or Omens (or Omen Definition speakers for that matter as it powered both my Druids and Tones simulataneously in an effortless fashion).