Zu Audio Druid MKIV Speaker Review

Fast yet beautifully warm, detailed, and Dynamic, the highly efficient Zu Audio Druid MK IV speakers have wonderful synergy with my Amarro 318B SET tube amp. Unlike some other highly efficient speakers, the Zu Druid provided ample strong tight balanced bass to this bass loving listener.

I purchased these on sale when the Zu Soul Superfly replaced them. I did an A-B at home and personally preferred the Druid in my system over the Soul Superfly as the Druid speakers seemed a little warmer with a little more mid-bass bloom and mid-range texture than the Superfly. In other systems, of course, the Superfly being a little more dynamic and detailed, may provide better synergy. However, my system on balance, needed a little more warmth.

I have had Dynaudio, Dali, Spendor, Acoustic Zen, and Sonus Faber full range speakers in my system, and eventually (albeit with different complementary components later) the Zu Druid bested them for the sound that I wanted.

I liked the Zu Druid speakers so much that I had an auto shop paint them piano black, and I put some granite bases on them (black might have been better), and put in some Acoustic Zen Satori speaker wire for hookup inside the speakers, as well as replaced the original tweeter crossover caps with Audiocap PPT Theta Caps for enhanced warmth and smoother detail. The Druid basically have no crossover except to the supertweeter, which is a big part of why they sound so good). I debated putting in some poly-fill to tighten and enhance the bass, but someone in the know said that it might help to reduce a midbass bloom if there is one, and since I like midbass bloom, I decided to leave the poly-fill out.

I see Zu has just come out with a new version of the Druid. An Audiogon member with a virtual system on Audiogon has some and apparently loves them.