Zu Druid MK IVs vs. Essences


I'm trying to decide between these two speakers and, after reading lots of reviews and impressions on-line, I'm more confused than ever. I'd like to hear what differences Audiogoners have experienced between the two. Of course, I'm not looking for the final word, or consensus - just folks' subjective impressions.

I won't get to audition either speakers, because I'm in northwest Wisconsin and a bit isolated. But I've bought a fair number of speakers without hearing them, so that doesn't worry me. I like revealing speakers that are a bit upfront and I'd rather have scintillating highs and great mids than thundering bass. I even like a little thin-ness in the bass.

Thanks in advance for any impressions you can offer.
128x128klein_rogge
Docks.......have a look at the date on the soundstage review.....sorry i said stereophile but thats where i saw it..

2002

What has this got to do with DruidMk4/08 or any of the new zu speakers????

As I said before you dismissed me......different drivers/cabinets/hi-pass.....

The Anti Zu brigades love brandishing around these measurements........2002 using an Audax tweeter and completely different FRD.

The Speaker in qusetion is a MK4/08 not the MK1.......these measurements are possibly why the Druid evolved to the MK4 ;)
Whizzer Cone:

A small supplementary cone attached to the voice coil of a speaker for the purpose of producing and radiating high frequency content more effectively than the larger speaker cone. A whizzer cone is attached to the voice coil in the same place as the speaker cone; however, where whizzer cones are used it is necessary for there to be some additional flexibility in the joint between the speaker cone in the voice coil. This allows the speaker cone to become somewhat decoupled from the higher frequency motion of the voice coil so it doesn't dampen the voice coil from being able to move the whizzer cone at those higher rates. Whizzer cones have fallen out of popularity in the last couple of decades, mostly due to the added coloration of the signal produced by the necessary slop in the coupling between the speaker cone and voice coil.
Unless you guys have comments about Essence vs Druid, then why are you posting here? Have you heard either one? If so could you put your comments in a constructive way, vs just arguing the same point for every Zu thread that pops up? Please, give us all a break and allow those of us who want a discussion have it.
Hi,
Docks which particular Zu models have you listened to and with what amplifier? Did the audition take place in your system, dealer showroom or was it at a show? What did you think?
Thanks Much,
>>The floor excuse just doesn't cut it.<<

If you don't understand how Zu's proprietary acoustic impedance model works, and how their full range driver is affected by it, then your assessment of the "floor excuse" is invalid. This isn't a multi-way speaker with a cardboard tube port we're discussing, so it doesn't behave like one. Hear it properly installed and you'll also hear that the speaker doesn't sound like the graph. And certainly no speaker/room combination in normal domestic construction has flat response. The speaker and the room cannot be divorced from one another. Attempts to measure speaker response in a non-interactive room are irrelevant to what you'll hear if the test is conducted with the speaker in a position where one of its critical working elements is removed.

More important, no current production Zu speaker has so completely an unmitigated dependency on being placed on a floor to perform well, though to varying degrees some kind of resting surface is advised.

Phil