Are Zu Druids really good HE speakers?

Druids are competitive with a wide range of speakers in a very broad price range above and below their $2800 list. If you value very high tonal fidelity, holistic sonic representation, focus, intimacy, domestically-usable frequency range, phase coherence and state-of-the-art octave-to-octave uniformity of transient behavior, then you cannot help but become enamored of the Druid. It is incisively direct, non-fatiguing, natural and very flexible in placement.

The Druid takes break-in and some re-orienting of your sense of fidelity to fully understand and appreciate what it's doing for you. The absence of a crossover, combined with high sensitivity and tonal accuracy, has dramatic consequences to your perception of reproduced sound. The Druid can be sensational on a number of relatively inexpensive but tonally-sophisticated amplifiers, yet it is revealing enough to fully exploit high-end amplification 5X - 10X their cost.

Hotel rooms don't do them justice, by and large, nor much of anything by any other company either. But even there Zu has been able to deliver compelling aural evidence of the Druid's musical beauty. They are 12 ohm speakers, able to make many solid state amps sound better than they have any right to, and are tube-friendly as well. There's no place like home for evaluating them, and very few people return them.

Phil

I have been reading about this speaker and am very curious about them--I have been in serious experimentation mode for the past 6 months with my stereo. That said, I don't change speakers lightly and would demo these before I ever sold my VR4JR's. I like my JR's. I listen to mostly Jazz, and rock (the likes of the Stones, Police, REM, Wilco, Peter Gabriel) -- and lots of internet radio. One of my most cherished works of all times is Bill Evans, Live at the Village Vanguard.

I don't listen at high volumes. In fact, low level listening has to be superb for me. Am I a candidate for the Druids?

System:

Modwright PRE
Pass Labs X250.5
Cary 306 SACD (just received and is breaking in)

See rest of my system for details

Nakolawala,

The Zu Druids do have a very full-bodied sound with great dynamics. To my ears they have a subtle characteristic sonic signature that I couldn't promise you'd find non-fatiguing, but evidently many owners have. In my admittedly limited experience they are somewhat weak in the bass region, but for a fairly small, very high efficiency system they do surprisingly well. It's just that if you want "great bass impact", I think you'll need a sub.

Pardales,

The Druids are a very interesting design. I like the basic concept a great deal - namely, that of using an augmented fullrange driver. I do something similar in a speaker of my own design (though mine isn't in the same league as the Zus in terms of efficiency).

The Zus have been highly recommended to me by industry members who have no vested interest, and obviously have a very enthusiastic following here and elsewhere. I've heard Druids and Definitions at several shows now, and agree that they do some things very well. Perhaps I just happen to prefer a different set of strengths and compromises (all speakers have 'em), but I'd have to recommend that a prospective buyer audition them with familiar program material before committing. Fortunately, Zu makes this relatively easy to do.

Finally, the tonal balance will probably not be its best with a high damping factor solid state amp like your Pass Labs; they prefer SET or OTL tube amps.

Duke

Here is what Stereophile has to say about ZU @ CES
http://blog.stereophile.com/ces2006/010706zu2/

They offer a free 60 day home trial.

Why don't you see for yourself as opposed to depending on the opinions of those of us who have been converted (sold, shammed, biased, however you wish to look at it) and the opinions of the theorists who have read a book or article and KNOW these speakers can't be any good.