Microjack, Undertow: IMHO while it may be frustrating in certain situations it is basically healthy that serious audiophiles are not easily convinced by purely theoretical arguments as to why something will not work or is superior to all else. We have all seen it before, industry ads have always thrown such claims at us. So it i not unreasonable that people should wait for A/B comparisons, at least reports of such comparisons. And I say this as someone who loves theoretical thinking and discussions myself.
Do you have preamp, amp, sources, speakers, all from different manufacturers? Would you easily be swayed by an ad offering an all-in-one design where manufacturer has matched everything eliminating any "interface" problems encountered in component audio?
Zu does seem interesting but like everyone else, it will have to prove itself in true A/B comparisons. I appreciate Phil's comments re Zu vs Silverline. I hope others will be able to post comparisons with Tyler, Salk, Linkowitz, etc., as well. People own these speakers and Zu offers in-home trial, so there is reason to hope.
i did read somewhere that Zu is working on newer models. Nothing surprising about that, but I'd be curious to see what comes out. In mu humble and distant opinion, the jump from Druid (2800) to Definition (9000?) is too big, they need a model in between, maybe just one or two subwoofers instead of four?
Another thing is, just because somebody designs a good driver doesn't make they experts and arbiters of everything else. Inventors and enterpreneurs often make and pay for this mistake. People have wives, social life, furniture, decor tastes, and there is no reason why Zu should not have accommodated those in cabinet finishes. I can understand speaker design, but it is offputting to see abrupt changes without technical need and where designer really has no special expertise anyway. Frankly, it is nothing short of breathtakingly stupid marketing to offer "racing stripes" but not common wood veneers.
BTW, how are those cabinets and colors? Zu's website never gives any decent and clear shots, just a vague mist of words. Hello Zu, if I wanted English poetry, I can get much better for much less, and unless you are planning to ship those lakes and mountains and clouds and fog with your speakers, how about just clear detailed and revealing shots of the cabinets? :)
