Compare: Salk Sound, Silverline, Tyler, Zu

Dave: You are right, and I myself don't expect to commonly find people who have A/B'd thinly distributed brands like Tyler, Salk, and Zu. The scenario I had in mind was that someone owns one and tries out another, or maybe local audiophiles meet and arrange a comparison. Something like that. Your input is always appreciated.

And just as I was writing these words, Ait's post tells me of his Zu/Salk experience...

Phil: Thanks for the detailed feedback. You are one of the very few people in this forum who continue to inform people about Zu, but without the fanatical edge of some "Road to Damascus" converts---I have received chiding emails like "now that I have told you about Zu, why even bother with other names?", and telling me I am being "confrontational" if I remain curious about Tyler/Salk, or want Zu to offered wider cabinet options. So, your patient input is greatly appreciated.

Ait: Thank you for your post. From the prices mentioned I assume you compared Zu Druids with Salk HT-3. How and where did you make this comparison: in different places or was it side by side? If latter, did you own HT-3's before ordering Druids? Was there not much to choose between them on classical music (except price)? Did you try any music in which HT-3's greater bass extention would have mattered? In your past speaker hunts, have you ever heard Tylers as well? [You can see that having met someone who knows about more than one speaker, I am feeling greedy. :-)]

Advice to Zu: Please consider a model with one subwoofer. Most people cannot afford Definitions (4 subwoofers) but would like some bass extention rather than none. Can you sell Druids at 2400 and this new model at 2800? :)

The first line of my above post was cut off somehow, but yes, I heard both the Salk HT3 and the Zu Druid. Unfortunately, this was not side by side in the same room, but was on the same afternoon with the same music selections. The Salk was kindly demo'd by a current owner, while the Druids were heard at a local dealer's house. Since I'm not a classical afficionado, I feel less qualified to judge that aspect of the performance, and maybe they sounded similar because that's not really my cup of tea, music-wise. One thing's for sure, though, the Druids beat the Salks when it came to electric blues and rock - the sound was much more immediate and tight with the Druids. One other interesting fact, my Druids are now 5 months old and they continue to get better as they break in - better means more details, and even more lifelike sound. The main drivers on the Druid are very tightly suspended, and do sound a little congested at first, but the only way I noticed it was when they continued to get better with age.
The Druid's bass is surprisingly strong, and may be adequate for many people, but I run mine with a sealed 15" DIY subwoofer based on the Dayton 15" DVC driver - I do not cross over to the Druids, but instead run the Druids flat out and roll in the sub below 45 Hz so as not to ruin the crossoverless magic. Using a sub lets me position the Druids optimally for imaging and soundstage (both stunning) while not having to worry about reinforcing the last octave via room tuning.
My Druids are capable of deafening sound levels using 2 100 Watt monoblock amps, but never lose their grip even when the SPL reaches painful levels, quite inpressive, really. They could easily be driven by 10 Watt amps if you so choose.

Fast pace music with lots of midrange energy like Rock definatly fall a bit flat with Zu's on the first run thrus, they do sound a bit congested untill they open up, this could take months, maybe thats why Zu will give you an extended 90 return if asked... But then its a very raw open sound. So I kinda think good crossover speakers sound more correct or coherant from initial impression many times and this is where people do not get to experiance the open sound immediatly of the Zu, Kinda like hearing horn speakers that shout a little and don't sound conventionally smooth at first to people. So I think the best thing maybe to do is order Zu's first a month or so after getting the Zu's order the salk or Tyler's and at least you will have 30 days to run head to head before having to make a decision and return something. This will always be a problem with audio brands not carried in any stores conventionally.

Ait: Many thanks for your comparative review of Druids and HT-3. Greatly appreciated - even if our musical tastes differ. :)

I have had the Druids now for six months and would like to add my 2c to the conversation. I am coming out of Usher 8871, which can lay claim to be being among the class leaders in looks, glorious 3/4" thick real wood cabinetry polished so the seams cannot be felt at all, swooping curves with nary a straight line but for the baffle. In addition, they are no slouch in the sound department and I enjoyed the time I had with them. But I needed to try high-eff, crossoverless sound and when the Druid appeared on the horizon, I had to bite.

Let's get the sound issue out of the way first... as I do not have the talent to wax poetic about audio like some people here (cough-Phil-cough) let me just say that all you read is true. I love the sound. Even the bass is satisfying without a sub if you set it up right, but I am using a REL Strata II crossed over very low, as I already owned and love that sub. The speakers really need tubes to show their best and I wasted some time with SS before I went to tubes... during that time I was not sure I'd keep them. The speed, transparency and delicacy they exhibit remind me of the speakers I had prior to the Ushers... Magnepan 3.6. But none of that Maggie fuss, plenty of growl, attack and boogie factor when you ask them to jump.

Going from the high-end furniture finish of the Ushers, I was concerned about the WAF, particularly as she loved the look of the Ushers. But she is totally cool with them, even in our traditional living room (they are satin black). Because of their slim box, they do not dominate in the depth plane, giving them a much smaller physical presence than the Ushers, even though height and width are very close. I have also seen them in a red satin finish (autumn?) and that also looked very nice, although I prefer the black in my space. To the extent it is possible to be fond of an inanimate object, I am fond of them.

Considering, I am quite grateful to the Zu visual design team, as I am not sure I could live with the gawky, gangly, sometimes ugly look of other hi-eff speakers... no names mentioned as no offense meant. The Druids have a stylish elegance that is balanced just right IMO. I like them better than the Defs even (for looks I mean, have not heard the Defs).

Oh btw, just joshing Phil; your advice and experience have proved invaluable to me and many others... my warmest thanks.