Zu def 4 are they the best speaker made?

speakers are 'personal' because all of them have severe compromises - even the top notch ones

each person then gets to select which compromises bother them the least

that said, ZU seems to evoke strong pro- and anti- responses -- more so than most brands 

Has Zu started doing something different recently? people I trust have raved about the product but only in the last year or two. 

contuzzi79 posts08-22-2017 12:40amI heard Zu speakers at Axpona twice (two different years) and I couldn’t believe how bad they sounded. I visited the room multiple times on multiple days and each time it was a walk in walk out. The people I was with all agreed.


This matches my experience exactly. I wanted to like them and couldn't stand to stay in the room. There were people in there smiling, and I still can't figure out why.

Evaluating components at a show can be a bit tricky.  If the sound is really good, you can be sure that the speakers are at least capable of delivering good sound.  But, if they sound bad, it is hard to know if the set up is the cause.  If the same speakers sound bad at different shows and in multiple rooms, that does give you a hint.  I have heard the Def 4s at several shows and in many rooms.  Often, it does sound quite aggressive and unpleasant.  But, in a few setups, it sounded quite good, which, to me, means it is capable of sounding good.  

For some reason, most of the setups I heard used powerful solid state amps.  I would think, given the efficiency of the speaker, it would be something that could be matched to lower-powered tube gear (my preference).

Johnk nominates the 80+ year old Shearer system as the best ever made.  It certainly is a contender, as is a number of Western Electric systems, and more modern clones of such classic systems.  I have been listening a lot to custom systems being built these days by Deja Vu Audio utilizing an assortment of drivers from Western Electric, YL, UPC, etc. I like what can be done with such drivers.  The current build that is being fine tuned utilizes 18" Jensen field-coil woofers (reconed with original, unused cones and pleated surround), a WE 713a compression driver and WE 32 horn, and RP302 tweeter, and a vintage WE crossover.  I wish everyone could get a chance to hear this sort of system.  It would certainly surprise those who hate horn systems based on their exposure to Klipsch or common Altec systems.

I have a pair of Def 4s and they sound like the signal coming into them. I think Sean showcases the dynamics of the speaker, which is great but not necessarily by itself an end all goal for most. 
They can sound any way you want them to sound. With the right signal they are warm and revealing at the same time. I have actually gone too far and had them sound too warm, and I am in the camp of liking slightly warm presentation. It is hard to conceive warm and dynamic but it happens in this case.