Zu Druid IV - the real deal?

Phil, lives (presently) with both so he'll give you the best answer based on first hand experiences. I believe macrojack owned the Druids, as well, before moving up to the Defs? Also, if you read all the press, plus the threads in the archives concerning the Zus, going from the get-go for the Definition 1.5s would be a prudent and judicious expenditure of $6k. Not hard for an audiophool to rationalize judicious and prudence regarding $6k worth of speaker upgrade, I suppose..lol..

Dave,

Yes, the Definitions are well worth the additional cost over Druids. In every way, the Definition is the more accurate capable speaker -- except one. The Druid can be used relatively near field and does have a special intimacy of presentation on close listening of modest scale music. Otherwise, Definitions are wider-band, tonally more neutral, considerably more revealing of fine detail and micro-dynamics, and they scale up for large performances. That said, you need a larger room than for Druids, and usually 11 linear feet of distance from speaker baffle to ear, or more, for the Definition's sound to fully integrate.

I've said in the past that Druids give you the essential Zu qualities and 70% of Definition sound at 30% of the price. But that remaining 30% is well worth paying for if you can afford Defs.

As for your desire for more clarity on the matter of why you might have to get accustomed to a Zu speaker, I'll say it a little differently: Speakers as a whole just haven't been very good to date. The transducers in general are where a disproportionate number of the problems occur in the hifi chain, because their job is difficult. We've come to believe in the progress of cumulative technical development, and many have learned to discern improvements to products derived from a mistaken path. We all know that hifi at best is still a miserable approximation of sonic reality, but it gives us enough cues to be convinced, mind filling in the rest. The holism of a Zu speaker's behavior and sonic presentation is more like a real instrument's sound, but the absence of distortions and compressions we've become accustomed to accepting as part of hifi *can* make them sound momentarily disorienting when you're comparing them to another conventional speaker. If everyone got the speakers and immediately compared their sound on a trusted recording to the sound of a live instrument, it's far less likely this momentary disorientation would occur.

Phil

And now back to Skuras...

How has your experience been?

Any luck finding out about a new amp?

Do these discussions ever serve this speaker, company, or the audiophile community with anything worthwhile accept the same group of people on one side vs. the other side especially on these products? I do believe that owners have an agenda to protect the silly accusations that this company would sell something to them that is horribly designed, and Zero realistic measurements..

And then the other group of about 4 more people that seem to be ones really wanting to jump in and simply try to have it proven to them they should even consider trying this design and why, and even if it works, must show this on paper as well and it still can't be justified? Then we still have an agenda to just sit and keep repeating the same thing 50 different ways, and then the guys can't believe it anyway? Seems rediculous for both sides at this point does it not? Go listen to music and learn for yourself, remember this stuff is just like the new HDTV's.. LCD is superior at this, Plasma that, DLP the other thing... It all has one more specific end goal, they all want to be the best technology for the best price. Think about that.

By the way I can see why people are compelled to just go at it over this stuff, too much direct personal attacks, and it keeps warrenting some kinda response, Ha I probably should not have writen this, cause now I gotta go into the crossfire!

Undertow, well said...let's put this baby to sleep...
It's very rough having the summer off. I'm headed to the beach. good surfing predicted for today. someones got to do it.....warren :)