Zu Soul Superfly

I've been using mostly tube and occasionally Class A ss amps continually since buying my first component amp in 1970. Other than advising anyone to keep such an amp away from the HVAC thermostat, I've never had an amp put out enough heat to determine how often my AC runs. So other than the room being very small and the amp sitting next to the thermostat, it's hard for me to imagine a different amp for climate control reasons.

I know people who use tube amps except when they run their "summer" configuration around solid state. I haven't sensed any difference in their incidence of AC. Anyway, I know the F1 releases some heat. If you like Nelson Pass amps, you might like the M2. Very clever and voiced to be more like a tube amp, including passive magnetic gain in the input stage.

You already have a great amp. If you really need a cooler running solid state amp, consider a Quad 909, an evolution of Peter Walker's excellent current dumpiing amp, the Quad 405.

Phil

Mike,

I'm not sure what actual level I listen at, but these speakers have been enjoyable at night when I keep things a bit softer. Take that with a grain of salt as I'm told I listen to music irrationally loud--I don't feel thats the case at all but to each their own. Its not a speaker that must be cranked to come alive though, nor is it (thankfully) a speaker that comes apart when cranked (I just left a speaker like that).

Paul,

Thanks for sharing your experience with the wineclone. It is intriguing and relatively cheap (albeit fuggly). I just may give it a whirl--I'm not in a rush but I am curious after reading of Srajen's account of pairing the Signature 30.2 with Zu speakers.

Also, as it pertains to blessings--it is pretty obvious that Wineclone is marketing itself as a copy of the Red Wine Audio Signature 30.2... If its name isn't enough of a giveaway, the tag line is ""WineClone" Integrated Amplifier -- A $3000 amp for $349. " and further goes on to state "WineClone", was modeled after a very expensive ($3000) amplifier of a similar name. "

I'm not going to get into the ethics of it or anything, but it has piqued my curiosity. Especially at the price. I may drop you an email one of these days to pick your brain about its sound if you don't mind.

Phil,

It sounds completely silly, I realize but it puts out a LOT of heat. In fact, yesterday I burned my hand trying to slip a set of black diamond racing cones underneath it (I found them in my tweak chest and don't even recall buying them!).

Its also too hot for me to feel comfortable putting in my enclosed hutch where I'd really like it to be. I'm concerned for overheating problems.

Though I did bring up amps again, I'm not feeling a need to graduate/move on. The pairing is quite nice and I'd like to hold on to the Rawson built F1 AND try something inexpensive as well.

Gopher: I did not like sound of druid on spikes in carpet. My room eats enough bass as it is, this made things much worse. I did not get the "more planted" sound that Phil refers to, my bass was just even more eaten.

I also cannot tell you what wood planks I put them on. I cannot say if it was seasoned maple, norweigen birch ply, or high-quality MDF held together by glue made from thoroughbread stallions and the prayers of buddhist monks. It was just planks for hard wood I had lying around and I use it. Another benefit of the wood was that it made moving the speakers very easy, something that is quite hard with big spikes.

If I try this again in the future, I am interested to see what an even denser material like stone might do over wood. I think it is density of material that may be having effect, not "firmsness of planting". What is driving my thought here is how speaker sounds different put on slab floor instead of raised floor with cavity underneath.

And good job finding right position for supertweeter. This made big difference for me as well, and as you see, it makes you rethink what else you need to change in your playbacks!

Mike_cole: I mostly listen at lower volumes, sadly. I would like to play loud more often. They do very well at low and high volume, if you have sufficient watts.

Phil or anyone else who might know: What is the appropriate height for the Superflys? I first tried the lowest setting that allowed me to lock the spikes in place with nuts, but it was too high and sounded a little funny.

I'm now using it at about CD case height without the nuts and its sounding more balanced and resolved than on the hard floor mounts, but the spikes are not as rigid as they aren't locked. It might also be just a touch harder in the midrange, but I also swapped in a new IC that needs burn in.

I've continued to tweak and have re-achieved something special. I'm operating at just about a CD case over denser (as opposed to plush) carpeting.

The hardness is gone from the mids and things are a hair more coherent in this range. The big change, as expected, is on the low end. Bass punch and definition is a lot greater now. Well integrated, impactful bass--daddy likes.