Zu Soul Superfly

>>However, at 10WPC Soul is underpowered.<<

Ten watts per channel would be too few for me but I think as a blanket statement this isn't a valid claim. I'm pretty sure Bill is extrapolating frm his experience with Druid & Essence rather than actually having set up and heard Superfly. But if your room is not too vast and your specific 10/10w amp has enough drive, 10 watts per side may be quite satisfying on Superfly.

Though Druid & Soul are rated same in their efficiency spec, dynamically Superfly sounds jumpier and audibly more lively than Druid. Further, Superfly's deeper & better bass response yields a better sense of completeness at a given volume level, where the Druid listener might turn up SPL in an effort to get the same satisfaction, closer to maxing out the amp's dynamic headroom.

10 watts are 10 watts as we measure them, but as we hear them differences arise for reasons too numerous to detail in a message written on an iPad from a beach. For example, I put a vintage Bedini 25/25 class a amp on Druids and found it dynamically outclassed by an 8w/ch (if that) Acoustic Masterpiece M101 single ended KT88 amp. The amp/speaker relationship with a Zu single FRD speaker involved is far more influential than with most mainstream audiophiles speakers. You don't have the Apogee problem of some amps not working or blowing up. Instead almost anything works but some combinations are extraordinary and yield performance well exceeding spec-driven expectations.

Hence Gerritt and his love for the Yamamoto A-08.

If I had to guess, I'd venture that the First Watt amp for Superfly is the M2. But I have little doubt Gopher is getting real music from his FW-F amp. Superfly is the liveliest Zu speaker to date, and my preferences put aside, I can understand the 10 watts buyer not wanting a single watt more, if the rest of the amp is special on this speaker.

Phil

Hi Phil,

Every post you write I find very interesting and a joy to read, your explanations of your experiences and the effects on the Zu FRD are clear and concise.

Look forward to your next post.

Best regards

James

Phil, or indeed others who may be able to comment. One of the things I haven't seen here is how people might define the Superfly in relation to the Presence. Anyone care to comment?

Mike

I've received my Superflys and have been enjoying them immensely.

Regarding amplifier selections, I'm very interested in Atma-sphere to go along with m Bent Tap-X Autoformer passive. Wondering if the Atma M60's would be overkill with the 101 db Superflys.

Also, like the idea of the Yamamoto A-08S, however Sean at Zu highly recommends the 16 ohm output transformer option with this amp in order to get a good solid "2 watts" output power.

Comments appreciated

Dave

Mahughes,

I strongly suggest that you not bother to try to entice Bill Feil into a rational argument. He's completely incapable of it. Why? Because he views his opinions as fact (regardless of disclaimer), and anyone who disagrees is automatically an audio idiot. I offer as evidence a recent 'discussion' with him, in which he claimed that my system 'sucks' (in spite of his never having heard the speakers, nor am I sure about what else he's not auditioned). Feil has opinions on everything, even on gear that he has never experienced.

There is no question in my mind that certain gear provides a greater 'jump factor', which I believe is largely due to dynamic capability i.e. the ability to swing from pp to ff quickly - just as live music does. Whether you call it PRAT - or Joe or Bob or Bill - is immaterial. The effect is there, and I believe that it's part and parcel of a better audio illusion.