What amp are you using with your Zu Essences?

Phil, the Zu guru highly recommends the Quad II's, Quad II-40's, and Quad II-80's. If I recall correctly, the all-out winner is supposed to be SET using 845 tubes.

I have also heard that EL-84 based amps do well.

I like my Manley's, but it would be nice to have the funds to compare.

PMB

I've heard Viva and Mastersound big SET on Zu speakers other than Essence. Have listened to Essence on Audion 845 monoblocks and Audion Golden Dream PSET monoblocks. Both of those amps are 25w. The Viva is euphonically old school. Not as illuminating as you should get at their price. The Mastersound 845 I've heard was more credible for being musically convincing. Audion handily elbows both aside.

A PX25 SET amp will generally sound quite clear but will run out of steam in a larger room, especially with the 4db less efficient Essence. 20w of SET is a clear dynamic improvement, all other things being equal. But just as my 300B PSET amps are not quite as dynamic as my 845s, despite the same power rating, remember it's the "drive" more than the steady state power that matters. Put a first class 845 SET on any Zu speaker and you're done. But that's not cheap, "first class" being the determinant. I do find the Quad II to be an excellent p-p step back from SET, for the 12+ ohms Zu speakers, with the more complex Quad II-80 and II-40 being highly credible at more power. Use the Shuguang Treasure power tubes. In this pool of amps there's bliss to be found.

Phil

The Quad's sound amazing on a pair of Superfly's that I recently got a chance to audition. I really loved the combination. I have a pair of Omen Defs and I used to have the Essence.....I did not get a chance to hear any of those with the Essence, and the Essence is so different than all other Zu products. BTW I have a Carissa coming this week, so I can let you know about the combination.

Phil do you have a favorite 845 Tube for the Carissa? It is coming with the KR 845 (that's what I remember anyway).

I would also recommend that if you have not heard the other speakers in the line-up, do yourself a favor and go check them out. If you are near SF I would be happy to have you over.

>>Phil do you have a favorite 845 Tube for the Carissa? It is coming with the KR 845<<

The KR 845 is built and sounds different than a vintage RCA or Amperex 845, or the Shuguang tubes patterned after them. Earlier in the KR's production there were some serious reliability problems deriving from the KR's ribbon filament. Like all KR tubes, that example is otherwise beautifully constructed. The ribbon filament problems were a design and execution issue. I don't know whether the high incidence of problems with that tube have been resolved more recently. However, that tube has a robust, transparent sound that in some systems can be icy but always very clean toned.

Once you get into tube rolling, preferences get very personal and it surprises me to hear the wide range of variances in how two people who have generally the same sense of audio fidelity can land on the question of which 845 power tube to use. For the tonally sophisticated 845 amps, in which I'd include the Carissa, I generally prefer the Shuguang 845B graphite plate tube among current available production. It has authoritative shove, deep bass with very good definition, beautiful midrange and the top end has very fine transient body but never sounds strident. The metal plate 845C has an initially exciting spray of focused detail. In a high end 845 with wideband output transformers and a fast circuit, that tube will sound strident. But on a vintage-voiced 845 SET like the Japanese Triode 845 or some of the inexpensive Chinese 845s, it can wake up the amp and give it speed and detail that its warm voicing otherwise obscures.

Similarly, you wouldn't want the 845C in a system with Essence and it's cold ribbon super tweeter, but it can be just the thing with, say, a pre-v4-08 Druid. So KR 845 may be too strident on Essence depending on the rest of your gear and how reinforcing of treble your room is. It's a borderline call. On Superfly more of a matter of taste. I think with both speakers the affordable and widely available 845B is the best choice. Also true with Definition. I haven't yet taken the time to find out whether the Shuguang Psvane 845 is worth its price relative to the 845B. I'll also add that the graphite plate 845B has proven both reliable and long lasting in my Audion Black Shadow monoblocks.

Phil