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Zu Essence owners....your impressions please

I just purchased a pair of the current Zu Essence. I have been quite curious what all the descriptions that I read about actually sound like.

I understand from my reading that the Essence is, maybe, more suited for a sound that yields more 'detail' for such things as jazz and less thunderous music.

For such listeners, do you enjoy the 'sounds' that the Zus are presenting to you? Have you heard other Zu speakers?

Thanks much.
dalecrommie
dalecrommie's avatar
dalecrommie OP
91 posts
 
Markpao, thanks for the second to this. I never want to doubt anyones info, but we all know that way too often that is what becomes necessary.

I wish I could hear the other models close to the Essence to understand the difference. I do know that I truly love ribbon tweeters, which make for outstanding upper registers for me.

Markpao, the Druid MKIV does look the most similar, but I never know what a company is thinking until I hear it from them. The nice thing is that Zu will likely tell us what their thinking is.

As I keep saying, I really like my pair of Essence. The difference, at this point, would have to be very positive. I have spent, and wasted when selling, so much lately that it would have to be heard before I purchase anything more.
ts0711
91 posts
 
I'm still getting used to them... I've got them sounding very nice with the t-amp and the tube preamp section of the VTL. The bass filled in nicely (which makes little sense to me). At the end of the day it's all about synergies, and while I would love to hear these with a quality 300B amp, it's not going to happen any time soon due to funding...
dalecrommie's avatar
dalecrommie OP
91 posts
 
hi Ts07011,

Yes they sound great to you, and perhaps this is all we will ever achieve in this forum, but what did you like about them, specifically?

Does anyone else besides me wish that the highs had more presence? I solve that by using a ribbon tweeter, Fountek neo Cd 2.0 crossed at 9 Khz, and facing directly backwards at 45 degrees. I use the Fountek in different places on the top of each speaker to give my ears appropriate shimmer to the very top end.

Now that I have explained a bit about what I truly need in from a loudspeaker, what really lights you up about the Zu experience.

Without specifics I am just flying blind in my lust for the Defintions. I appreciate any additional guidance very much.

Thanks:)
gopher
499 posts
 
https://twitter.com/zuaudio/status/246468088856449025
ton1313
272 posts
 
If you are happy with them, good. They are IMHO really nice speakers and sound their best when your system synergy is there. The thing I always noticed with Zu, was that they get out of the way of what is driving them and will definitely reveal what the upstream components are doing however this can be a blessing and a curse especially if something is off in your system and/or poor recordings. But when they are on....they are on.

Tony did you roll any tubes in your amp choices?

I found great synergy after switching to gold lion kt77 in my amp. My wife's uncle has 2 pair of Essence, (one at vacation home) one driven by an Ayon integrated, and one driven by a Prima Luna Dialog 2 integrated. His primary music listening system is the Ayon /Essence combo, which has bumped his full Levinson/Revel Studio system as the preferred music rig. So take it for what its worth, if they sound good and you are happy, that's all that matters......
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