jdoris, the speaker hunt is a bit tricky due to its size and ability to try such speakers. So buying unheard using forums like this and reviews are a good avenue. I think the key like you said is buying at the right price so you dont take a hit if you want to sell them. Why are Zu speakers distinctive? I like there high efficiency.
I spent a two separate days talking with Walter at Underwood hifi at length about his Emerald Physics KC II open baffle design which where huge hits at the Newport audio show. They are brand new to market so there is not much info on them yet.
I am thinking the way of the future is open baffle designs (being able to build at a much lower cost due to the fact the box is the big cost we pay for speaker) and eliminating all the issues with box vibrations and such. You may need to ad a sub get to the low bass of traditional box speakers. I have 4 subs in my HT setup and would take the JL fathom 112 from that setup to mate with the KC II in my dedicated two channel room.
I have done extensive mods and tweaks to my kef 104 and many people would be surprised how these do for 26 year old speakers. That said, I need to experience what else is out there which is what this hobby is all about!
One thing for example is did some isolation of the crossover in the kef 104 and was shocked by the improvement. Fact is are these (and weakness of box speaker) intense vibrations on both the crossover, speaker connectors and wire in contact with the speaker box degrades the sound. We spend so much time isolating our speaker cables from vibrations on the floor with cable risers and put vibration control technology in speaker cables to thereby let that delicate audio signal get hammered with them in the speaker connectors, crossovers and and wires that touch the speaker walls.
Thats one aspect I like about the open baffle design. You have an external crossover you can isolate and put cones under and on a platform, and then wire the drivers from the crossover keeping them free from all vibrations on the cabinet. This is a superior setup to conventional box speakers crossovers and speaker connectors attached to the speakers box inside.
And at an intro price for the KC II at $1999, is so attractive. I am debating the whole used box speaker thing????
Anyone at the Newport audio show last month hear the Emerald physics KC II?
I spent a two separate days talking with Walter at Underwood hifi at length about his Emerald Physics KC II open baffle design which where huge hits at the Newport audio show. They are brand new to market so there is not much info on them yet.
I am thinking the way of the future is open baffle designs (being able to build at a much lower cost due to the fact the box is the big cost we pay for speaker) and eliminating all the issues with box vibrations and such. You may need to ad a sub get to the low bass of traditional box speakers. I have 4 subs in my HT setup and would take the JL fathom 112 from that setup to mate with the KC II in my dedicated two channel room.
I have done extensive mods and tweaks to my kef 104 and many people would be surprised how these do for 26 year old speakers. That said, I need to experience what else is out there which is what this hobby is all about!
One thing for example is did some isolation of the crossover in the kef 104 and was shocked by the improvement. Fact is are these (and weakness of box speaker) intense vibrations on both the crossover, speaker connectors and wire in contact with the speaker box degrades the sound. We spend so much time isolating our speaker cables from vibrations on the floor with cable risers and put vibration control technology in speaker cables to thereby let that delicate audio signal get hammered with them in the speaker connectors, crossovers and and wires that touch the speaker walls.
Thats one aspect I like about the open baffle design. You have an external crossover you can isolate and put cones under and on a platform, and then wire the drivers from the crossover keeping them free from all vibrations on the cabinet. This is a superior setup to conventional box speakers crossovers and speaker connectors attached to the speakers box inside.
And at an intro price for the KC II at $1999, is so attractive. I am debating the whole used box speaker thing????
Anyone at the Newport audio show last month hear the Emerald physics KC II?