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Zu OMEN - hmm

I might still be under the influence of the open baffle Spatial Hologram I heard at CAS14 earlier this month... wow! Top sound in my (and my friend's) book. Or the Magico S5 room (omg is that resolution level for real? you can hear the grass grow through those things).

I went to the Zu room as well - hoping to hear some well setup Zu speakers and learn about the right way to do it - but the sound was awful (sorry Sean) so I did not bother asking.

Yesterday I ran into a video advice on "setup tips with Seam Casey from Zu Audio". https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MCoKDfdxzDg

Bingo! Now I will learn how to make my Omens sing - from the man himself.

What did Sean Casey say in the video? To stop tweaking the bottom gap, tilt and toe-in, stop adjusting them, stop doing all this nonsense that gets old fast. Why? because they already sound good right out of the box, that's why. Spend my money on music instead.

Hmm - what if they actually DON'T sound good? Is there some advice for that case? What if, after the 3 years I had them, many SS and tube amps, days of gap adjustment, tilt adjustment, swap of few speaker cables including Zu Libtec, what if they still sound like an amplified live event through a pro speaker on a stadium? (Incidentally - all adjustments do make a difference, but mostly between dull and blare. I know, I'm probably too harsh, but that video got me really upset).

I hope that my recent listening to real speakers at CAS will soon wear off so that I can return to living with my Omens that "sound good right out of the box".

Or I might have to buy the Holograms. The tough part would be to convince my medium-size dogs to stay away from those beryllium transducers located so close to the ground. Maybe if I throw in the Omens to sweeten the deal? That should keep them busy for about 3 years?

Choices, choices.
cbozdog
cbozdog OP
63 posts
 
If I remember right they were driven by a 300B.

On one hand it was the lack of box resonance (there was no wood or MDF vibrating to add audible contribution). On the other hand - the bottom extension was very good (probably owing to the 2 15' drivers covering a lot of area). It felt clean, extremely precise and satisfying. I tried to find a fault but could not.

Comparing with other rooms I liked, the Magico S5 felt unreal - as if you'd grown superhuman hearing, and the Pass Labs room (running a vintage set of Tannoy drivers in handmade MDF huge enclosures) felt pleasant, motherly, somewhat imprecise but very easy to befriend and immerse into.

But the Holograms - I could not find any issue (neither scary, endearing or any other flaw).

They were saying that there is NO room correction of any kind. If I remember right (again) - there was a mac mini on a stabilizer shelf on the floor, but they were running analog source from the back of the room. But I might be mistaken about the analog (too many rooms...).

Thanks
C.
shakeydeal
979 posts
 
Cbozdog,

That does appear to be a problematic room. And I understand that circumstances prevail, but it would seem that you would have issues with any speaker.

Is there any other room in the house that would work? A basement that could be finished, spare bedroom, anything?

Shakey
cbozdog OP
63 posts
 
Hi Shakey,

I've moved them around during these years while other speakers held main room status. They also spent some time in the second system room while the Tekton m-Lores / Sophia Baby was relegated to main room. The m-Lores were great in the living room (sweet, clear and coherent). Main reason for reinstating the Omens / Krell: dogs bumping into furniture while playing (the m-Lores appeared too light and fragile and prone to be knocked over).

It turns out that I'm not spending any time in the second room - though the m-Lores clearly sound more satisfying than the Omens (save for the potentially better Omen bottom extension).

In my view, while the room is likely "an" issue, it is not "the" issue that bothers right now. Right now, based on experimentation to date I'm more inclined to blame the strong dependence of tone (and overall sound quality) to sub-millimeter gap changes for the left-over artifacts.

But I wouldn't mind at all to find out that I'm wrong with my thinking - especially if the correction leads to a solution that is easy to implement.
cbozdog OP
63 posts
 
To conclude the saga on my end - I have now ceased all tweaking on the Omens with the realization that I don't have what it takes (either room, patience, source, amp, cables or ears). Will get something else that works for what I do have.

Thanks
C.
sebrof's avatar
sebrof
834 posts
 
Your saga sounds an awful lot like my Klipschorn saga. I tried darn near everything I could think of to no avail, hours and hours I spent. All the well-known tweaks and a bunch I made up myself.
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