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  1. #1
    Ajani
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    Zu Audio Omen - High Sensitivity, Massive, Full-Range Driver, Cheap, LOL

    So I started a thread sometime ago about the ZU Soul Superfly (cool name), but since then ZU Audio has released the Omen (a most ominous name)...



    Retail is $1.5K, but it's being introduced in the US for $1K...

    Here are the specs:

    Zu Omen Quick Specs
    Efficiency: 98 dB 1W/1m
    Impedance: 12 Ohm
    Height: 36" tall + footers
    Footprint: 12" square
    Tube and solid-state friendly!
    Cabinet: MDF with real maple skin
    Manufactured in Ogden, Utah, USA

    http://www.zuaudio.com/loudspeakers/omen.html

    As usual I'll be following the reviews with great interest to see whether the ZU actually reaches the claimed 98db efficiency and more importantly, whether it sounds good...

    Good High Efficiency speakers are relatively hard to find at affordable prices, so I'd love to see many more on the market...

    Anyway, I'm sold on the looks... big, macho and imposing with some fresh colour choices...

  2. #2
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    I ordered a pair in ghost black today. Never heard a pair of Zu's but since I crave full range drivers I'm sure I won't be disappointed. Zu does offer a 90 day full refund.

    I understand they sold 250 pair the first day of this offer and after Friday the price increases by $500. I've never read anything but glowing reviews on any of the Zu speakers. I'll have to curb my excitement as they won't ship until the first of November.

    Compared to Druid and Essence, the name Soul Superfly seems out of character but I was told the Omens do sound most similar to them.

  3. #3
    Ajani
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    Quote Originally Posted by Poultrygeist
    I ordered a pair in ghost black today. Never heard a pair of Zu's but since I crave full range drivers I'm sure I won't be disappointed. Zu does offer a 90 day full refund.

    I understand they sold 250 pair the first day of this offer and after Friday the price increases by $500. I've never read anything but glowing reviews on any of the Zu speakers. I'll have to curb my excitement as they won't ship until the first of November.

    Compared to Druid and Essence, the name Soul Superfly seems out of character but I was told the Omens do sound most similar to them.
    I can't wait to read your thoughts on the Omens when you get them (shame the shipping date is over a month away though)...

    Soul Superfly is funky but as you said; it really doesn't gel with the Druid, Essence and Omen names... but keep in mind that the base version is just called Soul... so that part works..

    $1K is a sweet intro price... too bad it's not available to overseas customers...

  4. #4
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    I'm looking forward to hearing how my modded 2.5 wpc MiniWatt works with the Omens. In one review they liked it with the Essence. I've got several interesting amps I can throw at the Omens and will give you a full report. Glad that someone other than myself appreciates the magic of full range, crossover-less, high efficiency speakers. Way too many on this forum are running the power race.

  5. #5
    Ajani
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    Quote Originally Posted by Poultrygeist
    I'm looking forward to hearing how my modded 2.5 wpc MiniWatt works with the Omens. In one review they liked it with the Essence. I've got several interesting amps I can throw at the Omens and will give you a full report. Glad that someone other than myself appreciates the magic of full range, crossover-less, high efficiency speakers. Way too many on this forum are running the power race.
    LOL... I actually intend to have both a High Efficiency setup and a monster power one eventually... The MiniWatt is right there on my list of amps for the HE setup... Right now my amp is a 300 watt beast (Emotiva XPA-2)...

    I'm really interested to hear how you find the MinWatt/ZU combo... that should be a match made in heaven for affordable HE systems!

  6. #6
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    What size is this single driver? Aren't you concerned about the speaker being 12 watts? That will almost defeat the purpose of high efficiency, wouldn't it?

  7. #7
    Ajani
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    Quote Originally Posted by Mr Peabody
    What size is this single driver? Aren't you concerned about the speaker being 12 watts? That will almost defeat the purpose of high efficiency, wouldn't it?
    The driver is 10 inches...

    I don't think the 12 ohm rating would make too much of a difference... The speaker is rated at 98db @ 12 ohms... so let's assume that equals to about 95db at 8 ohms (you generally drop 3db at half the ohms) that's still well above average efficiency (87db at 8 ohms)...

  8. #8
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    You know... tube gear doesn't seem to be as sensitive to impedance as much as solid state either. So 12 ohm may not be so big a deal. Seems odd though in today's market.

  9. #9
    Shostakovich fan Feanor's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ajani
    The driver is 10 inches...

    ...
    It looks like there are two drivers; what's the small thing under the big thing?

    Also a 10" driver would beam ferociously so there's got to be more to it than that.

  10. #10
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    That "small thing" is a composite dome tweeter. Although I haven't read that beaming was a problem with the Zu's, that 10 inch driver, I believe, has a phase plug which would help if that were the case. My 8 inch Tang Bands with phase plugs don't beam at all.

    According to my conversation with the guys at Zu even though the Omen is entry level the drivers are pretty much the same as their high dollar speakers ( except the ribbon tweeter model ). The Omen is said to thrive on 2 watts at moderate level in an average sized room. Since I listen to small group jazz at no more than 80bds hopefully this will work for me.

    The Zu's use something called greiew or zurg-twist cabinet loading which I know nothing about but hope to read up on.

    I'm buying the Omens on intestinal fortitude as there is not one review anywhere out there. In 6 months there will be many but the Omens will cost $500 more.

  11. #11
    Suspended atomicAdam's Avatar
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    I contacted Zu to see about getting a pair of Omens or other speakers in for review.

    I'll let you all know how it goes.

    They do look appear to be interesting and CNET puts them in top 10 under $1000 - which isn't too fair because that is just the sale price under $1000 - so...

    Anyways - peak my interest.

  12. #12
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    I see that the Omens made CNET's top 10 list.

    http://news.cnet.com/8301-13645_3-20016275-47.html

  13. #13
    Ajani
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    Guys, I wouldn't read too much into the Omens being on CNet's list, since I'm not sure that the author has heard them yet... He seems to be basing the decision on his previous experience with ZU speakers...

  14. #14
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    I doubt anyone's heard them other than the guys at Zu. Shipping for mine was around $90 so if they don't out perform my Tektons and Tang Bands they're going back. I think I can live with a 90 day audition for under $200.

  15. #15
    Suspended atomicAdam's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Poultrygeist
    I doubt anyone's heard them other than the guys at Zu. Shipping for mine was around $90 so if they don't out perform my Tektons and Tang Bands they're going back. I think I can live with a 90 day audition for under $200.
    It seems I should be getting pair of Omens in for review. I'll hit up the forums with photos and initial impressions when i do.

    Poultrygeist - what Tektrons do you have in? I planning on talking to them as well, but if you have some in and can compare to the Zu i'd love to talk you into doing a full length review I can post on the audioreview blog.

  16. #16
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    atomic,

    That's great news.

    I have the Tekton 4.5 with the Fostex 126 driver. I'm hoping the 10 inch Omens I ordered will be in a different league compared to my little Tektons. When contacting Eric Alexander at Tekton, I'd ask for a pair of the higher end OB6.5 which at $1200 would be his closest competitor to the Zu Omen. I've read some rave reviews on the OB4.5 which employs two 4.5 Fostex drivers per speaker in a OB/box configuration and the 6.5 looks to be a larger version of this patent pending design.

    Eric Alexander at Tekton is one of the nicest, down to earth guys you'll ever meet. When you call Tekton he usually answers the phone.

  17. #17
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    Red face I am jealous

    Quote Originally Posted by Ajani
    So I started a thread sometime ago about the ZU Soul Superfly (cool name), but since then ZU Audio has released the Omen (a most ominous name)...

    Retail is $1.5K, but it's being introduced in the US for $1K...

    Here are the specs:

    Zu Omen Quick Specs
    Efficiency: 98 dB 1W/1m
    Impedance: 12 Ohm
    Height: 36" tall + footers
    Footprint: 12" square
    Tube and solid-state friendly!
    Cabinet: MDF with real maple skin
    Manufactured in Ogden, Utah, USA

    http://www.zuaudio.com/loudspeakers/omen.html

    As usual I'll be following the reviews with great interest to see whether the ZU actually reaches the claimed 98db efficiency and more importantly, whether it sounds good...

    Good High Efficiency speakers are relatively hard to find at affordable prices, so I'd love to see many more on the market...

    Anyway, I'm sold on the looks... big, macho and imposing with some fresh colour choices...
    I am jealous, how do small companies manage to do it, the likes of JBL, Altec and Tannoy with the solitary exception of Klipsch have all these humongous horn-loaded speakers rated at 96dB/1m/1w or lower then comes along Zu with a bass-reflex speaker thats a fraction of the size of the either kingdom Royal and JBL Everest K2 even the JBL S9900 and it's spec'ed at higher sensitivity! How do they do it?
    It's a listening test, you do not need to see it to listen to it!

  18. #18
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    The intro price of $999 was supposed to end last week but I see it hasn't changed.

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by Poultrygeist
    atomic,

    That's great news.

    I have the Tekton 4.5 with the Fostex 126 driver. I'm hoping the 10 inch Omens I ordered will be in a different league compared to my little Tektons. When contacting Eric Alexander at Tekton, I'd ask for a pair of the higher end OB6.5 which at $1200 would be his closest competitor to the Zu Omen. I've read some rave reviews on the OB4.5 which employs two 4.5 Fostex drivers per speaker in a OB/box configuration and the 6.5 looks to be a larger version of this patent pending design.

    Eric Alexander at Tekton is one of the nicest, down to earth guys you'll ever meet. When you call Tekton he usually answers the phone.
    So, will you be comparing the Zu Omen you have ordered to the Tekton OB6.5 then?
    The absolute sound recommends the S12 subwoofer if you want substantional bass to an OB4.5.
    The Zu's will propably have better bass i think but i wonder if the sound presentiaton in other areas will also be better on the Zu's then on the Tekton's... Or maybe it won't be a case of being better but being different.
    I'm curious on your findings.

  20. #20
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    I think Eric would recommend the sub with the OB4.5 but don't know about the 6.5. When you place an order he will ask if you plan to use a sub.

  21. #21
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    I doubt anyone would need a sub with the Zu as their 10 inch driver covers over 8 octaves.

    The piano has the greatest range of all instruments and it's just under 8 octaves.

  22. #22
    Forum Regular audio amateur's Avatar
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    Quote Originally Posted by Poultrygeist
    The piano has the greatest range of all instruments and it's just under 8 octaves.
    I think a pipe organ tops it

  23. #23
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    i think the modern day computer has the greatest range

  24. #24
    Suspended atomicAdam's Avatar
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    Also I should be getting a pair of these in in Nov.

  25. #25
    Ajani
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    Adam, it would be really cool if you could get a pair of the new Tekton Lore to compare them to:

    http://www.tektondesign.com/lore.html

    The Lore also uses a 10 inch full-range driver and supertweeter, is high efficiency and is a similiar size as the Omen... It also costs just $1K...

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