Zu Audio Omen - High Sensitivity, Massive, Full-Range Driver, Cheap, LOL

[atomicAdam]

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...

yes it would - which is why i sent off an email this morning. i'll let you know how it goes.

[Ajani]

yes it would - which is why i sent off an email this morning. i'll let you know how it goes.

Excellent! I really hope they send you a sample...

[Poultrygeist]

Can't wait to see if I made the right choice.

[Poultrygeist]

Someone on another forum shared an email they received from the Zu CEO . Regarding the Omens he is quoted as follows - "I will not be surprised if reviewers feel it betters the Druids"

[Poultrygeist]

The Omens arrived today and I'm glad I had help getting the beasts in the house. With a 12 inch square foot print and three feet high they are still very heavy to move around. The ghost black cabinets have faint swirls of smokey charcoal cascading through out the grain for a very interesting and pleasing effect. They won the wife over based on looks alone. She thinks all my speakers sound good so looks are the deciding factor. Incredibly well packed they made the 5 day trip from Salt Lake City to Columbia, SC without a hitch.

Out of the box the bass was way boomy on my hardwoods until I placed throw rugs under them. They have finger ports on the bottom and need to be elevated 1/4 inch or more ( I say more ). They come with a hardfloor feet ( ball end as Zu calls them ) which appear to be nothing more than threaded bolts ground smooth. I'll be using the heavy duty spikes as they will give higher evelevation even if it means buying some better looking small rugs. I think I'll appreciate the bass even more if I can raise them an inch off the floor. I already know the sub will not be needed.

My 2.5 wpc Miniwatt drives them effortless in my 16x16 room but with just a tiny bit of head room left over. In a larger room the Omens will need a few watts more. I'd say these are more on the order of 93 db rather than Zu's claim of 97 db sensitivity. I'll try my Sure TK2050 amp and Bada tube hybrid tomorrow.

Early impressions after only three hours: maybe not as detailed as the little Fostex 4.5's but the soundstage makes up for it in spades - makes the little Tektons sound thin in comparison - very pleasant at low volume too and distractingly good - the sound is growing on me minute by minute - as good as they sound, break-in must be immediate - no shout heard with the big drivers with Devil's Food can sized phase plugs - listening to the old classic "Jazz at the Pawnshop" which aurally transports me to that intimate live jazz club in Stockholm with the wonderful vibes' riff floating in the air above the tinkling high ball glasses - "El Viento De Verdad" from Louis Borda's "Nouveau Tango" is better than I've heard it before with piano done so right and Latin guitar so real you can touch it and the same with the melancholic "Milonga De Mis Amores" cut - If you don't own this CD buy it and then write me a thank you note!


You see the Omens are ready working their spell and making me forget about every thing but the music. The wife says shut it down as it's $.99 taco night at Casa Linda's. I'll be back with more updates so stay tuned.

[Mr Peabody]

So how is the high end? Does it seem rolled off compared to a 2-way?

[Ajani]

@ Poultrygeist: I think we're all anxiously waiting for the follow up impressions...

Sure you don't want to also order the Tekton Lore and do an in-home comparison?

[Poultrygeist]

The Omen has Zu's signature in-house engineered and manufactured solid aluminum billet machined super tweeter. The Omen is really a 1.5 way design as the super tweeter takes over around 12KHz. I understand that the original Druids were said to have a slightly rolled-off high end but the super tweeter seems to have fixed that and it adds some really nice sparkle on the top.

I just spent another three hours listening and feel like the Zu's sound stage has taken over the entire room. I hear a solid wall of sound as if I were sitting on the front row at a concert. The speakers are no longer there and all I hear is the music. All rich tones and monster dynamics, yet the Omens are reproducing the slightest nuances of fingers sliding on guitar frets. I've logged over 6 hours listening except for a taco break and although I'm tired I'm not tired of listening. I could go on all night with these puppies - not a speck of listener fatigue, no bright tweeters, no full range shout, bass is there and firming up and will improve once I get them on 1 inch spikes, and just great solid music reproduction. On axis, off axis, I can't decide.

The big black driver and surrounds appear more rigid than my other wide banders and it looks like they could be doped or coated. That polished phase plug is the size and shape of a can of potted meat ( doubt yall know what that is outside of the south ) and it sits inside of a stiff whizzer cone.

Pictures don't do the Omens justice. They are much more handsome in person. The driver ring is turned aluminum just like the super tweeter. I don't know anything about the Lore's sound but if looks matter the Omens win hands down. While the fit and finish of the Tektons are second to none ( I have a pair of the 4.5 ), the Omens belong in an art gallery.

[Ajani]

The Omen has Zu's signature in-house engineered and manufactured solid aluminum billet machined super tweeter. The Omen is really a 1.5 way design as the super tweeter takes over around 12KHz. I understand that the original Druids were said to have a slightly rolled-off high end but the super tweeter seems to have fixed that and it adds some really nice sparkle on the top.

That seems to be pretty common with full-range drivers... The first time I saw a "Full-Range" driver with a supertweeter and a Sub-woofer, I was like WTH??? How does that make sense? Then I learned that the driver is still allowed to run full range, so the crossover is only applied to the supertweeter (and I believe another for the sub)...

I just spent another three hours listening and feel like the Zu's sound stage has taken over the entire room. I hear a solid wall of sound as if I were sitting on the front row at a concert. The speakers are no longer there and all I hear is the music. All rich tones and monster dynamics, yet the Omens are reproducing the slightest nuances of fingers sliding on guitar frets. I've logged over 6 hours listening except for a taco break and although I'm tired I'm not tired of listening. I could go on all night with these puppies - not a speck of listener fatigue, no bright tweeters, no full range shout, bass is there and firming up and will improve once I get them on 1 inch spikes, and just great solid music reproduction. On axis, off axis, I can't decide.

The big black driver and surrounds appear more rigid than my other wide banders and it looks like they could be doped or coated. That polished phase plug is the size and shape of a can of potted meat ( doubt yall know what that is outside of the south ) and it sits inside of a stiff whizzer cone.

Good to know you like the sound so far...

Pictures don't do the Omens justice. They are much more handsome in person. The driver ring is turned aluminum just like the super tweeter. I don't know anything about the Lore's sound but if looks matter the Omens win hands down. While the fit and finish of the Tektons are second to none ( I have a pair of the 4.5 ), the Omens belong in an art gallery.

I agree, the Omens are beautiful... The Lore certainly look well built, but they have nowhere near the visual appeal of the Omens...

[Poultrygeist]

When I first hooked up the Omens the preamp was still feeding a powered sub and the bass was way too much. With the amount of bass the Omen makes I can't imagine anyone needing a sub.

Many full range designs are either a large driver capable of good bass supported by a super tweeter or a small full range driver with good highs supported by a large full range bass driver. In the case of the latter separate amps are often used to power each driver.

[Ajani]

Any further comparison between the Omens and your Tektons?

I know it's not really a fair comparison since the Tektons are much smaller, so scale and dynamics should be nowhere near the Omens, but how about the other audio characteristics? Since I imagine they'd both have similar quality drivers and cabinets....

[Poultrygeist]

I've been running the Omens all day as break in takes 150 to 200 hours, Paired them with a tube hybrid amp today which makes 90 wpc and they loved it. Placed them on one inch spikes on throw rugs and viola no more boomy bass.

It is imperative to get these puppies up off the floor so those "Zurg" loaded finger ports in the bottom can breath.

Sources at Zu say the Omen betters the Druids.

[Poultrygeist]

Even though the Tektons have been relegated to the bedroom for now they're still special to me. Nothing images and details like that little Tekton Fostex 126E but they come off a bit thin compared to the Omens. But thin doesn't sound thin unless you AB one speaker to another so the Tektons are still quite livable and lovable. The Omens are seriously smooth and I get none of the rough edges you can get from a very revealing driver like the little Fostex.

[Poultrygeist]

The Omens have now been playing non stop for 3 1/2 days and they are starting to open up. The best location I've found so far is three feet out from the room corners toed in. They are fabulous in nearfield.

I dropped the tube pre in favor of driving them straight from the Miniwatt with the Rotel CDP as my source. The brushed high hats on "Take Five" are so crystal clear and shimmering I swear I almost teared up. I feel like I could reach out and touch the accordian player in Norah Jones's "Painter Song". The sound is so alive and it's only getting better.

Tried the Class D Sure TK2050 amp with the Omens but couldn't get the gain adjustment to sync in on the tube pre. The Miniwatt sounds more defined with the Omens than the TK2050 Class D or the big tube hybrid amp. Without the pre I get better head room with the MW and 3/4 volume is all I need. Love the bass the MW makes with the Omens as it's tight without a speck of flab.

I've been driving the Omens overnight with a old receiver set on hip hop FM. I should be near break in by the first of next week. I took some pictures of the Omens in my garage when I was unpacking them so I'll try and post them in my gallery.

[Ajani]

Miniwatt/Omen sounds like an intriguing, affordable combo...

[Ajani]

Looks like the early sale price of the Omens is over. Now it retails for $1,500. Considering the funkier looking Soul goes for $1,800, it leaves me wondering if there is an improvement in sound quality or if the $300 is just for the funkier cabinet:



http://www.zuaudio.com/loudspeakers....&category_id=1

Also the increased price makes a comparison with the Tekton Lore even more intriguing, since the Lore was introduced at $850 and will retail for $1K (so only 2/3 the price of the Omen)...

[Poultrygeist]

Even though the written price has gone up I'd bet a pair can still be had for the intro price. The Soul's sloped side cabinet is more expensive to manufacture but the drivers look the same except for their reversed position. Wouldn't be surprised if some of the more expensive and harder to mass produce models are phased out.

I'm really smitten with these puppies and the sound keeps getting better. I've uploaded some pictures of the Zu's in my gallery.

[Ajani]

Even though the written price has gone up I'd bet a pair can still be had for the intro price. The Soul's sloped side cabinet is more expensive to manufacture but the drivers look the same except for their reversed position. Wouldn't be surprised if some of the more expensive and harder to mass produce models are phased out.

I'm really smitten with these puppies and the sound keeps getting better. I've uploaded some pictures of the Zu's in my gallery.

I actually got that impression from an article on the Omen (can't remember which article though)... The aim of it was to make something that could be mass produced but still sound like the real deal... I suspect they may just scrap the Soul and maybe keep the more expensive Soul Superfly upgraded model... As I think the Soul and Omen are too close in price and the Soul is supposed to be a challenge to manufacture compared to the Omen...

[Poultrygeist]

After a full week of playing the Omens non stop they surely have achieved break-in and sound better than I ever could have imagined. Sitting here listening to them with the lights turned down I can't help but feel a little sad as this wonderful audio journey I've been on for many years may have reached it's end. The Omens are my destination speakers.

[Ajani]

After a full week of playing the Omens non stop they surely have achieved break-in and sound better than I ever could have imagined. Sitting here listening to them with the lights turned down I can't help but feel a little sad as this wonderful audio journey I've been on for many years may have reached it's end. The Omens are my destination speakers.

CONGRATS!!! Always good to hear when a audiophile finds what he's been looking for...

Are you still using them with the MiniWatt??? Any thought on whether the entire combo will be the destination combo or is the speaker journey the only one at an end?

Also, are u sure ZU Audio can't tempt you back into the game with their new Omen Definition Speakers?

http://twitpic.com/377sau

[Poultrygeist]

The Definitions at almost three times the price of the Omen don't look as appealing to me and would likely be too much speaker for my medium sized listening room. Looks like these are aimed more at the high end HT market.

[Poultrygeist]

Got the preamp issues straightened out ( faulty 12AU7 ) and the class D power amp is now making the Omens sing. Someone in another post mentioned "whole house sound". Well that's what I get with the Omens. Music even at low volume seems to carry into every room. My wife remarked that it's like standing outside a live dance hall.

[automaticmojo]

I'm glad you liked the Omens- I can't say the pair I heard at a good freinds house (didn't take my advice on the craigslist ESS AMT's) sounded very good.
not trying to be harsh, just my opinion.
I thought they lacked any real bass impact and musicality, one note in some respects. The highs wern't too bad, but seemed a bit disjointed from the mids. I was really hoping to hear a highly dynamic musical (and accurate) speaker.
We had the suggested space off the floor, corner placement helped, but it seemed to muddy the bass as well.
Perhaps you had better equipment, but I can't imagine there being a huge difference. Perhaps the sound grows on you? Unfortunatly that doesn't work for me.
Again, nothing personal on your taste, just anothers opinion

[Ajani]

ZU Audio speakers are now available from MusicDirect:

http://www.musicdirect.com/products/...p?b=ZU%20AUDIO

Of note is that the Omen is listed for $1K... So perhaps that will be the final price...

[TheHills44060]

Seems like a waste of time to me...it's like Krell making an integrated amplifier, or Martin Logan wasting their time on subwoofers....great thoroughbred companies making an inferior product to serve the uneducated masses.

The Zu Definition II is where the real sound is at. The full range attempt is not a good one as far as my ears tell me. The Omen and Superfly are aimed at the cheapy buyers who get the same kick as listening to Emotiva amplifiers. Just my thought of course.