Really appreciated your review, particularly because I have not seen another review for the base model of this speaker. Another highlight was hearing your comments about good low volume listening, as this is how I do 80% of my listening. All the best to you!
Love my union 6 from zu, Sean Casey reached out to me directly when I purchased them, excellent customer service. Defiantly a pride of ownership with this company.
The whole Zu Crew have been great to work with. Very responsive and friendly. Very upfront about what they have tested/paired with their products and can help guide you to a product, based on your setup. That does not mean up-selling either. If they think you might be better off with a less expensive product, they are open and honest about it.
@@andrewgorenc9160 They are the most well rounded speakers I’ve ever owned and I’ve had a lot. They also do things that most speakers cannot do. Being able to place them wherever and still get big open and tight sound is something hard to find. They are rather neutral and transparent so they will tell you what your gear is doing. They play well with all genres. My favourite part about them is the tight bass that is full range. Highly recommend, my personal preference would be pairing them with a little warmer amp. Nemo likes it with the Emei and I’d agree that probably is a great combo.
@@andrewgorenc9160 love them, finally after many many speakers I don’t feel like upgrading. If I did a specific music room I might get some zu union 6 supreme but as a daily speaker this dwx supreme is fantastic
One of your best videos ever. Thank you so much for posting it. I've got DW Supreme and the newest Union 6 Supreme, and they are pure joy. It's so nice to see such an excellent TH-cam channel doing a thorough test, review, and comparison video for the absolute lowest-priced entry-level speaker they make. It really shows the insane value for money. The Zu crew are some of the nicest folks I've ever met in the industry, especially Sean Casey. Most of the audio journalists who review one of their speakers, end up buying them and keeping them in their own personal listening systems, and I think that says a lot about Zu.
Thanks Nemo! Great review! I have a pair of the Zu DW6 Supremes, and an older pair of Zu Omen DW's, both sound incredible. The coolest part about owning Zu's, is that you can power these with a 9v battery, so any amp will work. My favorite is a Cayin 10w EL84 tube amp, paired with my Class A biased PS Audio Stellar Gaincell DAC/Preamp. I have tried other amps, and this little Cayin is still here. Add an active crossover like the Rolls SX45 and a pair of subs, and you don't need much, I'm using three little REL T-Zero MKIII. Tiny, hidden away and give that nice full and quick bass a pair of SB3000's were not able to produce.
Love my DW6 speakers in Black Starlight finish. They sound excellent with my Yamaha A-S3200 but having a sensitivity of 95 dB they are very easy to drive. Thus they are fantastic with my Cayin MT-12N integrated tube amp that is only 10 wpc, and my new Willsenton R8 tube amp rated at 40 wpc. And when it comes to bass I disconnected my Klipsch 12" powered subwoofer as it's not needed. This is a great American speaker brand in the class of Magnepan in my mind.
I use the same little Cayin amp, it sounds fantastic with my DW6 Supremes. I have a PS Audio Stellar Gaincell DAC/Preamp feeding it, something I would recommend looking at. Speaking of Maggies... I have a pair of their LRS+ right next to the Zu's, I prefer the Zu's. Both are staying.
@@michaelwright1602 I initially had my Magnepan MG-1.5/QR speakers I got in the '90s and my Wharfedale Diamond 12.0 speakers in an A/B setup with my A-S3200 until they were both replaced with the DW6. The Cayin is a real beauty, but right now I'm using the R8. So far everything I've tried sounds great with the ZUs. This is a great time to be into hifi.
Excellent review. You make these sound better than the full size dirty weekends I demoed. They did sound big and have tremendous scale but I thought they lacked in the area of definition and resolution. Even zu mentions that the dirty weekends don't excel in resolution. The union line is designed for that. Yet, these bookshelves seem to resolve detail extremely well according to your review.
Just to be clear I'm in no way implying it's anything like my 4x the price Platimon but for $1400 they were just as resolving as anything else under $2k but the real star of the show is the midrange.
I was looking at these but I don't have a trained ear and don't have much demo experience. The KLH Model 5 is the highest I've heard and I don't think it's anything special. You didn't care for your demo of the DW so what is a cheaper speaker you like? I don't think I'll even appreaciate a more expensive speaker.
@@trauma50disaster1 I demoed the DWs, Totem Tribe towers, and BW 702 S2. All in my home for a considerable period of time. All pretty expensive. From mid 2K to 4k. I wound up buying a pair of used B&W 705s. The original bookshelves. Made in England. $800. All the other speakers had something or another that annoyed me, didn't sound right. The 705s don't make me think about the speakers. Just listen to the music. So, I am no expert with mind bending sensitivity. Just know what I like. Like a good movie. I don't think about the director, the actors, or the writing. Just get swept away.
@@trauma50disaster1 I put an original pair of Zu Omen Dirty Weekends up against my KLH Model 5's, the 5's were sold the next day, the Zu's stayed. I then upgraded to the DW6 Supremes and sold the Omen's to my buddy, who loves them with a little EL-84 tube amp that went with them.
I don’t have the DWX but I do own the union 6. Mine are 18in off the front wall. I’m assuming with the front port of the DWX you could have them damn near on the wall with no issues.
I scored a pair of used DWX Superflys and I love them. Just amazing. I listen up side down because of my unique listening situation. I am a fan. Being an unstable audio habitual buying offender I sold off to pair of great speakers then these hit my listening room. They are a beast to handle but you just have to accommodate that. The biggest pain in the butt is where to put two shipping boxes.
Thanks for the review. Reviews like yours are what led me to the DWXs in the first place. I replaced my AR11s with DWX Superflys six months ago and am so glad that I did. The Superflys sound fantastic in my modest system. The imaging and sound stage are the best I've ever heard. The DWXs make me want to sit down and pay close attention to new music and to music that I've listened to for 50 years. (I mostly listen to Rock/Pop on SACD, CD, and Tidal). I spoke with Sean Casey before buying and I exchanged several emails with Sean, later. Great guy! The money I spent on the DWXs is the best money I've ever spent on audio equipment. I can't image getting rid of these speakers.
The Zu's are fantastic for low level listening, like for the apartment dwellers. Pick up a nice vintage stereo like a Sansui 4000 and add a TT, and the Zu's will sing, without bothering the neighbors.
6.5 drivers do what they do. Cross overs and tech is still pushing air through 6.5 drivers. Snap and detail vs broad sound stage with a smaller magnet to push the ZU. It’s a real sonic choice through the music and detail retrieval a person wants or expects. Big hi sensitivity driver that pushes air. Or the tight concise 6.5” lower sensitivity drivers requiring more juice. This will always be a very distinct line in the sand
Should there be a channel playlist for discontinued/retired gear? It may help save people time from not looking into gear they can't buy new (or at all sometimes)
impossible, that would require me to stay on top of everyones product catalog and confirm things are discontinued before adding them to the playlist. I do my part with the review, the viewer & retailer must do their part also.
@@NemoPropaganda oh yeah that's fine, that's what i was asking for. Anything with a group over 5 could use a playlist, maybe with exceptions for a misc playlist for random stuff, and maybe an audio theory playlist or whatever for stuff like comparing differences in the timbre(?) of subwoofers (SQ/SPL). Playlists are a good tool for finding videos you didn't even know a creator made too, not just massive ease of comparison and consumption.
I purchased a pair of DWX base model 3 weeks ago. Still breaking them in. Great review. I agree with most everything you said with one exception. I found these speakers are mercilessly unforgiving to poor recordings. Good pressings, well produced tracks sound amazing. Poor pressings, poorly produced tracks sound terrible. Maybe due to our different set ups? Anyway. Super happy with the DWX’s. Considering the Jupiter Caps upgrade. It’s supposed to add additional warmth which might help with the poor recordings. Thanks for the review.
mine came to me with 100+ hours on them so could be break-in, but it sounds like you're using vinyl? I don't have any experience with that since I stream only so perhaps our references for poor recordings are just different?
yes absolutely, would be great for music or HT as long as you can find sensitive surrounds for the rest of the setup or have enough gain adjustment on the rest of the channels to get all the levels right. As far as subs it just depends what your goals are and what you're using them for.
Excellent review! I've been eying these for a while. Like the fact you don't need a lot of power to run them and they are very tube friendly. Thanks for taking the time to review them.
Love the review. You nailed it. I found myself changing to some NOS RCA tubes in my preamp just to boost the mid bass warmth a tad without losing the other good stuff. As a serial buyer of gear I just dont think I can get better without spending three times more and I'm just not sure what I'd be getting would be worth the financial hit. I also love the made in USA label. You dont have to put money in China to get great value.
So true, once the Zu's are in your house, getting great sound out of them is not difficult to do, even with inexpensive gear. They love tubes and or vintage stereos too. You can pick up a nice tube amp for around $500 and the vintage gear for less if you shop and are patient.
It would be nice if they put up response data The data I have seen is not linear and that may not matter but I am skeptical I have not heard them so I can only say I have been best severed by a tight linear response They may sound fantastic but I am more data driven when spending money on something I have not heard
Great review, because you reviewed them I would probably of never of given these speakers a consideration. I'm really thinking about getting them to replace my ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 Bookshelf Speakers. I like my Elac's a lot cause their very neutral'ish also like these DMX. Do you think the DMX would be a really good upgrade path for me? Thanks
actually yes, I think that would be a very logical upgrade path. That Elac has similar tonal qualities but of course not on the level of the much more expensive DWX. If the size is not a concern I say go for it!
@@NemoPropaganda Can I ask a diff question please and you might of mentioned it in a video as to why you don't own or review floor stander's but I don't remember. I'm assuming you prefer bookshelves over floor stander's cause I've never seen floor stander's on your channel. For me I once bought a pair of floor standers and it was a pain to unbox and set up. I ended up not liking them and it was even a worse experience getting them boxed up and returning them to the UPS store. I kind of told myself I'll never buy another floor stander's again. Thanks
@@horrorfan6710 what you describe is exactly the reason why :) the logistics becomes too cumbersome, unpacking, repacking, the space the boxes take up, etc... I try to keep the channel light & fun.
Anybody know what's going on at Heco? I been chasing the celan revolution 3 for mths now AudioAdvice has no answer and forget about getting a response from Heco in Germany 3 emails not one reply. The ZU DWX was always on my list and thanks for this video your review just made up my mind which to buy and which to forget.
Yes. I spoke to one of the reps over at Audio Advice and he told me that Heco is revamping their line up. The Celan's are gone for now and probably for good. Audio Advice does not know what Heco has planned but they intend to carry the new stuff if it's good. As for timeframe he told me they might get a shipment in August. As for the Celan's, you can still pick them up out of Europe for not too much more than Audio Advice's sale price. But personally, I'd wait because Heco's replacement is bound to be even better or you can just go with the Zu's!
@bearclaw5115 I kinda figured that might be the reason i wasnt planning to buy till dec so I'll just wait and see what they release. thanks for that info.
Don't be scared to give Zu's power. I have a pair of Dirty Weekends that are around 5 years old. I feed them with a Peachtree GAN1, and they absolutely sing.
@@NemoPropaganda Excellent. I know when I part in mind, they were very popular with the low power SET crowd due to their efficiency. I almost didn't go this direction due to that reputation. I was pleasantly surprised to find that they work extremely well with higher power/ higher volume. Enjoy!
I love about 40 min away from both Zu and tekton… rbh, Kimber , and Wilson are also here along with Spatial Audio and acoustic audio labs (Clayton Shaw). I do enjoy the og dirty weekends I used own. Had a pair of tekton double impacts and they were badass for a bit too.
Nemo fantastic review. These speakers God willing I hope to own some day 🙏 I really like how you said it is great at any volume. 👍😎 I really don't play movies too loud. I'm hoping with an audio receiver like the Onkyo RZ70 it won't cause an impedance issue. I wish Zu had smaller rear channels and atmos channels. 🙏🙏🤓 Thanks again for the great review.👍
I don't think you'll have any impedance issues, AVR's tend to sound about as good as a stereo amp at half the price so figure that $2k RZ70 should sound about as good as something like an Emotiva TA2 or Outlaw RR2160 MK2 which both pair well with the Zu DWX!
they are entry level in terms of price, most people can afford $1400 even if they have to save for a bit the average american should be able to buy a $1400 product :) and I agree their performance is certainly not entry level!!
Thanks for reviewing the base model....it's annoying when reviewers do the expensive model and yet discuss its price as if it were the base model. Out of curiosity, what stands did you use? (I assume it's the stands in the video, but what are they? Sorry I'm not good at identifying accessories from video.)
really? I havn't seen anyone do that, I think that would be very misleading. During my review period I used the stands that came with my Platimons but there are many inexpensive options that are the same height.
Great review. I'm thinking of using a pair of these as L/R in a home theater setup. I'm currently using a pair of Monitor Audio Bronze 100s which you reviewed a while back. I agree with your opinion that the MAs are very good at dialog clarity. How would these compare in that regard? Your attention is appreciated
This review made me 90% convinced to buy them. The big tweeter, efficiency, and low volume performance are exactly what I'm looking for. However, the Zu DWX seems to get a lot of hate from audiophiles and don't measure well. Is there anywhere in SoCal where you listen to these?
hmmm, I don't think it gets hate from audiophiles per se, just people who place value in measurements but tons of stuff doesn't measure great like R2R DAC & tube amps. I guess the question is do you want a sound you enjoy or something that measures well?? Personally i love the DWX, will everyone love it? Probably not, personal taste is a huge part of the hobby afterall but personally it was one of my favorite speakers I reviewed all year and everyone I know that owns it really loves it :) I can't really help you make a decision but my general advice is don't let measurements stop you from getting something if your heart wants it. Hobbies are supposed to be fun, measuring stuff and getting all worked up over littel details isn't how I enjoy the hobby and it doesn't look like the measurements crowd are a happy bunch either, that's my 2 cents.
I liked the review, always enjoy your descriptions and analogies, etc..but…no mention of the reason soundstage and midrange are so great. The full range driver that is the star of the show, which literally took years of experimenting for Sean to get just right. Very unique and not many using it (well none exactly like this) . Thanks. Again, not a slight, i kinda just kept waiting for you to talk about it, lol
I used to have the Tekton Lore, which I believe is using the same Eminence driver…it’s quite impressive what that pro audio driver can do… it’s almost full range.
Nothing Zu uses is a standard off-the-shelf driver from Eminence, so nothing they use is identical to Tekton. Zu will spec a certain voice coil and motor assembly, then Eminence will make it, and Zu will make and treat their own cone and whizzer. Eminence then does the assembly work, and Zu does the final QC before production. Nothing is identical between the Zu and Tekton. Also, the classical definition of "full range" is a driver that can do from 40 Hz to 12 kHz, which all of Zu's drivers do, so they fulfill the definition of "full-range". I considered both companies, and my final decision was made on the reputation of the company (Zu's is through the roof while Tekton has the reputation that they sometimes don't answer emails or deliver finished products, or their founder is oftentimes looking to sue a TH-cam content creator), the customer service (I have questions when it comes to proper setup, etc.), the appearance (I'm married, so it's important to note that one company makes beautiful things, while the other only makes ugly spray-painted MDF boxes) and the opinions of informed listeners (find out what professional audio journalists have in their own systems and you'll be enlightened). I've now bought two pairs from Zu, and there's no looking back. I even put my Magnepans in storage when my Union Supreme 6 showed up. They're THAT good... BTW, don't be afraid to add some tone control to DW or DWX, to get it sounding how you want it to sound in your room. You can get all flavors of DW to sound damn near Union or even similar to Maggies (though not necessarily with the same depth of soundstage) with a bit of EQ here and there. Remember that your room has its own frequency response needs so don't be afraid to make adjustments.
@@theoriginalcraig i encourage you to watch the GR research video from yesterday about ZU Audio. Tekton and Zu are both guilty of different sins of omission but Zu is guilty of sins of commission as Sean is a bit of a hack as a designer. Super cool guy and great marketer…beautiful speakers compared to Tekton…agree Eric is a jerk but his design sins are related to budget and are not a skill issue
Congrats on your job doing these speaker reviews. Where would your hard earned money go to? Zu Dirty Weekend Totem Bison Buchardt S400 Arendal 1723 s THX monitor Or Kef R3 Meta?
Maybe you’re new to my channel so you may not know but the s400 has had my heart for many years now. I’m not saying it’s the best one, but it’s the one I like and it’s the one that is my personal speaker I listen to the most. All of those speakers are really good though!
with such a glowing review and coming from such a stand out guy I'm having trouble reconciling my bs scam meter that usually sits on 11. I'm always looking for the other guys angle, always wanting to figure out the catch and now I'm stumped.
Everyone should take everything on the internet with a grain of salt but don't let it make you jaded my bro. My YT channel is just for fun and opperates at a pretty big loss but that's how hobbies are so no big deal :)
Thanks for this! I’ve been so curious about the DWX’s. Great to know they’d work well in a smallish room! I know it would be a different price category, but wondering how they’d present against your ATC SCM 11’s 🙏🏼👍🏼
a bit of a similar sound, ATC treble refinement is better but the biggest difference is the SCM11 is hard to drive while the DWX is highly sensitive and physically much larger.
I love the look of those speakers. The speaker in my profile picture is my own design and I went after the same idea with a 10" woofer. I made the cabinet smaller so the bass wouldn't be boosted so I wouldn't get over exertion and distortion, my cabinets are MDF covered with solid oak so they're 80 lbs . But I made them for myself because I wanted the full sound from a 10 woofer. It was a challenge to make it work in a 2 way but I crossed it at 1400 with a 3rd order high and low pass. I live in an apartment and sometimes I can crank them and they get loud with slamming bass but it does sound good at low volumes . I know this zues but for the money if I didn't build speakers, I would buy those speakers. I love the looks and if you never heard the scale and dynamics of a good 10" woofer you have to experience it. I'm not satisfied with bookshelves, even towers with multiple speakers can't give you that same sound. Not to many 10 " woofers can play that high and the same with tweeters playing low. The problem is beaming you want to crossover before 1400 hz with a 10" woofer and that being a full range I wonder about the compromise of the off axis measurements and placement. Either way it looks dope and the colors are sick.
@@robk5745 not exactly. I like Kinki because it doesn't have much coloration so I can hear the speaker for what it is. The DWX is not tonally warm or rich and neither is the Kinki so if you want tonal richness you would not like that combination, conversly if you believe equipment should be free of coloration and simply sound natural & neutral then you may love that combination. As always, personal taste is the biggest factor.
@@NemoPropaganda I have an Audiolab 6000a I’ll use to get used to the sound of them and it’s fairly neutral, so I can decide from there if I want more flavour or just more uncoloured power 😉
@@robk5745 that makes sense, I've been told audiolab is similar to kinki in terms of sound profile, open, clean, clear so that will give you a good idea of what kinki would do except with much more refinement.
Great timing! Just about to pull the trigger on its bigger brother, the dw6. How does it compare to your fav s400 mkii? Just confirming you got the standard w/o the superfly/Supreme upgrades? Thanks!
yup, standard version, I love the S400 MK2 and it has more bass overall but the Zu is much more open sounding, sounds bigger overall, and has superior separation in the midrange. DWX is mostly neutral, S400 MK2 is mostly warm.
@@NemoPropaganda Damn that's some high praise coming from you! Now we just need Buchardt to come out with a 10' speaker :p. Thanks again for the videos man, been rocking a RSL thanks to your recommendation :)
@@Harrisongrey19 Hey! the union 6 is definitely on my radar too. Seems like zu advertises the dw as richer and the union 6 as more resolving. What made you choose the union 6 over the dw? What are you using as front end? Thanks!
@@joshuaclark8186 I went with the union 6, bc I did t want to upgrade later from the DW6 and I have a larger room than average. I’m using a Luxman 509x integrated.
Awesome review. On paper it’s everything I want. Thank you for sharing. Before I order, should I just go for the base model or pay for the superfly upgrade?
depends on your amplification. I think if you have some high dollar stuff it would make sense to go for one of the upgrades but if you'll be using a sub $1.5k amp I think the standard version makes the most sense. Honestly even the standard version with a great sounding amp could be end game for a lot of guys. Something like the CHoco EMEI, Hegel H190, or anything by Pathos are all great options.
Olá, comprei o DWX Superfly. Estou aguardando a chegada deles. Falei com Jim da Zu, ele me aconselhou a comprar o Superfly, pois o som é melhor, mais detalhado. Ainda não comprei o amplificador. Vou pesquisar melhor. Flávio / Brasil
interesting. d’ye suppose you’ll get a chance to audition some open baffle speakers? if i ever buy another loudspeaker, then i’ll definitely be heading in that direction
Thank you for another great review as always. Even when they are not in the same price range, what's your preference between this Zu DWX and the ATC SCM11? What of these two you prefeer in your system? Thank you again.
both are really good and somewhat similar in sound but the SCM11 has more refinement in the treble while the Zu is easier to drive and sounds larger. If you like one of them you'll most likely enjoy either one.
how do these compare with the fritz carbon 7? im wondering mostly in terms of soundstage, imaging, sense of size and mid-range. im a subwoofer always type dude.
My buddy has a pair of Fritz Carbon 7's, and I have his pair of Zu Omen Dirty Weekends. I think much will depend on the gear you use with the Fritz, as they are a bit more finicky than the Zu's. I know they sound good with the Parasound A23+, with the PS Audio Gaincell DAC/Preamp. He was not a fan with the Denafrips or Kinky Studio gear. The Audio Gd fell flat, both the chip and R2R offerings Underwood Wally sells. Even his Bel Canto was not kept paired with the Fritz's. He always goes back to the PS Audio Gaincell DAC/Preamp, as it seems to work the best over a variety of DACs and Preamps my friend has owned. I use one too, and I have had nothing through here that can do what it does, it is a keeper and handles every genre of music I listen too with both my Zu's and Maggies. Oh, the amp he is currently using is the Deer Creek Audio Hypex Nilai 500 Stereo Amplifier, he wishes he never sold his Parasound A23+. We both ordered some ChiFi integrated amps here the other day, the Tone Winner AD-2PRO+. We both ordered one from Aamir over at Summit HiFi, and received a good deal on purchasing a pair. They will be here in a few days, they are at the airport in Hong Kong waiting to fly here to Detroit. He is wanting to hear how it sounds with his Fritz's, this amplifier has us both intrigued. I hope it is a keeper, will hate to have to return it.
similar sound, both have excellent midrange and great sensitivity, the Fritz has more refinement in the treble and will reward you more with higher end amps while the Zu is much more affordable and gets you most of the way there. I love both speakers equally.
@@NemoPropaganda Those Fritz speakers are what I would call special, and I men that in a good way. And Fritz too, he is just a down to earth cool dude. I had the pleasure of speaking to him on the phone not long ago. Nemo, get this, he has some speakers made of MJ, no lie, the cones are made from hemp. Funny stuff, and so was the story behind them.
similar in a lot of ways, both speakers midrange and sepparation are the star of the show. The Fritz has a little more refinement in the treble and a little more bass.
My buddy owns the Fritz and the DWX, Nemo speaks the truth. Both are great speakers, the only issue may be the size of the Zu's, they are pretty big when set next to the Fritz's.
Thanks. Did you use it with a rel? I have the t9x. Room aside, did you find yourself crossing over at a different point than usual, did it keep up with the pace of the ZU? It might be wrong or negligible, but I have heard pairing subs with ZU is a little different due to their speed?
@@marc2901 I havn't heard that, either way t9x is among the quickest subs in existence. I'd imagine gain matching could be a challenge when adding some subwoofers to a highly sensitive speaker like the DWX but the T9X shouldn't have any issues.
@@marc2901 I've seen a few vids/articles talking about pairing the REL HT1003 with Zu, because of it's speed, and it has a reasonable price tag. Along with that, I have also been looking at the Rhythmik L12. I hear Zu may be coming out with another model of sub, below the Undertone as well.
So I know you didn’t heard dwx with upgraded internals, but would you recommend sticking to base speaker and don’t break my head and bank account or get middle upgrade? Also which rel sub best paring for dwx?
I'd say it depends on your amps, if you've got big dollar amps it probably makes sense to get one of the upgrades but if you're using a sub $1500 amp I think the standard version makes the most sense. As far as rel subs they all sound great, just depends what you want and how big your room is. In my little room the T7X was great, added some warmth to the presentation and some extra fullness.
Hi Sam, I have not heard either of those but it most likely would just depend on what sound you want. My exb7 & exp7 are dead neutral so there isn't any coloration, if your EXM7 is the same then you'll just hear the sepakers as they are, the williston I'd imagine should provide some warmth but I've never heard it.
Hey Nemo ,i am now scared to watch your videos ...they are so convincing ..that now DWX are my top favourites..but before i go any further tell me how is the top end on the DWX ?? i am definitely looking for a clean crisp presentation ( i will look for a suitable amplifier at a later stage ) Thanks a ton & keep rocking !
if you need a stop-gap amp for now the RSL iA255.1 is shockingly good for $110, if you need something just to get started while you save up some cash for a full size amp later it'll really surprise you.
Hi 👋 dear good morning ☀️. How to get this book shelf, in online purchase?? Is this 3 way speakers, watts capacity , Minimum and maximum??? I am looking for speakers like this one ☝️. All book shelf are is 6.5”. I am very much interested to buy. Please advise me, I am in Bahrain. I need a good 500 watts Subwoofer 12” for stereo receiver , and AVR. Which is the one ☝️ you recommend, price less than 500$. I am a low volume listener?? Music is my favorite slow rock classic, country songs. I am looking forward to buy one pair of DWX , and Subwoofer. I Wait for your reply. Thanks 🙏
Hi, it's a 2-way speaker. Watts are listed on website but I think it can take up to 200w but should be fine with as little as 2-5w from low power tube amps also. I don't know what subwoofer options you have in bahrain but you're welcome to join my free discord and make a post about what your options are. Link is in the description.
This speaker is a great, I love my pair. I like your description. It is right on, but you missed to talk about the design of the speakers. The speaker is 1.5 driver design, the 10" driver is a full range driver (38 Hz - 12 kHz) with the tweeter being a super tweeter (12 kHz and up). I say this to add to you review, not to show off or belittle your review, but the design and implementation of the design is cool to me. I will add that I am still burning in my pair, every time I listen to them they are getting even better. Also my speakers are the base model like yours. I envy the person that is getting the supreme model; the improved driver matching should make supreme models imaging even sweeter. Again, thank you for another quality review. Chuck
I never talk about the design of a product, my review is always about the sound. I will leave the more technical aspects to reviewers who choose to be more technical lik british audiophile.
Great review as always my dude. Question tho, will they sell them in single units too? Thinking they would be great as LCR's. btw, looks like they should make your list of best speaker of the year under $2k ✊🏼
Yes, you can purchase individually. Many folks are using the DWX for exactly what you are thinking of, a center channel in a HT with a pair of DW6's for L/R channels.
oh really? Is that the current version on Tidal or is it an official remaster and titled that way? I feel like the double bass is still really undermixed.
That is the Rustic Hickory veneer. I have a pair in Black Hickory and a pair in Black Satin with black trim rings, they disappear in the room. Very cool speakers.
both are really good and somewhat similar in sound but the SCM11 has more refinement in the treble while the Zu is easier to drive and sounds larger. If you like one of them you'll most likely enjoy either one.
No comparison. I bought a pair of Zu Omen Dirty Weekends, the following day the KLH Model 5's were at UPS heading to the new owner in Ohio. I sold the Zu Omen's to a friend, who loves them, and purchased a pair of Zu DW6 Supremes.
@@michaelwright1602 it would be nice to blind a/b/x test with volume match for these and other similar price speakers. So much is placebo it's hard to discern.
@@trauma50disaster1 I hear you there. I just moved my Zu DW6 Supremes to my bedroom and replaced them with the Fyne F500SP that Nemo reviewed not long ago. Then I went and ordered the Cabasse Murano's along with the Cabasse Abyss Amp/Streamer/DSP integrated. I move a bit of gear through here, and my Zu's, if the day ever came, would be darn near impossible to part with. There is something special about them, and I do listen to them every night. They are fantastic low volume listening speakers, pair them up with a tube amp, vintage Sansui or a PS Audio Gaincell DAC/Preamp, and they are going to give more than a few speakers a run for their money. They really do perform at another level, and are simply a fun speaker. They really shine with Jazz and that genre, R&B, etc.
I don't think a tekton review is likely to happen from any reviewer given the recent drama. Tekton seems to take issue to any criticism and seems to like threatening lawsuites. I do not wish to work with a company like that.
Don't forget about the Fritz Cabon I reviewed, that's another great american option, granted the Zu is coming in at a price point you usually just don't see for a made in USA speaker!
It's always funny to see folks talking about sounds. Lol😅 we used to walk into shops with many options and listen. I'd never buy based off a reviewer .
and vacuums used to be sold by door to door salesmen and you only bought one after an in home demo. gas used to be 50 cents and netflix used to be a rental service. the world changes my man but you know what stays the same? Someones always complaining about something...
Have you actually owned a pair or are you just following the cult-like habits of armchair audiophiles that regurgitate crap someone else said and don’t have any first hand experience? Honest question.
@@NemoPropaganda expectation bias is very powerful. the data shows that moving only slightly from these speakers will remove huge parts of the frequency range, and the room will reflect different sounds from the speaker. a 10" woofer must be crossed over around 1.5khz or lower to limit problems, thats just the way it is. which is why almost all speakers are 2 or -3way with a crossover
@@einarbk885 so you have not owned a pair nor heard a pair and you're just parroting like a typical cultist? Got it. You seem to believe what you read on the internet is more important than first hand experience, I call that spec whoring but by all means you do you and enjoy the hobby however you like but people who do that seem pretty bitter & jaded to the rest of us that are having fun with the hobby. Spend your money however you like, makes no difference to me but do remember this is all supposed to be fun.
@@NemoPropaganda i have tried multiple similar speakers, its not spec whoring. what you hear is very much aligned with measurements and when you blend in expectation bias a lot can happen. floyd toole has many pages of research on this in his book. i used to be there as a subjectivits, but after looking into what i hear and the speakers i owned i no longer believe this, but the salesman certainly want everybody to believe what they claim.
@@einarbk885 if that's how you enjoy the hobby that's okay with me sir. I don't think it's right to judge a speaker without hearing it but everyone is welcome to have their own journey in this hobby. Audio as a hobby is personal for everyone and I will continue to have my own journey and do things in the way that I like.
I try not to speak poorly of those who appear to have special needs but Danny's opinion is not something I value. His statements are at minimum a massive conflict of interest and in extremely poor taste.
How would you rate these compared to the CSS Criton 1TDX, they are roughly close in price, again I know personal taste is a big grey area, just wondered what your thoughts were?
Extremely harder to drive. I love my css criton 1TDX, but looking for something with a bigger sound and a bit less warm. Any recommendations?@NemoPropaganda
@@anthonymiriello5029 The Zu DW's or DWX, they are so easy to drive. And gear will make a difference, I like a nice vintage receiver or tube amp with my DW6's. Another fantastic pairing with the Zu's is the PS Audio Stellar Gaincell DAC/Preamp, which can be found on the used market. My Zu's and that Gaincell DAC are two pieces I would be hard pressed to ever part with, they are that good.
I don't compare products with such a vast difference in price. I do not believe any potential buyer for the Platimon is looking at anything 1/6th the price and I do not believe any potential buyer of the DWX is considering something 6x the price.
@@NemoPropaganda Yeh I understand your affordability point in conversation, but still I am curious to know purely from the qualitative point of sound not considering the price factor, would you recommend Platimon over DWX for someone who wants to listen to best of audio reproduction quality purly in an audiophile point of view because otherwise your review is limited and conditioned by financial considerations and not reflect the merits of a product in its ultimate reason of production when facing other options in the field. From another aspect as a reviewer of these products ultimately you make a contribution to industry and leave an identity of yourself behind hence extending your reach and capacity to the demands of the community would not do any harm for you or for the progress of the indiustry. There are various levels of audiophiles and your experience will help others making decisions. Thank you.
Really appreciated your review, particularly because I have not seen another review for the base model of this speaker. Another highlight was hearing your comments about good low volume listening, as this is how I do 80% of my listening. All the best to you!
Love my union 6 from zu, Sean Casey reached out to me directly when I purchased them, excellent customer service. Defiantly a pride of ownership with this company.
Does the union 6 any over listening to bad recordings?
@@victorwalsh3821 it’s a revealing speaker, so yea bad recordings will sound bad, the union 6 is true to the source
The whole Zu Crew have been great to work with. Very responsive and friendly. Very upfront about what they have tested/paired with their products and can help guide you to a product, based on your setup. That does not mean up-selling either. If they think you might be better off with a less expensive product, they are open and honest about it.
Told you Zu audio will give you speakers to test (:
So happy to watch your review! Keep up the good work!!!
yes sir! super cool people.
Awesome review as always... Glad we now have another fantastic option !!!
I have a supreme pair in mercury coming right now, pretty excited 😊. Great review as always homie!
How do you like them? Thank you!
@@andrewgorenc9160 They are the most well rounded speakers I’ve ever owned and I’ve had a lot. They also do things that most speakers cannot do. Being able to place them wherever and still get big open and tight sound is something hard to find. They are rather neutral and transparent so they will tell you what your gear is doing. They play well with all genres. My favourite part about them is the tight bass that is full range. Highly recommend, my personal preference would be pairing them with a little warmer amp. Nemo likes it with the Emei and I’d agree that probably is a great combo.
Enjoy... make sure you give them a chance to break in. They definitely change and open up over time.
@@hermanknief yea they smoothed out and became more coherent. Great speakers
@@andrewgorenc9160 love them, finally after many many speakers I don’t feel like upgrading. If I did a specific music room I might get some zu union 6 supreme but as a daily speaker this dwx supreme is fantastic
One of your best videos ever. Thank you so much for posting it. I've got DW Supreme and the newest Union 6 Supreme, and they are pure joy.
It's so nice to see such an excellent TH-cam channel doing a thorough test, review, and comparison video for the absolute lowest-priced entry-level speaker they make. It really shows the insane value for money.
The Zu crew are some of the nicest folks I've ever met in the industry, especially Sean Casey.
Most of the audio journalists who review one of their speakers, end up buying them and keeping them in their own personal listening systems, and I think that says a lot about Zu.
I'm not surprised, I really want to buy these but my collection is getting big now and I don't have any more space lol, they really are remarkable!
I totally understand. I'm right there with ya. Thanks for the reply! 👍
Do the DWX Supreme have great dynamic range? Do the bass punch you? ...Thanks!
Thanks Nemo! Great review! I have a pair of the Zu DW6 Supremes, and an older pair of Zu Omen DW's, both sound incredible. The coolest part about owning Zu's, is that you can power these with a 9v battery, so any amp will work. My favorite is a Cayin 10w EL84 tube amp, paired with my Class A biased PS Audio Stellar Gaincell DAC/Preamp. I have tried other amps, and this little Cayin is still here. Add an active crossover like the Rolls SX45 and a pair of subs, and you don't need much, I'm using three little REL T-Zero MKIII. Tiny, hidden away and give that nice full and quick bass a pair of SB3000's were not able to produce.
I’m so happy for you (and for us, lol) that they sent you a pair for review. I like your style of reviewing. Well done 🙏🏼
thank you bro, glad you enjoyed it!
Love my DW6 speakers in Black Starlight finish. They sound excellent with my Yamaha A-S3200 but having a sensitivity of 95 dB they are very easy to drive. Thus they are fantastic with my Cayin MT-12N integrated tube amp that is only 10 wpc, and my new Willsenton R8 tube amp rated at 40 wpc. And when it comes to bass I disconnected my Klipsch 12" powered subwoofer as it's not needed. This is a great American speaker brand in the class of Magnepan in my mind.
I use the same little Cayin amp, it sounds fantastic with my DW6 Supremes. I have a PS Audio Stellar Gaincell DAC/Preamp feeding it, something I would recommend looking at. Speaking of Maggies... I have a pair of their LRS+ right next to the Zu's, I prefer the Zu's. Both are staying.
@@michaelwright1602
I initially had my Magnepan MG-1.5/QR speakers I got in the '90s and my Wharfedale Diamond 12.0 speakers in an A/B setup with my A-S3200 until they were both replaced with the DW6. The Cayin is a real beauty, but right now I'm using the R8. So far everything I've tried sounds great with the ZUs. This is a great time to be into hifi.
@@chrislj2890 The Zu's are something special, and yes, a great time to be into HiFi!
Great review of a base model of dwx! Really appreciate it.
Excellent review. You make these sound better than the full size dirty weekends I demoed. They did sound big and have tremendous scale but I thought they lacked in the area of definition and resolution. Even zu mentions that the dirty weekends don't excel in resolution. The union line is designed for that. Yet, these bookshelves seem to resolve detail extremely well according to your review.
Just to be clear I'm in no way implying it's anything like my 4x the price Platimon but for $1400 they were just as resolving as anything else under $2k but the real star of the show is the midrange.
I was looking at these but I don't have a trained ear and don't have much demo experience. The KLH Model 5 is the highest I've heard and I don't think it's anything special. You didn't care for your demo of the DW so what is a cheaper speaker you like? I don't think I'll even appreaciate a more expensive speaker.
@@trauma50disaster1 I demoed the DWs, Totem Tribe towers, and BW 702 S2. All in my home for a considerable period of time. All pretty expensive. From mid 2K to 4k. I wound up buying a pair of used B&W 705s. The original bookshelves. Made in England. $800. All the other speakers had something or another that annoyed me, didn't sound right. The 705s don't make me think about the speakers. Just listen to the music. So, I am no expert with mind bending sensitivity. Just know what I like. Like a good movie. I don't think about the director, the actors, or the writing. Just get swept away.
@@trauma50disaster1 I put an original pair of Zu Omen Dirty Weekends up against my KLH Model 5's, the 5's were sold the next day, the Zu's stayed. I then upgraded to the DW6 Supremes and sold the Omen's to my buddy, who loves them with a little EL-84 tube amp that went with them.
How far away from the wall did you need to pull them out to sound best/stage best?
I don’t have the DWX but I do own the union 6. Mine are 18in off the front wall. I’m assuming with the front port of the DWX you could have them damn near on the wall with no issues.
every room will be different. In my room every speaker stages the best in the same position which is 22-24" front baffle to rear wall.
Great review! Totally enjoyed it. Thank you.
I scored a pair of used DWX Superflys and I love them. Just amazing. I listen up side down because of my unique listening situation. I am a fan. Being an unstable audio habitual buying offender I sold off to pair of great speakers then these hit my listening room. They are a beast to handle but you just have to accommodate that. The biggest pain in the butt is where to put two shipping boxes.
This is a fact. They're so good you don't want to get rid of them, but they also take up too much space
Thanks for the review. Reviews like yours are what led me to the DWXs in the first place. I replaced my AR11s with DWX Superflys six months ago and am so glad that I did. The Superflys sound fantastic in my modest system. The imaging and sound stage are the best I've ever heard. The DWXs make me want to sit down and pay close attention to new music and to music that I've listened to for 50 years. (I mostly listen to Rock/Pop on SACD, CD, and Tidal). I spoke with Sean Casey before buying and I exchanged several emails with Sean, later. Great guy! The money I spent on the DWXs is the best money I've ever spent on audio equipment. I can't image getting rid of these speakers.
that's awesome to hear! I still have the review sample for now and I'm really bummed I don't own them but I own too much stuff already.
@@NemoPropaganda That sounds like a great problem to have!
I have the DW6 towers … love them.
I’m considering the DW6. What type of amp are you using with yours?
The Zu's are fantastic for low level listening, like for the apartment dwellers. Pick up a nice vintage stereo like a Sansui 4000 and add a TT, and the Zu's will sing, without bothering the neighbors.
6.5 drivers do what they do. Cross overs and tech is still pushing air through 6.5 drivers.
Snap and detail vs broad sound stage with a smaller magnet to push the ZU. It’s a real sonic choice through the music and detail retrieval a person wants or expects. Big hi sensitivity driver that pushes air. Or the tight concise 6.5” lower sensitivity drivers requiring more juice. This will always be a very distinct line in the sand
Should there be a channel playlist for discontinued/retired gear? It may help save people time from not looking into gear they can't buy new (or at all sometimes)
impossible, that would require me to stay on top of everyones product catalog and confirm things are discontinued before adding them to the playlist. I do my part with the review, the viewer & retailer must do their part also.
@@NemoPropaganda fair, also just moments ago i was looking for an amp review playlist and couldn't find one, will there eventually be one for amps?
@@robthegobbler possibly, I just havn't reviewed at on of amps so it would just be a list of all amps and not separated by price.
@@NemoPropaganda oh yeah that's fine, that's what i was asking for. Anything with a group over 5 could use a playlist, maybe with exceptions for a misc playlist for random stuff, and maybe an audio theory playlist or whatever for stuff like comparing differences in the timbre(?) of subwoofers (SQ/SPL). Playlists are a good tool for finding videos you didn't even know a creator made too, not just massive ease of comparison and consumption.
I purchased a pair of DWX base model 3 weeks ago. Still breaking them in. Great review. I agree with most everything you said with one exception. I found these speakers are mercilessly unforgiving to poor recordings. Good pressings, well produced tracks sound amazing. Poor pressings, poorly produced tracks sound terrible. Maybe due to our different set ups? Anyway. Super happy with the DWX’s. Considering the Jupiter Caps upgrade. It’s supposed to add additional warmth which might help with the poor recordings. Thanks for the review.
mine came to me with 100+ hours on them so could be break-in, but it sounds like you're using vinyl? I don't have any experience with that since I stream only so perhaps our references for poor recordings are just different?
What subwoofer would you pair with them? Do you think they can be used for home theater as well?
yes absolutely, would be great for music or HT as long as you can find sensitive surrounds for the rest of the setup or have enough gain adjustment on the rest of the channels to get all the levels right. As far as subs it just depends what your goals are and what you're using them for.
@@NemoPropaganda can do five of them and figure out two subs for easiest matching!
Excellent review! I've been eying these for a while. Like the fact you don't need a lot of power to run them and they are very tube friendly. Thanks for taking the time to review them.
Love the review. You nailed it. I found myself changing to some NOS RCA tubes in my preamp just to boost the mid bass warmth a tad without losing the other good stuff. As a serial buyer of gear I just dont think I can get better without spending three times more and I'm just not sure what I'd be getting would be worth the financial hit. I also love the made in USA label. You dont have to put money in China to get great value.
So true, once the Zu's are in your house, getting great sound out of them is not difficult to do, even with inexpensive gear. They love tubes and or vintage stereos too. You can pick up a nice tube amp for around $500 and the vintage gear for less if you shop and are patient.
wow man, love that you keep trying gear, yeah these Zu's are fantastic!!
It would be nice if they put up response data
The data I have seen is not linear and that may not matter but I am skeptical
I have not heard them so I can only say I have been best severed by a tight linear response
They may sound fantastic but I am more data driven when spending money on something I have not heard
I'm not sure you will find much value in my reviews then, I am the total opposite and rarely use, measure, or refer to any data.
Now we know why the Zu DWX sounds so janky
th-cam.com/video/MLr74f-d0_k/w-d-xo.htmlsi=3ruiMMzelVsWIXGX
Great review, because you reviewed them I would probably of never of given these speakers a consideration. I'm really thinking about getting them to replace my ELAC Debut 2.0 B6.2 Bookshelf Speakers. I like my Elac's a lot cause their very neutral'ish also like these DMX. Do you think the DMX would be a really good upgrade path for me? Thanks
actually yes, I think that would be a very logical upgrade path. That Elac has similar tonal qualities but of course not on the level of the much more expensive DWX. If the size is not a concern I say go for it!
@@NemoPropaganda Can I ask a diff question please and you might of mentioned it in a video as to why you don't own or review floor stander's but I don't remember. I'm assuming you prefer bookshelves over floor stander's cause I've never seen floor stander's on your channel. For me I once bought a pair of floor standers and it was a pain to unbox and set up. I ended up not liking them and it was even a worse experience getting them boxed up and returning them to the UPS store. I kind of told myself I'll never buy another floor stander's again. Thanks
@@horrorfan6710 what you describe is exactly the reason why :) the logistics becomes too cumbersome, unpacking, repacking, the space the boxes take up, etc... I try to keep the channel light & fun.
Really interesting. I guess its very different from the Arendal 1723 bookshelf. Both appeal to me though. How would you compare those two? Thank you.
kind of similar tonally but the DWX does everything better. If the size is not an issue the DWX is very hard to beat.
@@NemoPropaganda good to know. TY
Anybody know what's going on at Heco? I been chasing the celan revolution 3 for mths now AudioAdvice has no answer and forget about getting a response from Heco in Germany 3 emails not one reply. The ZU DWX was always on my list and thanks for this video your review just made up my mind which to buy and which to forget.
I could be thinking of something else but are they the ones that are sold exclusively at is it audio advice?
Yes. I spoke to one of the reps over at Audio Advice and he told me that Heco is revamping their line up. The Celan's are gone for now and probably for good. Audio Advice does not know what Heco has planned but they intend to carry the new stuff if it's good. As for timeframe he told me they might get a shipment in August.
As for the Celan's, you can still pick them up out of Europe for not too much more than Audio Advice's sale price. But personally, I'd wait because Heco's replacement is bound to be even better or you can just go with the Zu's!
@bearclaw5115 I kinda figured that might be the reason i wasnt planning to buy till dec so I'll just wait and see what they release. thanks for that info.
no idea brother, I emailed my rep at audio advice and they said they'd give me an update when they had one but its been crickets ever since.
Don't be scared to give Zu's power. I have a pair of Dirty Weekends that are around 5 years old. I feed them with a Peachtree GAN1, and they absolutely sing.
my mono blocks put out 250w/channel at 8ohms, I think I gave them plenty :)
@@NemoPropaganda Excellent. I know when I part in mind, they were very popular with the low power SET crowd due to their efficiency. I almost didn't go this direction due to that reputation. I was pleasantly surprised to find that they work extremely well with higher power/ higher volume. Enjoy!
Resale on Zu is good 👍
Hold value, very desirable
I love about 40 min away from both Zu and tekton… rbh, Kimber , and Wilson are also here along with Spatial Audio and acoustic audio labs (Clayton Shaw). I do enjoy the og dirty weekends I used own. Had a pair of tekton double impacts and they were badass for a bit too.
Very cool. What did you end up with? Did you find something and stick to it, or just enjoy trying things?
Own Kimber, good stuff 👌
Nemo fantastic review. These speakers God willing I hope to own some day 🙏 I really like how you said it is great at any volume. 👍😎 I really don't play movies too loud. I'm hoping with an audio receiver like the Onkyo RZ70 it won't cause an impedance issue. I wish Zu had smaller rear channels and atmos channels. 🙏🙏🤓 Thanks again for the great review.👍
I don't think you'll have any impedance issues, AVR's tend to sound about as good as a stereo amp at half the price so figure that $2k RZ70 should sound about as good as something like an Emotiva TA2 or Outlaw RR2160 MK2 which both pair well with the Zu DWX!
@@NemoPropaganda Hey Nemo and truth that the ZU sound like a Klipsch ❓
@@donjaun540 klipsch makes a lot of speakers, I've only heard the R50M so I couldn't really answer that question.
Love the DW6 not sure why their called an entry speaker as they punch way above their price.
they are entry level in terms of price, most people can afford $1400 even if they have to save for a bit the average american should be able to buy a $1400 product :) and I agree their performance is certainly not entry level!!
Thanks for reviewing the base model....it's annoying when reviewers do the expensive model and yet discuss its price as if it were the base model. Out of curiosity, what stands did you use? (I assume it's the stands in the video, but what are they? Sorry I'm not good at identifying accessories from video.)
really? I havn't seen anyone do that, I think that would be very misleading. During my review period I used the stands that came with my Platimons but there are many inexpensive options that are the same height.
Great review. I'm thinking of using a pair of these as L/R in a home theater setup. I'm currently using a pair of Monitor Audio Bronze 100s which you reviewed a while back. I agree with your opinion that the MAs are very good at dialog clarity. How would these compare in that regard? Your attention is appreciated
Hi Bro, the Zu DWX is actually better for dialogue so you will experience only improvements overall :)
One of these DWX would make a fantastic center channel. The voice clarity is outstanding on these.
This review made me 90% convinced to buy them. The big tweeter, efficiency, and low volume performance are exactly what I'm looking for. However, the Zu DWX seems to get a lot of hate from audiophiles and don't measure well. Is there anywhere in SoCal where you listen to these?
hmmm, I don't think it gets hate from audiophiles per se, just people who place value in measurements but tons of stuff doesn't measure great like R2R DAC & tube amps. I guess the question is do you want a sound you enjoy or something that measures well?? Personally i love the DWX, will everyone love it? Probably not, personal taste is a huge part of the hobby afterall but personally it was one of my favorite speakers I reviewed all year and everyone I know that owns it really loves it :) I can't really help you make a decision but my general advice is don't let measurements stop you from getting something if your heart wants it. Hobbies are supposed to be fun, measuring stuff and getting all worked up over littel details isn't how I enjoy the hobby and it doesn't look like the measurements crowd are a happy bunch either, that's my 2 cents.
@@NemoPropaganda Bingo. Go for what lets you enjoy the music.
@@anzhuliu are you asking me if the R3 Meta is better than the Zu DWX?
I liked the review, always enjoy your descriptions and analogies, etc..but…no mention of the reason soundstage and midrange are so great. The full range driver that is the star of the show, which literally took years of experimenting for Sean to get just right. Very unique and not many using it (well none exactly like this) . Thanks. Again, not a slight, i kinda just kept waiting for you to talk about it, lol
you been subbed for 2 years, you know I don't get technical :)
I used to have the Tekton Lore, which I believe is using the same Eminence driver…it’s quite impressive what that pro audio driver can do… it’s almost full range.
I have the Lore Reference---is the DWX that much better?? Thanks--I'm looking to try some new speakers.
@@Drackleyrva the Lore Reference is a different animal. I believe it uses an 8 inch SB Acoustics driver.
similar maybe but not the same.
Nothing Zu uses is a standard off-the-shelf driver from Eminence, so nothing they use is identical to Tekton. Zu will spec a certain voice coil and motor assembly, then Eminence will make it, and Zu will make and treat their own cone and whizzer. Eminence then does the assembly work, and Zu does the final QC before production. Nothing is identical between the Zu and Tekton. Also, the classical definition of "full range" is a driver that can do from 40 Hz to 12 kHz, which all of Zu's drivers do, so they fulfill the definition of "full-range".
I considered both companies, and my final decision was made on the reputation of the company (Zu's is through the roof while Tekton has the reputation that they sometimes don't answer emails or deliver finished products, or their founder is oftentimes looking to sue a TH-cam content creator), the customer service (I have questions when it comes to proper setup, etc.), the appearance (I'm married, so it's important to note that one company makes beautiful things, while the other only makes ugly spray-painted MDF boxes) and the opinions of informed listeners (find out what professional audio journalists have in their own systems and you'll be enlightened). I've now bought two pairs from Zu, and there's no looking back. I even put my Magnepans in storage when my Union Supreme 6 showed up. They're THAT good...
BTW, don't be afraid to add some tone control to DW or DWX, to get it sounding how you want it to sound in your room. You can get all flavors of DW to sound damn near Union or even similar to Maggies (though not necessarily with the same depth of soundstage) with a bit of EQ here and there. Remember that your room has its own frequency response needs so don't be afraid to make adjustments.
@@theoriginalcraig i encourage you to watch the GR research video from yesterday about ZU Audio. Tekton and Zu are both guilty of different sins of omission but Zu is guilty of sins of commission as Sean is a bit of a hack as a designer. Super cool guy and great marketer…beautiful speakers compared to Tekton…agree Eric is a jerk but his design sins are related to budget and are not a skill issue
Congrats on your job doing these speaker reviews. Where would your hard earned money go to?
Zu Dirty Weekend
Totem Bison
Buchardt S400
Arendal 1723 s THX monitor
Or Kef R3 Meta?
Maybe you’re new to my channel so you may not know but the s400 has had my heart for many years now. I’m not saying it’s the best one, but it’s the one I like and it’s the one that is my personal speaker I listen to the most. All of those speakers are really good though!
with such a glowing review and coming from such a stand out guy I'm having trouble reconciling my bs scam meter that usually sits on 11. I'm always looking for the other guys angle, always wanting to figure out the catch and now I'm stumped.
Everyone should take everything on the internet with a grain of salt but don't let it make you jaded my bro. My YT channel is just for fun and opperates at a pretty big loss but that's how hobbies are so no big deal :)
It's good to have 2 meters. One for BS, and the other for integrity.
Thanks for this! I’ve been so curious about the DWX’s. Great to know they’d work well in a smallish room! I know it would be a different price category, but wondering how they’d present against your ATC SCM 11’s 🙏🏼👍🏼
a bit of a similar sound, ATC treble refinement is better but the biggest difference is the SCM11 is hard to drive while the DWX is highly sensitive and physically much larger.
@@NemoPropaganda Thank you 🙏🏼
I love the look of those speakers. The speaker in my profile picture is my own design and I went after the same idea with a 10" woofer. I made the cabinet smaller so the bass wouldn't be boosted so I wouldn't get over exertion and distortion, my cabinets are MDF covered with solid oak so they're 80 lbs . But I made them for myself because I wanted the full sound from a 10 woofer. It was a challenge to make it work in a 2 way but I crossed it at 1400 with a 3rd order high and low pass. I live in an apartment and sometimes I can crank them and they get loud with slamming bass but it does sound good at low volumes . I know this zues but for the money if I didn't build speakers, I would buy those speakers. I love the looks and if you never heard the scale and dynamics of a good 10" woofer you have to experience it. I'm not satisfied with bookshelves, even towers with multiple speakers can't give you that same sound. Not to many 10 " woofers can play that high and the same with tweeters playing low. The problem is beaming you want to crossover before 1400 hz with a 10" woofer and that being a full range I wonder about the compromise of the off axis measurements and placement. Either way it looks dope and the colors are sick.
Hey Nemo, did you ever try these speakers with your kinki gear? If so what were your thoughts on the synergy between the two?
Every speaker I review is primarly used on my Kinki pre/power setup and the bulk of my review is based on that, they are my reference.
@@NemoPropaganda so what you’re saying is if I got a kinki exm1 integrated for these that would be an amazing combo? 😉
@@robk5745 not exactly. I like Kinki because it doesn't have much coloration so I can hear the speaker for what it is. The DWX is not tonally warm or rich and neither is the Kinki so if you want tonal richness you would not like that combination, conversly if you believe equipment should be free of coloration and simply sound natural & neutral then you may love that combination. As always, personal taste is the biggest factor.
@@NemoPropaganda I have an Audiolab 6000a I’ll use to get used to the sound of them and it’s fairly neutral, so I can decide from there if I want more flavour or just more uncoloured power 😉
@@robk5745 that makes sense, I've been told audiolab is similar to kinki in terms of sound profile, open, clean, clear so that will give you a good idea of what kinki would do except with much more refinement.
The dusk country landscape in the background is nice...
Great timing! Just about to pull the trigger on its bigger brother, the dw6.
How does it compare to your fav s400 mkii?
Just confirming you got the standard w/o the superfly/Supreme upgrades?
Thanks!
Look at the union 6, you’ll thank me later
yup, standard version, I love the S400 MK2 and it has more bass overall but the Zu is much more open sounding, sounds bigger overall, and has superior separation in the midrange. DWX is mostly neutral, S400 MK2 is mostly warm.
@@NemoPropaganda Damn that's some high praise coming from you! Now we just need Buchardt to come out with a 10' speaker :p.
Thanks again for the videos man, been rocking a RSL thanks to your recommendation :)
@@Harrisongrey19 Hey! the union 6 is definitely on my radar too. Seems like zu advertises the dw as richer and the union 6 as more resolving. What made you choose the union 6 over the dw? What are you using as front end? Thanks!
@@joshuaclark8186 I went with the union 6, bc I did t want to upgrade later from the DW6 and I have a larger room than average. I’m using a Luxman 509x integrated.
Awesome review. On paper it’s everything I want. Thank you for sharing. Before I order, should I just go for the base model or pay for the superfly upgrade?
depends on your amplification. I think if you have some high dollar stuff it would make sense to go for one of the upgrades but if you'll be using a sub $1.5k amp I think the standard version makes the most sense. Honestly even the standard version with a great sounding amp could be end game for a lot of guys. Something like the CHoco EMEI, Hegel H190, or anything by Pathos are all great options.
Olá, comprei o DWX Superfly. Estou aguardando a chegada deles. Falei com Jim da Zu, ele me aconselhou a comprar o Superfly, pois o som é melhor, mais detalhado. Ainda não comprei o amplificador. Vou pesquisar melhor. Flávio / Brasil
Yes!!! Thank you
Hi Nemo,as these are a lot more expensive in Europe,what would you say,these or SCM 11? Cheers
The Zu's are definitely going to play lower. Interesting comparison, wish he covered it.
both are really good and somewhat similar but the SCM11 has more refinement in the treble while the Zu is easier to drive and sounds larger.
Thanks man👌
interesting.
d’ye suppose you’ll get a chance to audition some open baffle speakers?
if i ever buy another loudspeaker, then i’ll definitely be heading in that direction
I don't think so, the size is prohibitive for my current review process.
Can't wait to know your opinion on those Triangles!
for now I can tell you the finish is insanely good looking!!!!!!!!
@@NemoPropaganda had already kind of figured that out 😀
Thank you for another great review as always.
Even when they are not in the same price range, what's your preference between this Zu DWX and the ATC SCM11? What of these two you prefeer in your system?
Thank you again.
both are really good and somewhat similar in sound but the SCM11 has more refinement in the treble while the Zu is easier to drive and sounds larger. If you like one of them you'll most likely enjoy either one.
I have a small room 12X15 is this DWX to big for my room Thanks. RET
no, it should work great :), my room is a little smaller!
how do these compare with the fritz carbon 7? im wondering mostly in terms of soundstage, imaging, sense of size and mid-range. im a subwoofer always type dude.
My buddy has a pair of Fritz Carbon 7's, and I have his pair of Zu Omen Dirty Weekends. I think much will depend on the gear you use with the Fritz, as they are a bit more finicky than the Zu's. I know they sound good with the Parasound A23+, with the PS Audio Gaincell DAC/Preamp. He was not a fan with the Denafrips or Kinky Studio gear. The Audio Gd fell flat, both the chip and R2R offerings Underwood Wally sells. Even his Bel Canto was not kept paired with the Fritz's.
He always goes back to the PS Audio Gaincell DAC/Preamp, as it seems to work the best over a variety of DACs and Preamps my friend has owned. I use one too, and I have had nothing through here that can do what it does, it is a keeper and handles every genre of music I listen too with both my Zu's and Maggies.
Oh, the amp he is currently using is the Deer Creek Audio Hypex Nilai 500 Stereo Amplifier, he wishes he never sold his Parasound A23+.
We both ordered some ChiFi integrated amps here the other day, the Tone Winner AD-2PRO+. We both ordered one from Aamir over at Summit HiFi, and received a good deal on purchasing a pair. They will be here in a few days, they are at the airport in Hong Kong waiting to fly here to Detroit. He is wanting to hear how it sounds with his Fritz's, this amplifier has us both intrigued. I hope it is a keeper, will hate to have to return it.
similar sound, both have excellent midrange and great sensitivity, the Fritz has more refinement in the treble and will reward you more with higher end amps while the Zu is much more affordable and gets you most of the way there. I love both speakers equally.
@@NemoPropaganda Those Fritz speakers are what I would call special, and I men that in a good way. And Fritz too, he is just a down to earth cool dude. I had the pleasure of speaking to him on the phone not long ago. Nemo, get this, he has some speakers made of MJ, no lie, the cones are made from hemp. Funny stuff, and so was the story behind them.
@@michaelwright1602 after meeting him in person I'm not surprised :) He def has that hippy energy!
@@NemoPropaganda Yes he does!
Enjoyed your review. Could you do one on the Soul Supremes?
I generally don't review larger items like towers or big subwoofers.
Holy those are Huge :D nice vid ! are they bigger than the buchard sub ?
mmm, not sure, I have not received the buchardt sub yet.
Have you checked out Audio Physic?
I have not.
How does this compare with the Fritz speakers you reviewed ??
similar in a lot of ways, both speakers midrange and sepparation are the star of the show. The Fritz has a little more refinement in the treble and a little more bass.
My buddy owns the Fritz and the DWX, Nemo speaks the truth. Both are great speakers, the only issue may be the size of the Zu's, they are pretty big when set next to the Fritz's.
I live in an apartment with B&W 802s.
They are great at speaking volume, and louder, of course.
Great review as always. What rel would you pair with it and why?
It really depends on the room but any of them would be a great fit.
Thanks. Did you use it with a rel? I have the t9x. Room aside, did you find yourself crossing over at a different point than usual, did it keep up with the pace of the ZU? It might be wrong or negligible, but I have heard pairing subs with ZU is a little different due to their speed?
@@marc2901 I havn't heard that, either way t9x is among the quickest subs in existence. I'd imagine gain matching could be a challenge when adding some subwoofers to a highly sensitive speaker like the DWX but the T9X shouldn't have any issues.
Really appreciate the response.
@@marc2901 I've seen a few vids/articles talking about pairing the REL HT1003 with Zu, because of it's speed, and it has a reasonable price tag. Along with that, I have also been looking at the Rhythmik L12. I hear Zu may be coming out with another model of sub, below the Undertone as well.
Compare to SourcePoint 8, please.
No can do, don’t have it, never heard it.
So I know you didn’t heard dwx with upgraded internals, but would you recommend sticking to base speaker and don’t break my head and bank account or get middle upgrade? Also which rel sub best paring for dwx?
I'd say it depends on your amps, if you've got big dollar amps it probably makes sense to get one of the upgrades but if you're using a sub $1500 amp I think the standard version makes the most sense. As far as rel subs they all sound great, just depends what you want and how big your room is. In my little room the T7X was great, added some warmth to the presentation and some extra fullness.
@@NemoPropaganda thank you!
Is there a massive sound difference between the superfly and premium packages?
hard to say, one mans nuance difference can be a night & day difference to another man.
Hi Nemo do you think the ZU DWX is a good match with the kinki studio EXM7 integrated amplifier or with willsenton R8 40 watts?
Hi Sam, I have not heard either of those but it most likely would just depend on what sound you want. My exb7 & exp7 are dead neutral so there isn't any coloration, if your EXM7 is the same then you'll just hear the sepakers as they are, the williston I'd imagine should provide some warmth but I've never heard it.
I meant the EXM1
@@samidebs3559 My answer is still the same :)
Hey Nemo ,i am now scared to watch your videos ...they are so convincing ..that now DWX are my top favourites..but before i go any further tell me how is the top end on the DWX ?? i am definitely looking for a clean crisp presentation ( i will look for a suitable amplifier at a later stage )
Thanks a ton & keep rocking !
if you need a stop-gap amp for now the RSL iA255.1 is shockingly good for $110, if you need something just to get started while you save up some cash for a full size amp later it'll really surprise you.
top end is very clean, of course your final experience will depend a bit on your room and amplifier.
@@NemoPropaganda Thanks 👍
Super Cool !! Yes will have to play around a bit with placement .
Hi 👋 dear good morning ☀️. How to get this book shelf, in online purchase?? Is this 3 way speakers, watts capacity , Minimum and maximum??? I am looking for speakers like this one ☝️. All book shelf are is 6.5”. I am very much interested to buy. Please advise me, I am in Bahrain. I need a good 500 watts Subwoofer 12” for stereo receiver , and AVR. Which is the one ☝️ you recommend, price less than 500$. I am a low volume listener?? Music is my favorite slow rock classic, country songs. I am looking forward to buy one pair of DWX , and Subwoofer. I Wait for your reply. Thanks 🙏
Hi, it's a 2-way speaker. Watts are listed on website but I think it can take up to 200w but should be fine with as little as 2-5w from low power tube amps also. I don't know what subwoofer options you have in bahrain but you're welcome to join my free discord and make a post about what your options are. Link is in the description.
This speaker is a great, I love my pair. I like your description. It is right on, but you missed to talk about the design of the speakers. The speaker is 1.5 driver design, the 10" driver is a full range driver (38 Hz - 12 kHz) with the tweeter being a super tweeter (12 kHz and up). I say this to add to you review, not to show off or belittle your review, but the design and implementation of the design is cool to me. I will add that I am still burning in my pair, every time I listen to them they are getting even better. Also my speakers are the base model like yours. I envy the person that is getting the supreme model; the improved driver matching should make supreme models imaging even sweeter.
Again, thank you for another quality review. Chuck
I never talk about the design of a product, my review is always about the sound. I will leave the more technical aspects to reviewers who choose to be more technical lik british audiophile.
What about midbass punch compared to Buchardt?
He covered that. The Buchardt is going to have a lot more.
neither speaker is boosted in the midrange region.
Great review as always my dude. Question tho, will they sell them in single units too? Thinking they would be great as LCR's. btw, looks like they should make your list of best speaker of the year under $2k ✊🏼
Yes, you can purchase individually. Many folks are using the DWX for exactly what you are thinking of, a center channel in a HT with a pair of DW6's for L/R channels.
@@michaelwright1602 okay great. Thx for the info 👍🏼
Is this similar to something like a mofi 8?
They do seem to have a lot in common. I don't remember if he reviewed the Mofi 8's. Probably not.
I have not reviewed the mofi.
I’m not sure if anyone has mentioned it, but dude you really need to listen to the remixed new version of cruelty and the beast! It’s amazing.
oh really? Is that the current version on Tidal or is it an official remaster and titled that way? I feel like the double bass is still really undermixed.
Any chance Zu will let you review their floor standers?
He avoids reviewing towers.
bearclaw is correct.
correct! thank you!
What size room were they demoed in? Sorry if I missed it.
The room he's sitting in.
10x12 with 9ft ceilings, 12x14 if you count the hallway to my left.
@@NemoPropaganda Thank you!
Holly cow... These things are Big !..
big & beautiful :)
What is the finish on the model you are reviewing here?
That is the Rustic Hickory veneer. I have a pair in Black Hickory and a pair in Black Satin with black trim rings, they disappear in the room. Very cool speakers.
@@michaelwright1602 Thanks, I was wondering if they had a 'low viz' option for theater use.
@@bearclaw5115 Yes, the black satin and all black hardware, perfect for a theater room.
how large are these bookshelf speakers?
0:33
how is this compared to the atc scm11? thx
both are really good and somewhat similar in sound but the SCM11 has more refinement in the treble while the Zu is easier to drive and sounds larger. If you like one of them you'll most likely enjoy either one.
How is this compared to the Totem Bison Tower ?.
@@Miersemann hi bro, I don't review towers so I wouldn't know, also there is a really big price difference between the two, more than double!!
Comparison to KLH model 5?
Never heard it.
No comparison. I bought a pair of Zu Omen Dirty Weekends, the following day the KLH Model 5's were at UPS heading to the new owner in Ohio. I sold the Zu Omen's to a friend, who loves them, and purchased a pair of Zu DW6 Supremes.
@@michaelwright1602 it would be nice to blind a/b/x test with volume match for these and other similar price speakers. So much is placebo it's hard to discern.
@@trauma50disaster1 I hear you there. I just moved my Zu DW6 Supremes to my bedroom and replaced them with the Fyne F500SP that Nemo reviewed not long ago. Then I went and ordered the Cabasse Murano's along with the Cabasse Abyss Amp/Streamer/DSP integrated. I move a bit of gear through here, and my Zu's, if the day ever came, would be darn near impossible to part with. There is something special about them, and I do listen to them every night. They are fantastic low volume listening speakers, pair them up with a tube amp, vintage Sansui or a PS Audio Gaincell DAC/Preamp, and they are going to give more than a few speakers a run for their money. They really do perform at another level, and are simply a fun speaker. They really shine with Jazz and that genre, R&B, etc.
How are these for movies?
they're awesome for anything.
Thanks for your last comment on small rooms and neighbors. Good to know!
thank you for watching the entire vid :)
be cool to see these up against Tekton Dynamite monitors.
I don't think a tekton review is likely to happen from any reviewer given the recent drama. Tekton seems to take issue to any criticism and seems to like threatening lawsuites. I do not wish to work with a company like that.
Those are huge stand mount speakers.
Lintons are bigger
For once a American built speaker.
Don't forget about the Fritz Cabon I reviewed, that's another great american option, granted the Zu is coming in at a price point you usually just don't see for a made in USA speaker!
It's always funny to see folks talking about sounds. Lol😅 we used to walk into shops with many options and listen. I'd never buy based off a reviewer .
and vacuums used to be sold by door to door salesmen and you only bought one after an in home demo. gas used to be 50 cents and netflix used to be a rental service. the world changes my man but you know what stays the same? Someones always complaining about something...
"huge wide soundstage" well this and all other Zu speakers beam like crazy because of no crossover, and on its side it would be even worse.
Have you actually owned a pair or are you just following the cult-like habits of armchair audiophiles that regurgitate crap someone else said and don’t have any first hand experience? Honest question.
@@NemoPropaganda expectation bias is very powerful. the data shows that moving only slightly from these speakers will remove huge parts of the frequency range, and the room will reflect different sounds from the speaker. a 10" woofer must be crossed over around 1.5khz or lower to limit problems, thats just the way it is. which is why almost all speakers are 2 or -3way with a crossover
@@einarbk885 so you have not owned a pair nor heard a pair and you're just parroting like a typical cultist? Got it. You seem to believe what you read on the internet is more important than first hand experience, I call that spec whoring but by all means you do you and enjoy the hobby however you like but people who do that seem pretty bitter & jaded to the rest of us that are having fun with the hobby. Spend your money however you like, makes no difference to me but do remember this is all supposed to be fun.
@@NemoPropaganda i have tried multiple similar speakers, its not spec whoring. what you hear is very much aligned with measurements and when you blend in expectation bias a lot can happen. floyd toole has many pages of research on this in his book. i used to be there as a subjectivits, but after looking into what i hear and the speakers i owned i no longer believe this, but the salesman certainly want everybody to believe what they claim.
@@einarbk885 if that's how you enjoy the hobby that's okay with me sir. I don't think it's right to judge a speaker without hearing it but everyone is welcome to have their own journey in this hobby. Audio as a hobby is personal for everyone and I will continue to have my own journey and do things in the way that I like.
Danny Richie, GR Research, worst speakers he measured xD
I try not to speak poorly of those who appear to have special needs but Danny's opinion is not something I value. His statements are at minimum a massive conflict of interest and in extremely poor taste.
How would you rate these compared to the CSS Criton 1TDX, they are roughly close in price, again I know personal taste is a big grey area, just wondered what your thoughts were?
extremely different, polar opposites. CSS is much warmer overall, very strong bass, much harder to drive.
Extremely harder to drive.
I love my css criton 1TDX, but looking for something with a bigger sound and a bit less warm.
Any recommendations?@NemoPropaganda
@@anthonymiriello5029 The Zu DW's or DWX, they are so easy to drive. And gear will make a difference, I like a nice vintage receiver or tube amp with my DW6's. Another fantastic pairing with the Zu's is the PS Audio Stellar Gaincell DAC/Preamp, which can be found on the used market. My Zu's and that Gaincell DAC are two pieces I would be hard pressed to ever part with, they are that good.
how does this compare to mon audio platimon?
I don't compare products with such a vast difference in price. I do not believe any potential buyer for the Platimon is looking at anything 1/6th the price and I do not believe any potential buyer of the DWX is considering something 6x the price.
@@NemoPropaganda Yeh I understand your affordability point in conversation, but still I am curious to know purely from the qualitative point of sound not considering the price factor, would you recommend Platimon over DWX for someone who wants to listen to best of audio reproduction quality purly in an audiophile point of view because otherwise your review is limited and conditioned by financial considerations and not reflect the merits of a product in its ultimate reason of production when facing other options in the field. From another aspect as a reviewer of these products ultimately you make a contribution to industry and leave an identity of yourself behind hence extending your reach and capacity to the demands of the community would not do any harm for you or for the progress of the indiustry. There are various levels of audiophiles and your experience will help others making decisions. Thank you.