MASSIVE Value! Zu Audio DWX Review!! 

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

yes sir! super cool people.

thank you bro, glad you enjoyed it!

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!

I’m considering the DW6. What type of amp are you using with yours?

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 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.

you been subbed for 2 years, you know I don't get technical :)

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.

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 🙏🏼

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!!

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.

for now I can tell you the finish is insanely good looking!!!!!!!!

@@NemoPropaganda had already kind of figured that out 😀

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 👌

mmm, not sure, I have not received the buchardt sub yet.

I generally don't review larger items like towers or big subwoofers.

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.

big & beautiful :)

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.

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

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.

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 👍🏼

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.

thank you for watching the entire vid :)

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.

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.

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 RU-vid 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

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!

I don't think so, the size is prohibitive for my current review process.

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

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!

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.

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.

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?

@@robparker5525 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 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.

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.

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!!

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!

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 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👌

Measurements and Zu's, no clue, and I am a fan of Danny over at GR Research, I have his kit for my Maggie LRS+ speakers. The Zu's are a magical speaker that sound incredible with the right gear. I like el84 tubes and vintage gear the best. They can be very very detailed, with incredible instrument placement and separation. The soundstage can be very holographic or three dimensional if done right. And it does not take much to get them there. I would not be concerned about measurements unless you have one messed up listening area to deal with.

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 ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-MLr74f-d0_k.htmlsi=3ruiMMzelVsWIXGX

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 :)

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 .

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!

Lintons are bigger

He avoids reviewing towers.

bearclaw is correct.

correct! thank you!

hard to say, one mans nuance difference can be a night & day difference to another man.

He covered that. The Buchardt is going to have a lot more.

neither speaker is boosted in the midrange region.

I have not.

0:33

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.

The room he's sitting in.

10x12 with 9ft ceilings, 12x14 if you count the hallway to my left.

@@NemoPropaganda Thank you!

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.

Never heard it.

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.

they're awesome for anything.

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!

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.

extremely different, polar opposites. CSS is much warmer overall, very strong bass, much harder to drive.

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.