Zu DWX, a TOTAL KNOCKOUT! 

It bothers me when people claim the Zu as a 1-way speaker with a super tweeter. I have disconnected the tweeter on my DWs, and the highs COMPLETELY go away! The tweeters only have a capacitor on them, and roll off at 6 dB/oct. So if they crossover at 12kHz, then they are just 6dB down at 6k. That's still a LOT of information coming from the very important horn tweeter. I upgraded the standard cap to a Clarity cap, and I did notice an improvement.

I almost got nervous, but then Steve reassured me. There would be a viewer system of the day.

I feel like I shouldn’t have to spend extra to get well matched drivers. If you’re going to manufacture speakers that should be a key part of the process. Kinda suggests that the”base” model may not be up to scratch.

Really neat! Reminds me of the type of loudspeakers I was building in the early 70's but updated with new materials and likely employing computer-aided design and measurement. As a matter-of-fact, I even utilized the same brand of drivers! That philosophy--even used earlier in the 50's--was to use a full range, high efficiency driver with a fairly light cone and a whizzer to cover most if not all of the range, then add with a tweeter/super tweeter to extend the top end. Complex crossover networks are avoided. Typically this also results in an easy load for amplifiers to drive. High amplifier power isn't really needed. Should be a nice match with a tube amp. Great to see that they're 95% made in USA. Nice!

Whenever I play this Goldfinger pressing with Zu DW & SIT3 combo, I hear a growl in Shirley’s voice. The pressing is excellent in the first place, a sheer pleasure to listen to

I have owed a pair of Tokyo Frost Druids from 2006 and have enjoyed them very much. Then.... late last year I upgradeded the stock Tweeters with the latest ASD-101 Waveguides and they bloomed open like a Tulip greeting the Sun. The stock 10" Driver is still on duty. Maybe I will upgrade that but for the meantime, they sound so good, I just listen to the Music. The Tweeters uprades created a completely new set of Druids, the new tweetere are fantastic, clear, smooth and delicate.

Steve, thank you for all the amazing work you have done over the years. I have read you and now watch you. I am on the verge of changing some things around. I am making a listening room, library kind of room at my home. At the moment I have a Rotel Tribute amp that I really enjoy. But, I am wondering what you're advice would be. Would Zu speakers work with my Rotel Tribute amp? Thanks again for all you do!

Thanks for the great review! I'm really curious about zu speakers but haven't taken the plunge yet. Also, you mentioned the isle of view lp...I hadn't listened to that in a long time...had to get it out again. Very nice!

Great review as usual! I really enjoy my Zu Omen II with a Triode Labs EL84TT. It's a triode, push-pull, EL84 integrated that was made a couple years back in Canada. I think it's the perfect amp for Zu speakers in a small room. I still need to hear a Decware, but I'm thinking of the Torii Jr. for something with a little more power. The Zu may end up in my living room as I hear they would really benefit from the bigger space, but I know 6 watts won't be enough out there.

Book shelf… large book shelf.. small stand mounts … large stand mounts… Somewhere in between all of this, we discover a critical design choice. The popular hifi bookshelf …. Intense bracing to allow 86 db 6.5” drivers deliver. This requires a very powerful amplifier. Now we find the 8 ohm high sensitivity speakers trying to slide into a market as large book shelf or stand mount speakers. Ok… but let’s all truly define the difference.

amazing design and great price!! This is the way to go!! 🙌

Amazing system of the day! Wow, that’s a true thing of beauty. 🔊🎶💜

So good to see really nice and affordable products made in the US. For a big company, the only reason to make such a thing in China, is to press more margin to give it to the shareholders.

Good review, Steve! A question: did you use any amps from your Nelson Pass amp stack with the Zu’s? My older pair of Zu’s (DW Omen Mk.II) really come to life with the First Watt J-2. Thanks Steve.

Just so you know I just bought a pair of DWXs, after hearing them at the Southwest Audio Fest today. Just for your information, the price difference of $200 is before shipping, the difference after shipping is $300 to my location. Thank you for introducing me to Zu Audio.

The reason for DWX is that you can imitate the Definition speakers very well with two Undertone subwoofers and 4 overlapping speakers, and you can also arch them bluntly when you overlap them.

I have space constraints that the DWX would fit And the front port is especially welcome, as well as the orientation flexibility. Does Decware have an amp one or two levels above the Zen Triode? I'm not after anything ultimate, maybe just one or two steps above entry level. Love the 95 dB sensitivity !!!

I have always wanted to have some ZU speakers. The advantage of these bookshelf ones is that I can import them through my forwarder to South America by plane. The freight cost of the floorstanders would be impossible to pay.

No one compares to SG Simply the best reviewer out here . I really must get to hear these speakers again recommended by my dealer 10 years ago and I opted for B&Ws as they were the bigger brand name , I should have been braver bought the Zu . Cheers for the reviews 👍

Thanks Steve for another great presentation. I got the DW6 based on your previous video, and just a word of advice: these things HAVE TO BREAK IN, and they go through various phases as they break in, probably more so than any speaker I've ever had. And I've owned about 25 speakers over the last 45 years! Before break-in, you'd think they suck. Once broken in, very satisfying. No, they aren't "better" than my Devore Super 9s, just different. Both play the tunes and keep the beat, as Art Dudley used to say. Both connect you to the music. The Devores have greater scale and impact. But compare the price.

Be cool to see them compared to the Mofi Point Source 10, way different prices but look similar in size. Are the Mofi’s worth the more money?

I recall the big stanmpunt speakers of Lo-D HS400. 2 way by Hitachi. I regret everyday that I didn't buy those speakers. I tested it with a LSA 3350 15watt amplifier. It sounded great. I wanted to buy the set but could only afford the amp that time. By the time I saved up for the speaker it was sold.

Nice to use different amps but since you mentioned being able to turn them upside down or tweeter inside outside that would have been important. Large standmounts can't usually do that. How does that affect the soundstage? I think 3,4,5 inches is too much leeway from being level with the main driver. More like half to one and a half inches max. Also speaker can be slightly tilted upwards, usually easier than slightly tilting the listener 😅. Hey I resemble that! Love the all american vibe, but really it's about great drivers and these are impressive for the price regardless. I've seen Elvis many times, always a super show, he is a prostate cancer survivor which is about all we have in common 😮. I loved his tv show from about 10 years ago. I think there are episodes on yt.

I gave the dirty weekends a try. While I wasn't fully satisfied with the sound, I was very satisfied with the customer service. They answered every question and gave me plenty of suggestions. In the end it didn't work out, but I returned them and got a full refund minus the original shipping. Very professional.

Very cool Steve and you had me at jazz side of the Moon 👍🎷

I currently have JBL L7 speakers that now are in need of refoam and new tweeters. I was looking at other speakers, but forums I went on all said to rebuild mine because nothing under $4,000 each would come close to what I have. But now I curious about these ZU DWX, so I'm confused as to what to do. What I did notice about the ZU DWX speakers is that they are only 36" tall, wouldn't they sound better on speaker stands to bring the speaker to ear level?

After your Pure Audio Project Duet15 review I really wanted a pair, but the $6,500 price tag is a little out of my range. I know it's not a fair comparison, but what would I be losing if I got a pair of ZU DWX or DW6's instead? I like the efficiency aspect of these, and I think they would go well with the rest of my gear.

Thanks Steve! Interesting stuff!

Thanks for the insights in this review. I have an off axis listening area and need to find speakers I can place on actual bookshelf close to back wall (can't place on floor) so looking at the DWX or MoFi Sourcepoint 8 for sideways placement. Wondering if anyone has any thoughts on which of these two might be more ideal for my placement and room. Room is 15 x 20 and looking for speaker that are good for off axis (no triangle seating position) and need speakers the play well at low volumes as well as high. I know the SP8 is not out yet but anyone who has heard the SP 10 vs. DW6 perhaps would have insight that can guide me.

Excellent review as usual. Your upgraded Zu DWXs bring the price point to $2k a pair.....closer to the KEF R3 Metas. How do they compare? Thanks.

Switzerland rocking a fine system of the day! 😮

I need the bookshelf flexibility. So I’m ordering these over the floor stander.

Steve, what about using the DWX as a studio monitor - style speaker?

I have a toddler now, so my tower speakers may need to make their way out of my main listening room. Perhaps there is a way to mount these on my wall?

How well are the cabinets made?

Setting the height of the speakers is dependent on the box and design. Set them too low and your sound image will be as if it's half in the floor. I would argue tweaking the height is the most important of any speaker. Get that part right, and it doesn't matter if you sit or stand up. It's the same with this sort if 'golden rule' that your tweeters should be on ear height. In my experience that is so not correct.-> Sound image= absolute. A vocalist for example should not be floating somewhere in the room , or somewhere near the floor. It's dependent on the dispersion of the drivers, so invest your time in the proper height for said speaker. The vocalist, in most cases , is standing during recording. Get the height right, and personal taste (width and toe-in) comes after that.

Hi Steve, How would you compare this to the much more expensive Pearl Acoustics Sibelius. Grtz Phil

As I am sure you are aware, as drivers become larger, the frequency at which they start beaming becomes lower. At 10" the woofer starts beaming at ~850 hz. This combined with the distance between the acoustic centers of the 2 drivers would have a tendency to make the vertical off axis response be a little wonky. The reason for this comment is to potentially explain your comment about standing & sitting. Of course beaming has benefits for the single listener in the sweet spot, but it could be less advantageous for someone trying to provide good listening to a larger number of positions..

I wonder how the speakers would compare to the harbeth 5s?

I just took delivery of the DW6's with the Supreme upgrade package and they do nothing but continue to impress me. I have a pair of the, circa 2017, Zu Omen Dirty Weekends and they sound fantastic. But, these new DW6's are walking all over them. Everything is better across the board, I honestly was not expecting this huge of an improvement over my Omens, but they did it. These new DW6 speakers disappear in the room, where the Omens, due to their finicky nature, it was difficult to do. And the soundstage, it is so much larger, I am hearing things behind and around me, these DW6's are three dimensional and holographic in the way they present the sound. I am simply blown away at what these babies can do. And here is my secret sauce to that sound... I'm using a vintage 1970 Sansui 4000 stereo receiver, streaming with a, don't laugh, WiiM Pro through a PS Audio GainCell DAC/Preamp to the AUX in on the Sansui. A Mofi StudioDeck is spinning the vinyl, using the internal phono stage on the Sansui. The Sansui creates deep incredible bass, with a very airy tube like sound in the midrange. The top end is so sweet, no harshness, none of that modern sterility, but very detailed and so sweet to the ears. The Sansui and Zu's were built for each other. The bass that both of the Zu's can produce is much lower than what the specs say, it has to be. I simply cannot get over how Zu did this. I have two SVS SB-3000 subs, and I really do not need them. I can turn them off, and they are set so low right now, nearly zeroed out, and the Zu's alone can rattle the cabinet glass in my dining room. And when I say rattle, I am only playing at less than quarter volume. I am not playing these loud at all to get this kind of sound out of them. And it is NOT a muddy or boomy bass, it is how I perceive the bass should sound. It is tight and fast where it should be, and deep and low when it needs to be. It is the Sansui doing this, my modern gear could not even come close to doing what this 53 yo Sansui can do.

Country of Origin: USA (>95%)...Now that's what I am talking about. Hey Steve, what's your take on the MoFi SourcePoint 10 compared to the ZU DWX?

As you know, isolation makes such a difference to speakers' coherence and punch. My speakers benefited so much from Townshend podiums. I wonder if you might consider reviewing them or at least discussing the subject in a video. Thanks, Steve.

Does the Zu loose resolution when the music gets busy? I have noticed that full range drivers play simple music, like solo voice or solo voice with guitar, very well but complex music with a lot of things going on blurs the resolution a bit compared to 2 or 3 way speaker.

Love Zu and Co. Love the mgmt

I'm seriously considering these DWXs, any body have thoughts on speaker stands, as they are larger & heavier than most bookshelf speakers?

Steve, Is the DW6 good for near field as well?

Oh the system of the day is spectacular!

Speaker stand suggestions?

Thanks, Steve for the great review. I really liked your comparisons between the DWX and the DW6. I agree with you leaning toward the DW6 because it seems to offer more performance for the $.

I like they front ported it. Makes placement a bit easier.

My hearing only goes to 12kHz. Is there an option without the super tweeter?

ZU better get ready for a lotta orders for those speakers, especially after this great review, the more than reasonable cost, their high impedance and sensitivity (easy to drive), etc. I haven’t had speaker upgraditis since buying my Pendragons about 4 yrs ago, but I may have to add a pair of these DWX’s to my speaker arsenal… They seem to be right up my alley. Thanks, Steve! Fantastic review. 👍🔊😊🎶

Would the Paraound Hint 6 solid-state amplifier be a good match for the Zu DWX? And did I miss how far they should be from the front wall?

That connector is not proprietary to Zu. It's called a SpeakOn and it's widely used in the pro audio world.

Steve - I would almost guarantee you and I can't hear anything that the super-tweeter produces. What do you think?

Steve, my RP-600M's are sitting here glaring at you after overhearing that review. 😉

Gotta have nothin but love for ZU. These guys really are a rare gem of a brand when you look at the US audio industry as a whole.

I have that Goldfinger record! a hand down from my pops (RIP).

How does mounting work? Are those like special tripods?

Is it worth it to get the superfly or premium package?

How do these compare to KEF R3 META?

I only recently learned about Zu and both the DW6 and DWX speakers, but everything I hear says I should replace my speakers. They're not even a year old haha.

ESG right on!----Erase you, just like a "drawring" 🖤

👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻👏🏻 another fine review with as many options as the Zu Speaker has itself

Why would one choose a huge "standmount" speaker over the "tower" version when they take up the same amount of space?

makes me want to build an Eminence DIY

If I were to be building a 300 B system, why would I want these speakers that are $200 less than the floor standers? Makes no sense to me.

When did a regular Speakon connector become Zu?!

Steve were you able to play these driven by the Sarah?

Would have been curious to hear them with the Emotiva TA-2 instead of the Denon.

This review is a bit confusing because the pricing given is for the basic unit but this unit is over 2k with all the upgrades…like combine it with this cheap amp and you have a great system for under 2k…but I’m not reviewing the stock version so I’m guessing it’s still great??

Wouldn't the speakon connector prohibit you from correcting an out of phase system.

What amps would you recommend for Zu speakers in general?

Wonderful review. Ever come across the Astell & Kern SP3000 portable digital audio player ($3700)? I would love to know what you think about the current "state of the art" capabilities of portable audio systems and their integration with home systems :)

allright steve! playing esg. proper downtown newyork music. moody!

Sweet! A new speaker video by Steve!

When Steve said that the DWX were more satisfying at a louder volume, is he saying they are not for low volume listeners? Can anyone who has these speakers address this issue further?

Knockout compared to what speakers?

What does “listen for wetness” mean?

Oh shit , ESG is so old NYC 👍

There is no replacement for displacement in woofer size!

why you not say what it is? it's a speakon connector what can take up to 8 connectors in one connector

92db 1 watt is not = to horns even if the speaker is kind of cool.

Mouth watering after 20 seconds, I keep on listening....

What was your favorite amp with the DWX? Is that Billie the MKII?

can't get the point of a smaller version which in fact is bigger or at least taller than the bigger brother while on a stand

I have to ask, why do some people say Tekton and Zu are not the real deal and compare them to Bose? I have never heard them myself, but they are curious to me. The same people say Ascend is great.

Nice

Just like a Guitar amp ... needs a break in period ,it's up to U what that time is

Should be sold individually, for lack of a dedicated Omen Center.

The Zu better than the LS50 Meta ? 🤔

Some of your records maybe sold about 10 worldwide

Is this "The New Zu Review"? For those who don't get the above reference, here is an excerpt from the current version of a Wikipedia article on the topic, which states that the, "New Zoo Revue is an American half-hour children's television show that ran in first-run syndication from 1972 to 1977."

With a name like Zu I was under the impression it was made in China..

Lost complete interest in the speaker when you said it crosses so high, I don't like speakers that beam like this... that speaker would have to be aimed at your head all the time or you would miss out in frequencies. I like to walk around the room some when listening to music not stand in one single spot. They made a unique speaker that is not practical.

Tried Zu DW II. They say you'll love/hate Zu, and their right. After living with a pair for a month, I came to the conclusion - I hate their sound. Its inarticulate, coloured, missing coherence and boomy. I'd rather have a pair of Cerwin Vega bangers if you want impact and loud with better coherence. I just don't get Zu - they want too much money and I feel they are niche for the hard of hearing. There are many many better options. Almost anything from ELAC spings to mind. /soapbox

Centre channel speaker? Seriously? That thing is huge. I don’t think Zu intends these as AV system speakers. And putting them on their sides, or upside down? Seriously. Are you sure you didn’t dip into the special sauce before doing this review Steve??

So 3 of them would work in a audio/home theater system, or as a center with 2 DW6's?

Drivers Made 30mins from my house , Built ole skool ' Now Automated robotics Systems building these Emenece KY Drivers 😃 Thanks Steve ' 🇺🇸 Did you Port Plugs ' ?

I would love to see some measurements! Using massive 10 inch both for high frequencies up to 12kHz and without any low pass filter is just very well thought threw design. Oh, try the vertical off axis response with non coaxial tweeter switched to at 12 kHz. What exactly do you mean 'the speakers do dynamic range so good'? Really puzzled by the review. Why don't we just buy a Bluetooth speaker and call it a day.