Quebec audiophile shows off his new Hi-Fi system, very expensive set up

[fpitas]

For all we know he assembled this system for the sole purpose of increasing engagement on his YouTube channel

Ding ding ding! More bling = more viewers.

 

[Mart68]

Makes me wonder how this type of consumerism and display affects happiness. Perhaps there is some deeper wisdom to be gained there. Do luxury items generally make us happy for any sustainable amount of time? Probably not.

Yes, 'Happiness'. As Dr Malfi points out, the Constitution only guarantees the pursuit of it.

I think people do get continual pleasure from owning luxury goods, that's maybe not the same as happiness.

 

[IAtaman]

Yes, 'Happiness'. As Dr Malfi points out, the Constitution only guarantees the pursuit of it.

I think people do get continual pleasure from owning luxury goods, that's maybe not the same as happiness.

Was just watching a Harvard Professor talking about that actually. Apparently, the high point of pleasure is when you are about to buy it, and the whole thing stops having any impact after 2-3 months tops. But since it is a dopamine hit, it actually increases your baseline dopamine levels, requiring you to have another fix more quickly, causing your overall happiness levels to drop off afterwards. It is no coincident many ancient "gurus" of various civilizations around the world point to having less as the way to happiness. Easier said than done though.

 

[MattHooper]

Are there though? Do we have data? I don't want to pick on Zu especially (I know one unhappy owner but UK owners are rare).

Well since I spend a lot more time still perusing or participating in the "subjective" forums I supposed I see a lot more feedback on such speakers. I've seen tons of very happy to thrilled Zu speaker owners. It's a divisive brand, tend to be in the "like it or don't" category, but those who do and purchase them seem mostly very happy.

A quick google pulls up:

Zu Audio Owners Thread

Well I thought there should be a ZU Audio Owners Thread to go a long with all the other owners threads including that other full range speaker company out of Utah, which I owned two different models from them. :) The M-Lores and the Pendragon's. But I have now switched camps and am the proud...

audiokarma.org

I first heard ZU Audio speakers a few years back at RMAF with Peachtree Audio amps. Was impressed from the beginning. I go to RMAF every year and ZU's room is one of the funnest and coolest rooms to visit at the show, after 2017's show, I really decided to give them a try in my own home. And I am sure glad that I did. I have a smile on my face every single time I play music now. I went a long time without playing 2 channel music because I had some bookshelf speakers that I was just not that happy with. Well I am back to enjoying music to it's fullest and then some. I am pulling out all my go to cd's that I know inside and out, at least I thought that I did, I am hearing some nuances that I didn't even know were there. I wanted to make this short because I can ramble on forever but I am loving theses speakers!

Sound. Well everything I want is there

And here are threads discussing Zu in which Zu owners express happiness with Zu speakers:

Audiogon Discussion Forum

I'll save a long backstory, but in short I've got the Zu Soul Supremes and I absolutely love them for what they do, at least in my relatively small (13x...

forum.audiogon.com

https://www.lencoheaven.net/forum/index.php?topic=21218.0

Audiogon Discussion Forum

I am interested in these speakers but a little skeptical of their claims on website eg10 inch driver has 11 versions of nano...

forum.audiogon.com

This is why I think it's just fine that there are speaker designers out there not just producing more me-too Harman Curve speakers, and that there are all sorts of approaches to please all sorts of people. I know some people would love it if every speaker sounded the same, but I personally enjoy the variety available.

 

[Sokel]

Well since I spend a lot more time still perusing or participating in the "subjective" forums I supposed I see a lot more feedback on such speakers. I've seen tons of very happy to thrilled Zu speaker owners. It's a divisive brand, tend to be in the "like it or don't" category, but those who do and purchase them seem mostly very happy.

A quick google pulls up:

Zu Audio Owners Thread

Well I thought there should be a ZU Audio Owners Thread to go a long with all the other owners threads including that other full range speaker company out of Utah, which I owned two different models from them. :) The M-Lores and the Pendragon's. But I have now switched camps and am the proud...

audiokarma.org

I first heard ZU Audio speakers a few years back at RMAF with Peachtree Audio amps. Was impressed from the beginning. I go to RMAF every year and ZU's room is one of the funnest and coolest rooms to visit at the show, after 2017's show, I really decided to give them a try in my own home. And I am sure glad that I did. I have a smile on my face every single time I play music now. I went a long time without playing 2 channel music because I had some bookshelf speakers that I was just not that happy with. Well I am back to enjoying music to it's fullest and then some. I am pulling out all my go to cd's that I know inside and out, at least I thought that I did, I am hearing some nuances that I didn't even know were there. I wanted to make this short because I can ramble on forever but I am loving theses speakers!

Sound. Well everything I want is there

And here are threads discussing Zu in which Zu owners express happiness with Zu speakers:

Audiogon Discussion Forum

I'll save a long backstory, but in short I've got the Zu Soul Supremes and I absolutely love them for what they do, at least in my relatively small (13x...

forum.audiogon.com

https://www.lencoheaven.net/forum/index.php?topic=21218.0

Audiogon Discussion Forum

I am interested in these speakers but a little skeptical of their claims on website eg10 inch driver has 11 versions of nano...

forum.audiogon.com

This is why I think it's just fine that there are speaker designers out there not just producing more me-too Harman Curve speakers, and that there are all sorts of approaches to please all sorts of people. I know some people would love it if every speaker sounded the same, but I personally enjoy the variety available.

Just a side note.
About 10 years ago at an audio show set-up was some Zu audio,"soul" something,coaxial if I remember well.
I asked to play my music (setup was a macbook with Audirvana) and the moment he read Richard Strauss on the screen he just stoped it and said it's not for that kind of music.

It was the first time in many audio shows someone said something like that to me and I just comfortably through anything about them into oblivion.

(the room right next to it had Wilsons driven by Ypsilon and we had fun there)

 

[fpitas]

it's not for that kind of music

That's funny!

 

[Sokel]

That's funny!

I'm usually very kind to people,but at that time didn't manage to hide the bitter smile.

 

[fpitas]

I'm usually very kind to people,but at that time didn't manage to hide the bitter smile.

Audiophiles seem to think "one trick pony" speakers are just fine. So, you're probably the only one there that rolled your eyes.

 

[Sokel]

Audiophiles seem to think "one trick pony" speakers are just fine. So, you're probably the only one there that rolled your eyes.

The audiophiles I know are about accurate life-like dynamic range,luckily.
That's were the money lies,not to the lonely guitar with someone "singing" with "S"s and loud "P's.

A decent system must be able to elevate even a simple play like this to heaven (that's where Elżbieta's voice belongs) if someone wants to once in a while.

 

[DonR]

Just a side note.
About 10 years ago at an audio show set-up was some Zu audio,"soul" something,coaxial if I remember well.
I asked to play my music (setup was a macbook with Audirvana) and the moment he read Richard Strauss on the screen he just stoped it and said it's not for that kind of music.

It was the first time in many audio shows someone said something like that to me and I just comfortably through anything about them into oblivion.

(the room right next to it had Wilsons driven by Ypsilon and we had fun there)

LOL! Too funny. Reminds of some of the cable hucksters that sell cables "For Classical", "For Rock", "For Jazz", etc.

 

[fpitas]

A decent system must be able to elevate even a simple play like this to heaven (that's where Elżbieta's voice belongs)

Speaking from experience, getting voices right (all voices, not just some male or female or genre) is one of the toughest parts of speaker design.

 

[MattHooper]

Audiophiles seem to think "one trick pony" speakers are just fine. So, you're probably the only one there that rolled your eyes.

If a loudspeaker sounds great, to you, with the music you like, what's wrong with that?

Also, I've seen Zu owners saying they enjoy any genre they play, including classical, chamber music etc.

Whether a loudspeakers is "good" for one genre or another is ultimately subjective. There are people who think Harbeth are just "pipe and slippers" speakers, only good for jazz and vocals. Whereas plenty of Harbeth owners chose the speakers precisely because they seemed well balanced on all genres of music.

So one person's "one trick pony" may be another person's "does pretty much everything right."

I try not to look down on the choices of others in this respect.

 

[fpitas]

If a loudspeaker sounds great, to you, with the music you like, what's wrong with that?

I design speakers; that's an incompetent speaker. YMMV, and all that.

 

[MattHooper]

I design speakers; that's an incompetent speaker. YMMV, and all that.

From your specific goal, sure.

But if a designer had the goal to make speaker that would tend to sound a bit more "exciting" to his ears, and for some listeners, and he succeeded, that's competency in design too.

There is no universal goal. Competency relates to specific goals.

 

[fpitas]

From your specific goal, sure.

But if a designer had the goal to make speaker that would tend to sound a bit more "exciting" to his ears, and for some listeners, and he succeeded, that's competency in design too.

There is no universal goal. Competency relates to specific goals.

I really don't care what some other guy thinks is a goal. I also don't lose sleep worrying what other people listen to.

 

[MattHooper]

I really don't care what some other guy thinks is a goal. I also don't lose sleep worrying what other people listen to.

Ok, then in the end I guess we agree that one needn't criticize a speaker design for being particularly pleasing to some with their music, that this is a valid design goal, and that they are valid options for audiophiles.

 

[fpitas]

Ok, then in the end I guess we agree that one needn't criticize a speaker design for being particularly pleasing to some with their music, that this is a valid design goal, and that they are valid options for audiophiles.

Sure. Have a 10 year old toss drivers in a box and put in a "crossover". As long as I don't have to pay for it, I'm fine.

 

[Killingbeans]

There is no universal goal. Competency relates to specific goals.

Yes, but if a person has the goal of sitting in a corner drooling, it doesn't really matter how competent he is at doing that.

The value of competency relates to the difficulty of achieving the goal, IMO. Designing an audio product, by banging rocks together and accidentally producing something that a groupe of people find enjoyable, is not admirable in my book.

I'm not surprised that the industry has chosen to brand audio reproduction as an art form. If it's art, then anything goes

 

[fpitas]

Yes, but if a person has the goal of sitting in a corner drooling, it doesn't really matter how competent he is at doing that.

The value of competency relates to the difficulty of achieving the goal, IMO. Designing an audio product, by banging rocks together and accidentally producing something that a groupe of people find enjoyable, is not admirable in my book.

I'm not surprised that the industry has chosen to brand audio reproduction as an art form. If it's art, then anything goes

But advertising copy...that they can do really well!

 

[Mart68]

Well since I spend a lot more time still perusing or participating in the "subjective" forums I supposed I see a lot more feedback on such speakers. I've seen tons of very happy to thrilled Zu speaker owners. It's a divisive brand, tend to be in the "like it or don't" category, but those who do and purchase them seem mostly very happy.

A quick google pulls up:

Zu Audio Owners Thread

Well I thought there should be a ZU Audio Owners Thread to go a long with all the other owners threads including that other full range speaker company out of Utah, which I owned two different models from them. :) The M-Lores and the Pendragon's. But I have now switched camps and am the proud...

audiokarma.org

I first heard ZU Audio speakers a few years back at RMAF with Peachtree Audio amps. Was impressed from the beginning. I go to RMAF every year and ZU's room is one of the funnest and coolest rooms to visit at the show, after 2017's show, I really decided to give them a try in my own home. And I am sure glad that I did. I have a smile on my face every single time I play music now. I went a long time without playing 2 channel music because I had some bookshelf speakers that I was just not that happy with. Well I am back to enjoying music to it's fullest and then some. I am pulling out all my go to cd's that I know inside and out, at least I thought that I did, I am hearing some nuances that I didn't even know were there. I wanted to make this short because I can ramble on forever but I am loving theses speakers!

Sound. Well everything I want is there

And here are threads discussing Zu in which Zu owners express happiness with Zu speakers:

Audiogon Discussion Forum

I'll save a long backstory, but in short I've got the Zu Soul Supremes and I absolutely love them for what they do, at least in my relatively small (13x...

forum.audiogon.com

https://www.lencoheaven.net/forum/index.php?topic=21218.0

Audiogon Discussion Forum

I am interested in these speakers but a little skeptical of their claims on website eg10 inch driver has 11 versions of nano...

forum.audiogon.com

This is why I think it's just fine that there are speaker designers out there not just producing more me-too Harman Curve speakers, and that there are all sorts of approaches to please all sorts of people. I know some people would love it if every speaker sounded the same, but I personally enjoy the variety available.

Audiokarma is within my orbit

This user loves them but makes a comment that you see a variation of quite often, not just re: Zu, but in relation to many other speakers with 'enhanced' midrange and other alternative approaches:

''Source Quality - here comes the double edged sword - source material quality really starts to become apparent.''

Zu Audio Omen Dirty Weekends

Great looking speakers, Greg. I'd love to swing by for a listen one day :) -Steven I'd be glad to have you over Steven. Maybe I can host a mini-RCA meeting soon and set the Omen's up for everyone to hear.

audiokarma.org