XTZ 99.25 LCR Measurements

[Weeb Labs]

Greetings!

This is my first thread here on ASR, so I would like for it to contribute something useful. These are my on-axis and off-axis frequency response measurements of the XTZ 99.25 LCRs. As they are a relatively obscure speaker, it is my hope that these might be of some help to prospective buyers.

These measurements are a composite of near field (100-300Hz) and gated methods, as I do not have a Klippel NFS or anechoic chamber. For the same reason, 100Hz was as low as I could reliably measure. Smoothing is 1/24.

I will soon be adding directivity and harmonic distortion charts as well. Next week, I may have access to a pair of Wharfedale EVO 4.4s for measurement and listening.

Thank you for reading.

Best regards,

Troy (Otaku+)

 

[ernestcarl]

Greetings!

This is my first thread here on ASR, so I would like for it to contribute something useful. These are my on-axis and off-axis frequency response measurements of the XTZ 99.25 LCRs. As they are a relatively obscure speaker, it is my hope that these might be of some help to prospective buyers.

View attachment 80351

These measurements are a composite of near field (100-300Hz) and gated methods, as I do not have a Klippel NFS or anechoic chamber. For the same reason, 100Hz was as low as I could reliably measure. I will soon be adding directivity and harmonic distortion charts as well.

Thank you for reading.

Best regards,

Troy (Otaku+)

Thank you.

BTW, it would be helpful if you added 'legends' so we know what colored curve is exactly.

 

[Weeb Labs]

Thank you.

BTW, it would be helpful if you added 'legends' so we know what colored curve is exactly.

Yes, I should definitely have done so. I will update it shortly. The curves are zero, 15, 30 and 45 degrees respectively.

 

[Jonasz]

I predict some upper midrange lower hf distortion in this one.

 

[AnalogSteph]

I predict some upper midrange lower hf distortion in this one.

That would be pretty much par for the course for a ribbon tweeter. Well, at least that range would probably be a bit underrepresented in a lot of surroundings (unless kept well away from side walls), and ceiling reflections should be less critical than average...

 

[Weeb Labs]

Indeed. When pairing ribbons with midbass drivers in the absence of a dedicated midrange, one of those drivers will often be in breakup at the crossover and the 99.25s are no exception. This was what piqued my interest in the EVO 4.4s and 4.2s.

 

[A Surfer]

I had a set of XTZ Bluetooth headphones with Dirac. Mostly a positive experience.

 

[EEG]

Indeed. When pairing ribbons with midbass drivers in the absence of a dedicated midrange, one of those drivers will often be in breakup at the crossover and the 99.25s are no exception. This was what piqued my interest in the EVO 4.4s and 4.2s.

You can put theese on the interest list too
Castle Avon 2
Castle Avon 4
https://castle.uk.com/avon-series/
Made in the same factory as the Wharfedales. Ribbons instead of AMT-s. And transmission line .
Im also interested in the XTZ 99.25. I found a a showroom presentation pair at 600 euros.
The HF tunning with the jumpers seems a very interesting feature.

 

[pozz]

Welcome. Nice first post.

Could you please repost the graph with the SPL limited to a 50dB range?

What kind of microphone are you using?

 

[Weeb Labs]

Welcome. Nice first post.

Could you please repost the graph with the SPL limited to a 50dB range?

What kind of microphone are you using?

Thank you. Here is an updated chart with 50dB range and legends. I am using a UMIK-1 (with calibration).

 

[EEG]

where did you put the HF jumpers at the back for the measurements?

 

[Weeb Labs]

where did you put the HF jumpers at the back for the measurements?

All jumpers were removed, which is the neutral setting. This is the configuration which I normally use for listening.

 

[EEG]

I was focused too on evo 4.2. Today a local dealear adviced me to avoid Wharfedales or Quads .The reason is the chi-fi factor of theese speakers. I kinda disagree with that opinion so I will make an audition the next days.

 

[Weeb Labs]

I was focused too on evo 4.2. Today a local dealear adviced me to avoid Warfedales or Quads .The reason is the chi-fi factor of theese speakers. I kinda disagree with that opinion so I will make an audition the next days.

A speaker either performs well or it doesn't. The location of its manufacture has no direct bearing on this. Perhaps they were hoping to upsell you?

 

[EEG]

Nope ,I dont think so. They recommended me Dali Opticon , at same prices as the Wharfedales. Opticon 6 standfloors ,with dual tweeter(dome plus ribbon).

 

[A Surfer]

Anybody who tries to tell you that just because a speaker is made in China that it should be avoided is very ignorant and I would have zero confidence in anything they said from that point onward. The days of Chinese made gear being inferior is long over. Without question quite a bit of the finest quality audio products produced on the planet are made in China. I would actually have more confidence in a speaker from a reputable company made in China than in most western settings. China has the very best production facilities, a large and well trained, skilled labour force and the motivation to excel. We in the west may not like to admit it, but China is in the drivers seat because they did what they needed to do to get a leg up.

Western nations wanted China to just be a drone nation with unskilled labour except to produce the goods we needed. We didn't want them to become as good as they did and to build so many modern production facilities while our factories aged and closed, but it happened. Not saying I am a fan of the Chinese political or social order, but when it comes to their ability to produce quality goods, of that I have no doubt.

 

[EEG]

B&W makes the whole range of their speakers in China. Very good products.
Hegel amplifiers are made in China too. I have a H90 which is a nice unit. It performs very well .
I guess 90% of the world wide electronics come from Shenzhen region.
Many people think at China with the Akai like products in their head. The new Akai. It's a mistake.
I said earlier I disagee with that opinion so I will make an audition with Wharfedales ,Quads and Castle Avon speakers.

 

[thewas]

B&W makes the whole range of their speakers in China.

Not their top 800 series, but their China produced series are qualitatively fine.
China like every other country can produce nowadays thanks to modern standardised manufacturing and quality control processes any asked quality level.

 

[q3cpma]

Not their top 800 series, but their China produced series are qualitatively fine.
China like every other country can produce nowadays thanks to modern standardised manufacturing and quality control processes any asked quality level.

While I don't doubt that, you have to admit that a company trying to save every penny by outsourcing manufacture even at the cost of transport doesn't look like it'll spend a lot on QC (at least for this line/model).
Actually, I don't even know if doing it properly in China is that cost effective.

And while this may be heretical to some, I do think that some people like the Japaneses or the Germans with a strong culture of perfectionism are very suited for making "expensive" stuff.

 

[thewas]

While I don't doubt that, you have to admit that a company trying to save every penny by outsourcing manufacture even at the cost of transport doesn't look like it'll spend a lot on QC (at least for this line/model).

I think these two can and should be quite independent factors.

And while this may be heretical to some, I do think that some people like the Japaneses or the Germans with a strong culture of perfectionism are very suited for making "expensive" stuff.

In a modern production line personal perfection of the worker doesn't and shouldn't play a role, that's why standardised production and QC are for. Perfection plays rather a part in the engineering/design which is still often done in your mentioned countries, although nowadays also South Korea and China have very good engineer(s)(ing) like of course also other classic industrial countries like USA, UK, IT, FR etc., their problems rather lie in the cost cutting forced from other departments.

Not that it would be statistically relevant but funnily the only expensive electronic product I bought in the last 20 years that failed was a Canon camera made in Japan.