XTZ Tune 4 - anyone has these?

[nat1]

I'm looking for some active/powered speakers that have a sub output, to use nearfield with a subwoofer which I already have.

Came across these https://www.xtzsound.eu/product/tune-4?technical which seem to have pretty good specs on paper, 52hz -3 point for a 4 inch woofer seems really good, , and the manufacturer supplied FR graph looks fine, although they don't have very detailed measurements.

 

[AnalogSteph]

These guys may have a sub out, but considering the price a passive 2nd order woofer/tweeter crossover seems kinda lame. (The electronics must be rather basic.) No specs on max levels. At least they shouldn't have any super major hiss problems like that.

 

[nat1]

Yeah, 12db order slopes are disappointing, and I scoured the internet and found one site that showed internals and I spotted ChengX caps on the PSU, that's really unfortunate

(from technic3d. but no measurements)



I personally narrowed my options down to Eve SC203, Genelec 8020, XTZ Tune 4, Neumann KH80. From measurements the Genelec 8020 doesn't seem worth it since it is priced so close to the Neumann (in the UK) and measures worse in every way, I will have to buy a minidsp 2x4 if I buy monitors without sub out/high pass

 

[DanielT]

Found a used pair at a really good price. I couldn't resist buying them. My idea is to use them via the bluetooth function together with a subwoofer when I watch movies on my tablet. BUT I couldn't resist hooking them up with a pair of Peerless SLS 10" bass drivers. I set the crossover at 350 Hz, 24 dB (HP-LP ) slop filter via an active crossover. Then changed to 240 Hz because those bass boxes are not, right now, filled with enough damping material to put out, dampen a little higher frequencies. I don't want to reduce the SLS10 basses efficiency in their lower bass area hence less damping material. A compromise, as usual, in other words. For the XTZ Tune 4 speakers, I hear no difference if they work with frequencies starting at 350 Hz or 240 Hz.

At the moment, signal input from a CD player (I have found older non-loudness war destroyed CDs at a flea market, I will maybe later burn the discs), an HK 670 amplifier drives the SLS10 basses. I have also tested with streamed music and a Topping E30 DAC. It also works well.
Subjectively, I think it sounds good.


XTZ Tune 4 and a 12 dB slope on filters do not in themselves mean anything bad.It depends on the construction and that shows up when you measure....the FR.

XTZ and component quality in the active amplifier, crossover in XTZ Tune 4 then? In any case, they can build amplifiers:

Class AP100

www.xtzhifi.com

Or this ICEpower-based amplifier.

XTZ Edge A2-300 – Powerful stereo amplifier for Hi-Fi and home theater

The XTZ EDGE A2-300 is a compact 2-channel power amplifier delivering 2 x 300 W into 4 ohms with high damping and 113 dB dynamic range. Built on ICEpowers HCOM Class-D platform it offers wide bandwidth low distortion and fast transient response for clear dynamic sound with ultra-low noise. Its...

www.xtzsound.eu

Edit
It is messy in the attached pictures. That's because it's rigged to test.

 

[DanielT]

.... which seem to have pretty good specs on paper, 52hz -3 point for a 4 inch woofer seems really good, , and the manufacturer supplied FR graph looks fine, although they don't have very detailed measurements.

Well, at lower volume it might be possible to get something like that (or the feeling of it), but of course it is not possible to get that 50 Hz bass pumped pressure in them that you get in larger drivers/speakers. It is physically impossible to push them to it. XTZ Tune 4 are small speakers.

But as you say, you have a subwoofer, so then it's solved. Just try to cut off so XTZ Tune 4 doesn't have to work with the lowest frequencies. So they don't sweat and you reduce the risk of them distorting.
____
Yes, I'm aware that the OP's starter post was written almost three years ago so this may not be relevant anymore.

 

[DanielT]

After using them for a while, I say like Amir in this test with fairly similar small low-powered active speakers.:

Just keep your expectations low as far as playback level.

Edifier MR4 Review (Budget Monitor)

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Edifier MR4 powered "studio" monitor (speaker). It was sent to me by the company and costs US $130. This is a very small speaker. It looks larger in the marketing material. You can easily carry it with one hand. I was impressed by the use of...

audiosciencereview.com

Edifier MR4's amp: 42 W RMS. XTZ Tune 4 amp: 50 W RMS.
You might think it should be enough for near-field listening, and it does. EXCEPT when using Bluetooth. Sometimes the XTZ Tune 4's maximum level can only reach a bit above normal listening volume and then I still have the speakers placed close to me.It works but there is no headroom. I do not know in and of itself if it is weak Bluetooth signal sent out from my Tablet. Bluetooth is not something I normally use otherwise, so I have limited Bluetooth gadgets to compare with.

Analog input, where I can adjust the input level to the XTZ Tune 4 speakers via a active crossover. Then I can play really loud. A good bit above normal listening volume then.

Whether the Edifier MR4 also has the same modest SPL I don't know but I can suspect it, given what Amir says. I don't know if Amir tested the Edifier MR4's SPL using Bluetooth.

In any case, at normal volume, together with a sub via sub out on the XTZ Tune 4, it's perfect for some Youtube surfing, maybe watching a movie in bed with a Tablet.

 

[LTig]

After using them for a while, I say like Amir in this test with fairly similar small low-powered active speakers.:

Just keep your expectations low as far as playback level.

Edifier MR4 Review (Budget Monitor)

This is a review and detailed measurements of the Edifier MR4 powered "studio" monitor (speaker). It was sent to me by the company and costs US $130. This is a very small speaker. It looks larger in the marketing material. You can easily carry it with one hand. I was impressed by the use of...

audiosciencereview.com

Edifier MR4's amp: 42 W RMS. XTZ Tune 4 amp: 50 W RMS.
You might think it should be enough for near-field listening, and it does. EXCEPT when using Bluetooth. Sometimes the XTZ Tune 4's maximum level can only reach a bit above normal listening volume and then I still have the speakers placed close to me.It works but there is no headroom. I do not know in and of itself if it is weak Bluetooth signal sent out from my Tablet. Bluetooth is not something I normally use otherwise, so I have limited Bluetooth gadgets to compare with.

Analog input, where I can adjust the input level to the XTZ Tune 4 speakers via a active crossover. Then I can play really loud. A good bit above normal listening volume then.

Whether the Edifier MR4 also has the same modest SPL I don't know but I can suspect it, given what Amir says. I don't know if Amir tested the Edifier MR4's SPL using Bluetooth.

In any case, at normal volume, together with a sub via sub out on the XTZ Tune 4, it's perfect for some Youtube surfing, maybe watching a movie in bed with a Tablet.

I'm on visit at @DanielT's summer cabin (again ) and we listened to the XTZs with and w/o sub (Yamaha YST-SW300). They do sound really good, and great with sub.

The problem with Blutooth is not BT itself but the recording level. As the XTZs have no analog volume control the output of the internal DAC is the limit. With low dynamic "brick wall" recordings they do play really loud (enough) but with early digital recordings from before the loudness war maximum SPL is too low. I verified this by streaming different recordings via BT from my smartphone.

Feeding the XTZs via analogue input solves the problem as the Topping has higher output voltage than the internal DAC.

 

[DanielT]

Subjective comparison, one piece Wharfedale Diamond 220 vs.one piece XTZ Tune 4.One XTZ Tune 4 speaker is completely passive so the same amplifier was used in the test.

Note, no level matching, just listen and quickly change speakers. Listen again. I changed the volume back and forth to get lost in this with SPL levels.

Both are good budget speakers. Maybe a little more dB in the lower treble (higher midrange) in the Wharfedale Diamond 220 but nothing that bothers me.
Actually that is a bit nice, when I play at a lower volume. Is it to be seen as the so-called BBC dip? A question: Doesn't that BBC dip also consist of a bass boost? That bass boost does not exist with Wharfedale Diamond 220.
I may or may not be imagining this but Amir measured a dip around 2kHz for the Wharfedale Diamond 220. Maybe it results in that the frequencies above 2 kHz is bit more prominent? Amir himself fixed it by: ...I decided to fill the dip in the response.

One thing is absolutely clear, no imagination. I guarantee when comparing them, more bass is heard with the XTZ Tune 4.XTZ Tune 4 can also perhaps even have a small bass boost. I like that, I must say. Not intrusive, just a little extra bass push.

Check here, FR both of them in the range of 200 Hz and below. That explains what I heard.

Wharfedale Diamond 220:

XTZ Tune 4:

XTZ Tune 4 is the winner in this sound duel.

Having said that, the Wharfedale Diamond 220 are nice. Without a subwoofer I won't use them though.

If I ever get my measurement mic up and running, I'll check how if the measurements match my subjective experiences.

Edit:
The differences between those speakers are small compared to what I should do in terms of EQ for better sound in general, regardless of the speakers, in my listening room.EQ, mainly then the bass region, especially when my sub is plugged in.

Edit 2:
I plugged in my subwoofer. HP-LP filter set to 100 Hz. Angled out Wharfedale Diamond 220 a bit. Now the hell knows if I compare with the subwoofer conditions which speakers are preferable.