I'm another person here in the comments that landed on Zu Speakers long term. I have two pairs, Druid Credenzas that have been upgraded to the latest internals, and Zu Cubes hanging above the screen in my living room. Both are paired with Scanspeak subwoofers. I have heard a large number of great speakers, because I used to go to RMAF in Denver every year, but after getting Zu speakers at home I still went to the show but rarely heard anything I would consider upgrading to. There is personal preference of course. Not everybody appreciates the dynamics focused sound of Zu speakers, either because of the genres they listen to or because they have a preference for a more mellow presentation. But for those of us who like dynamics and tone over other attributes, Zu speakers can be just the thing.

It always puts a smile on my face when you're this happy and enthused about what you do. Good things to you man!

Can we just acknowledge how damn cool Steve's demo music examples are? Oftentimes it takes me quite a while to get through the vid because I quickly bounce over and stream the artist's material Steve mentions ... at times leading down a rabbit hole of exploration I wouldn't have otherwise pursued. Bravo Stevemo It's what it's all about.

Man, your videos are looking so crisp and good. The info is great as always.

Steve, you make me want to buy every speaker and amp you get excited about! Love these reviews from you.

This review is so complete and entertaining...great!

I purchased a pair of Zu Druid MK IV in 2008 followed by a pair of Zu Presence six months later as an upgrade. I ended up bi-wiring both pair to a Manley Stingray amp set to triode (24 watts per channel) and use a Decware Zen Triode phonostage. These speakers just sing with a tube front end no matter what I'm listening to and I am still super happy 14 years later.

Looking forward to your review of other new ZU Union 6 models 😉. Thanks for a great review once more!

Maybe the coolest name for a speaker ever! An American hi-fi looker for sure and I’m all in. I’m looking at these right now so thanks for this Steve!!

I bought a pair of second gen Omen Standards largely based on a review you did of the DWs for CNET about 10 years ago. I have no plans on replacing them even after owning them for 9 years. Using a Schiit Aegir to power them. I’m very happy with the results. Thanks, Steve.

Bought my DWs last winter. 3 months wait time. Great build, great sound, no regrets.

I have a pair of omen's mk2 that I have had for 6 years. I really enjoyed them with line magnetic 211ia the most. I currently have them hooked up to Gato amp 150 and they sound great. Great all around speaker!

I got my DW’s last year in black with the upgraded tweeter capacitor and fat rubbery feet. Running a custom 3 wpc tube amp and there’s plenty of volume. Also run a Mark Levinson solid state amp and it’s great too. Love it!

I have a really tough room, a three-story open plan with weird angles and curves and I just wanted drop a system at the bottom of it which would be good for close listening and fill the space as well. I watched a TON of YT videos about hifi including all of Steve's. I can't say how much I appreciate his unique voice on this topic. That said, I created an upgrade plan which involved starting with a small set of KEF Q350's or Klipsch RP-600M's (got them both) moving to a pair of Zu DW Mk II's, then getting a bigger more expensive pair of KEF R3's and then eventually getting a pair of Klipsch Forte's. The whole plan was shot once I got the ZU ODW's. Game over. I was done. Paired with a Cambridge CX61 they are all that I'll ever need and I never get to turn that amp up even halfway. Some EQ will be necessary if you have a tricky space like mine or you might solve it with a good subwoofer. If you are streaming your music in a way that allows for EQ, you will not need a sub and you will be golden. If you listen primarily to vinyl and your room is not straight forward, you might find that you need either an amp with EQ or with the ability to add an EQ into the signal chain. The life that these speakers have is no joke. That full-range driver is just magical and I'm so glad to see that Zu has brought the DW back with this 6. If it really is an improvement, I wouldn't hesitate to get it.

I am a Zu Druid owner from 5/25/06 when I purchased a pair. I have been tempted to upgrade them, but have resisted due to the fact that I find value in leaving what is not broken alone, don't try to fix it. So after this many years I have come to the conclusion that the Druids of my vintage don't sound all that great with specific amplifiers. With Atma-Sphere M60 OTL amps they sound like fingernails on a chalkboard. With my 3 Watt Single Ended 2A3 Stereo amp they do quite well with Acoustic Music, but lack the slam to Rock. The Druids do so-so with Tube Push-Pull amps, yet surprisingly they sound stellar with Solid State 50 Watts or above, especially 100 to 200 Watts. They literally come alive with startling realism. I run them 2 CD's thick from my hardwood flooring with the provided spikes. Love Zu.... but the Mini-Method has not been the same happy place as both Plate Amps broke in less than 2 years each one. So I can highly recommend Zu speakers as a fleshy, fast, quick, nimble and realistic sound. They are not boring, but have an energy that is contagious. And lo and behold they can take power without breakup. The Bass is phenomenal for the size. Zu are the masters of dynamics.... not boring. If you want a pair of Speakers that will party like a Frat house, Zu's do that extremely well, with Zeppelin, Purple and Miles Davis for Dinner.

I have a pair of Omen DW that I have had for 2 years. Liked them so much I bought a pair of Soul VI. Not sure if the Soul VI are worth triple the DW but they are indeed brighter and faster and are amazing with vocals. I do hook them both up to a subwoofer (Klipsch SPL-150) if I want to rock. If you are on a bit of a budget, the DW are a no-brainer and you are not missing out on a whole lot versus the Soul VI. If you have a bit of extra cash to burn, and it does become a pride-of-ownership thing, the Soul VI are beautiful.

Got a pair of these a few weeks ago (hickory w/silver). WAF is high. These need at least a couple weeks to break in. I knew that going in, but the difference is night and day. Right now I have them with a Dayens Ampino and it’s a surprisingly great combo. I am very happy with these. Solid build. And they sound great.

Really enjoyed the video. Very informative and dynamic as well! I've got a lot to learn so I'll be watching, thank you.

Thanks so much for the heads up on Sean Shibe....some wonderful ethereal tracks on that album!

I had the omens, I thought they were really really good, alot of depth and detail, that tweeter is pretty amazing and being down ported helped that low end of the eminence driver quite a bit.

Zu and Tekton on on my short list of speakers... Thx for the review!

Steve, this review was on point, loved it thanks.

I bought Zu DW's 2 years ago. I have thoroughly enjoyed them. They sound better than speakers 3 times or more their price in my opinion.

Another great video Steve thanks for sharing.

I've had my Dirty Weekend Mk2s for a few years now and have no intention of upgrading them just yet. However, I did switch to a tube amp and I can say they sound much better.

I have an older set of Zu Omen DW speakers. Hooked to a 1976 Technics 48w receiver and an Angel's Horn turntable. Absolutely amazing sound! Old Zepplin, Mountain, or the Stones. Newer stuff like Type O Negative, Slayer, or Slipknot. All of it sounds great. Warm and rich. Love to hear how these sound in comparison. Might have to snag a pair myself. That walnut finish looks really nice (mine are natural hickory).

46 years with same speakers. I used to have roommates that we augmented. These Zu are the speakers that I want. Now I know what you feel is low levels at 80 dB. I listen at 50. Trying 60 dB now. That's alot. Approximately double loudness for every 3 dB. It's logarithmic.

Means a lot when people stick with speakers for a long time - I've owned original Energy Veritas 2.8s (rated Class A by Stereophile in 1995) for 20 years. So might be time to try out some new speakers.

Still very much enjoying my Mk.2’s I’m intrigued by the idea that the 6 might be a bit warmer and fuller, but on the whole I’ll stick with what I got. I find that my Mk.2’s scale well when you upgrade components upstream

Hi Steve - my sole experience with Zu speakers has been at audio shows, primarily the Rocky Mountain Audio Fest. In each instance Zu was exhibiting in largish rooms. The music was invariably rock played at loud volumes, certainly louder than I'm used to. Very often that sound was a refreshing change from rooms playing soft music at low volumes. At one show Zu speakers were even used by a band playing live music. As a result of that I came to associate the Zu sound with loud rock, fun at a show but not something this British speaker aficionado would consider for home use. But after your review I'm thinking perhaps I was wrong. There's more to this brand than I thought. That's one of the values of reviews like this. We learn something new and perhaps adjust old opinions. Thanks for that and for the music recommendations. Sean Shibe is amazing.

another thing I'll bring up as well that kind of goes along with what you're talking about is I've often found that people tend overestimate the power that they need. now don't get me wrong I've heard fantastic sounding high power amplifiers but I've often found personally that the essence of good sound to me and what really tickles me has come with low wattage amplifiers. Even supposedly hard to drive speakers I've always just preferred the sound with 10 to 30 watt amp. now that's not always the case but generally I am a low level listener and so I don't need to crank something up to 100 decibels to be able to truly enjoy the sound I'm typically around a 70 DB listener myself. One thing and I don't think you mentioned it is according to the specification that they provide the dirty weekend will work with a low power amp but paradoxically it will also work very well with a high-powered amp, I think they specify up to like 500 Watts.

my regular listening level, considered loud by my family, meaning they have to raise their voice to be heard, is in the low 80's at the listening seat, about 8 feet from my Qacoustics concept 40s and svs sb1000 pro sub. That's measured peak capture mode with music. RMS voltage peak capture at the terminals is a little over 4 volts, assuming 6 ohm load, that's about 3 watts of power.

Fortunate enough to get in on one the last sales DW Mk II with Clarity cap I found the High Fidelity footers help anchor them to my wood floor and tighten the bass. Have a HSU sub for below 60hz they sound like the instruments are in the room, there not going anywhere

Using DW with all upgrades since 2020. Amplifiers (2) Schiit Vidars with Freya Pre Amp and balanced connections. AWESOME

I got DW's a few years ago for a 2nd budget system, and really love them! However, the idea that the tweeter is coming in at 12kHz is a bit misleading. I've played the 10" driver alone with the tweeter disconnected, and it's unlistenable. There is a LOT missing. That horn tweeter crossover is only 6 dB/oct, so it's reaching way down into the midrange. I'm just mentioning this as a curiosity..... not a fault at all. I upgraded the stock cap to a Clarity Cap, and I did notice an improvement in the mids and highs. It's worth it.

Can't tell you how happy I am to hear this review. I listen to mid to low volume - classical, jazz, easy rock. As well, I have long wanted a Decware amp but have found it near impossible to find a speaker that I could "believe", (based reviews) could play within mid to low volume without bottom and top end falling out. (Fletcher-Munson curve??) Anyways, the Decware along with these speakers and, considering the size of my room ..... could be a match made in heaven, not to mention, made in North America. Big thanks Steve.

Steve- Ivan appreciate your review for a speaker that can play well at low and high level demands; Big sound does usually require large speakers. I use vintage and some modern equipment, but my speakers can play low level but are truly full range down to 20Hz, with 4-8” woofers in each cabinet, with 4- 1” dome tweeters.. Unfortunately, the acoustic suspension cabinet requires a decent amp- up through 500 watts per channel. At 180#s, 73” tall, it was bargain at 1k per speaker ( epi 1000)..

Thanks Steve for a great review. Love your content. A bit of history.. after over three decades of various Martin Logan speakers, ended up with a pair of Sinus Faber Sonetto III. OMG .. so beautiful in appearance, finish and soul (gloss black). Love them because they are great a low volumes (live in an apartment). They can also rock. Back in the 80's and 90's, I DJ'd using a Bryson 4B Pro amplifier and Peavy speakers. So miss those dynamics and alway wanted something that would bring back those memories (just acquired a Technics SL1200Mk7 50th Anniversary turntable so going back to my roots.) Anyway.. Have been looking a Zu DW for a while and missed them on sale a couple of times.. So, after this review, checked the the site and immediately ordered the DW6 in rustic Hickory.. may be a month or so before I get them but so looking forward to it. Don't think I'll sell the Sonetto III as they are a work of art visually and musically but the DW6 may just fill the void of a super dynamic speaker. Crossing my fingers.

Still love my Druid Mk IVs driven by a Cary SLI-80. Picked up a pair of Omen DWs for a second system - tough to beat for the price.

Okay I'm late and this week got the Zu Omen Dirty Weekend and boy getting the setup with my NAD M10 80watt and Parasound PA21+ 200watt right is hard. A magazine under it helped drop the base a bit. Somewhere between parallel and the triangle tow in was better. Not all music sounds great. Lots of fun!!!

I listen quiet when i want to be critical. I have a nice big room 20x45 with 9 foot celings... i have found eq sitting back 30plus feet at low volume. During a quiet time of night. Seems to always work well for me in getting the sound i like or the best settings for a speaker. In my room I can set a speaker up by ear like this and it works great for some reason.

All I can say I pray my Christmas bonus is good this year.

Great review, I have been looking at this speaker for a while and am also considering a Caintuck 15 inch baffle. Not really an apples to apples comparison and I had settled on the baffle until you released this today. Any thoughts? I also find myself really enjoying the musical selection you are introducing me to during these reviews. I just had another thought, how would these speakers be with a pair of the amp camp amps as mono blocks?

Still love this channel. Cheers

DW6 with the Supreme package, triple black, rocking my world! I have them paired with a vintage Sansui 4000 stereo receiver. The Zu's were made for this receiver. Airy tube like sound, incredible bass, the treble side, just hits that sweet spot, no fatigue to be found. Buy you some Zu's and pair them with some vintage audio from the 60's or early 70's and you too may find audio nirvana. And don't get me started on the Sansui phono stage and vinyl. ;-)

Great review. I've been going back and forth between these and the Klipsch Heresy IV. I know they are completely different speakers, so you can't do an exact comparison. I haven't heard either. I'm leaning towards the Heresys. I guess I can always return them if I don't love them. I currently have Golden Ear Triton 7s. They're nice but they feel like they are lacking warmth.

Sounds quite mouth watering, almost everything what has been said. Buyers abroad are just a little bit screwed because of that USD not stopping to skyrocket against almost any other currency around the globe. Icing on the cake would have been a revised tweeter, but you can't have it all incorporated into their entry level model of course. Curious what's behind the elegancy of the Decware Zen Triode at low volume listening in sheer technical terms, and if there's any possibility to emulate it's low volume elegancy with an equalizer and class D amp e/g. Is it something related to Loudness we're talking about?

Moving the bass port to the back from the bottom was the best change they made to this model. The downfiring ports didn't work well in a carpeted room, even when placed on plinths.

I think listening loud is the only valid reason to get a DW over the Omega. They're both in the same price and type range but having owned the previous generation DW and having made a number of mods to it, it's a great speaker for the price, but it doesn't really wake up until you crank it. My current Omega XRS Alnico are alive from 60 dB at my listening position and sound better in the mids. Glad to see Zu continuing to improve the DW though.

Yeah, full range drivers. Mine are old enough to vote. Dynamic, efficient, and coherent. Great for 'hearing' movie dialog.

And wow!!! What a great Ray Charles instrumental record from 1957....youza!!!! Thanks again!!!

I've gotten to where I watch Steve for the music recs as much as the gear reviews.

Nice explanation Steve 👍🙂

Great review! Are you planning to review the Union 6 (Supreme) in the near future? I would be very interested in a review and comparison with Klipsch Forte IV. Both are on my radar for pairing with my LTA Zotl40 Reference Amp and MZ3 preamp.

Holy continuity Batman. All the shirt changes!

Ah! You had an open to title this "The New Zu Revue"… which would be a very esoteric, but appreciated reference for those of a certain age.

Love my DW mkii. Two amps that sound great with Zu's, the First Watt J2 and F8 seemed to be closing out. Any news on replacements?

Waiting for someone to do an Omen DW2 vs DW6 comparison. The rear bass port is a big improvement versus the bottom ports

I went to a friend over the weekend and we assembled some Quad 2812 speakers after the Mylars got fixed by another friend, and after listening to these miraculous speakers i have a problem to „lean my ears“ against any other speaker…. I know, this does not relate to your review, but i‘m still shocked by this experience…..

I have the Omen II DW, clarity cap upgrade and love them. But...the Zu factory plinth/ base retrofit kit that fixes the bottom bass venting gap instead of the footer/spike feet sitting on the floor or carpet: Have you tried them, do you like them? What do you hear that is different from the original configuration?

Glad you like ZU. They are not the last word on refinement. Perhaps not even the first. Love their return policy.

Hey Steve.. just took delivery of the Zu DW6 in Hickory/Silver (really after a few drinks and watching your video half a dozen times.. wanted the previous version but missed out on them) .. no upgrades.. so.. first couple of hours.. OMG.. what did I do? Dissapointing. Needed to get acclimatized to the different prestnation. I'm in Canada so with $ conversion and shipping & import fees, nearly C$3K. Currently using Sous Faber Sonnet III which are amazing! Breathe.. 5 hours later, getting used to the difference in sound (source is Apple Music into a Naim Unity Atom) and WOW! These are nice. More forward, dynamic and the mids are killer!! Ya, needs a sub (Martin Logan Dynamo 800). So wanted to use them without the sub and listened to my favourite tracks, with & without.. Sub required even though I'm in an apartment. Going to keep both speakers.. easy to move the cables from one speaker to another. Will take some pics and then send to you. Hopefully you'll feature on User Systems.. Simple apartment system.. Naomi Unity Atom, Technics SL1200 50th LE in black, Rega Fono and Sony 800 BluRay for discs (which I rarely use) Thanks for the recommendation.. enough to push me over the edge to get them.. Happy camper!

Yup. I never have caps or coils between the speakers and amps in my active systems. That's the major advantage with active systems IMHO... OK I've blown up a few tweeters and midrange units over the years, but hey, I've got a large supply of spare voice coils and a screwdriver.

Steve, FYI, While Sean Shibe's cover of Chick Corea's "Cildren's Song No. 1," on his Lost & Found album is lovely, there's an even more compelling version (featuring Chick himself, along w/Dave Grusin, among others) on Lee Ritenour's 2012 album Rhythm Sessions. There's a 24-96 version at HD Tracks, and the whole thing is droolworthy from an audiophile standpoint: virtuosic playing from the best players there are (too many to mention them all, but George Duke, Stanley Clarke, Vinnie Calaiuta, Tal Winkenfeld, come to mind) and just a killer recording. Kurt Elling's version of River Man (vocals) is particularly compelling. I bet you'll like it!

70 to 80 db sounds about right for me, too. 90 if I'm trying to party. Anything above that belongs in a very large space (like outside).

for a small room, 13x13, where I'm not able to place the speakers 3-4 feet from the wall would acoustical panels behind the speakers allow the speakers to be placed a foot away from the wall with good results?

Hi, Love your channel. I was wondering if you can compare the Zu to the Teton Lore Reference?

It would be interesting to hear your comparison thoughts between the Zu DW6 and a pair of Magnepan LRS+ with a sub...

The ZU's look pretty nice.

The First Watt J2 should be a Class A with JFETs so I suspect many well designed Class A amplifiers should really make most very efficient speakers to Sound really nice.

Steve, you frequently recommend different speakers in the same price range. Could you perhaps make some videos of comparisons between them? I'm deciding between Zu and Dynaudio and Triangle, and the LSA. They all have your recommendation but since it's very difficult to audition them, we only have reviews to go on. A direct comparison would be helpful. What would be the best purchase?

Steve, also my preamp volume range goes from 0 - 99. I generally listen between 60 - 70.

I had to sell my entire LuminStreamer/HoloDac/VanAlstineMonos/Vandersteen2CeSig3 because Vandersteens are not impressive at low db and my new living situation doesn't allow for loud listening. I have DW6 Supremes in Ruby Red on order as well as a Van Alstine Control amp, and for my source a Modwright modified Cambridge CXN V2. I'm excited for my first efficient system, as previously I've been all Vandersteen or Maggie. thanks for the great work, Steve.

Just ordered a pair. Can't wait.

HI Steve! Would be curious to hear if your opinions have changed? I go pick mine up from Ogden in 4 more days. Curious if they've opened up any more since you've been running them? Looking forward to finally get nice speakers for the first time! I fell in love with my friend's Omen MK2, so I can't wait to grab these. I'm actually going to be using my Denon PMA-800NE to drive them.

I like the full range drivers myself

hey @steve, do you think you could power these speakers with the Emotiva TA1 integrated amp? I'm considering upgrading my Klipsch RP-600ms and these are top o fmy list

Great review Steve. Glad to hear the bass is improved over the last Zus you reviewed. They could be the match I'm looking for with my Unison Research Triode 25. Wonder if I'd need a sub for the jazz, classical and things like Terje Isungset that I listen to. But does the 2x spend on your speakers vs. your Amp still hold true?

Hi Steve, enjoyed the video. In the shot where the Nirvana cd is on the speaker (around 18:58) you can see the finish up close. Am I wrong, or is the quality on the corners not on Monitor Audio levels?

Sounds like it would even be a fantastic home theater speakers

Hey Steve! Great videos; love your channel. I need to decide which one to buy between Buchardt S400 MKII and Zu DW6. I know they are very different speakers, but if I had to choose one pair, which one would be?

How would these fare w class d? Have always been fascinated by zu. Never have heard them

For thought, If you were to add a center channel to match, what would be your recommendation?

I am currently running a refurbished hh scott lk72 tube amp with a pair of recapped klipsch heresy 1. Would the dw6 be a major upgrade? Also using rel sub with this setup, would that be necessary with the zu's ?

ZU's are a fun speaker for Tube amps 2A3s - 300B -822s

Thinking about buying a Willseton 300 B amplifier. How do you think it will do with the Zu DW 6 speakers

Nice hair today Steve!

hey Steve.....check out....Otis Taylor- They Wore Blue and Tristan Clopet and the Juice -Love is a Drug...These will give a great sounding demo...

You had me at 67lbs! Sweet

just wondering if you were ever considering reviewing OJAS Artbook Shelf Speaker Kit?

interesting, the drivers don't seem to be flush mounted. Doesn't this create weird reflections?

How would these work in a large rm? Say around 7mtrs x 5mtrs x 3mtrs high

I suppose the relevant question is: Is it 60% better than the $999 Omen DW? Assuming it's not, how much better is it than the previous $999 speaker?

Nowhere to compare so I'm asking instead. Anyone can write a short list ZU vs Klh model 5?

Is a company similar to ZU’s products and quality available in the U.K.

70-80 db peaks is where I listen to music. When watching movies, peaks are 88-90 (not consistently that high, just explosions and such). Hoping that's a safe volume.

Check out Alan Mearns if you like classical guitar. Alan is highly praised by Rick Beato. It's not my thing, classical guitar. I'm just passing it on.

Wondering how a Schiit combo of Freya+ and (single) Aegir would mate with these speakers ?

So, it’s the New Zu Review, comin’ right at you!

Thanks for your Channel, it is very entertaining and informative, The units you reviewed had all the bell and weasels or the where the basic at 1599$? With your experience are the upgrades (besides the finish) of any value?