Question about ZU speakers


Hi! I´m from Portugal.This is my first post here...
I´m considerind to take the risk and buying the Zu Definition MK1.5. But since there are no Zu delear here in Portugal I want to ear your opinion about them!
My interest on them started after read the review of Mr Ebaen from 6moons. I remember that he compared the Definition with the Avantgarde Duo that he owned...
I listen to the Acantgards (second hand opportunity) last month and I loved the sound. I didn´t bought them only for 2 reasons: the bottom end was not very tight and didn´t integrated very well with the rest of the bandwith and I think I would have space problem with them at my living room (4x7 meter).

So any of the owners here compared the Zu definition with the DUO's?
Do you think the Def Pro are fare better option than the Def MK1.5?
Anyone tested the Druids with 2 subwoofer againts the Definition's? What do you think it would be better?

I need also to buy 2 power amps to drive them. I notice that most Zu owners use yamamoto's and audiopax amps but this brand aren´t available here in Portugal. What you think about pairing them with Bel Canto M300 or Monarchy SM70pro(one Monarchy for each Zu)? My budget for the power amps is around 3000 usd and I´m open to other options...

My other options are B&W 802D and Pioneer S-1EX (with TAD drivers) both amplified with Bel Canto REF1000...Do you think they will beat the Zu's? Anyone eard the Pioner S-1EX?

The rest of my gear is Bel Canto PL-1A (universal player), Tag Mclaren AV32R DP (AV processor), speaker cable Audioquest Vulcano and IC are Acoustic Zen Matrix II.

This speakers/amps are for my AV/stereo system which i´m starting to built. But my primary goal is to have very good stereo reproduction!
Thank you for your help
Best regards
Miguel

PS: sorry if are any mistakes on the text
miguelcarvalho
There is a ZU thread here. Look it up. There are equal pros and cons on the speaker,. Type in zu, and look in discussions. It should be 4 or 5 pages back.
Read between the lines of the post.
Watch for hype.
Hopefully audiogon will allow this post to go through
Nice day
Paul
Baton Rouge
There are Zu dealers in Europe. In the United States, all sales are factory direct. Go to
http://www.zuaudio.blogspot.com/ for dealer locations.
I started with a pair of Druids and was very happy with their performance for music. The bass response justifies calling them full range speakers. My system is a 2 channel home theater, however, so I added one MiniMethod sub and found that to be ample for movies. I'm sure two subs would be better but I elected to upgrade to Definition Pros instead. With this speaker I have the equal of anything on the market today that will fit in a normal listening room and cost less than a new Mercedes. The bass is excellent, the dynamics electrifying and the resolution is among the best. The Definition is a fun speaker and the Pro version offers the option of choosing your own preferred bass amplification, higher quality woofers and the ability to custom contour your subwoofer reponse to the room.
Jim Smith, the man who introduced Avantgarde speakers to the U.S. market, has surrendered his franchise with them to become a Zu representative. As you know, Srajan felt that the Druids, by themselves, replaced his Avantgarde Duos with no real compromise of performance. When he moved to the Definition 1.5, he realized increased bass response and higher resolution than the already excellent Druids had provided. Then he accepted an offer to upgrade to the Definition Pro and has stayed there for about a year despite his ready access to virtually any other speaker manufactured today. I'm sorry I can't provide more in the way of actual head to head comparison.
In answer to your question about amplification, I get excellent results using a Red Wine Audio Signature 30 amplifier for the front drivers and an old NAD 2200 amplifier for the woofers. As you probably already know, the response below 50 hz can be infinitely shaped by the Rane PEQ 55 which ZU sells with the Def Pros.
The Red Wine Audio Signature 30 has been reviewed by Srajan and I know it is available with a battery charger that will operate on European current.
No one ever faults the Zu performance but some people find it difficult to get used to the sound of no crossover.
Good luck with your search. I don't mind if you contact me with additional questions. Srajan has always made time to talk with me and probably would do so for you, and Zu is known far and wide for being as helpful as they can be.
My room is 4.6 meters by 6.77 meters.
Hi,
Thank you very much for your comments!
The nearest dealer is in Barcelona-Spain(which is 1000 miles from my location). I already spoke with the ZU staff(very friendly personal) and with the dealer. I intended to do a demo at my living room with my gear but this would be too much expensive if I didn´t want to keep them because I would to pay all shiping costs. So I´m now considering catch a flight and go to Barcelona! But I still have to gather more info about them in order to confirm their performance...
I read all the threads here and on Audiasylum regarding Zu Definition. There are people who love them and others that simply hate them...They seem to have a lack to impress people at the Shows but I read some post of owners that are very happy with them. Hope you understand my confusio with this speaker!
But I want also to know about comparison with Zu definition vs Avantgard DUo since that was who grab my attention on the 6moons review and I read somewhere that previuos Duos owners changed to Definitions.

To be honest on the beggining I only planned to ear B&W 802D and the Pioneer S-1EX but when I read the review of Mr Ebaen I went to look more info about them and after demo the avantgarde Duo I put this on my list...

Any recommendation about the amps for the Definitions?

Anyone eard the Pioneer S-1EX? They seam to be a very good speaker.. Certainly with different sound when compared with the Zu´s but the specs are interesting and are a lot of good reports about their performance with the Bel canto ref 1000 at the shows. I´m planning to make a demo of this two after moving to my new house!
The Pio here in Portugal are half the price of the B&W 802D...

Thank you very much for you comments
Miguel
Bartok,
Having not heard the Druids, Definitions, and Tones your advice to "read between the lines" is simply disingenuous, baseless, and without merit.

Thank you.
Bartokfan, equal pros and cons? News to me, especially with the Definition 1.5s. You haven't heard any of the Zus? Shame on you for that gratuitous post....