Zu Definition 1.5 vs Merlin VSM-MXe

This notion that Definitions are somehow not suitable for classical music and are instead a "rock and blues" speaker is unfounded. The speaker is remarkably neutral in tonal balance, can lay out a highly-scalable soundstage macro to micro, has sensational dynamic range with real-world amplifiers, and is among the best speakers at any price for maintaining clarity of the many simultaneous sound events in a full symphonic crescendo -- owing of course to superior resolution in part due to lack of crossovers.

I lived in Boston for a decade and had a share of season tickets for the BSO in Symphony Hall. That hall is its own instrument and distinctive in its acoustic signature. The sound of the hall is more readily apparent through Zu Definitions on recordings made there, than with any other home hifi speaker I can recall. Chamber music is realistically scaled and transient and dynamic delicacy is preserved. Opera is fully emotive. Yet the explosive power of expression of a full orchestra is vividly projected into your listening space.

These qualities simply support high fidelity regardless of music genre. The same qualities in the Zu Definition that render it effective at communicating the energy and emotion of rock or blues, also work to same advantage on classical music, but with this speaker nothing is given up in terms of downscaling and resolution on smaller works.

Phil

Ok guys,

Err...well i havent decided yet. My room is 15 x 15ft with high ceilings. It may well be that we buy another home soon however.

Music is very eclectic but i've been spoilt by the best of the best bits of other speakers, now i want to combine them into a speaker which scores VERY highly in every category....and for the price one shouldnt ask otherwise.

I am in europe.

P

>My room is 15 x 15ft with high ceilings. It may well be that we buy another home soon however<

Tough room. Buying a new house might be your best bet.

Oz

patrick,
you really should consider a diagonal set up, it will work extremely well and surprize you in that room. any conventional set up in your room will be problematic. i have used one at many shows with superb results.
even the vsm mme or mxe will over power that room easily.
you have just over 2000 feet in volume.
regards,
bobby at merlin

listen up the new Se Odyssey lorilei is superb and in some ways better than the Merlins especially in the Bass -even with the Bam, the merlin may be a hair better in resolution only, and at $2995 in Se form keep the 5k+
in your pocket, 6 moons did a review of these with a $2000
amp preamp combination and was very respectable
this is before any upgrades. or with top notch equipment
on even ground be ready to be floored ,these are a lilttle fuller sounding actually more natural sounding ,check em out ,I would say these are one of the best buys of all
time ,this same speaker was sold by Symposium for over $ 7k
only a few years ago !