Ghost
Original Resident Ghost
Okay, finally got some time to sit with my Zu DWX Supremes. Starting this thread to create a dedicated resource/experience hub for these speakers as I have a feeling these will be quite popular in the near future.
Also starting it to share my thoughts for anyone curious about this particular set of stand mounts.
First off, here they are in the space
First thoughts on appearance and build:
• These things are beauties and really standout in the space, definitely tick the box of speakers being both beautiful and functional which is important for me. I would keep my Linton grills off (which clearly made them sound worse) simply because I hate how much light they swallowed up with those big black grills on the front. I much preferred them “nude” lol
• The build quality on these is fantastic, the walnut is gorgeous in person albeit a bit darker than I’m used to for walnut finishes, but I quite like it, they look fancy and expensive lol. I really love the aluminum finishes as well, adds a beautiful touch that fits in with my silver Kinki, Sutherland, and USM Haller pieces.
More importantly, here are some notes on sound as compared to my Lintons, I’ll speak to this through specific records I’ve spun so far.
Angel Olsen - Burn Your Fire For No Witness
• This pressing even with its imperfect pressing really has come to life through the Zu’s in a way I didn’t expect. Angel’s voice feels very well imaged in the center and the soundstage has an added depth I didn’t have before. I can hear the piano set slightly behind her voice in tracks like “High & Wild”. I’m also surprised how distinct the key strikes sound considering how deep in the mix they are, they have a physicality and immediacy that wasn’t present in the Lintons. On “Hi-Five” and “Forgiven/Forgotten” I am REALLY impressed with how the Zu’s present the guitar. There is an incredible GROWL and CRACKLE to the fried out guitars on these tracks that brought a huge smile to my face. Again, something that never struck me on the Lintons.
Howlin Wolf - S/T
• This is kind of a shit recording and I have a shit pressing of it, it’s very old and worn and I’ve typically avoided spinning this on my Lintons because the sound would just feel very boxed in and muddy.
• The Zus have not made this pressing sound “better” but it has opened up the presentation and everything has room to breathe, there is a separation in the sound stage that awe a to put more air in between everything and as a result I had no problem enjoying this one, even at loud volumes it never presented as harsh.
Sarah Vaughan - Lost Recordings (Live at the Berlin Philharmonie)
• wheewwwwwwwww, Sarah sounded huge and incredible coming through here. Her voice really came to life and the Zus did a great job of tracking and presenting the full dynamic range of her vocal inflections. There was a “fullness” to her deeper octaves that I’ve never experienced and a breathy and fluttering decay to some of her drawn out vibratos that was so fun to listen to.
• I get the sense female vocals are going to be great to listen to.
Time Out - Dave Brubeck (AP 33)
• Man just stellar all around. Dave’s keys glittered on the lighter touches and hammered on the heavy block chording that he’s known for, I’ve found that when he does this on the Lintons the sounds can feel all mashed together, but the Zu’s were able to pull them apart in a way that made it more interesting to listen to.
• Paul Desmond sounded heavenly with incredible bloom and air.
• Joe Morello (is that the drummers name or did I make that up) sounds lively and sharp. I finally got the impact and presentation from the snares that I was looking for from the Lintons but never received.
Overall, I would say that the DWX Supremes do everything the Lintons do but better. These are not clinical or bright, they still have an inviting warmth to them but they have a sparkle up top that brings more clarity and resolution to those high end frequencies, they have a bit more get up and go that feels like it communicates the attack of instruments (especially brass, keys, drums, and guitars) in a more accurate and forward way. And perhaps what I’m enjoying most right now is the enhanced perception of airiness in the soundstage, the separation seems to help instruments and vocalist image better in the soundstage and gives everything an enhanced sense of scale.
I’m going to keep listening to more records and will continue to add thoughts as I feel they become interesting or relevant. I was pretty unsure if I was going to keep these, I wasn’t sure they’d be $1000 better than the Lintons but I can’t see myself packing these up and pulling the Lintons back out. We’ll see towards the end of my 60 day trial.
Hit me with questions if you care to!
Also starting it to share my thoughts for anyone curious about this particular set of stand mounts.
First off, here they are in the space
First thoughts on appearance and build:
• These things are beauties and really standout in the space, definitely tick the box of speakers being both beautiful and functional which is important for me. I would keep my Linton grills off (which clearly made them sound worse) simply because I hate how much light they swallowed up with those big black grills on the front. I much preferred them “nude” lol
• The build quality on these is fantastic, the walnut is gorgeous in person albeit a bit darker than I’m used to for walnut finishes, but I quite like it, they look fancy and expensive lol. I really love the aluminum finishes as well, adds a beautiful touch that fits in with my silver Kinki, Sutherland, and USM Haller pieces.
More importantly, here are some notes on sound as compared to my Lintons, I’ll speak to this through specific records I’ve spun so far.
Angel Olsen - Burn Your Fire For No Witness
• This pressing even with its imperfect pressing really has come to life through the Zu’s in a way I didn’t expect. Angel’s voice feels very well imaged in the center and the soundstage has an added depth I didn’t have before. I can hear the piano set slightly behind her voice in tracks like “High & Wild”. I’m also surprised how distinct the key strikes sound considering how deep in the mix they are, they have a physicality and immediacy that wasn’t present in the Lintons. On “Hi-Five” and “Forgiven/Forgotten” I am REALLY impressed with how the Zu’s present the guitar. There is an incredible GROWL and CRACKLE to the fried out guitars on these tracks that brought a huge smile to my face. Again, something that never struck me on the Lintons.
Howlin Wolf - S/T
• This is kind of a shit recording and I have a shit pressing of it, it’s very old and worn and I’ve typically avoided spinning this on my Lintons because the sound would just feel very boxed in and muddy.
• The Zus have not made this pressing sound “better” but it has opened up the presentation and everything has room to breathe, there is a separation in the sound stage that awe a to put more air in between everything and as a result I had no problem enjoying this one, even at loud volumes it never presented as harsh.
Sarah Vaughan - Lost Recordings (Live at the Berlin Philharmonie)
• wheewwwwwwwww, Sarah sounded huge and incredible coming through here. Her voice really came to life and the Zus did a great job of tracking and presenting the full dynamic range of her vocal inflections. There was a “fullness” to her deeper octaves that I’ve never experienced and a breathy and fluttering decay to some of her drawn out vibratos that was so fun to listen to.
• I get the sense female vocals are going to be great to listen to.
Time Out - Dave Brubeck (AP 33)
• Man just stellar all around. Dave’s keys glittered on the lighter touches and hammered on the heavy block chording that he’s known for, I’ve found that when he does this on the Lintons the sounds can feel all mashed together, but the Zu’s were able to pull them apart in a way that made it more interesting to listen to.
• Paul Desmond sounded heavenly with incredible bloom and air.
• Joe Morello (is that the drummers name or did I make that up) sounds lively and sharp. I finally got the impact and presentation from the snares that I was looking for from the Lintons but never received.
Overall, I would say that the DWX Supremes do everything the Lintons do but better. These are not clinical or bright, they still have an inviting warmth to them but they have a sparkle up top that brings more clarity and resolution to those high end frequencies, they have a bit more get up and go that feels like it communicates the attack of instruments (especially brass, keys, drums, and guitars) in a more accurate and forward way. And perhaps what I’m enjoying most right now is the enhanced perception of airiness in the soundstage, the separation seems to help instruments and vocalist image better in the soundstage and gives everything an enhanced sense of scale.
I’m going to keep listening to more records and will continue to add thoughts as I feel they become interesting or relevant. I was pretty unsure if I was going to keep these, I wasn’t sure they’d be $1000 better than the Lintons but I can’t see myself packing these up and pulling the Lintons back out. We’ll see towards the end of my 60 day trial.
Hit me with questions if you care to!
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. But what is standing out recently is: