Полочная акустика — Zu Audio DWX

The DWX is a medium format stand-mount loudspeaker from Zu Audio, built at the company's factory in Ogden, Utah and sold directly to buyers with a time-limited satisfaction guarantee. It carries the same drivers and internal parts as the Zu DW 6 floorstander, with slightly less bass extension, in a smaller and more flexible cabinet. Prices currently start at USD 1,749 per matched pair, with Superfly and Supreme performance packages offered as upgrades.

Key specs that matter

A 10 inch Zu260FRD-ND full-range driver using a cone of paper reinforced with carbon nanotubes and a 2 inch coil covers roughly 90 percent of the spectrum, up to 12 kHz. Above that point an Eminence ASD-1001 super tweeter takes over. Bandwidth is quoted as 38 Hz to 22 kHz in a typical room, sensitivity is 95 dB SPL at 2.8 V and 1 m, and impedance is 12 ohm nominal across the band with an 8 ohm baseline. Maximum program level is 118 dB, and maximum input power is 200 W program. Each cabinet is 30.5 x 30.5 x 58.5 cm and weighs 19 kg.

Engineering and use context

No filter parts sit in series with the full-range driver, and the tweeter is high-passed by a single element mono pole network. The result is a virtual point source below the tweeter handover. Zu uses a traditional bass reflex tuning with a front-firing short-pipe port, whose large diameter and radius flares keep turbulence low. With the vent at the front, the cabinet can be placed close to walls or in confined spaces without harm to its bass tuning. The cabinet is North American composite wood, finished with real wood veneer or epoxy. Options include satin black, satin white, several hickory colours, American walnut, Nextel olive and brown, and custom finishes. The Supreme package upgrades the drivers, tweeter, capacitors and internal wiring.

Pairing

Zu suggests 5 to 20 W for low to moderate levels, 20 to 100 W for moderate to very loud playback and 100 to 500 W for extremely loud use. The high sensitivity and benign impedance suit a small single-ended triode amplifier of a few watts, and a solid state amplifier also drives it easily. Given its height, the cabinet calls for a low and rigid stand so the drivers end up near ear height. Shipped, each speaker weighs about 23 kg in a carton of 43 x 46 x 71 cm, and the tweeter lens and driver trim come in black or silver aluminium at no extra cost.

Alternatives

The Method Bookshelf is the smaller and less costly stand-mount loudspeaker in the Zu range.