gagu07

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
4.00 of 5, 4.00 votes

Price Paid:  $4000.00 from ebay

Summary:
The Zingali Overtures 2 are very revealing of your high end system. Dynamic and transparent speakers, they have a strong bass.

They need many hours for breaking in, after that the sound is excellent. At the beginning I found their sound harsh and aggressive on the high frequencies. After a lot of experimenting, I realized that they were revealing some weakness in my system, namely poor cable connection.

I used high quality interconnect and speaker cables and good shielded power cords with ferrite rings, and the sound became natural and transparent.

To my surprise, I went to the Top Audio exhibition (Spring 2007) and discovered that I obtained a system having the same sonic quality as more expensive gear.

Good recordings are wonderful; bad recordings are pinpointed by these speakers. If you like planar and electrostatic speakers, you will enjoy Overture 2. If you want that all recordings sound the same (independently of their sonic quality), these speakers are not for you.

Note that Overture 2 are definitely better than Overture 1 and Overture 3 because Overture 2 use the same drivers as those of the Overture 4, which are the top of the range.

Strengths:
Transparent sound, dynamic 3D scenario, powerful bass. Can be placed quite near the back wall (about 30-40 cm). Real wood, thick cabinet, no plastic!

Weaknesses:
Need lot of breaking in before getting the natural sound. Avoid silver cables with them. OFC is much better in this case. A bit expensive as they require a lot of craft work. Stands are important to get the proper bass.

Similar Products Used:
B&W CDM1, Boston Acoustics, JPW Sonata, Yamaha.

Price Paid:  $2500.00 from Audio Salon - Glasgo

Summary:
There must be hundreds of speakers in the market place at this price range, all claiming to offer the sound of true high end audio whilst maintaining a realistic price tag, not take up half a football pitch and do not need to have your floors reinforced to have them installed! Companies via with each other for your attension with big advertising drives resulting in magazines offering reviews and high star results..
Zingali has always done thing a little different, strange company with a rather dogmatic leader, small number of distributers who believe in the product and essentially no advertising and press coverage.
These speakers are built to survive a small nuclear strike - wonderful solid wood surronded by a matt black side - good for contrast. I could bore you with the techy bit about horns and the arguments for and against - but that well known. these speakers let the sound do the talking. For simple vocal these make sound just hang in the air and reproduce emotion of the origin recording in a way that i have rarely heard.
These speakers are very sensitve and hence their reputation for use with low power valve amps, they can however surprise - given power and volume they can rock as well as any B&W design (may latest girl has a passion for dance music and these speakers can alarm even the hardest clubber)
If you intend on using them for a more aggresive purpose I suggest you add a sub (eg one the the newer flexible rel designs) just to help the bottom end out a little. This has good results for the more traditional use of these speakers in classical and orchestral music by aiding the mid range and adding an extra bit of drama (this is only a note - these speakers can manage very well with out this)
Easy to place, they don't mind being close to the wall, but like most speakers do like to be able to breath a little.

Strengths:
Upper mid range and treble that integrate and create emotion like few in this price range.
Senitive - easy to drive
Orchestral and classical music - but surprising results with rock and pop
They will out live you and probably mankind with the build quality.

Weaknesses:
Needs help at the bottom end for best results

Similar Products Used:
B&W - 805 signature
B&W 800
Various home made designs

djluke

Overall Rating
 5 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
1 to 3 months

Visitors rate this review
5.00 of 5, 3.00 votes

Price Paid:  $4000.00 from Italian dealer

Summary:
Well, to say I am happy with the Zingali Overture 2's is an understatement. The sound quality, from such small cabinets is amazing. And the horn's make a tremendous difference, raising the level of mid and high frequency detail without a trace of grain or edge. Texture and timbre of flutes, saxophones cymbals and vocals is outstanding, with the smallest levels of details clearly audible even in loud and complex passages. The inclusion of the omni-ray wooden horn with such a seamless integration of conventional woofer I think is a breakthrough in loudspeaker design and a remarkable achievement. Many people who have heard or own Zingali speakers, and have mated them to valve amplification say it is a match made in heaven.The overture 2's are quoted at 91db efficient, but I found I have ample volume with my 300b 18 watt monoblocks. All the beautiful midrange and high frequency detail of valve amplification is projected so realistically, so smoothly, I find I am listening for hours with no fatique, and at higher volume levels than in my older system set-up. My previous system was based around a large Moss-fett power amplifier, the Musical Fidelity A/370-2 into Kef 107/2s with the cube 200. These speakers were a design classic back in 1980 and gave a true 20-20,000 response with good imaging. I was prepared to forego bass depth and dynamics when switching to the (smaller) Zingali's and valve amps. However I can say I am getting all the bass extension AND dynamics I had before, but now have flawless rendition of the remaining frequency spectrum and absolutely no hint of electronic grain or processed sound. The other weird thing, the difference between recordings (all music types) is greater than before. Good recording are very good, great recordings are really fantastic. And I can here traffic rumble on orchestral passages which contain solo instrument or voice passages. Something I never heard before except through the Stax headphones. Plus the decay on cymbals...superb. I realise now I was not playing a lot of my CDs. Not because I had got bored of the music, but because the sound on this one or that one was steely, too bright, to false. Now I can listen to any, and hear them for what they are, but with no fatigue or dashing for the volume control. The build quality and natural beauty of the cabinets with 40mm thick carved solid wood fronts and rear panels will look great in any room setting. The omni-ray horn is set in a very deep solid wood surround, and set flush in the front face. The sides are covered in a smart matt black rubberised finish. Sum up - musical nervana. Hugely recommended.

Strengths:
Outstandingly natural presentation of vocals, wind instruments, jazz in particular. Superb imaging, dynamic and bass extension. Built first class, easy to live with, beautiful wood grain with a deep wooden horn. Offers bi-wire. Easy load and efficient. Perfect match to valve amplification.

Weaknesses:
Sound - absolutly none. Price seems high for the size, until you hear them. Small company with few dealers, so will need to hunt around for a supplier.

Similar Products Used:
Kef 104/2s, Kef 107/2s, B&W 705, Proac Response 3.0.

Dr.chris

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 4 of 5

Used product for
3 Months to 1 year

Visitors rate this review
4.86 of 5, 7.00 votes

Price Paid:  $2500.00 from Audio salon - Scotla

Summary:
This gorgeous speaker is a slight odd ball in a highly competative area of the market. A long running design based around a horn loaded, base reflex system. On the cosmetic side of things this speaker is a work of art, standing out as something special, both with its tanks like build quality and immaculate finish. They are certainly a talking point in any room. Sound - You buy these speakers for one reason, for beutiful clear and balanced mid range blending seemlessly with the treble. This is the advantage of the horn loaded unit. If your music love is female solo vocalists, these are the speakers for you. They work especially well in small rooms, and do not mind being close to the rear wall, however do have the ability to fill a large listening space with impressive ease. As with any design using either a horn or electrostatic pannel is the base integration. The overtures do as well as any in this respect, however these are not speakers for those who likes pumping base lines, or big sound stages. Moving the speakers closer to the back wall can help the base, and improve the overall cohesion of the sound. At this price you can buy many speakers that can do several things much better that the overtures, however few will touch them on mid range clarity and the ability to transfer the emotion of the music. If matched with a analitical sorce and a delicate amplifier these speakers are a true touch of hi end hifi.

Strengths:
Mid range clarity and treble Able to be postioned close to rear wall Build quality and looks Sensitivity - easy to drive

Weaknesses:
Lack of solid base Small sound stage