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Review 1 of 1
Price Paid:
$2800.00
from Deets sound room in Summary:
I feel honored to be the first to write a review on these wonderful speakers. This revew is for the Zingali Overture 4B, the largest floorstanders in the B series. There are also the Overture S-series and Home Monitor series, both of which are a step up from the Overture B series.
I will begin by saying I spent 2 years researching and listening before discovering the Zingali's. Not having much money to spend on audio gear, I wanted to make absolutely certain I was getting what I wanted, since I will probably not be able to afford any large purchases of this type for quite a long time. So, I listened to the usual suspects: Paradigm reference, B&W, Theil, Meadowlark, Dynaudio, Kef, Totem, Vienna Acoustic, Tannoy, etc.
I liked B&w, Vienna Acoustic, Paradigm Studio 100 V.2 and V.3 and particularly the Totem Forest. I alsmost got the Forests (wonderful speakers also, huge soundstage, which I would highly recommend you audition if your in the market for a realitively small two way stunner), but as my obsessive compulsive nature dictated, I needed to go back out once more and make sure. I'm glad I did. I could have been very happy with the Forests, but after listening to the Zingali Overture 4B, I was seduced and smitten with their presentation of music so much, I bought them on the spot. They were a trade in and I didn't want to lose them at their used price to someone else by waiting--I would have wept. Okay, I'll get to the meat of the review, already!
The Zingali Overture 4B is a large (49"h, 15"d, 11"w) floorstander which I find to be quite beautiful, top notch fit and finish. Unlike the most of the other speakers I auditioned (except Klipsch), this uses a horn for the mids and highs. I know, I know...that's what I thought too. I've been using an older two-way klipsch for some time and I really didn't want anything with a horn (give me a silk dome please!) But don't be fooled, the Zingali horn design (round not rectangular) is a new design called Omniray, is laythed from poplar wood in Italy by a million dollar computerized machine, and sounds better than I would have ever imagined a horn, or anything else I auditioned, could. The midrange on these speakers is absolutely mind-blowing, vocals of all types sound more natural, smooth, dynamic, and alive than I've ever heard. And this isn't even Zingali's top end model. If I fall into money, I'm not switching brands, just upgrading models, they're that good. I could, if I stretched my audiophile vocabulary, fill this whole review on nothing but the horn and how it expresses the mids and high end. Don't worry, I won't. But I will say...
I dragged my wife along to most of these auditions and until we listened to the Zingali's, she never had much to say, either not noticing the differences between these different speakers or not caring or both. But when we sat down to listen to these 4B's, she looked at me and said something like, "Wow! These sound way better than all the other ones." We just listened and then looked at eachother just grinning in shock and wonder. WAF was high to say the least, even though they are quite large and heavy. Lucy for me they sound so wonderful and look great too.
My dad, long time audio nut and the guy who always had the best stereo most people have heard, was in town and dropped by to listen to my new Zingali speakers. After about 3 or 4 pieces of very well recorded music. He said, "I have three comments: First, I've never heard a better soundstage, especially front to back than these have. Second, that's the flattest response from a speaker I've ever heard. And third, I would hate to be the engineer who has to make the recordings to be played on these things, they reveal everything."
Bass? Yep, it has that too. The specs rate them down to 32hz, but when using my Stereophile test cd, I can still hear 20hz a little if I'm really close, but it is there. This speaker does not have a fast bass and it does not knock your head off. The bass is a little slow but I really don't care, it blends so nicely with the mid and top end. It's tuneful and solid and "on me" without being overblown or boomy or "on my nerves".
Nutshell: Large, beautiful. Midrange perfect! (for me, anyway) not to foreward, not too sweet, not bloomy, not too dry. Top end clear as a bell, very wonderfully smooth. at first I thought these speakers were layed back or rolled off they were so non-fatiguing, but that wasn't it, every bit if information is there, it's just being present in a way that feels relaxed, but extremely revealing at the same time. Relaxed, but quite dynamic, Casandra Wilson's "come on into my kitchen" off Blue Light Til Dawn, the rim shots and sudden string plucks snap the air with their speed in an often startling way. Top to bottom, nothing I listened to did it for me like the Zingalis did. If you're searching for something special check out Zingali, even their bookshelfs are amazing. Strengths:
Dynamic, beautiful, stunning and spactacular midrange, clear open beautiful highs, very well ballanced, deep tunefull bass, smooth, non-fatiguing. Wonderful, musical, speakers. Weaknesses:
They're heavy, I guess could be a weakness for some, not me. A little slow in the bass. Otherwise,nothing comes to mind. Maybe hard to find--somewhat new to the U.S. not really a weakness just a potential point of frustration during speaker quests. Similar Products Used:
Auditions mostly: Klipsch, Tannoy, Paradigm Reference, Vienna Acoustic, AR, Energy Veritas, B&W, Meadowlark, Totem acoustic, Martin Logan Dynaudio, Kef, I listened to more I'm sure but can't recall at the moment.
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