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Zellaton Reference MkII Loudspeaker

Zellaton Reference MkII Loudspeaker

Over the last twenty-five years I’ve heard a lot of fine equipment at trade shows around the world. Only twice have I been stopped in my tracks by a sound so uncannily realistic it literally made me do a double take. This happened, a decade or so ago, at CES with the Scaena Iso-Linear loudspeaker array. And again, just three years past, in Munich with an earlier version of the speakers I’m about to discuss, the Zellaton Reference MkIIs. In both cases I was so amazed that, one by one, I tracked down every other member of our staff and dragged him back with me to hear what I’d heard. It should go without saying that, in both cases, I immediately asked for review samples.

Alas, the Scaenas didn’t fulfill their promise in my listening room (not wholly the speakers’ fault, BTW), but the Zellaton References, now in their MkII iterations, are a different story. Before I tell that story, you should know that the Reference MkIIs are not for everyone, and I don’t just mean because of their incredibly high price tag ($150k per pair). Unlike several other truly great loudspeakers (e.g., the $129k Magico M Pros and the $70k Magico M3s), the Reference MkIIs are targeted quite specifically at one kind of listener and one only—the kind this magazine was dedicated to at its founding. If your taste runs to classical music, large-scale or small, or acoustic music from jazz to pop, then the Zellatons have certain virtues that other cone transducers—even other far more expensive cone transducers—don’t have (or don’t have to the same extent). If, on the other hand, you’re into rock, electronica, or other types of hard-driving amplified music and simply can’t live without the whip-crack transients and midbass slam that certain speakers deliver in abundance, you can do better (or, at least, substantially different) than the Reference MkIIs for a lot less money.

So, why would anybody in his or her right mind contemplate purchasing speakers that cost a fortune and have somewhat limited appeal? Well, for the two or three of you who are still reading with genuine interest (or morbid curiosity), let me see if I can come up with an answer.

To begin with, the Zellaton Reference MkIIs don’t sound like any other dynamic loudspeakers I’m familiar with. Indeed, at their best, they don’t sound like loudspeakers at all. They simply haven’t got the usual metal, plastic, paper, ceramic, diamond, or carbon-fiber cone-in-a-box sonic signature. For better (and a bit of worse, as you’ll see), they are almost as colorless as the air in your listening room. Indeed, if you were to blindfold yourself (as a few of my on-line critics would prefer I do—and gag myself while I’m at it) and then guess what you were listening to, you would probably say an unusually neutral, three-dimensional, deep-reaching, full-bodied electrostat, or, with select recordings of voices and instruments played back at the right volume levels, the real thing.

To explain why the Zellaton drivers are so exceptionally low in material coloration and so seamlessly matched from woofer through tweeter that they sound like a single-driver ’stat (or the real deal) requires a bit of a history lesson. And, as it turns out, only a few other companies still extant have a longer history than Zellaton.

Even though you’ve likely never heard of this little German marque (based in Munich), its pedigree dates back to June 9, 1930, when its founder, German engineer and physicist Dr. Emil Podszus, filed a patent on what was then the first “sandwich” cone driver.

To quote from my Hi-Fi+ colleague Alan Sircom’s excellent article on Zellaton (http://www.hifiplus.com/articles/meet-your-maker-zellaton/): “Podszus began working on loudspeaker drive units back…when electrical recording and replay were still in their infancy. Materials science of the 1930s was in its infancy too; materials we take for granted today, like PVC and polystyrene, were at the forefront of technological progress at the time, and inter-war Germany was one of the great centers of excellence in plastics development. In this period of intense growth, Dr. Emil Podszus set himself the task of improving the performance of loudspeaker units, both in terms of high-performance audio and the more pressing issue of loudspeakers within telephones.

 

“His solution was to make a drive unit that coupled a very light diaphragm with a carefully optimized foam substrate, to produce a loudspeaker with the speed and stiffness required for audio reproduction. The difficulty faced with this design—it transpired—was that it doesn’t ‘scale’ well. Where pioneering plastics technologists in the 1930s quickly found a way to mass-produce their materials, the need to create a foam substrate of varying size across the driver meant Emil Podszus’ [sandwich cone] remained essentially a bespoke design that could only be produced in tiny numbers. A very high performance design, undoubtedly, but one that precluded being supplied to the audio mass market. This kept the Podszus name out of the mainstream audio world, but the Zellaton brand that came out of this technology was resilient. Dr. Emil handed the concepts down to his son Kurt, who then subsequently passed the baton down to his son Manuel.”

Manuel Podszus is still making his grandfather’s drivers—and still making them by hand in a process so painstakingly exacting that it takes several weeks to complete each cone (all materials and adhesives are also subjected to several months of testing and optimization). It is commonplace today for loudspeaker manufacturers to brag about their high-tech tweeters, midranges, and woofers, but, frankly, a good deal of the fabrication and assembly of those drivers is farmed out to specialty companies that have the machinery to produce parts precisely to order—and in sufficient quantity. This is not the way Zellaton works. It makes diaphragms the way Patek Philippe makes watches.

The Reference MkII is a three-way floorstanding loudspeaker with a single 2″ true cone tweeter (not a dome or an inverted dome but a cone), a single 7″ mid/woofer (which, by itself, covers the range from 250Hz to 6.5kHz—part of the reason why the Reference MkII sounds so much like a single-driver speaker), and three 9″ woofers, all housed in a unique, gorgeously finished, multi-layered, matrix-braced, open-backed enclosure (see below for more details). Every single one of the Reference’s drivers uses Emil Podszus’ sandwich cone (which his grandson Manuel has improved by “using modern materials and sophisticated, purpose-designed processes without changing the basic formulation that has been employed for decades”). Utilizing a single type of driver made of precisely the same materials—rather than a mix of cones and domes made of a variety of materials, as is the case with almost every other dynamic or hybrid loudspeaker I know of—is another reason why the Zellaton Reference MkII sounds so remarkably ’stat-like and of a piece.

What is a Zellaton driver? Essentially, it is a three-piece sandwich cone comprising a micro-thin layer of aluminum film (0.006mm thick in the case of the tweeter) atop a layer of ultra-stiff aerated foam (still hand-made and hand-cured using Emil Podszus’ “top-secret” formula), and backed by a proprietary layer of treated paper. Zellaton cones are incredibly light (the Zellaton tweeter’s diaphragm weighs approximately 0.16 grams!) but also incredibly stiff, giving them what is claimed to be “ideal pulse response.” All of the Reference’s drivers also use computer-optimized magnet systems (pure iron with 20,000 gauss magnetic flux, in the case of the cone tweeter) with a “largely linear field along the entire height of the pole plate”; proprietary spiders and surrounds (which have a softer “feel” that other surrounds I’m familiar with—just touch one of the woofers’ surrounds and see for yourself); and high-temperature voice coils on titanium-film formers. Each driver is “subjected to multiple control measurements and fine adjustments,” with its frequency response logged and documented and pairs matched to the highest tolerances. The drivers are linked to each other via crossover networks that use ultra-high-end Duelund Coherent Audio caps, coils, and resistors, and wired with ultra-high-end Schnerzinger cable.

The Reference MkIIs’ enclosures are just as handcrafted as their drivers. Intricate in design, damping, bracing, composition, and finish, their multi-layered wooden walls vary in thickness from 34mm to 50mm. At the rear, the enclosures are mostly open from top to bottom—an unusual configuration (nowadays) that reduces or eliminates compression of the tweeter, midrange, and woofers’ backwaves, and gives the Zellatons something very like the dipolar radiation pattern and easy, boxless openness of membrane speakers—another reason why the Reference MkIIs sound like ’stats on steroids.

Of course, the main reason that the Zellaton Reference MkIIs are reminiscent of electrostats is the forehead-slapping realism with which they reproduce voices and so many acoustic instruments. This is in equal parts the result of extremely high resolution (virtually as high as you can get at low to moderately loud levels with cones), extremely lifelike reproduction of timbre, extremely natural and linear reproduction of transients (with none of the edge or “zip” of metal domes and none of the subsequent timbral, dynamic, and imaging discontinuities between the midrange and the upper octaves—every instrument speaks with the same voice no matter where in its range it plays, just as in life), and extremely low driver/box coloration with none of the usual sense of the box or the backwave of the drivers selectively adding spurious, spring-like energy to the presentation, which, despite the manifest increase in thrills this “super-charging” gives the sound, is not something one—or, at least, this one—hears in a concert or recital hall.

With really great recordings of acoustic music, the result is a truly remarkable sense of being in the presence of actual vocalists and instrumentalists. As I’ve noted before, this level of realism—where a voice or an instrument is conjured up so completely that the mind does a double take—is not something we are used to from stereo systems. We expect hi-fi’s to sound at least a little like hi-fi’s. It is what they are, after all—and hell, we’re looking right at them. In spite of this, at its best the Zellaton Reference MkII makes you forget where the sound is coming from.

All this talk about Zellatons and electrostats raises an interesting question: Why not just buy a ’stat or hybrid ’stat instead? After all, even the best of such speakers costs far less than a pair of Reference MkIIs.

 

Well…I can think of several reasons. First, true full-range electrostats are giant monoliths that require a whole lot of space around them to strut their stuff. (Even smaller ’stats tend to have considerable width and height.) For all their sonic similarities, the svelte, four-foot-tall Zellaton Reference MkIIs are relatively demure in size and far more stylish-looking than most ’stats, and will slot with far greater ease into a lot more listening rooms, from small to relatively big. Second, while some large electrostatic panels can do low bass, most can’t (and the sheer square footage of those that can tends to excite room modes like nobody’s business, making them a challenge to set up). The Zellaton Reference MkIIs have excellent low-end extension (down into the 20Hz range), neutral color, and superb bottom-octave definition (with none of the room-induced ballooning of certain lower-octave notes that you can so often get with ’stats). Plus—thanks to their unique Podszus drivers and open cabinet design—they have the free-flowing three-dimensional bass of actual fiddles, pianos, and low-pitched brasses and winds. Third, they not only have more three-dimensional body in the bass than a typical ’stat; they also have that three-dimensionality in the midrange and lower treble. This is partly just a property of cones, which tend to sound more “rooted,” less “evanescent” than electrostats. But it is also a distinctive virtue of the Podszus drivers, which have a dimensionality and naturalness of timbre that is rare even among ultra-high-end speakers.

So, you’re probably asking, why did I call speakers capable of such a fabulous magic trick “limited in appeal?” Well, almost by design (dipole radiation pattern, cones that are almost as light as membrane drivers and that aren’t gaining any backwave leverage from their enclosure), Zellatons don’t pack all the dynamic punch of ported or sealed-enclosure loudspeakers. (This is another way in which they resemble electrostats.) While big timp or kickdrum strikes will shake the room with the Zellatons, they won’t shake it the way, oh, Magicos or Raidhos do. Ditto for rock drumkit-and-Fender-bass lines, which are superbly defined in timbre and duration, but are subdued (in comparison to the best dynamic speakers) when it comes to clout.

Nor do the Zellatons have all the energy on hard upper-midrange and treble transients that speakers with metal-dome tweeters or ribbons often have. Indeed, the Reference MkII’s true cone tweeter sounds considerably softer and less extended than beryllium or diamond tweeters. (It also sounds more of a piece with the midrange and bass, which is precisely the trade-off that Manuel Podszus was willing to make when he designed this remarkable driver.) For acoustic music, this softness is generally a plus. The complaint, often raised in this magazine, that metal/diamond-dome tweeters produce too much sonic “edge enhancement,” exaggerating transient detail in a way that one never hears in a concert or recital hall or a large studio (where treble-range notes are typically softened by frictional losses), will never be raised about the Zellaton Reference MkIIs. In the treble, they make music sound like it’s being played in a hall. That said, the speakers do reduce the shimmer and impact of struck instruments, like bells and cymbals, and slightly soften the attacks of brass, wind, and percussion.

So, what is the bottom line here? Clearly, the Zellatons will not be the right speakers for “as you like it” listeners—or for any listeners looking primarily for visceral thrills and chills (and, let’s face it, a lot of you quite reasonably are looking for these very things). They will be far more satisfactory to “fidelity to source” listeners (or at least to those who are willing to give up some upper-midrange/treble energy and extension), and will be nearly ideal for (wealthy) absolute sound fans, who will find in them a unique combination of the speed, resolution, and single-driver coherence of a great electrostat and the color, weight, body, and bass extension of a great dynamic speaker.

I’ll tell you this: On well-recorded voice (such as Sarah Vaughan’s fabulous contralto on Sarah Vaughan & The Jimmy Reeves Quartet [Mainstream] or Ol’ Blue Eyes’ whiskey-colored baritone on Live at the Sands [MoFi/Universal]), small ensemble classical (such as the Tashi rendition of Ingolf Dahl’s delightful Concerto a Tre [RCA], or violinist Paul Zukofsky and pianist Gilbert Kalish’s thrilling performances of George Crumb’s bravura Four Nocturnes for Violin and Piano [Mainstream]), large-scale classical (such as the explosively dynamic Johanos/Dallas recording of Rachmaninoff’s Symphonic Dances [Analogue Productions/Turnabout] or the famous Reiner/CSO performance of Russian orchestral showpieces, Festival [RCA]), or folk, blues, and pop (such as the great Son House LP Father of Folk Blues [Analogue Productions/Columbia], Taj Mahal’s gruff and tender Recycling the Blues & Other Related Stuff [Analogue Productions/Columbia], and Pete Townshend, Ronnie Lane, Eric Clapton, John Entwistle, and Charlie Watts’ still delightful, mostly acoustic romp Rough Mix [Polydor]), the Zellaton Reference MkIIs regularly disappear, making singers, instruments, entire ensembles sound as if they’d somehow magically popped up in the room with you from some kink or curvature in time. It’s a helluva feat—one that our founder, Mr. Pearson, would’ve admired (as I most certainly do).

If you love acoustic music—classical, jazz, or pop—and have the shekels, auditioning the Zellaton Reference MkIIs would be a wise and rewarding move.

Specs & Pricing

Type: Three-way dynamic loudspeaker
Drivers: One 2″ cone tweeter, one 7″ mid/woofer, three 9″ woofers
Frequency response: 22Hz–40kHz
Nominal impedance: 4 ohms
Sensitivity: 89dB/1W/1m
Recommended power: 50W–600W
Dimensions: 17.7″ x 51.57″ x 27.95″
Weight: 275.5 lbs. per side
Price: $150,000 per pair

AUDIOARTS (U.S. Importer)
210 Fifth Avenue.
New York, NY 10010
(212) 260-2939
audioarts.co

JV’s Reference System
Loudspeakers: Magico M Project, Magico M3, Raidho D-1, Avantgarde Zero 1, MartinLogan CLX, Magnepan .7, Magnepan 1.7, Magnepan 30.7
Subwoofers: JL Audio Gotham (pair), Magico QSub 15 (pair)
Linestage preamps: Soulution 725, Constellation Altair II, Siltech SAGA System C1, Air Tight ATE-2001 Reference
Phonostage preamps: Soulution 755, Constellation Perseus, Audio Consulting Silver Rock Toroidal, Innovative Cohesion Engineering Raptor
Power amplifiers: Soulution 711, Constellation Hercules II Stereo, Air Tight 3211, Air Tight ATM-2001, Zanden Audio Systems Model 9600, Siltech SAGA System V1/P1, Odyssey Audio Stratos
Analog sources: Acoustic Signature Invictus/T-9000, Walker Audio Proscenium Black Diamond Mk V, TW Acustic Black Knight/TW Raven 10.5, Continuum Audio Labs Obsidian with Viper tonearm, AMG Viella 12
Tape deck: United Home Audio Ultimate 1 OPS
Phono cartridges: Clearaudio Goldfinger Statement, Air Tight Opus 1, Ortofon MC Anna, Ortofon MC A90
Digital sources: Berkeley Alpha DAC 2, MSB The Reference DAC
Cables and interconnects: Crystal Cable Absolute Dream, Synergistic Research Galileo UEF, Ansuz Acoustics Diamond
Power cords: Crystal Cable Absolute Dream, Synergistic Research Galileo UEF, Ansuz Acoustics Diamond
Power conditioners: Synergistic Research Galileo LE, Technical Brain
Support systems: Critical Mass Systems MAXXUM and QXK equipment racks and amp stands
Room treatments: Stein Music H2 Harmonizer System, Synergistic Research UEF Acoustic Panels/Atmosphere/UEF Acoustic Dot system, Synergistic Research ART system, Shakti Hallographs (6), Zanden Acoustic panels, A/V Room Services Metu acoustic panels and traps, ASC Tube Traps
Accessories: Symposium Isis and Ultra equipment platforms, Symposium Rollerblocks and Fat Padz, Walker Prologue Reference equipment and amp stands, Walker Valid Points and Resonance Control discs, Clearaudio Double Matrix Professional Sonic record cleaner, Synergistic Research RED Quantum fuses, HiFi-Tuning silver/gold fuses

Tags: FEATURED

Jonathan Valin

By Jonathan Valin

I’ve been a creative writer for most of life. Throughout the 80s and 90s, I wrote eleven novels and many stories—some of which were nominated for (and won) prizes, one of which was made into a not-very-good movie by Paramount, and all of which are still available hardbound and via download on Amazon. At the same time I taught creative writing at a couple of universities and worked brief stints in Hollywood. It looked as if teaching and writing more novels, stories, reviews, and scripts was going to be my life. Then HP called me up out of the blue, and everything changed. I’ve told this story several times, but it’s worth repeating because the second half of my life hinged on it. I’d been an audiophile since I was in my mid-teens, and did all the things a young audiophile did back then, buying what I could afford (mainly on the used market), hanging with audiophile friends almost exclusively, and poring over J. Gordon Holt’s Stereophile and Harry Pearson’s Absolute Sound. Come the early 90s, I took a year and a half off from writing my next novel and, music lover that I was, researched and wrote a book (now out of print) about my favorite classical records on the RCA label. Somehow Harry found out about that book (The RCA Bible), got my phone number (which was unlisted, so to this day I don’t know how he unearthed it), and called. Since I’d been reading him since I was a kid, I was shocked. “I feel like I’m talking to God,” I told him. “No,” said he, in that deep rumbling voice of his, “God is talking to you.” I laughed, of course. But in a way it worked out to be true, since from almost that moment forward I’ve devoted my life to writing about audio and music—first for Harry at TAS, then for Fi (the magazine I founded alongside Wayne Garcia), and in the new millennium at TAS again, when HP hired me back after Fi folded. It’s been an odd and, for the most part, serendipitous career, in which things have simply come my way, like Harry’s phone call, without me planning for them. For better and worse I’ve just gone with them on instinct and my talent to spin words, which is as close to being musical as I come.

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