Dali Zensor 3- Have i made the best decision?

[nugget2014]

Yesterday i bought the dali Zensor 3 from superfi after demoing them a 2nd time and compairng them to the monitor audio bronze BX2

after 5 mins of each i could tell a (bit) of diference and the montior audio's sounded like it was more detailed and had more clarity in some parts of the song, advisor said they were bright but not harsh on the ears even after hours of usage.

so i decided on the dalis and bought them. played them low volume in background for 2 hours then the following day i thought to myself "did i make the right choice?" and wondered if the monitor audio's would of suited me better. i am a basshead and love bass in electronic music and well any type of music. am i being critical of them for no reason and did i make the right choice? i do this sometimes for big purchases..

 

[cannibal_ox77]

Give them time, if they're new out of the box it's probably gonna take a while before they sound their best. There's a lot of love for those speakers in the zensor 3 owners club thread! What's driving them?

 

[nugget2014]

Give them time, if they're new out of the box it's probably gonna take a while before they sound their best. There's a lot of love for those speakers in the zensor 3 owners club thread! What's driving them?

atm my denon rcd-n8 micro system. bought it with the sc-n8 speakers combined for £300.

will buy an a/v receiver when move into flat in september.

how long should they take to sound best? in manual said 100 hours but someone said a few hours before they loosen up (like 5) rest is my ears adjusting..

 

[matthewpiano]

The Dalis are significantly better speakers than the MAs, including in the amount and quality of bass they provide. Firstly give them time, but secondly they deserve better amplification.

 

[audipheonix]

Give Them time to come to full potential or else take a look at adding a sub to the denon if it allows. You could also try to get 2nd hand amp to drive them better

 

[drummerman]

If you don't like them then yes, you've made the wrong decision.

If I wanted bass on a budget then Monitor Audios BX5 or a pair of Mission's MX Floorstanders would be my first choice.

Furthermore, both have 'good' bass without neglecting or overwhelming the rest. I remember one magazine measuring/testing the BX5 and it drove a large room as well as a large pair of Tannoys as well as measuring almost perfectly.

Can't comment on the Dali's.

regards

 

[MakkaPakka]

Buyer's remorse not necessarily wrong choice.

 

[nugget2014]

I cant drive them with a better amp as my space is all used up (in a small bedroom at my parents house atm)

when get my own place im sure the yamaha rxv-475 av receiver will do them justice? cant afford much more than that..will also get a sub added for my home cinema down the line (bk gemini II or XLS200)

 

[ID.]

If I wanted bass on a budget then Monitor Audios BX5 or a pair of Mission's MX Floorstanders would be my first choice.

Furthermore, both have 'good' bass without neglecting or overwhelming the rest. I remember one magazine measuring/testing the BX5 and it drove a large room as well as a large pair of Tannoys as well as measuring almost perfectly.

That's what I've felt about the BX5s. Always reassuring to have one's own opinions backed up by others.

I do agree with other posters who say they need to be given a bit of time, but honestly, every speaker I've owned has pretty much settled into its sound after 10-15 hours of use at moderate volumes, so if you don't like them...

 

[ADDUCO]

If you you do not like what you hear return them and buy something else. It is pointless looking for confirmation that you have made a correct purchasing decision over a forum.

 

[davedotco]

If you you do not like what you hear return them and buy something else. It is pointless looking for confirmation that you have made a correct purchasing decision over a forum.

But they have such good reviews........ :doh:

They must be good.

Actually they are rather decent, if you wanted a boom box you should have bought something else.

 

[jonathanRD]

Hi Nugget - which amp or AVR did you test them with in the shop? Your new pair are going to sound different as 1) they are new, 2) different amplification & source, and 3) your room accoustics. Are they on stands?

Anyhow, as many have said, give them a liitle time to run in - then see how you feel.

I've got the BX2's, I dont find them particularly bright or tiring, but I don't listen to them for long periods with music. I mainly use them for films & tv where their clarity is more suited.

A few more days, then see how you feel - if they are then ok, you know that they are going to sound even better with better amplification.

 

[JamesMellor]

"after demoing them a 2nd time and compairng them to the monitor audio bronze BX2 "

Seems to me you did everything right , two demo's picked the ones you liked the best , went with your own ears .

You can't listen to EVERY speaker at any price point you just have to go with what you like when you find it .

I don't think your issue is with the speakers I think its with the amount of money you spent and thats what you are questioning if so relax and enjoy the music . I've never heard them but if the opinions of those who have count you got a good pair that will stand 2 or 4 amp upgrades when you get your own place.

James

 

[nugget2014]

Hi Nugget - which amp or AVR did you test them with in the shop? Your new pair are going to sound different as 1) they are new, 2) different amplification & source, and 3) your room accoustics. Are they on stands?

Anyhow, as many have said, give them a liitle time to run in - then see how you feel.

I've got the BX2's, I dont find them particularly bright or tiring, but I don't listen to them for long periods with music. I mainly use them for films & tv where their clarity is more suited.

A few more days, then see how you feel - if they are then ok, you know that they are going to sound even better with better amplification.

hi Jonathan

Tested them with my CD (Ellie Goulding's Halcyon Days playing "burn") and it was played via the yamaha rxv-475 a/v receiver. i'll be buying that one for my flat or the 575

 

[nugget2014]

"after demoing them a 2nd time and compairng them to the monitor audio bronze BX2 "

Seems to me you did everything right , two demo's picked the ones you liked the best , went with your own ears .

You can't listen to EVERY speaker at any price point you just have to go with what you like when you find it .

I don't think your issue is with the speakers I think its with the amount of money you spent and thats what you are questioning if so relax and enjoy the music . I've never heard them but if the opinions of those who have count you got a good pair that will stand 2 or 4 amp upgrades when you get your own place.

oh and btw my room is tiny. so it will shake more easy then a living room. but i'm sure my living room could shake with the proper volume. wouldn't want to try it though. i'll leave it to my future sub to handle that!

James

not only my ears picked them for me. i also was from the start leaning towards the dali 3's as the 7" woofer and better bass then the BX2 as i like bass more than a bit more extra clarity that the others would of given me. sure the BX2's look better but its about the sound i guess, i'll be leaving the grilles on my dali zensor 3's for now. look better with it on anyway! i tested them on a more higher volume today after burning them in so to speak for about 8 hours in total. put them upto 21 volume (pushed my old bundled sc-n8 speakers by denon to 32 volume before) so felt that was enough for now. and even at 21 volume my WHOLE room shook..with my old speakers only the floor shook. the speakers are fantastic! tested international by chase and status and have i never felt happy with a purchase like that until now.

 

[paulselwood]

You may find after a few hours of playing, over bass. Then you have to turn your amp down. I have a arcam a19 and epos epic 1 speakers, love them not bright at all. Last month brought a dali zensor 5, love them so much at first. But after two weeks, bit bright and too much bass, now I do not want them. Epos back on. I only play pop music. Bass is ok, Put too much and it will do your head in

 

[nugget2014]

You may find after a few hours of playing, over bass. Then you have to turn your amp down. I have a arcam a19 and epos epic 1 speakers, love them not bright at all. Last month brought a dali zensor 5, love them so much at first. But after two weeks, bit bright and too much bass, now I do not want them. Epos back on. I only play pop music. Bass is ok, Put too much and it will do your head in

i understand what you mean. it may take a bit more than that for me to turn the bass down. i've been a "basshead" for ages. even buying one of the best bass pairs of headphones out there (v moda m-100) foolish now i see what the zensor 3's can do. how much were you epic 1's? i heard of them. didnt really look into them though i forgot the pricetag. i actually cant tell a noticeable diference in clarity between my old and new speakers just bass. its much more noticeable than clarity is anyway

 

[davedotco]

You may find after a few hours of playing, over bass. Then you have to turn your amp down. I have a arcam a19 and epos epic 1 speakers, love them not bright at all. Last month brought a dali zensor 5, love them so much at first. But after two weeks, bit bright and too much bass, now I do not want them. Epos back on. I only play pop music. Bass is ok, Put too much and it will do your head in

i understand what you mean. it may take a bit more than that for me to turn the bass down. i've been a "basshead" for ages. even buying one of the best bass pairs of headphones out there (v moda m-100) foolish now i see what the zensor 3's can do. how much were you epic 1's? i heard of them. didnt really look into them though i forgot the pricetag. i actually cant tell a noticeable diference in clarity between my old and new speakers just bass. its much more noticeable than clarity is anyway

Reading your posts I do not feel that budget hi-fi components are going to give you what you want. Hi-fi equipment that can produce extended bass and reproduce it with power and precission is expensive, cheap speakers will, in the main, just boom and rattle.

The cheapest setup I have heard in recent times that will deliver what you want are a pair of Mackie HR824, now in MK2 guise. Not cheap at £1000-1200 per pair bit they are fully active so no other amplification is required, bass output is prodigious and volume levels are far beyond the capabilities of similarly priced hi-fi components.

They manage all this with a fair degree of control too, just work out the best way to drive them (computer, streamer etc) and you will not be dissapointed.

 

[nugget2014]

You may find after a few hours of playing, over bass. Then you have to turn your amp down. I have a arcam a19 and epos epic 1 speakers, love them not bright at all. Last month brought a dali zensor 5, love them so much at first. But after two weeks, bit bright and too much bass, now I do not want them. Epos back on. I only play pop music. Bass is ok, Put too much and it will do your head in

i understand what you mean. it may take a bit more than that for me to turn the bass down. i've been a "basshead" for ages. even buying one of the best bass pairs of headphones out there (v moda m-100) foolish now i see what the zensor 3's can do. how much were you epic 1's? i heard of them. didnt really look into them though i forgot the pricetag. i actually cant tell a noticeable diference in clarity between my old and new speakers just bass. its much more noticeable than clarity is anyway

Reading your posts I do not feel that budget hi-fi components are going to give you what you want. Hi-fi equipment that can produce extended bass and reproduce it with power and precission is expensive, cheap speakers will, in the main, just boom and rattle.

The cheapest setup I have heard in recent times that will deliver what you want are a pair of Mackie HR824, now in MK2 guise. Not cheap at £1000-1200 per pair bit they are fully active so no other amplification is required, bass output is prodigious and volume levels are far beyond the capabilities of similarly priced hi-fi components.

They manage all this with a fair degree of control too, just work out the best way to drive them (computer, streamer etc) and you will not be dissapointed.

there is no way on this earth i will ever spend £1000+ on a pair of speakers.. i think the max i'd go in the forseeable future is £500 if i ever wanted in upgrade in 5 years time or something. i'll be using these for my home cinema and reconnect my old speakers to my denon and put in bedroom

the home cinema budget is stretching tight as it is for £1000. for that i can get the dali zensor 3's, a blu-ray player, vokal centre speaker and a subwoofer (still need to buy a/v receiver) i'll work my way up slowly. after all i've only just entered the hi-fi world. maybe i'll have a speaker that great in 10 years

 

[davedotco]

You may find after a few hours of playing, over bass. Then you have to turn your amp down. I have a arcam a19 and epos epic 1 speakers, love them not bright at all. Last month brought a dali zensor 5, love them so much at first. But after two weeks, bit bright and too much bass, now I do not want them. Epos back on. I only play pop music. Bass is ok, Put too much and it will do your head in

i understand what you mean. it may take a bit more than that for me to turn the bass down. i've been a "basshead" for ages. even buying one of the best bass pairs of headphones out there (v moda m-100) foolish now i see what the zensor 3's can do. how much were you epic 1's? i heard of them. didnt really look into them though i forgot the pricetag. i actually cant tell a noticeable diference in clarity between my old and new speakers just bass. its much more noticeable than clarity is anyway

Reading your posts I do not feel that budget hi-fi components are going to give you what you want. Hi-fi equipment that can produce extended bass and reproduce it with power and precission is expensive, cheap speakers will, in the main, just boom and rattle.

The cheapest setup I have heard in recent times that will deliver what you want are a pair of Mackie HR824, now in MK2 guise. Not cheap at £1000-1200 per pair bit they are fully active so no other amplification is required, bass output is prodigious and volume levels are far beyond the capabilities of similarly priced hi-fi components.

They manage all this with a fair degree of control too, just work out the best way to drive them (computer, streamer etc) and you will not be dissapointed.

there is no way on this earth i will ever spend £1000+ on a pair of speakers.. i think the max i'd go in the forseeable future is £500 if i ever wanted in upgrade in 5 years time or something. i'll be using these for my home cinema and reconnect my old speakers to my denon and put in bedroom

the home cinema budget is stretching tight as it is for £1000. for that i can get the dali zensor 3's, a blu-ray player, vokal centre speaker and a subwoofer (still need to buy a/v receiver) i'll work my way up slowly. after all i've only just entered the hi-fi world. maybe i'll have a speaker that great in 10 years

Fair comment, though it is probably best to adjust your expectations.

The Zensor 3 is about as good as it gets for the money, sure different models like the MAs mentioned earlier will present the sound slightly differently but they are still limited in aspects of their performance and this would become obvious after a little time, personally I would take the Dalis every time.

Of couse spending £1k on a home cinema setup does spread the money rather wide, a two channel setup for the same money will be far better on music but no doubt you will work all that out in time.

Good luck.

 

[nugget2014]

You may find after a few hours of playing, over bass. Then you have to turn your amp down. I have a arcam a19 and epos epic 1 speakers, love them not bright at all. Last month brought a dali zensor 5, love them so much at first. But after two weeks, bit bright and too much bass, now I do not want them. Epos back on. I only play pop music. Bass is ok, Put too much and it will do your head in

i understand what you mean. it may take a bit more than that for me to turn the bass down. i've been a "basshead" for ages. even buying one of the best bass pairs of headphones out there (v moda m-100) foolish now i see what the zensor 3's can do. how much were you epic 1's? i heard of them. didnt really look into them though i forgot the pricetag. i actually cant tell a noticeable diference in clarity between my old and new speakers just bass. its much more noticeable than clarity is anyway

Reading your posts I do not feel that budget hi-fi components are going to give you what you want. Hi-fi equipment that can produce extended bass and reproduce it with power and precission is expensive, cheap speakers will, in the main, just boom and rattle.

The cheapest setup I have heard in recent times that will deliver what you want are a pair of Mackie HR824, now in MK2 guise. Not cheap at £1000-1200 per pair bit they are fully active so no other amplification is required, bass output is prodigious and volume levels are far beyond the capabilities of similarly priced hi-fi components.

They manage all this with a fair degree of control too, just work out the best way to drive them (computer, streamer etc) and you will not be dissapointed.

there is no way on this earth i will ever spend £1000+ on a pair of speakers.. i think the max i'd go in the forseeable future is £500 if i ever wanted in upgrade in 5 years time or something. i'll be using these for my home cinema and reconnect my old speakers to my denon and put in bedroom

the home cinema budget is stretching tight as it is for £1000. for that i can get the dali zensor 3's, a blu-ray player, vokal centre speaker and a subwoofer (still need to buy a/v receiver) i'll work my way up slowly. after all i've only just entered the hi-fi world. maybe i'll have a speaker that great in 10 years

Fair comment, though it is probably best to adjust your expectations.

The Zensor 3 is about as good as it gets for the money, sure different models like the MAs mentioned earlier will present the sound slightly differently but they are still limited in aspects of their performance and this would become obvious after a little time, personally I would take the Dalis every time.

Of couse spending £1k on a home cinema setup does spread the money rather wide, a two channel setup for the same money will be far better on music but no doubt you will work all that out in time.

Good luck.

at the first of my looking into home cinema i had a couple of theories on what i would like.

option a) buy a good floorstanders and don't need to invest in centre speaker

option b) get semi budget all round components (im doing this now)

i will be using the home cinema for about 40% music 60% movies but i much prefer a better movie experience than music experience (mainly why i want a subwoofer too)

at least the dali zensor 3's here will give me a good music experience and upgrading my amp to an a/v receiver the sound can only be improved along with a subwoofer

when the budget allows in a couple years. i will be thinking about a more expensive pair of bookshelf's for the front such as monitor audio silver 2 (£650) these look amazing. and with a gold tweeter im sure they will be detailed more than my zensor 3's and they have 8" woofer so im getting the bass i also love along with it. these will be my next purchase in the next few years

 

[Blackdawn]

I would tend to agree with drummerman and would have gone for floorstanders due to the music you like plus the amount of bass you want..

 

[nugget2014]

I would tend to agree with drummerman and would have gone for floorstanders due to the music you like plus the amount of bass you want..

floorstanders were not the most viable option as i'll be living in an upstairs flat and i don't want to annoy the neighbour if i can help it. plus they was a bit more expensive for my budget

 

[paulselwood]

Epos epic 1 cost me 325 pounds. They sit on a cheap pair of speaker stands, and I mean cheap. I mod the stands, by putting black masking round the bottom, then added some cat litter to them.

 

[jonathanRD]

Based on your original budget and what you said you were looking for in your first couple of posts (before this thread) - I think you have done the right thing.

Just a bit of patience now, until you get the AVR, bluray, centre and sub. Then you'll have a big grin on your face