Speaker Asylum: REVIEW: JansZen Loudspeaker Co, Ltd zA2.1 Speakers by jsm71

Model:	zA2.1
Category:	Speakers
Suggested Retail Price:	$7,495
Description:	Hybrid electrostatic loudspeakers
Manufacturer URL:	JansZen Loudspeaker Co, Ltd
Model Picture:	View

Review by jsm71 on November 02, 2012 at 13:13:29
IP Address: 216.82.182.32 Add Your Review
for the zA2.1

The JansZen zA2.1 is a new hybrid Electrostatic loudspeaker designed and built in Columbus, Ohio by David Janszen, son of Arthur A. Janszen. The Janszen family’s rich ESL history is one of audio’s good stories and is laid out in some detail on the company’s website. David is following in his father’s footsteps and the zA2.1 is actually his second offering since launching JansZen Loudspeaker, LTD in 2005. His first product, the Model One, was a big splash flagship effort and while well reviewed flagship products are never sales leaders. After its first production run David put that product on hold to put more momentum into the company with the more affordable zA2.1 product. David told me that the Model One should be available again perhaps in late 2013 for you high rollers.

The zA2.1 is a pretty unique design for being an ESL. Every other ESL that I have ever seen or read about is executed as a dipole planar. All dipole planars (including Magnepans and ribbon designs) need to be positioned well out into the room and away from side walls in order for the figure 8 sound fields to form the nice 3D soundstage that planars are so famous for. I own Maggie 1.7s and love this aspect of them, but they dominate whatever room they are in. The other downside of planars is their size. Flagship models are often well over 6 feet tall and some reach to the ceiling. The zA2.1 is a monopole design with the ESL panels set into a sealed sub-enclosure in the cabinet, with damping material behind the panels to soak up the rear back wave. The sound only fires forward like normal box speakers. Now you get all the sound advantages of ESLs without any placement restrictions. These speakers are also only about 3’ tall and quite attractive with their solid wood front baffles so they do not consume the room visually. Placement and size complaints don’t make the list.

So what about the soundstage, sweet spot size, and imaging? Totally flat ESL panels are prone to beaming like a laser and have very narrow width to the soundstage. Other designers either curve the panels like Martin Logan or simulate a curve with facets to increase dispersion. The price they pay is to lose a small amount of pinpoint focus in imaging. The zA2.1s have two ESL panels stacked vertically with a vertical split in the panel to have only one side cover high frequencies. The full panel handles the midrange. This is how David came up with the 2.1 designation. The design is said to be the family's sixth generation of ESL panels and fully new. He also has a secret where the panels are in fact flat but he somehow gets good dispersion without any compromise to pinpoint imaging. The sweet spot width is generous. I can sit straight at one speaker, fully off axis, and still get a good stereo effect without any goofy phase distortion or change in sound. It won’t be the centered sweet spot where the best seat still exists, but if I do this with my Maggies I only hear one speaker.

The soundstage on the zA2.1s is as wide as you place them. I found the best continuous left to right imaging was achieved by not spreading them too far apart and aimed at the listener. The equilateral triangle rule applies here. The soundstage and pinpoint imaging of the Janszens is as impressive as any dipole planar I have heard but different. The sound field is a little more forward and seems less like an accumulation of the front and rear reflections. The ESL speed gives notes super clear attack dynamics and very correct sounding transient decays. Piano keys, vibes, all percussion instruments, and struck strings just seem right and deadly accurate sonically. Kind of what you expect with ESLs but David’s monopole approach together with back wave damping makes this approach hard to knock.

What about the bass? ESLs don’t do bass well. Some designers simply build big enough panels to be able to reach the low notes. Others use separate bass panels. Many designers including JansZen use a hybrid design with bass woofers. David went with two 7” aluminum alloy drivers, one on top and one below the ESL panels. The two in concert create a nice combined effective mass for that impact punch we all love with kick or kettle drums. He also stepped away from the norm by doing fully sealed enclosures rather than ports or transmission lines. Read the web site for his reasons. I can’t do it justice, but I can tell you the result is very tight and solid bass flat to 40Hz. The stacked drivers also create a sort of line source for the bass which is also explained on the site. All I know is that the sound is seamless, cut over at about 500Hz. My Maggies are also rated to 40Hz, but because they have to be well into the room there is little reinforcement happening from the back wall. Note, I have the Janszens about 14” off the back wall which is close enough for that reinforcement.

I use a subwoofer with the Maggies and before anyone jumps on me about the price difference of these two speakers, I have heard the 3.7s many times and I would still use a sub with those as well. There is something about traditional bass woofers that you can’t beat for punch and bass impact. The zA2.1s won’t reach the mythical last octave of sound but I don’t seem to own any music left short. I have tried these speakers with and without the sub, and I have turned it off. Dynamic orchestra bursts with bass drum impact is a lot of fun and not at all thin sounding. A couple of CDs that I have with deep synth bass is also a smile producer.

The speakers are really well made. The outer cabinets are a full 1” high grade MDF. The twin ESL panels and each woofer is in its own sealed area. The front baffle and plinth are both 2 ½” solid hardwood, no veneers. I opted for the natural cherry baffle which is beautiful. The back cabinet and plinth is finished and painted black to a very high grade. The rear control plate is stainless steel. A Cardas binding post accepts spades or bare wire. Bare wire is work to get it to hold in place while you turn the knob to secure it down. I use spades. No banana connections, hmmm. A custom matching knob made by Cardas controls a user selectable control for tweeter adjustments. I like the control not at full tilt but a little beyond half way. There is also a three position toggle switch on the control panel to set the bass level at -3dB, 0dB, or +3dB (+3 for me – count me as a bass fan). These controls along with room placement allow you to really dial in the degree of smooth to edgy sound that you may like. This is important as room dynamics and reflective nature varies. The downside is if you are like me you drive yourself crazy tinkering with the settings. I am about done though. I think I have it. The rear control panel also accepts the ESL required power cord to charge the panels. You don’t escape this with this design, ESLs all need it.

So what would make this design better? Well, the $7,495 price tag may shorten the line but I am not sure what that price buys that would sound better. The speakers are tilted slightly back for time alignment but don’t project a very tall image if you have a small room like mine. The 3’ height is not quite the same as a 6’ panel. I tried these in my larger family room however and the image at the listener in that room was no issue. I guess if you wanted a much grander sound than these could produce for a very large room you would need a model of bigger proportions. Ask David about his Model One.

These are wonderfully sounding and well built speakers that exploit the virtues of ESL clarity and realism without placement and size complaints.

Product Weakness:	Newness in the marketplace, albeit from a legendary lineage. Delivery lead time. No banana connectors.
Product Strengths:	ESL virtues: Transparency, clarity, pinpoint imaging. More rock solid volume with strong clean bass than you would expect for their size. Placement flexibility. Build quality. High WAF

Associated Equipment for this Review:

Amplifier: Sanders Magtech
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated): Cary SLP 98P
Sources (CDP/Turntable): Marantz SA-8004/Marantz TT 15S1
Speakers: JansZen zA2.1
Cables/Interconnects: Anticable ICs and speaker.
Music Used (Genre/Selections): Jazz, Classical, blues, light rock,
Room Size (LxWxH): 13' x 11' x 8'
Time Period/Length of Audition: 1 week
Other (Power Conditioner etc.): PS Audio Quintet
Type of Audition/Review: Product Owner

Amplifier:	Sanders Magtech
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	Cary SLP 98P
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Marantz SA-8004/Marantz TT 15S1
Speakers:	JansZen zA2.1
Cables/Interconnects:	Anticable ICs and speaker.
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Jazz, Classical, blues, light rock,
Room Size (LxWxH):	13' x 11' x 8'
Time Period/Length of Audition:	1 week
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	PS Audio Quintet
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner