Unitra ZGB-401 loudspeaker

Introduction

We recently explored the smaller of Unitra’s two new integrated amplifiers, the WSH-605, and were captivated by its “retro/modern vibe.” It proved to be a rhythmically dynamic performer, capable of impressive pace and resolution. However, an amplifier’s agility is only fully realised with the right loudspeakers—a pair that can match its energy and precision step for step.

One thing I have learnt about Poland’s Unitra brand is they are extremely interesting audiophiles; they’re concentrating on getting the basics right with a range of products that both look good and have a great deal of thought put into their delivery, their comprehensive stand at Munich High-End reflected this.

Design

These Unitra ZGB-401 are 2-way stand-mounted loudspeakers featuring a bass reflex port at the rear. The drivers feature a 1″ aluminium-magnesium tweeter matched with a 6″ aluminium-ceramic midwoofer. The enclosure is based on a “box-in-box” arrangement for greater rigidity of the structure, reducing vibrations of the enclosure walls, and enhancing sound reproduction. The resulting weight of the ZGB-401 is more than 10,5 kg. That’s about it, design-wise, from Unitra; it is simple but very effective.

Quality

The cabinets are finished with natural wood veneer that is hand-oiled. The grilles are made from Polish linen. There is a solidity and physical weight to these loudspeakers that is of merit.

Specification and Price

Performance

Review Equipment

The Unitra ZGB-401s are on some seriously solid (and weighty) Atacama Nexus 700 loudspeaker stands. The engine used in this review comprises Tellurium Q Ultra Silver II loudspeaker cables and Tellurium Q Ultra Silver II XLR interconnects, connecting a Moor Amps Angel 6 power amplifier to an Angel-Pre preamplifier. The source is mainly Qobuz, and a Melco library accessed through Lightening DS with an Auralic ARIES streaming transport connected with Audioquest Carbon USB cable to an iFi Valkyrie iDSD DAC.

I’ve also been using an Astell&Kern PD10 into the Moor Preamplifier; it is good, really good (review to follow).

The Unitra ZGB-401s are stepping into the stands of a pair of reference Kudos Audio Titan 505s, big shoes indeed.

Sound Quality

The Moor Amps Angel 6 is a substantial and oversized partner for the ZGB-401s; however, it showcases the full range of these loudspeakers.  I’m going to give you three reasons why you should buy these loudspeakers.

First, listen to “The Lost Art of Murder” by Babyshambles (CD-quality WAV rip on the Melco library). Here, the detail is absolutely impeccable; every drag of the string by the finger is from the leading edge. It is stunning, as is the breathing of Peter Doherty’s flawed melancholy. These loudspeakers can deliver spectacular detail. If you are in any doubt, listen to The Cowboy Junkies’ Misguided Angel. The midrange comes across as neutral, and the loudspeakers seem particularly well-suited to vocals; however….

Secondly, take a listen to Arctic Monkeys’ I Bet That You Look Good on the Dancefloor (Qobuz, 16-bit, 44.1kHz). Alex Turner spits (I wish you’d stop ignoring me, because you’re sending me to dissspair…) and drives this magnificent song forward. The 401s deliver this aggressive and dynamic track with gusto, at no point being left behind. The treble, though, is not so harsh as to draw attention to itself.

Finally, listen to Elizabeth Fraser’s version of Tim Buckley’s track Song to the Siren (Qobuz, 24-bit, 96kHz) for a magnificent soundstage.  Liz Fraser collaborated with her Cocteau Twin partners and others from record label 4AD when she recorded this track as This Mortal Coil. Garbage does a fantastic job of covering Song to the Siren on Qobuz, by the way, who knew? It is well worth a listen, particularly with these 401s.

The Michel Gyro SE has had an upgrade this month with three Node Audio SS-1s under its feet, almost completely removing the noise floor from this turntable. A run through of Ray LaMontagne’s album, Trouble (RCA, 2004), reveals the rhythm and timing that characterise these excellent loudspeakers.  I read the details on the Unitra website of the GSH-801 EDMUND turntable, which features an external power supply.  It will have to go some to beat this combination, but based on this performance, it would be worth a listen.

Astell&Kern PD10

As I’ve mentioned, the Astell&Kern PD10 is here for review. It is stunning, and the cradle it combines with feeds XLR output to the Moor preamplifier with the flick of a toggle. It sounds equally as beautiful as the ARIES, benefiting from the onboard library with the majority of my two thousand CD collection stored locally on a microSD card. The output has depth and width, though the on-board digital version of Trouble (CD WAV rip) may lack that specific something compared to the vinyl (or does it with these sympathetic loudspeakers?).

Because these 401s only go down to 60Hz, one thing is apparent with these 401s. The tiles on the roof of my house are staying put. A REL stereo pair is required here! Fortunately for us, this is also in for review.

REL

Introducing one REL T/9x introduces a volume and presence.  Simply put, it adds enormous weight to the room. This is something only a subwoofer can do, but here, I have two in tandem.

Again, turning to the Cowboy Junkies – Misguided Angel, the sub bass gives the introduction an immediateness that you can’t get with the 401s on their own. This is something to think about with these, or any bookshelf like these, that a subwoofer is an absolute game-changer.

I also tried the same with a single REL 99 Classic, and the outcome is the same: the introduction of that low-end and sub-bass complement enhances these terrific loudspeakers.

Thoughts

A most unexpected outcome, this sparkling pair of loudspeakers offers fabulous resolution, vocal midrange emotion, and a dynamic response to keep up with the best of them.  Although we are at a particular price point here, around £2500, where the discerning audiophile can pick and choose from a high-quality range of stand-mounted loudspeakers that will all feature high-quality cabinets (though this is the only box, in-box I know of), meticulous crossover attention, and a level of scale and definition that needs to be compared. Unitra has placed itself in excellent company here.

Here at HF&MS, this editor purchased the Jern 14 DSs within a week of hearing and demoing them for £ 2,000 (they’re still in daily use), and we have auditioned DALI and Sonus faber, to name a few. However, there is something quite special going on with Unitra that warrants an audition at the very least, especially if this is at or near your loudspeaker price point.

Overall

We’ve already given you three reasons to buy these loudspeakers, above. It is your choice, but it is the unfussy approach to high-quality sound production that is of note here. The natural midrange and forgiving treble are particularly notable, offering long listening to all types of music.