When you combine a passion for sound engineering with decades of hands-on expertise, you get something extraordinary. That’s exactly what Vanatoo’s Transparent Zero Plus (T0+) speakers represent.
Designed by Gary Gesellchen and Rick Kernen, these speakers aim to bring high-fidelity sound to everyone—without requiring a stack of equipment or audiophile-level knowledge.
I had the chance to speak with Gary Gesellchen, the co-founder and CTO of Vanatoo, to learn more about the design and thought process behind these speakers.
And after spending time with the T0+ speakers myself, my appreciation for what they’ve accomplished only deepened.
It’s clear that these aren’t just another pair of small bookshelf speakers—they’re a statement about how audio should be experienced.
Here’s a closer look at my conversation with Gary, my experience with the Transparent Zero Plus speakers, and everything you need to know about them.
Vanatoo Transparent Zero Plus Specs
| Spec | Details |
|---|---|
Drivers |
Woofer: 4″aluminum cone with 1″ underhung voice coil Tweeter: 1″ soft dome Passive Radiator: 4″ long-throw |
Frequency Response |
56 Hz to 20 kHz (±3 dB) in Shelf Mode 52 Hz to 20 kHz (±3 dB) in Flat Mode |
Speaker Output Power |
48 watts per woofer 12 watts per tweeter |
Dimensions |
4.75″ (width) x 7.5″ (height) x 7.75″ (depth) |
Weight |
Active speaker: 4.5 lbs Passive speaker: 4 lbs |
Connections |
Analog Input: 3.5mm AUX Digital Inputs: USB Type-B, Toslink Optical Wireless: Bluetooth 5.1 Subwoofer Output: Yes |
Connections |
Closed-back |
Placement Options |
Reversible design for desktop or bookshelf placement. Includes removable kickstands to adjust their orientation. |
Additional Features |
Fully-featured remote control. Adjustable bass and treble controls. Auto input switching with Digital Silence Detection™. Vanatoo ClearBass™ Technology. Subwoofer output with AutoSense and Remote Level Control. Removable magnetic grills. |
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Balancing Audiophile and Casual Listener Expectations
Gary and Rick designed the Transparent Zero Plus speakers with one goal in mind: create a set of speakers that would appeal to audiophiles but be accessible to everyday listeners.
Everything that went into making them was guided by a philosophy of letting the sound speak for itself.
This approach paid off when their initial prototypes were tested by the Pacific Northwest Audio Society, a well-regarded audiophile group based out of Washington State.
The speakers received high praise, and the club’s president was so impressed that he purchased a pair on the day they were released, describing them as speakers that “sound like music.”
This feedback reassured Gary and Rick that they could achieve their goal of creating speakers that combine high-end sound with mainstream accessibility.
It’s this balance that makes the T0+ speakers so appealing.
Speakers Designed for Performance and Style
One of the first things you’ll notice about the T0+ speakers is their wedge-shaped design.
It’s unique, yes—but it’s also what makes these speakers incredibly functional.
Their slanted shape is specifically designed to give you two different ways to listen:
- Desktop Use: Tilted upward, the speakers direct sound right toward your ears, giving you an immersive near-field experience perfect for personal listening.
- Bookshelf Speakers: Flip the speakers over with the removable handles facing up, and the sound projects outward, filling a room with rich, balanced audio.
This multi-purpose design makes these speakers well fit for any listening environment, only adding to their uniqueness.
A Durable, Premium Build
Making sure these speakers sounded great was priority number one, but Gary also wanted them to feel solid and last for years.
And a huge part of that lies in the cabinet design.
“We wanted wood,” Gary said. “I’ve designed a lot of plastic items in my life, and plastic is great. But there’s a certain ‘plasticiness’ to most plastic speakers that makes them feel cheap. Wood (MDF in our case) just feels better.”
Their choice of using a ⅜” thick medium-density fiberboard (MDF) for the cabinets gives them a premium feel and plays a huge part in the overall acoustics.
During my listening tests, I noticed how stable the sound was. Whether I was using them as desktop speakers or bookshelf speakers, there weren’t any rattles or vibrations, even when I was listening to songs with a lot of bass.
Everything I played seemed to deliver the clean, detailed sound Vanatoo envisioned.
This is the kind of attention to detail I can appreciate—speakers with a modern design, a premium feel, and exceptional sound.
Technology That Elevates the Experience
While the exterior of the T0+ speakers has its purpose and most definitely catches your eye, the inside is where Gary’s years of audio experience shows.
As a lifelong speaker enthusiast, Gary has spent years tinkering with different designs and figuring out what works well and what doesn’t. His hands-on curiosity shaped the T0+ speakers, making them a culmination of his knowledge and passion.
One of Gary’s biggest discoveries was his preference for using hard-cone materials like aluminum, which is used for the T0+’s woofers.
“I found that I liked the crispness and clarity of hard cones” Gary explained. “That’s why we’ve always used aluminum in our woofers.”
And the resulting sound backs up his choice.
The aluminum woofers deliver a tight low-end and a detailed midrange that brings out the best in all types of music.
Their performance comes from the features and precision engineering behind the design. Each woofer is built with:
- An Underhung Voice Coil to keep the audio consistent, even during bass-heavy tracks.
- A Shorting Ring to keep the woofer’s movement linear, for cleaner and more precise audio.
Transparent Zero Plus 4″ Aluminum Woofer
Thanks to these built-in components, the woofers are able to manage challenging audio dynamics, no matter what genre of music you’re listening to.
In my experience, this is where a lot of speakers fail. Either the bass is overemphasized or it bleeds into the mids, which end up clouding the overall sound. But the T0+ does a great job avoiding both issues, keeping the frequencies distinct and perfectly balanced.
To complement the mid and low-end, the T0+ includes a 1-inch soft-dome tweeter that brings the high frequencies to life.
It does a good job capturing the finer details and adds vibrancy to the treble range, making instruments and vocals sound crisp and engaging.
Together, the woofer and tweeter create a nice, level sound profile that’s smooth, clear, and intricately detailed across the entire spectrum.
The Pursuit of Perfect Bass
Gary understands you can’t build great speakers by focusing only on the mids and highs—bass is equally important for delivering a complete listening experience.
“Music lives in the midrange,” he said, “but without some tangible bass setting the foundation, I find most music lacking.”
To deliver that foundation, the T0+ uses a passive radiator system that delivers clean, controlled bass no matter how it’s positioned:
Transparent Zero Plus Bass Radiator
Aimed Down For Desktop/Near-Field Listening
In a near-field setup, the downward-facing passive radiator anchors the bass right where you need it. It keeps your desk from vibrating while delivering a tight, precise low-end response.
You get the satisfying bass depth you want without it overpowering the mids and highs, which makes for good, detailed listening.
Aimed Outward For Room-Filling Playback
When the speakers are flipped and the passive radiator faces backward, it interacts with the room to produce a deeper, more expansive bass.
The low end is spread more evenly throughout the space, filling it with a rich, full sound no matter where you’re seated. It’s perfect for casual listening or when entertaining guests in larger areas.
When paired with the underhung voice coil and shorting ring in the woofer, you get rich bass notes that are powerful and warm—and never muddy or overwhelming.
For me, the bass presentation is one of the most surprising characteristics of these speakers. The impact of the low-end adds so much more to the overall sound—something I don’t usually experience from speakers this size.
Hard Choices, Smart Design
Building a high-performing yet affordable speaker wasn’t easy. But the guys at Vanatoo didn’t take any shortcuts.
When confronted with design dilemmas, they consistently chose the option that led to better performance and overall user experience—even if it meant higher costs.
Take the Class D amplifier, for example. It wasn’t an easy choice.
During development, Gary carefully tested numerous amplifiers. While most of them sounded fine at first, he found they often led to listener fatigue after just a few songs.
“After 5–10 minutes, you just wanted to leave the room,” he admitted.
After extensive testing, they ultimately decided on a 4-channel amp from D2Audio that eliminated any fatigue entirely.
Configured as a bi-amp system, the amp dedicates power individually to each driver, creating a sound profile that’s both harmonic and refined:
- 48 watts for the woofers
- 12 watts for the tweeters
When I tested the T0+ speakers, the amp’s ability to handle dynamics was immediately noticeable. Right away, I noticed how clear and rich the audio was during quieter moments, while louder sections delivered power without ever becoming harsh.
Even after hours of playback, everything remained smooth and inviting. It was easy to lose track of time and become immersed in my music.
It didn’t matter what I played—the energy remained consistent and engaging. Even when I cranked up the volume, the songs felt natural and effortless, never strained or overdriven.
The amp’s efficiency and control perfectly complement the compact design of these speakers, proving that great engineering doesn’t require compromises in size or usability.
The DSP: Precision and Control
The Digital Signal Processor (DSP) in the T0+ speakers is the backbone of its finely tuned performance.
It divides frequencies with pinpoint accuracy with no overlapping or gaps in the sound between the woofer and the tweeter. It’s a precision that traditional passive crossovers simply can’t match.
When I connected a subwoofer, the DSP’s capabilities became even more evident.
I learned that as soon as a sub is plugged in, a second crossover is automatically activated for it.
This allows the main crossover to redirect its focus to the mids and highs, freeing it from handling any bass.
The extra crossover made an immediate difference and opened up an entirely new sound. Vocals became more pronounced, and there was a sense of openness.
The instruments seemed like they were being pulled forward (their rightful spot within any mix, in my opinion), and I could play my music even louder.
Front and Back View of the Transparent Zero Plus Speakers
With a second crossover dedicated to the low-end, this means you can also adjust the frequency for the sub.
Using the remote, I was able to adjust the crossover frequency for the sub (choosing between 80Hz or 125Hz) and fine-tune my setup without having to leave my listening position.
Within minutes, I had a setup that felt tailored to my room and preferences.
But that didn’t matter as much as I’d thought because the off-axis response is one of the best I’ve heard from a set of speakers.
I could sit or stand anywhere in the room and my music remained full and cohesive. The way these speakers maintain their soundstage, even when moving around, makes them feel less like a set of speakers and more like a well-calibrated sound system.
This level of adaptability is what sets these speakers apart from others in the same price range.
Advanced Features for the Modern Listener
In addition to the precision engineering, the T0+ speakers come with features designed to meet the needs of today’s music enthusiasts:
- High-Resolution Audio Support: Through USB and Toslink Optical inputs, the T0+ supports hi-res formats up to 96kHz/24bit, preserving the detail and clarity of high-quality tracks.
- 5.1 Bluetooth: With advanced codecs like aptX-HD and AAC included, your music will have CD-like quality when streaming from apps like Roon or Tidal.
- Analog AUX Input: For older devices like MP3 players or turntables (with a preamp).
- Full Remote Control: A full-featured remote that lets you adjust the volume, bass levels, treble settings, switch inputs, and control playback.
- Auto Input Switching: It can detect the active input and will switch automatically.
With options to connect to both modern and older audio setups and the user-friendly features you get from the remote and built-in DSP, the T0+ speakers are versatile, convenient, and ready to meet the needs of today’s listeners right out of the box.
Sound Testing and Tuning
The T0+ speakers excel in many areas, but just like any high-performance speaker, getting the best sound out of them requires some tuning to match your preferences and the specifics of your environment.
When you first listen to them, the sound leans slightly toward a brighter tone, with the higher frequencies taking a bit more of a front seat.
While this makes them wonderfully detailed and crisp (especially for classical or acoustic music), they might sound a little sharp if you’re someone who prefers a warmer, more laid-back sound signature.
Also, when I tested them as bookshelf speakers, I noticed that their placement seemed to affect the midrange a little. In certain positions, the sound didn’t feel as clean or natural as I’d hoped. Almost like they were congested.
While casual listeners might not notice these subtle characteristics, you might pick up on them if you’re a critical listener when listening to certain genres or during specific tracks.
That said, experimenting with placement made a significant difference during my listening test.
Moving them from my TV stand to speaker stands and positioning them further from the wall brought out a more natural tone and a wider soundstage that I really enjoyed.
Fortunately, Gary and his team gave both casual listeners and audiophiles multiple ways to adjust the sound to their liking.
For the casual listener who just wants a quick and simple way to make adjustments, you can use the remote to increase or decrease the bass and treble.
For more experienced users, the built-in DSP gives you advanced control. With your favorite EQ software, you can fine-tune the sound and make those precise, detailed adjustments.
Experimenting with their positioning, adjusting the tone controls, or adding a dedicated subwoofer will make a huge difference and bring out the best in these speakers.
Whether you prefer an analytical, detail-focused sound or a more bass-forward, immersive experience, there are multiple ways to create a listening profile that works for you. And once you have them properly tuned to your liking, the audio experience is incredibly rewarding.
Looking Ahead
Gary predicts that the future of audio will increasingly favor powered speakers, simplifying setups while maintaining high-quality sound.
But he also seems keen on finding a way to appropriately introduce powered speakers into surround sound setups.
“I think some enterprising company will get this figured out in the next 5-10 years. Maybe it will be us, maybe someone else. But a good answer is needed, and my crystal ball says It will be forthcoming!”
Until then, Gary and Rick plan on continuing to make speakers with a listener-first approach.
The Vanatoo Transparent Zero Plus speakers are a labor of love—the result of years of refinement and a dedication to delivering an exceptional user experience.
I’ve tested a lot of bookshelf speakers, but few deliver the same combination of compact size, flexibility, and sound quality as the T0+ speakers do.
The combination of its aluminum woofer, soft-dome tweeter, and passive radiator produces a lifelike and immersive soundstage that pulls you into your music.
With smooth mids, vibrant highs, and a bass foundation that’s both powerful and controlled, the T0+ speakers are among the most well-rounded speakers I’ve experienced in this price range—and the reason why I have them ranked as one of the best bookshelf speakers you’ll find for under $1,000.
Their natural, detailed sound profile breathes life into music and resonates with all types of listeners.
And once you hear them, you’ll understand why they’ve earned such high praise.
To learn more about the T0+ speakers or to hear them for yourself, visit Vanatoo.com.
A special thanks to Gary Gesellchen for generously sharing his time and insights about the design and engineering behind the Transparent Zero Plus speakers.
It’s rare to find someone so deeply committed to both the technical and emotional aspects of sound, and Gary’s passion for delivering exceptional audio experiences is evident in every detail of these speakers.
His dedication to making high-quality sound accessible to everyone is something we can all appreciate, and it was a privilege to learn about the philosophy and effort that went into creating these speakers.
