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Very Disappointed with Tekton Double Impacts


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16 minutes ago, PhilBarone said:

Just one question, where do I go about selling them? 

I see a lot of people have move Tektons quick on the FB group Tekton Worldwide Owners.... 
Lots of established Tekton owners wishing to upgrade or they know someone that has demoed their systems and wish to acquire Tektons. 

If I were you I'd advertise them as pick up now, brand new speakers and include "avoid the long wait time". I'd list the speakers for what you paid or a couple of hundred dollars more because of avoiding long delays. Some people want their speakers right now and don't want to wait for months...

SMSL M400 DAC
Bluesound Node 2i

Sony 65 inch OLED A8G, Sony 4k Blue Ray X700

Parasound Halo A31 Amplifier

Tekton Ulfberht Speakers w/ Be high frequency upgrade [4 ohms ea.]
Two Tekton Active [300 watts rms] 4-10 Subwoofers

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42 minutes ago, PhilBarone said:

there's this one A in the left hand of my vintage Steinway that I can always pick out. It's so amazing, it's so rich and dark and has like a million overtones

Maybe that note was inspired by my favorite piano story.  Legend has it that when Rubenstein struck middle C, it sounded better than when anybody else did!

 

smiley_hysterical_3.gif.7be138e3c6039b571af04d3a7f7d730a.gif

 

PS:  I've been a Prima Luna user and lover since soon after Kevin Deal started bringing them in.  Your EVO is a wonderful amp that should get the most out of almost any speaker.  My KT88 Prologue has been living very happily under our Yamaha grand for almost a decade.  Despite its "low" power rating, it's had all the juice needed to drive the many speakers I've had on it, some with sensitivity well below the Tektons and some with highly reactive loads that dropped 'way down there at some frequencies.

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28 minutes ago, PhilBarone said:

Just one question, where do I go about selling them? 

https://duckduckgo.com/?q=sell+audio+equipment+online&t=brave&ia=web

 

also sites like this and other audio sites like audiocircle.com have areas for selling gear.

 

these are for tekton people, so might work well: 

https://audiokarma.org/forums/index.php?threads/tekton-owners-thread.611768/

https://audioaddictsforum.com/thread/1624/tekton-speakers

 

 

https://www.audioshark.org/general-audio-discussion-15/tekton-double-impact-se-13911.html

the above thread is very positive about them and the site has a "marketplace".

 

another site with a  thread where they liked them and it also has a marketplace:

https://www.whatsbestforum.com/threads/new-tekton-design-double-impact-be.27033/

 

Main listening (small home office):

Main setup: Surge protector +>Isol-8 Mini sub Axis Power Strip/Isolation>QuietPC Low Noise Server>Roon (Audiolense DRC)>Stack Audio Link II>Kii Control>Kii Three (on their own electric circuit) >GIK Room Treatments.

Secondary Path: Server with Audiolense RC>RPi4 or analog>Cayin iDAC6 MKII (tube mode) (XLR)>Kii Three .

Bedroom: SBTouch to Cambridge Soundworks Desktop Setup.
Living Room/Kitchen: Ropieee (RPi3b+ with touchscreen) + Schiit Modi3E to a pair of Morel Hogtalare. 

All absolute statements about audio are false :)

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1 hour ago, bluesman said:

Your EVO is a wonderful amp that should get the most out of almost any speaker.

 

While I don't doubt your experience, all of the Prima Lunas' measurements I have seen have a fairly high output impedance.  This will lead to some frequency response changes based on the impedance of the Tekton's.  Where there are impedance peaks in the speaker there will be peaks in the output.  Of course this may have nothing to do with his dislike of them.  It is simply a factor that must be considered and makes system matching more important than ever.

 

With his ear, my first thought would be towards Harbeth or Spendor's "classic" range to see if their balance of strengths and weaknesses were more appealing.  For dynamics, the Klipsch will be great and he may fall in love, but I am nervous about truth to tone.  I would try to find the most truthful recording of one of his sax's and find a speaker with the best reproduction.

 

Bill

Labels assigned by CA members: "Cogley's ML sock-puppet," "weaponizer of psychology," "ethically-challenged," "professionally dubious," "machismo," "lover of old westerns," "shill," "expert on ducks and imposters," "Janitor in Chief," "expert in Karate," "ML fanboi or employee," "Alabama Trump supporter with an NRA decal on the windshield of his car," sycophant

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2 hours ago, PhilBarone said:

This is some great advice, I printed it out but I haven't seen reviews that are like the ones you describe.  Where can I find them?  

 

Thank you! Phil

 

Try Mars...

"Science draws the wave, poetry fills it with water" Teixeira de Pascoaes

 

HQPlayer Desktop / Mac mini → Intona 7054 → RME ADI-2 DAC FS (DSD256)

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1 hour ago, feelingears said:

t took a LONG f123456 time. But it finally was worth it. Highly recommended: Monitor Audio Silver 500 speakers are tremendous for the money. However, you ears and flooring may prefer spikes, rubber feet, or IsoAcoustic Gaias.

 

Or altogether different speakers. 😇

"Science draws the wave, poetry fills it with water" Teixeira de Pascoaes

 

HQPlayer Desktop / Mac mini → Intona 7054 → RME ADI-2 DAC FS (DSD256)

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2 hours ago, PhilBarone said:

PrimaLuna EVO 300

PrimaLuna makes good amplifiers, but maybe they're not a great match for the Tektons. I know they're nearly 98db efficient, but they're also a 4ohm load. Perhaps the amp just isn't pushing enough power to drive the speakers the way they're meant to be driven.

No electron left behind.

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5 hours ago, PhilBarone said:

Oh no, I'm sending them back and I offered to spend more money with them but the guy said it wouldn't make any difference. 

He is probably right.  It is likely that all his speakers share the same basic properties and a pricier model will only be more of the same.

5 hours ago, PhilBarone said:

So right, maybe I screwed up but there's not many places I can go to around here although I did go to one and wasn't blown away for the money. 

In New York City?  There are still a fair number of places to seek out.

5 hours ago, charlesphoto said:

So you bought a pair of speakers unheard, and now you're ordering a different set, also unheard? This might not end up well...

I urge you to find a local dealer(s) where you can audition, and that offers home auditions and returns.

Excellent advice.

 

Kal Rubinson

Senior Contributing Editor, Stereophile

 

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9 minutes ago, PhilBarone said:

I'm not in the city but aside from that I'm told that I'd have to use my own amp and there's still no guarantee in my room. 

While that is true to some degree, it would be important to know, a priori, that the particular speaker can perform to your liking.  Ideal is a home trial (possible in some cases) but any live audition is significantly better than none.

Kal Rubinson

Senior Contributing Editor, Stereophile

 

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50 minutes ago, PhilBarone said:

I'll give the Klipsch Forte's a shot

The PL should be an outstanding match for the Fortes.  In case you missed it, there's a 2019 Stereophile review of the Forte here that lays it all out well.  I assume you're getting the Forte IV, since the III is out of production, and that's reportedly even better than the III.  I haven't heard a IV, but the IIIs I've heard sounded quite fine to me.

 

The Klipsch / tube amp combo is truly old school (and an excellent example) - I could live with it very happily, and from your posts I suspect you'll do just that.

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I spent a long and enjoyable day listening to the DIs at someone's house a few years back. He replaced a pr of KEF Blades and was overjoyed at the improvement in SQ.

 

We used a few versions of the Digital Amp Company's excellent (proprietary modules, designed and built in Allentown PA) Class D amps, all of which sounded excellent. IIRC the Tekton speaker's sensitivity never measures anywhere close to what the mfgr states. 98 dB sensitivity be damned, these speakers loved (needed?) the hundreds of watts of Class D power and grip we fed them.

 

So you may have not heard them at their best, given break-in and a relatively low-powered tube amp. Or, you did hear all they had and just not your cup of tea, totally understandable, I do not mean to tell you you are wrong in the the slightest. Good Luck with the search. Thank goodness there is not 1 speaker that we all find to be The Best, how boring that would be.

 

Very cool to hear about your dedication to and support of real musicians!  Very very cool....

 

-Mike

 

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6 hours ago, mfsoa said:

IIRC the Tekton speaker's sensitivity never measures anywhere close to what the mfgr states. 98 dB sensitivity be damned, these speakers loved (needed?) the hundreds of watts of Class D power and grip we fed them.

 

People keep parroting this but I wonder how many have tested the manufacturer's sensitivity rating for themselves? Since there's no industry standard I'd think the first thing to verify is the method used by the manufacturer. A lot of people point to an Impact Monitor speaker review performed by Stereophile which deviated from manufacturer methods - not that I have a problem w/ that. 

Simple sensitivity test performed on Tekton Ulfs: https://www.disqus.social/2020/06/tekton-design-ulfberht-speaker.html

SMSL M400 DAC
Bluesound Node 2i

Sony 65 inch OLED A8G, Sony 4k Blue Ray X700

Parasound Halo A31 Amplifier

Tekton Ulfberht Speakers w/ Be high frequency upgrade [4 ohms ea.]
Two Tekton Active [300 watts rms] 4-10 Subwoofers

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15 hours ago, PhilBarone said:

This is some great advice, I printed it out but I haven't seen reviews that are like the ones you describe.  Where can I find them?  

 

Thank you! Phil

They aren't awfully common, but they are out there, and by people who are skilled, insightful and wanting to inform and help others.

Internet—YouTube, music and hi-fi forums, magazine back issues

Hi-fi clubs, get-togethers, demonstrations, ask individuals, talk to salesmen (risky, but there are good ones out there—they usually don't denigrate the brands the don't sell)

Do some auditions yourself and then you can compare what reviewers think. It doesn't have to be just about speakers to get an idea about them and their preferences.

Libraries, book stores

 

I know it's a bit of a hassle but you are spending good money on something that's supposed to give you pleasure for years. It's worth time and effort. (Remember the old saying: "Buy in haste, repent at leisure.")

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6 hours ago, GregWormald said:

They aren't awfully common, but they are out there, and by people who are skilled, insightful and wanting to inform and help others.

Internet—YouTube, music and hi-fi forums, magazine back issues

Hi-fi clubs, get-togethers, demonstrations, ask individuals, talk to salesmen (risky, but there are good ones out there—they usually don't denigrate the brands the don't sell)

Do some auditions yourself and then you can compare what reviewers think. It doesn't have to be just about speakers to get an idea about them and their preferences.

Libraries, book stores

 

I know it's a bit of a hassle but you are spending good money on something that's supposed to give you pleasure for years. It's worth time and effort. (Remember the old saying: "Buy in haste, repent at leisure.")

I haven't seen an objective review on the Tekton's yet probably because people like Steve Guttenberg would't get anymore stuff from the manufacturers if they were to be honest and I find it incredibly dishonest myself.  I never would have bought these speakers had him and another chucklehead said that the speakers were worth much more.  The young kid that does the reviews on YouTube actually said that people were trading in their 30 thousand dollar speakers and I bought it hook line and sinker.   Such BS. 

 

Thank you, I'll be taking your advice. Phil

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45 minutes ago, PhilBarone said:

I never would have bought these speakers had him and another chucklehead said that the speakers were worth much more.  The young kid that does the reviews on YouTube actually said that people were trading in their 30 thousand dollar speakers and I bought it hook line and sinker.   Such BS. 

The concept of worth is purely subjective, Phil.  With so many wonderful audio products now available at a fraction of the retail costs of their predecessors, MSRP and market/street price lack strong and consistent correlation with sound quality.  And with so many new methods and materials available, even design and build quality are less strongly tied to cost than they used to be.

 

My audio source and close friend for decades was a crusty lawyer-turned-dealer who opened one of the few high end shops in about 1950.  One of his many pet peeves was people who said things like "they sound great for small speakers".  For Dan, the question was only how they sound - period.  If he were still here today, he'd undoubtedly voice the same objection to those who say "they sound great for inexpensive speakers".

 

There are those (myself among them) who would sugggest that spending $30k on any but a select few speakers is buying it hook, line and sinker.  I've been blown away by a few 6 figure systems over the years, but I've been equally impressed with the naivete and stupidity of those who bought what I consider to be exotic audio debris.  And I've been more impressed with how close to greatness some $500 speakers can come than I have been with the marginal improvement for that extra $29,500.

 

You've given the world $3k saxophones that rival the best Mk 6s, so you understand this far better than most.  Quality is now almost independent of price, and speakers of equal sound quality to your ears are now classic  commodities.  They're differentiated from each other largely by price and esthetics.  Go with your ears and your gut. 

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2 hours ago, PhilBarone said:

I haven't seen an objective review on the Tekton's yet probably because people like Steve Guttenberg would't get anymore stuff from the manufacturers if they were to be honest and I find it incredibly dishonest myself.  I never would have bought these speakers had him and another chucklehead said that the speakers were worth much more.  The young kid that does the reviews on YouTube actually said that people were trading in their 30 thousand dollar speakers and I bought it hook line and sinker.   Such BS. 

 

Thank you, I'll be taking your advice. Phil

 

Terry London from Home Theater Review: "I personally know three other professional reviewers who have put their reference speakers (which average $30,000/pair) in the closet and replaced them with Tekton Design Double Impacts." - source: https://hometheaterreview.com/tekton-design-ulfberht-floorstanding-speaker-reviewed/

Personally, if one were to add up the costs of making the D.I.s w/ speakers, cabinets, and crossovers as well as shipping - well, I've come to the conclusion that there really isn't as much profit made by Tekton as other company's gear. The only sacrifice I think people which purchase Tekton make is letting go of furniture grade finishing. Given the psycho acoustical effects that many audio enthusiasts experience that's probably enough to lean away from Tekton. At least for me, I was in the market and about to pull the trigger on the really cool curved furniture pieces called Klipsch Palladiums before I purchased Tekton. Either which way I was not able to audition either so I was at the mercy of honest reviewers. 

SMSL M400 DAC
Bluesound Node 2i

Sony 65 inch OLED A8G, Sony 4k Blue Ray X700

Parasound Halo A31 Amplifier

Tekton Ulfberht Speakers w/ Be high frequency upgrade [4 ohms ea.]
Two Tekton Active [300 watts rms] 4-10 Subwoofers

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2 hours ago, bluesman said:

The concept of worth is purely subjective, Phil.  With so many wonderful audio products now available at a fraction of the retail costs of their predecessors, MSRP and market/street price lack strong and consistent correlation with sound quality.  And with so many new methods and materials available, even design and build quality are less strongly tied to cost than they used to be.

 

My audio source and close friend for decades was a crusty lawyer-turned-dealer who opened one of the few high end shops in about 1950.  One of his many pet peeves was people who said things like "they sound great for small speakers".  For Dan, the question was only how they sound - period.  If he were still here today, he'd undoubtedly voice the same objection to those who say "they sound great for inexpensive speakers".

 

There are those (myself among them) who would sugggest that spending $30k on any but a select few speakers is buying it hook, line and sinker.  I've been blown away by a few 6 figure systems over the years, but I've been equally impressed with the naivete and stupidity of those who bought what I consider to be exotic audio debris.  And I've been more impressed with how close to greatness some $500 speakers can come than I have been with the marginal improvement for that extra $29,500.

 

You've given the world $3k saxophones that rival the best Mk 6s, so you understand this far better than most.  Quality is now almost independent of price, and speakers of equal sound quality to your ears are now classic  commodities.  They're differentiated from each other largely by price and esthetics.  Go with your ears and your gut. 

 

Thanks Bluesman, much appreciated.  If you ever need anything, let me know and I'll hook you up good. Phil

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The reason why it is important to audition speakers is that reviewers may prefer some aspects of sound reproduction over others, and there are probably no speakers that do everything perfectly. There are a wide variety of speakers, coming in all forms, sizes, using completely different technologies (open baffle, panels, boxed, field coils, etc...) and with different characteristics. They simply do not produce the same kind of sound, and it is naïve to think that everyone is going to agree on what's "best".

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34 minutes ago, Shimei said:

 

Terry London from Home Theater Review: "I personally know three other professional reviewers who have put their reference speakers (which average $30,000/pair) in the closet and replaced them with Tekton Design Double Impacts." - source: https://hometheaterreview.com/tekton-design-ulfberht-floorstanding-speaker-reviewed/

Personally, if one were to add up the costs of making the D.I.s w/ speakers, cabinets, and crossovers as well as shipping - well, I've come to the conclusion that there really isn't as much profit made by Tekton as other company's gear. The only sacrifice I think people which purchase Tekton make is letting go of furniture grade finishing. Given the psycho acoustical effects that many audio enthusiasts experience that's probably enough to lean away from Tekton. At least for me, I was in the market and about to pull the trigger on the really cool curved furniture pieces called Klipsch Palladiums before I purchased Tekton. Either which way I was not able to audition either so I was at the mercy of honest reviewers. 

 

My friend used to write for an audio magazine and he tells me flat out not to believe them, at all.  I'd like to meet the people that traded in their 30K speakers for the DI's.  

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