Focal 1028BE2's or Tekton Moab Towers


Hi - I'm fairly new to the hobby, I've always really enjoyed listening to music but at home was more focused on Home Theater.  Over the last several years I've shifted my focus to 2 channel listening, upgraded my amp, pre and DAC/Streamer. 

Currently I have Focal 1028BE's, a Primaluna Evo 400 integrated amp, REL TI9, Lumin D2 with Sbooster upgrade.  I stream Tidal 99 % of the time and on rare occasion will pop in a CD.  I've also had HAF create some filters in Roon as well.
At times my gear sounds really, really good, other times, specifically with Rock and poor recordings it can be bright, harsh, fatiguing.  Prior to the Primaluna I had a Parasound A21 and P6 combo.  My room is large, man cave, finished basement, open except for the staircase that splits up the room.  It's a shared space, HT, sectional couch, Pool Table, arcade games with an office tucked in the corner.  Acoustic drop ceilings are 8 feet, flooring is vinyl / blank style, area rug in the seating area, leather sectional couch.  I sit around 12 feet from the towers, the sectional splits up the space, there is another 20 feet or so of open space behind the sectional.  I can't really room treat, that's the one spot my very understanding wife won't let me go.

So, I've seen a lot of posts about Tekton and Moab's with commentary that they are less fatiguing, easy to drive speakers that punch far above their weight class, are great with Rock.  Negatives I've read are size, they are huge, fit and finish isn't up to the same standard as other manufacturers.  Some have stated they didn't get a full, robust sound that most describe, saying the speakers are thin, not very cohesive. 

I chose the 1028's because they punched above their weight, with the trickle down effect offering some of the features in the Utopia series along with Focal's reputation for building and designing everything in house.  I got the 1028's last year, several audiophiles said Focal had taken them out of the line up and with them gone the jump to get the BE tweeter and W Cone in the Focal line up was a big one price wise with the 1028 and 1038's being discontinued.  I also read they are one of the largest speaker / driver suppliers to other manufactures.  Common sense would tell me Focal's should be a better speaker.  Reviews I've read rave about Tekton's and specifically seem to reference the Moab's as being the best speaker in returns to diminishing returns in the line.

I'm a novice, just stayed at a Holiday in Express last night, would I be crazy to sell my Focal's and buy the Moab's or would it take my sometimes great sounding set up to a sounds great with everything?
mm1tt77

Showing 2 responses by tablejockey

I REALLY want to get the Tektons, but I think they look...

Part of the listening experience is staring at whatever is in your listening space. Can't get past the DIY look(not that it's a bad thing) 

There is enough positive buzz on them for me to order them, but cant get past the aesthetics. 
"At times my gear sounds really, really good, other times, specifically with Rock and poor recordings it can be bright, harsh, fatiguing."

If you're talking Classic Rock-Zep,Beatles,Stones...., then it's gotta be on a record(just my personal opinion) not streamed/file or CD.

All music(recording) isn't going to sound great all the time on ANY speaker.

While I have no doubt they perform well(Tekton), I would stay with the Focal's just because I'm familiar with the combination you have. The combination can sound very good. Aesthetically, they are much nicer looking too.

Get the maximum performance out of them with positioning(if possible)
This is just a suggestion, NOT a cure all: 
http://www.cardas.com/room_setup_calculators.php