Hi Al,
Oh yes, thanks for that recommended CD as I really enjoyed listening to it.First off I'll admit that I don't listen at the same volume and peaks as you're accustomed to and relish. However I found this recording very exciting and engaging due to the energy, dynamic ebb and flow and realistic presentation/venue capturing. Its been awhile since I last listened to it as I've been rotating through numerous recently arrived CDs. I will replay it again tomorrow and measure the SPL db range it spans. I have RCA Living Presence CDs of the CSO circa late 1950s that I'll use as a SQ reference. Al, I'm certainly a jazz aficionado but when it comes to classical I seem drawn to Russian pianists and cellists (more emotional to me).
Charles, |
Hey, Folks,
I find this conversation fascinating and appreciate all of your input.
Tubegroover, I love my Kit 1 and am sold on the SET "thing." It sounds more like music and gives me more pleasure than any other amp I've owned, including a Unison Unico hybrid, a Bel Canto Class D amp, and a pair of Manley push-pull mono-blocks. That isn't to say that any of these amps was bad by any stretch, but the Kit 1 made me smile and say "ah" like none of the others, if that makes any sense.
Now I am in an interesting position in terms of musical genres. I listen to a little bit of everything. I'm not a huge jazz buff but I played trumpet in high school and have a fondness for some big band jazz as in Maynard, may he rest in peace). I am not a huge classical aficionado, either, but one of my favorite CD's is a big orchestral music soundtrack that HAS to sound great or I get grumpy. ;-) I'm not a huge techno fan or electronica fan but my teenager turned me on to Lorde and the synth bass "bombs" have to sound convincing. I'm not hugely devoted to raucous, hard rock, but when I play The Eagles' "Victim of Love" or Sheryl Crowe's "If It Makes You Happy," I want the guitars to sound as grungy as the recording engineer intended. And while I don't have huge piles of "girl with guitar" music, when I DO listen to Joni Mitchell or Ingrid Michaelson, I want to be transported to girl with guitar land.
You get the idea.
What I discovered with the Tekton Lore Reference is that it gives the Kit 1 the breathing room to "go big," really big, when the need arises, in a way that the De Capo's, as marvelous as they are, do not with this amp. I've also never had a speaker in my home that at least began to bump up against the bottom octave as the Tekton did, and found that to add a lot to the overall presentation. My only hesitations with the Tekton were:
* I found the imaging to be a little vague, and I'm kind of an imaging and sound stage freak (so sue me, as they say...) ;-) Of of course, some of that may be a positioning issue which, since I was borrowing them, I didn't really have the chance to dial in.
* I found that the Lore Reference needed to be "cranked" a little more than I'd like to really sing.
* Eric told me that the Lore and Lore 2.0 aren't as "refined" as the Reference, but that the Lore is much better at lower volumes. So, there's that old "tradeoff" thing again...
And as for your question about orchestral music, I will say that with the added breathing room that the more efficient Tekton's afforded the Kit 1, orchestral music sounded quite convincing. I don't mean first row at the symphony convincing, but "yeah, that’s what an orchestra in a big hall would actually sound like" convincing.
What's fun about this stage of system building is that there are so many choices out there, even discounting those I cannot afford:
There's Tekton (and the 7 or 8 speakers in my budget that they offer)
There's Zu Omen Mk. II
There's the Omega Super 7 XRS or (if I can swing the $) Super Alnico Monitor
There's Used Audio Note - there's one on Audiogon right now for $1500 but it looks like it's a little beaten up
And, if I really want to get freaky, there's Blumenstein Deluxe Orca with a matching sub or two...
So, we'll see. |
Charles,
A question for you that I'm genuinely curious about, which relates to this discussion. A while back you indicated that you planned to order Chesky's CD remastering of the 1962 performance of Dvorak's New World Symphony, Jascha Horenstein conducting the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra, which I had recommended. If you have done so, how well were your Franks + Coincident speakers able to handle the dynamic peaks on that recording? And also, of course, what were your impressions of the sonics of the recording?
Best regards,
-- Al
|
Jet,
Exactly! You and Rob make my point. Time to retire the SET limitation cliches.
Charles, |
Tonight I was listening to Walton's viola concerto, Bartok's concerto for orchestra and some rock music shaking the floors. Finishing the evening with Johnny Hartman and John Coltrane serenading me - each of these genres is handled convincingly. Soothes my soul after a very hard day - life is good, jet |
Hi Tubegroover,
Thanks for your kind comment concerning my system. I clearly understand your point and actually agree with you in regard to what's required to make an informed decision. Everyone doesn't listen to symphonic orchestral music so I don't view it as some universal litmus test. I do believe it's a significant part of Jetrexpro and Brownsfan listening (they'll correct me if I'm wrong). If this music is a must for a potential SET owner then
yes, certainly speaker compatibility is crucial to ensure a good match for proper reproduction of this fare. I frequently acknowledge that what works for me may/will not for another with different needs.
In my listening experiences low power amp/ high efficiency speaker is preferable to high power amp/low efficiency-sensitive speaker. I can only report what I hear and readily admit it is an individual matter. Rebbi has been down that road and has expressed more contentment and satisfaction with his current discovery and I for one can relate to this. A speaker like the Tekton or one of similar sensitivity will work splendidly with his amplifier. It seems he's been quite clear on that point.
Charles, |
Tubegroover,
I listen to large scale classical everyday, get the scale, dynamics, l can go as loud as I wish, go electronic, techno, big band, Jazz, folk, yes, even head-banging Rock n Roll (I played it live back in the day). But the really great aspect is, when called for I can achieve what SET does better for me than any other tube or SS I ever owned. I agree wholeheartedly with Charles. |
Thats fair enough Charles, if the case. I'm not questioning anything other than the fact that the Decapo speakers, which Rebbi obviously loves were not sufficient enough, or maybe, lets just explore this further to see what might be possible. I agree, there is no ideal amplifier BUT if one is committed to an SET amplifier the question might be, what is the ideal speaker choice for ALL the music I prefer listening to, what would take? Shouldn't that be a legitimate consideration or point to pose?
Big band is not orchestral/large scale music Charles and much less taxing on an amplifier than large scale. So far as SET owners enjoying a large spectrum of music I would only ASK what are the speakers they are using with the SET and what are their listening choices? Really Charles, I'm not debating the merits of SETs with a given speaker only that those reading THIS thread shoule be well aware of limitations depending on their musical choices. It just hasn't been discussed enough and for an individual that may be influenced by the merits of SET amplifiers a worthy point. One thing I always love in this hobby is folks with passion and this most certainly includes you Charles, I would LOVE to hear your set-up, I'm sure it's quite special! |
i'm of the mindset that good performance is largely objective and that good performance facilitates good sound however what sounds good to each is a purely subjective call in the end. |
Tubegroover,
I listen to big band recordings fairly regularly and believe me the SET is fine and preferable to my PP tube amp I mentioned in an earlier post. The is no single type of amplifier that is the best for all genres of music, I don't care what amplifier it is, there's inevitable compromise somewhere. I honestly believe that enough SET owners have posted often enough that they enjoy a very wide spectrum of music. The stereotype that only small scale music is appropriate needs to be put to rest as a tired and worn cliche. Mikirob, Jetrexpro, Brownsfan, Snopro, Grannyring and others have made it clear that they enjoy their larger scale recordings with great satisfaction.
Charles, |
In answer to Tubegroover, and for the general benefit of anyone reading the thread, I do use the same amp as Rebbi, as many people know, and my large Klipsch Epic CF-4 speakers are claimed by Klipsch to be 102db efficient. I have read a couple of times that they are more likely 99-100.
I trust Ralph of Atmasphere when he states that distortion rises quickly with these amps before they reach peak power, but I can tell you that that is not the case with my speakers. I, like Charles, choose to listen at moderate levels, but when I am off and around the house in different rooms, I will turn it up to levels that are pretty loud by any standard, and it still sounds great, without a sign of strain. |
I would say that SET oawners listen at levels they prefer just as owners of non SET amplifiers choose to do. I didn't listen at higher sound levels when I used Solid state or tube push pull, 75-85 db was simply loud enough for me in my home. We all have our individual level of comfort regardless of amplifier topology or power.Atamasphere if the SPL at shows Is indicative of your preferences (Atamasphereand Classic Audio speakers) that's louder than I'm comfortable listening to. But again no right or wrong at all just an example of how we prefer different sound volumes. What's ideal for one isn't suitable for another. I'll make the assumption that we as seasoned listeners know what we like.
Charles, |
Agree totally with Atmasphere, if you REALLY want to hear what those SETs can do, go with higher efficiency, particularly if you have wide musical tastes. I'm sure they sound great for certain music, in specific rooms at moderate levels. Is anyone listening to music beyond small scale with these amps? I really am curious because the general discussion seems to be around the quality of the sound with moderately efficient speakers, not truly high efficiency speakers. Just something to seriously consider Rebbi moving forward since you have made the committment to the amp.
I would bet serious money that most of the long time users, those who can't live without the enticing purity and tonal qualities found in these amps will encourage you more in that direction. Of course in the end the only way of knowing what works for you is listening to as many speakers as possible without making a committment to something that may end up being less than desired in the long run. On the other hand that is part of what makes this hobby so enjoyable and at times frustrating, finding the ideal we each seek. Read the writing on the wall, particularly the comments from those with experience. |
Rebbi, if the new Omen II have the new FRD it will sound much better then the older Omens. I have their Druid V with an Undertone sub and the sound with my Franks is wonderful!
Their customer service is great and I think you have a 60 day return policy. |
P.S. I also meant to comment that in the meantime I'll be very content to live with the various Tekton that I own. Best, Rob |
Hi Atmastphere,
All the tech stuff is well and good. I welcome your expertise, but bottom line in my home I just enjoy SET sound the most. I've been without a 300B DH SET for a couple of years, to be remedied very soon. I didn't mean to mislead readers, 80-85db is my usual listening level, but no problem cranking it a little, also about 95db on occasion. I didn't know Harvey well enough to comment on your OTL, but he did give sound advice on tweeking-up my 300Bs at the time as well as turning me on to thin silver wire to use with the 300Bs. Ultimately I think he convinced Goertz to make their original silver interconnect, I could be wrong about that.
I've only heard Audiokinesis once in my life and liked them, but before I drop the larger bucks once again I'm going to hit a lot of shows, get as much listening in that I can in New York, Chicago area and LA. High on my list is DeVore O/96, Daedalus, Line Magnet 755 Field Coil, Tannoy, Coincident and some others, you get the idea. Thanks again for your input. |
How about These if any are still around in good operating condition. Wouldn't cost much most likely. I never cared for them off the common SS Japanese amps and receivers they were typically used with back in their day, but I would liketo hear them off a SET amp. |
Atmasphere,
Rebbi's room is about 11x12, my office system, 14x16. Believe me, even true 92db, 8ohm, no problem. My 8 watt Coincident Dynamo is sublime with my 95db or 98db Lores depending on model. How loud do you listen? I generally like about 80db, sometime louder, never a problem. I could't listen much louder in a sustained way without ruining my ears. I really loved the Gizmo and OTL, but even he eventually went The Big Tannoy with 300B. Best Rob The big Tannoys seem a better match for SETs. They also work well with our amps. FWIW, Harvey tampered with our amps when he had them at his place, and not in a good way. Just so you know, SET listeners tend to play at lower levels due to the distortion aspects of the amp. Once you get over about 25% of the output power, the higher ordered harmonics come into play. The ear uses these as loudness cues, which is to say that when these distortions show up, the amp sounds like it is playing louder than it really is. So you tend to say "that's loud enough!". I like to play the system at louder levels, but the amps that I use don't make the higher ordered harmonics until very near full power, so the system is absent of artificial loudness cues. IOW, at 95 db it does not sound loud at all. My speakers are 98 db, my room is 17' x 22' and fairly well damped. Audiokinesis makes speakers that are more efficient than the Coincidents, and often they are 16 ohms. If I am not mistaken they are less expensive as well. So they might be good to have on the radar as well. |
Hi, Lak,
I'd never heard of the Von Schweikert db 99, which isn't surprising because according to some research I did, they may not have made more than 200 pairs of them before dropping them from the line-up.
Wow, they are gorgeous - you are lucky to have them. And the reviews are ecstatic! There's a guy on Audio Circle selling a pair right now for $5500, I think. Unless he's REALLY desperate to sell, I don't think we can come to a deal.
:-D
But thanks again for the interesting information! |
Should you ever decide that you want to drop some bigger dollars you might consider the Von Schweihery dB 99 speakers if you can find them on the used market. I have a pair of beautiful Von Schweihery dB 99 speakers with Super Tweeters (the bass section has a built in adjustable amp in each speaker) I used it with a 4 watt 2A3 amp, thats in storage now. |
Drubin,
What would that be? |
There's something incredibly off-putting on the Tekton website. Go with Zu. |
Well, still about double the cost of the Tekton Lore Reference. I sincerely doubt you'll get double the value sound-wise, likely less, but at any rate, good luck in your endeavor. Best, Rob |
No, the Omen Mk. II, not the Omen Def!!! The Omen Mk. II retails for $1800 but they've extended the Newport show price of $1500 for a bit. Sorry I confused you with the Omen Def reference. |
Yikes!!! $3,600 for the Zu Omen Def MKII. Here I thought we were discussing speakers for less than what you could get for the DeCapo and have some $$$ left over for some decent cables. OK, I promise to stop trying so hard to get you great value speakers that play in the ballpark with many of the costly big boys. Same goes for the wiring.
Thanks for all your info on the AN Kit-1, my wife and I will build it based on your blog and other stellar reports, hook them up to the $1,000 Tekton Lore and never look back. Happy hunting. Best Rob |
Rebbi,
Believe me when I say you are not aggravating me in the least. I'm actually chuckling a little bit thinking, poor Rebbi, he has a case of audio nervosa. Again, as Charles stated, ultimately you trust your own ears in your environment. I, like many here are attempting to be helpful due to our experience. How much does the new Zu cost? Just curios, I'll look them up, no ax to grind, many people like them very much. I don't so much. So, right now more than a half dozen positive in depth reviews plus personal testimony from a number of Agon members, plus you heard the Tekton Reference and Katz for yourself, yet one reviewer on Audio Ayslum liked the new Zu, that got your attention? |
Rob,
I promise I'm not dithering on all these speaker possibilities just to aggravate you. ;-)
Yes, absolutely, I have read the Zu vs. Tekton thread. Thing is, the Omen Mk. II is just out, and that's two iterations removed from the version being discussed on that thread, IIRC. What's tempting is that Zu offers a 60 day trial (like Tekton) and will pay for return shipping with no restocking fee if you're not happy. I don't know of anybody else who's doing that.
The other thing that got me thinking about Zu is that a reviewer who hangs out on Audio Asylum and the Steve Hoffman Forums mentioned that he has never cared for any Zu speaker until he heard the latest version of the Omen Def, which he loved. That, too, got my attention. |
Rob,
That is the beauty of constructing and developing your home audio system, it is what sounds best to your ears and not to others. There are no gurus when it comes to deciding what suits you best, this is something we all must decide for ourselves. My push pull amp has good tone, timber, harmonics and dynamics, in fact very good. The fact of the matter is as soon as I inserted the SET into the system, its superior sound and presentation was indisputable in my opinion. People can tout power all they want and if that works for them and is the better solution then that is fine for them obviously. In terms of emotional engagement, organic/natural
reproduction and purity of tone the SET amplifier has been consistently
superior in my listening experience. Other's mileage may and will vary.
Charles, |
Rebbi,
You read the Audiogon thread Zu Omen vs Lore, it came out overwhelmingly for Lore. But as always trust your own ears in your environment . Wishing you the best. Rob |
Charles,
You are right on.
As you can see from my post from Jeff Day Blog what my values are. In that spirit I want to pass along some other info that Day wrote about. While doing a Review of the SPEC SS Integrated for Positive Feedback, build by a Japanese 300B aficionado, Yazaki-san, Yazaki-san suggested to Day that he try NOS Western Electic 16ga stranded tin copper wire for speaker wire on Day's Tannoy Westminster Royals ($1.39 foot) as well as Belden 8402 microphone cable as interconnect (about $3.25 a foot) and to terminate them with Swichcraft SWC 3502AAU RCA, which Day did with great success. He had industry friends over for a shootout between this stuff and Sablon. 2 voted Sablon, 2 voted WE and Belden, Day said equal but different presentation. Reading between the lines and subsequent posts later I think he gives slight nod to Sablon. Yazaki-san has been using this combo for about 10 years and compares the sound to the ancient NOS 40s 274b tube, not the later iteration. Yazaki-san calls it an artistic tube incorporating all the values I mentioned above in "Listening Values". With the Coincident Dynamo I changed out my PS Audio Statement/Kimber 8TC/Silnote speaker cables as well as Goertz silver/Kimber Hero/Silnote interconnect and was floored. Of course, not many here believe me I suspect. But about 600 folks on Day Blog/Cable Asylum/Decware site seem to be buying this We and Belden. I only heard one person grumble, then after more break-in he became a ”believer”. Best, Rob |
|
Rob,
My budget is whatever I can get for the De Capo's! (Seriously.) I've got nothing else to throw at this other than what they sell for. Now if someone wants the stands, too, that may help. They're the Osiris stands by the long defunct Audionics. Probably one of the best 24" stands ever made. So if I get lucky, I'm looking at between $1700 and $2000, give or take.
My room dimensions, FWIW, are actually about 16 x 13 x 8, but due to a slightly odd shape at one end and placement of furniture (it doubles as a guest bedroom) I only have about 11 feet of the long wall to play with. I sit about 9 feet from my ears to the front plane of the speakers. Maybe that makes things clearer.
I don't listen at very loud levels, especially for extended periods. |
From Jeff Day Wordpress Blog, as Reviewer for Posive Feedback/6moons his listening bias which exactly matches my own:
I thought it might be handy for those following my writing at Positive Feedback Online to know what my listening biases are to aid you in interpreting and decoding my reviews. Just to alert you, my listening perspective is somewhat of a minority opinion in the Hi-Fi community of North America, but will be more familiar to those listeners in Turkey, Africa, and Japan, who tend to be more familiar with timbral ways of listening. My hierarchy of importance is aligned more closely to how well a Hi-Fi rig plays the musical content of recordings (I know, it’s a heretical concept), rather than how it ‘sounds’ in the more traditional audiophile ‘sonic’ sense.
As a result of my being drawn towards the musical content of recordings, I tend to be a bit more of a timbral listener than is typical for a lot of Westerners, meaning that the reproduction of the textures, colors, and tones & overtones in the music are really important to me. To this end I look for timbral realism at the band level (the band’s signature ‘sound’) and at the individual instrument level (the unique ‘voices’ of instruments). I want them to sound recognizably like themselves in tone and texture, so that their full tone color can develop, which I think helps lend a feeling of beauty and expressiveness to the music. I like the melody (the tune you ‘whistle while you work’), harmony (treble & bass accompaniments to the melody) and rhythm (the steady beat that determines the tempo) to have a life-like flow and connectedness in how the musicians interact—just like in real life. I want dynamics (variations in loudness) to evoke that which I hear in life for an emotional connection to the melody and rhythm. For loudness I like my music playback to be similar to live loudness levels, which for the kind of music I listen to the most, jazz, usually means 80 dB or louder. Finally, I want tempo portrayed so that both the mood and speed of the music are conveyed through it, just like it is with music in real life.
I consider the sonic performance of a Hi-Fi rig on the non-musical artifacts of the recording process to be of value, but of less importance to me than the performance on the musical content of recordings (as above). So things like transparency (being able to ‘see’ into the recording), soundstage (the three dimensions of the recorded space in width, height and depth), soundspace (the acoustic ‘space’ of the soundstage), and imaging (the feeling of solidity and localization of instruments & musicians on the soundstage) are important to me, but they are not my primary focus – the musical content is.
So I like my cake (the musical content of recordings) with a little frosting (the sonic artifacts of the recording process) for a balanced taste treat. Too much frosting and not enough cake puts me off. So that’s me, and you might be different, but at least now you know how.
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Hi Rob,
You asked the pertinent question, how loud do you listen?
My Coincident Total Eclipse II are 94 db at 14 ohms. I initially drove them with my 100 watt push pull (60 watt in triode) KT 88/6550 tubes. This was a really good sounding match. You know what? The 8 watt 300b SET is even better sounding with these speakers. The SET relegated the higher power amp into the inactive components closet! The bigger amplifier can ultimately play louder but this is irrelevant. I would never listen at the levels high enough for this supposed advantage to materialize. The 8 watt amp is more than enough and after 6 years of blissful listening I appreciate this amplifier more than ever.
I listen at SPL of 75-85 db c weighted, this is plenty of volume for my needs. I on rare occasions listen at 95-100 db and even then the sound remains composed and un strained. The SET is better in virtually all musical parameters that matter most to me. Rob are priorities seem the same. My experience is that a good quality lower powered amp will drive 92-95 db speakers wonderfully. It's a question of desired volume level, room size, sonic/musical priorities etc. Rebbi you'll do very well with your current 8 watt SET IMHO. The realism and naturalness of music reproduction is better with the SET than the higher power push pull amplifier.
Charles, |
Atmasphere,
Rebbi's room is about 11x12, my office system, 14x16. Believe me, even true 92db, 8ohm, no problem. My 8 watt Coincident Dynamo is sublime with my 95db or 98db Lores depending on model. How loud do you listen? I generally like about 80db, sometime louder, never a problem. I could't listen much louder in a sustained way without ruining my ears. I really loved the Gizmo and OTL, but even he eventually went The Big Tannoy with 300B. Best Rob |
Generally with SETs if you really want to hear what the amp does (where the 'magic' is) its important that you don't push it past about 20-25% of full power.
For this reason you usually need a really efficient speaker to show the amp off. In the case of a 300b-based amplifier, this means you need to get good sound pressures with only about 2 watts. This requires a high efficiency loudspeaker. FWIW, Coincident does not make a speaker with the efficiency required, especially in a larger room.
This is not to say that such a combo will not make sound- it will- but it will not show off either the capabilities of the amp nor those of the speaker. You simply need more power than a single 300b (or even a pair) can provide. |
Get the right speaker cables and interconnects and there will nothing vague about imaging. In my system when I borrowed my brother DeCapo, the imaging wasn't any less in the Tekton in absolute terms, yet it slayed the DeCapo in almost every other parameter. All rooms are different. Tubes, interconnect, speaker wires all make difference. And of course we all differ in how we like music presented, what we value most/least. When it comes to presentation of the music I'm a timbral listener, the tone, natural, organic flow, the harmonic rightness, texture, fullness, weight, mean more to me than spotlight imaging. In real life music that spotlight imaging doesn't exist. And when it comes to beer budgets with Champange tastes the Tektons are a remarkable feat. The reviewer in Stereotimes stated that the Tekton Reference was kissing cousins to the DeVore 0/96 in sound, they cost $12,000, the Tekton Reference $799 in its Plain Jane/beer budget form, or you could upgrade the veneer and get better capacitors for a few hundred more.
When I get the Franks from Coincident I 'm going to pause long and hard about speaker match. I've listened now to the DeVore 0/96 and O/93, $12,000 and $8,000 respectively, and I know now from personal experience (not in my room), the Tekton gives you 95% of same. I also know AN/Snell which I've owned in past, same comment as above. The New Omega Alnico sounds intriguing at about $3,000 plus. Rabbi, what's the budget? People keep recommending speakers, even used, that seem to exceed what you want to spend...best, Rob. |
Jet,
Thank you very much for the tip. Those Audio Note speakers look like a great deal. But I have to wait until my De Capo's sell to purchase anything else, and I would guess that those Audio Notes will be gone by then. :-(
But I will definitely keep an eye on them!
As for the Coincident's, yes, I would say that they are VERY aspirational. ;-) |
Rebbi, Today some older version AN-e's came up for sale here on Agon. Very good price and the AN stands are included. By this point you may have written AN speakers off of your list but wanted to bring them to your attention.
On another more aspirational note there are some Coincident Pure Reference speakers for sale here as well. I've heard these and they are wonderful. They need some real space (more than I have) to breath but should pretty great with a 300b amp.
Regards-Jet |
Charles,
Well, after three years of ownership, my De Capo's are now up for sale on Audiogon (and elsewhere)!
The Lore Reference is a VERY different speaker than the De Capo. It's not that the De Capo doesn't sound fabulous with the Kit 1 - it does, especially since I added the vintage 6SN7 and a Signal Cable power cord (thanks to Roxy and Almarg for those tips!)
The De Capo's are so much about finesse - astonishing imaging, coherence, resolution, etc. The Lore Reference is more about dynamics and expansiveness. With the Lore Reference, the Kit 1 sounds more relaxed and it plays far "bigger" than 8 watts! Really, I have discovered that a higher efficiency speaker makes the Kit 1 sound like a monster!
:-D
And of course, the Lore Reference digs deeper than the De Capo (although for its size, the De Capo is no slouch in that department, either), making music sound more fleshed out. I must say that I was surprised and impressed at how well controlled the bass on the Lore Ref was. Interestingly, it uses a smaller, Eminence designed, 8-inch main driver, as opposed to the big, bass guitar driver on the standard Lore and Lore 2.0.
Both speakers throw a large soundstage, but of a different quality. The Lore Reference is more room filling, the De Capo more holographic. I will say that I found the Lore Ref's imaging a little vague compared to the De Capo, but that may be a placement fine tuning thing, too.
So while I'm not 100% sure that I'm going with Tekton, I am convinced that there are benefits to moving on to a substantially more efficient and easy to drive speaker. I am considering a number of options, depending upon what I get for the sale of the De Capo's.
Interestingly, the fellow who lent me the Lore Ref's felt that, in contrast to Eric at Tekton, the Lore or Lore 2.0 would be too large for my room. Hmm...
I'll keep y'all posted!
By the way, if any of you have heard the various flavors of the Lore side by side and can comment on similarities and differences, I'd love to hear them, because Tekton's web site isn't much help in this regard. At last count, you have a choice of:
Lore
Lore 2.0
M-Lore
S-Lore
Lore Reference |
Hi Rebbi,
How were the Lores in comparison to the DeCapo with your SET? Did the higher efficiency of the Lore matter?
Charles, |
Can any of you folks attest to the sonic differences between the various Tekton Lore flavors:
Lore Reference
Lore 2.0
Lore
M-Lore
S-Lore
I had the opportunity to borrow a pair of the Lore Reference for about a week and run it in my own system, so now I have a pretty good idea how it sounds. What I'm trying to figure out is how all the different iterations of the Lore differ from one another, hence my question here. I've corresponded with Eric about this a few times but would still love the opinions of users who've heard some of these different speakers side by side. |
A must hear would be the Teresonic Ingenium :
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=lCxVnL4kx-k
(be sure to watch in 720p for better sound quality) |
JWM,
Not so much hot as "steamy." Been getting a lot of rain here and it's been really humid. Good for us because we've been in a drought, but the mosquito situation this summer is going to be intense, I think. :-/ |
Rebbi, I don't know why I thought you lived in NY? It must be pretty hot in TX by now. |
Food for thought . Klipsch now with Volti upgrades latter. |
Reb, Here you go. Home Grown Hi eff speakers for SETVery cool homegrown speakers and interesting summary by the owner. Custom horns along these lines are teh best I have heard off SET and I would agree the dynamics are off teh chart with speakers like these balanced out just right. Its a delicate balance though. I have not heard any without some extra edge as a result which is something some may like and others not so much. |
Roxy,
Texas, not far from Sebrof. |
05-04-15: Rebbi
Coli and Mrdecibel,
I've thought of Klipsch; the pricing of a lot of their floor-standers is certainly very reasonable by high-end standards. The thing is, I find their line to be so huge and diverse that I can't figure out what to even consider. Amazon carries a ton of Klipsch gear, as does our local Fry's Electronics.
If Klipsch, my suggestion is to look on Craigslist for their Heritage line of speakers. That's how I got a used pair of Klipschorns. That was about 5 speakers ago for me. When I think of them I still feel a twinge in my back from when I sold them and we loaded them in the guy's truck (and a ringing in my ear from that squawker horn). |
Rebbi,
What state do you live in? |
