My Experience With Tekton
I know this is a polarizing discussion point and was thus hesitant to share unless I could keep it objective, helpful, and concise
I have no intention to be inflammatory, sway anyone’s current opinion or beliefs
I merely want to share information in two specific areas, my results of product performance and my experience with the manufacturer
Background and reference point
I replaced a pair of Revel F36. The F36 is the upper end of Revel’s lowest tier floorstanding speakers and retails for $2,000 MSRP per pair
Took approx. 45 mins to unbox, level and connect
Like for like drop-in replacement, same location on the floor as the F36s, the listening position did not change, identical electronics and cables
We’ve all got our preferences, biases, different levels of experience, etc; but share the common limitation that we just don’t know what we don’t know
I’ve not heard a pair of 30K speakers but expect to someday and envy those that own them
In my VERY limited understanding, it’s near impossible to pinpoint how any specific system change will behave and perform across the board, contingent on the variances in electronics, set up and room. These three items alone (electronics, setup and room) make me think that while similar in nature, but at a critical listening level, each combination is unique and a different snowflake or fingerprint
Listening results
Product delivers as advertised
Meets or exceeds every performance expectation I had hoped for
After approx. 5 hours of listening over 3 days I tried to characterize the sound. The first thought was neutral, but that was understating what I was hearing. I eventually landed on natural or real. The voices and the instruments sound VERY real to me. This is as close as I have come with my electronics, setup and room to sensing that someone is singing to me or that someone or an entire band is playing for me
To date, each song that I’ve played, is the best version of that song that I have heard in a playback, and I’ve listened to all of them 100s and 100s of times
Some of the improvement was by a small margin, but most songs, 65% conservatively speaking, by a vast margin – night and day, game changing stuff
Chet Baker didn’t sound like a presentation from 1958, it sounded as fresh and real as a new recording with the benefits of 60 years of technology advancements. Exile on Main Street didn’t sound like a home recording from 1972 it sounded like 2022 with many layers of percussion, keyboards, horns and background vocals
Is the sound of this $5,000 pair of speakers comparable to the sound of a $30,000 pair of speakers? I don’t know, as mentioned I’ve not heard a pair of $30,000 speakers.
What I do know is the $5,000 pair of speakers, simply put is the best my system has sounded by a wide margin
Again in summary, it sounds real, like someone is singing to me
Experience with the manufacturer
I had hemmed and hawed for 2 or 3 months before placing my order. One day the website mentioned a future price increase but until mmdd you could still order at the current price
I called and spoke with Tammy and told her I wanted to lock in on the current price point but wasn’t sure what product or configuration I wanted
She built an open-ended order with current pricing and told me to contact her when I knew what I wanted
With work travel and other commitments it took me 4 months to finalize which speaker, Moab, which upgrades, beryllium tweeters and Cardas connectors, and what color, white
I was never pressured to make up my mind or that my window for the lower costs was going to expire
Since I was the one dragging my feet, I offered multiple times to pay for the product
Not once did they hint or take me up on my offer to pay in advance
They did not bill me until the product shipped
Once I had made all the config decisions, the build and delivery were again, as advertised
Tammy mentioned a 4–6-week supply chain delay with beryllium, that arrived within her estimated timeframe
Once the beryllium arrived, she said she was waiting on cabinets, eta 5-7 days, followed by build and paint, and shipping approx. 10 days after she received the cabinets
Within 2 weeks Tammy emailed my owner’s manual, unpacking instructions and told me to expect a call from the freight company within the next week
Freight company contacted me on that Fri and scheduled delivery for the very next Mon, Aug 30
The boxes arrived scuffed and with multiple impact points that dented the packing material
There are no blemishes or damage to either speaker cabinet, the packing and packaging worked as designed
Upon unpacking, I didn’t experience a heavy smell of paint or wood, if I put my nose to the cabinet, I could smell fresh paint
The cabinet finish or construction does not appear inferior to anything else in my inventory, KEF, Revel, Klipsch, Paradigm, Polk, and Elac – permission in advance to laugh
Enjoy the journey and happy listening
Respectfully
I am generally not a conspiracy theorist but are these recurrent Tekton threads and posts an attempt to salvage self inflicted brand damage? it happens often in life when people are impulsive, emotional and irrational, insufficiently self-aware, and simply cannot help themselves - commonly called ’already underground, but still digging yourself an ever-deeper hole’ sometimes comical, but often unfortunate, and sad to see - depending on the circumstances |
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I suspect that Tekton elicits responses positive and negative (which results in a certain amount of defensiveness) because of things that have happened over the years. Back in 2013 they had a big hit on their hands with the Lores and ended up with backlogs that frustrated people (negative) but tons of praise from those that loved the sound (positive). The growing pains were resolved but as the company brought out more and more models, they were again slammed by people saying they had too many models with little differentiation. Again, those that loved those different models jumped in to defend them. Most will remember the Double Impact better than $10, $15, $20k speaker claims which really set people off and again; Double Impact owners chimed in to agree they were better than more expensive speakers...almost always both sides making points as though the points were fact vs opinion. Oh, and lets not forget the tweeter/midrange array which caused lots of ink to be spilled both for and against....and it seemed that the "professional" reviews were mostly positive. It is fair to say that they make good/excellent sounding products that are a good value at the price...and whether they are "better" than any other speaker at any price is mostly irrelevant until the prospective buyer has heard them and decided to spend their own money. From a pure market standpoint, they seem to sell a lot of speakers and given the number, there usually aren't too many of them listed on the resale sites...which would seem to indicate happy customers. What is relevant is when Tekton owners post their assessments and comparisons...positive or negative (and it seems mostly positive) as this is what is actually helpful to those who may be thinking of giving Tekton a try. |
What do you mean, lately? It has been this way since like forever. Heck I have been saying it for going on a year now. The vast majority of readers come to read and learn. They never or hardly ever post. This I know for a fact because people I never heard of before PM thanking me for what they learned, whatever idea I gave them. A lot of times they even say hey I never post but I read and thanks. Then there are the ones that PM thanking me just for sticking around and speaking up even in the face of all the nonstop bullying and BS. Don’t take my word for it either. There was a whole entire discussion devoted to the subject "Sorry Millercarbon!" where people thanked me and apologized for taking me the wrong way. Then there are my own repeated attempts to get the bullies to knock it off. Technically no not even asking them to knock it off. Just asking to take their blather to their own threads. At least stop mucking everyone else up. But no, even this they refuse. Where it goes from normal to truly dark is where we learn I am not the only one they try and hound from what they consider to be "their" site. You know it is bad when people get so obsessed they track down and start harassing you at your home address. Again, they have done it to others. So it is not just about me. You raise the point, you get to hear it answered. This is about the nasty bad behavior of a number of people. I don’t know for certain why the OP isn’t posting here. I do know I can read, and it is clear this went Off Topic into the usual tear everyone down blather, just like usual. Just look at the one above- "Have we established the bona fides of the OP"? Just how low down mean and arrogant do you have to be to come up with that one? Move along. Please. |
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" Just look at the one above- "Have we established the bona fides of the OP"? Just how low down mean and arrogant do you have to be to come up with that one? " Probably not much different than when choosing to post something like this : " Winning friends and influencing people, you really are Italian "" That is, I will say it again, the difference between a can-do American and your typical run of the mill euroweenie " |
That is all nice Steve but the most significant variable is...you. Not that you are not a nice guy and all but why on gods green earth should I trust your hearing ability. From a raw statistical standpoint I should not as there are as many people with great interpretive hearing as there are first rate baseball pitchers. I personally do not care for the Tekton's I have heard and their marketing is either insulting or comical however which way you see it. But it works both ways. Why on god's green earth should you trust me. Maybe because we are all crazy about music? Nice thought. |
Don't you ever get tired of being insulting? You were saying? |
"You were saying".......i think the point shillercarbon is obvious...This site is pro Tekton maybe because its Trump like polarity keeps people engaged on the site..As it relates to you,a lot are tired of your arrogant ,my thinking is correct when it comes to audio which most of us know is the farthest thing from that statement..Personally i think your constant shill of tekton is shameful at best (putting it mildly) in an attempt to keep this post on and not deleted . |
My upgraded Pendragons ( 7 speaker array....upgraded wiring and caps} with an 8 watt 300B tube amp, a marantz cd player, a Denafrips Ares2 DAC and a Schiit Loki Mini + give me a musical experience that is totally satisfying....and gives each and every album and cd that I own a whole new level of enjoyment . The Scale of these speakers is impressive to say the least. They could work on the quality of the paint job , but they are excused because I'm not listening to the paint job. For me, it's live ...the speakers are Big...and they sound Big. |
9:18amIn the spirit of 'pouring gasoline on the fire' may I point out the Tekton impact monitors made the Stereophile recomended component list for 2021 where JA commented on their 'superbly even on axis response' JA concluded 'this unusual design is not compromised'.xxxxxxxxxxxx Actually if you had read the measurment testing section ..the 94db measurment is actually 87db efficiency ...the off axis is a joke etc etc.....these speakers are junk..ive heard them,witnessed them taken apart to see how they are made...this is another shill post and audiogon should stop this free ad Tekton postings . |
buddyboy1, Very sad. If you see it that way. Another way, they built a Potemkin village. The same small group blathers pure nonsense all day long. I suggest, see it as entertainment. Like, Seattle has people all over the place having very animated conversations sometimes quite heated and profane but you notice it is all imaginary, no one is listening. If you set aside the issue of a wasted human life it really is quite funny. Like performance art or something. So ignore them, that's what we all do. Learn who to read, who to ignore, you will find there's a lot here after all. |
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missioncoonery .. not shilling, I've never heard any Tektons, was just pointing out that Stereophile's Herb Reichert and Jonathan Atkinson apparently hear Tekton differently than you. Who's credibility should one take, theirs or yours? I noticed most of your posts are bashing Tekton, hmmmm who has an agenda here? Clue:Not me. |
If you take "entitled white men" out of that post, it hits it right on the mark. There of plenty of bitter men here belittling and bullying another member that enjoys his new speakers. One of them was clueless enough to ask why the OP hasn't been back. It is hard to believe anyone is that dense. So there is a lot of mention of Tekton speakers here. So what? Why is it such a big deal to some people that they have to reply negatively to every thread on them? These would be the same people that complain that the hobby is shrinking. SMH! |
@csmgolf Let me refresh your memory. From @fsonicsmith 09-07-2021 9:04pmI checked out this post out of boredom while away from home. The OP has only been posting since March of '20 and in his posts he more than once echos Miller Fluorocarbon's thoughts. And then there is this prior post which sound eerily reminiscent of the one above;From @jjss49 09-07-2021 10:37pm@fsonicsmithFrom @p01529 09-07-2021 11:25pmfsonicsmith-exactly, only 1 person writes like this.From @three_easy_payments 09-07-2021 11:26pm@fsonicsmith My initial reaction was you were making a ludicrous unfounded connection. But I'm seeing another poster with an ID created very recently speaking now specifically to tweaks and alleged "snake oil" and sounding remarkably like MC. Watching the two (or one?) talk to each other is disturbing yet amusing. Hopefully I'm imagining this as no human would engage in such silliness. Right? |
I just read every one of the OPs posts. Your conspiracy theory would make even the wildest Trump supporter blush (I am not one of them BTW). There have been several people here with multiple log ins, but I ain't buying the OP as one of them. You guys have let your distaste for MC cause you to create something that isn't there. Every member that you quoted has an axe to grind with MC. I have had my run-ins with him too, but there is no way that those dots connect. Plus, you are working at driving new people away. You can go ahead and triple down, but I still think you are wrong. |
willgolf507 posts09-07-2021 8:38pm I have experience in plus $30k speakers and I have the Tekton DI. Let me say this...for the money and for people on a budget you can not beat Tekton for value and sound. If my budget was $5k and under and I wanted a big sound, I would definitely consider Tekton. However, you simply can’t compare to a $30k speaker. My $30k speakers blow away the DI’s. Granted the DI’s aren’t MOAB’s but people need to stop saying these are as good as most high-end speakers. Unfair post. The OP never said they sounded either as good or better than a $30K pair of speakers, He said he’s never HEARD $30K speakers but some day hopes to own some. That’s a huge difference from your argumentative post that YOUR $30K speakers will "blow away" the DI’s." "People need to stop saying these are as good as most high-end speakers." The OP never said that - YOU’RE the one saying that as a strawman for your argument. That’s one of the problems with this forum - people just make stuff up to argue - which is exactly what you’re doing. Why? |
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I wonder how much wrangling and preparation was done to get this thread going. When pointing it out all we get is projection from the usual suspects along with stolen lines like "Potemkin Village" being thrown back (which I've used to depict some of MCs arguments). MC deals in bad faith and admitted to it in a past post on setting up threads for just this purpose. People here should not forget that. The OP may just be a nice guy posting his thoughts and impressions on his speaker but MC is stirring the pot and using him as a foil of sorts. All the best, Nonoise |
I am a big picture type. Don't lose the forest for the trees. Tekton is just a sapling. Fluorocarbon is creeping ivy. Maybe poison oak on top. I don't claim to be right, but I am also one of those guys who would rather have a great source, great preamp and amp, and modest speakers than the reverse. I believe that a humble set of speakers can be made to sound surprisingly good with the above and optimum placement. Look-perhaps-at Herb Reichert's brief into to the Naim Uniti Atom in the issue before last of S'Phile. He referenced the Naim Flat Earther approach of the '70's in which the turntable and amp were optimized and the loudspeaker was thought of as "the least important component". And btw, I believe the Naim devotee's called themselves the Flat Earther's tongue in cheek. They were not denying reality, they were basking in the glow of being contrarian and yet correct. I said I try to be a big picture type. Tektons probably sound great to their fans because they are not tremendously picky about placement, are relatively easy to drive, and their relative innate quality is not that critical to begin with. The zeal of their owners is a bit weird, but so be it. |
I believe the specific 30K figure comes from a Terry London review. On the Tekton site, they merely say this: "Or are you ready for loudspeakers that produce a level of fidelity positively guaranteed to rival or often exceed the biggest and most expensive brands out there at a fraction of the cost?" Which is a pretty bold claim, given what "the most expensive" speakers retail for these days and how they sound... |
On the Tekton site, they merely say this: "Or are you ready for loudspeakers that produce a level of fidelity positively guaranteed to rival or often exceed the biggest and most expensive brands out there at a fraction of the cost?"And they do guarantee it. If you don’t like them, you can send them back. There are caveats to that mentioned in multiple threads here. It is a chance that I decided I was willing to take to hear for myself what the talk was about. I did it with a pair of Electrons. They were not better to me in my room than the $7000 pair of speakers I owned at that time. I thought that they were worth what was being asked for them. So they went back. The couple of hundred in shipping was well worth it to me to hear them in my room, with my gear. I have mentioned this on this site before, but Eric went from cordial and helpful at purchase time, to curt and prickly when I decided I was sending them back. His behavior on this site has not been good either and he has done himself no favors. The market will eventually sort this company out. |
"I believe the specific 30K figure comes from a Terry London review".××××××that original statement was on the tekton website on top of their front page..their claim to fame ..it was removed of course once that was pointed out as bullsheet...i read on their site "they compete with 50k to 100k speakers" and again once pointed out on audiogon as bullsheet it was removed as well from the Tekton site |
@Buckhorn --- If I had a dollar for every time I have read over the last three years on Tekton threads that these speakers compare to speakers in the $20 -35K price range I would be a rich man. So, I am not speaking directly to the OP and his dream to hear a $30k speaker. Give me a break Buckhorn. I am not making stuff up! I own Tekton and $30k plus speakers. I think I am entitled to make statements based on my ownership. This has nothing to do with the OP. |
Glad to see this great review of Tekton speakers. Several years ago we moved to another state, and after listening to full size Focal Electra speakers for several years, I downsized to a much smaller TV and listening room. Now I have a pair of Focal Electra two way speakers on heavy stands and they seem to be missing some bass and mid-range detail. I'm considering selling the current Focals and giving a pair of Tektons a try. |
