It looks like a super sized in-wall speaker. I know that most people will put speaker performance above aesthetics, but there are limits! I can see a set of these speaker hanging below a score board.
NEW Tekton Design Speakers - The Bonnevilles
I have in for review the Tekton Bonnevilles, described by Eric Alexander as a “passion project,” and easily the most attention-grabbing speakers set I’ve had in-home. These speakers aren’t for everyone, but if you have the space and can tolerate the eccentricities of setup, the Bonnevilles offer strengths that many other speakers really can’t match.
They feature four 15" woofers for deep bass, six horn-loaded tweeters arranged in a Tekton Polycell array for midrange, and a seventh dedicated horn-loaded tweeter that handles the high frequencies. Paired with the right amplifier, they can fill a room beautiful and visceral music, like a few other speakers. With proper setup, the Bonnevilles sound vibrant, alive, with absolutely amazing bass.
The Klipsch Jubilees are the closest comparison in terms of bass pressurization that I’ve heard. The Jubilees arguably have a bit more punch in the mid-bass, but the Bonnevilles seem to extend lower. I would also say the midrange and treble on the Bonnevilles are better than what I’ve heard from the Jubilees. The midrange of the Bonnevilles have the characteristic speed and detail that Tekton speakers are known for, but also seem warmer and more relaxed than Tekton’s smaller speakers.
Logistically, these speakers can be a challenge – in more ways than one. They require a lot of real estate in the listening space, they need 2-3 people to move, and turning a corner can be a real problem. But once they’re set up, the Bonnevilles deliver an absolutely gorgeous sound.
As a final brief observation, the Bonnevilles seem to require careful amplifier pairing. While the sensitivity of the Bonnevilles is relatively high – just a couple of watts will create a lot of sound – there seems to be a strong correlation between an amplifier’s power supply and current output, and the overall quality of sound. In short, the Bonneville’s seem pair well with amplifiers that can drop a lot of current.
I currently have three well regarded amplifiers available to pair with the Bonnevilles. Of those three, my current favorite is the Coda No. 8, which has an unusually large power supply and can deliver over 150A of current when needed. The other two amplifiers, while brilliant with smaller speakers, did not drive the Bonnevilles as well as the Coda.
Again, the Bonnevilles will not be for everybody – but a really fun set of speakers to listen to if you ever have the opportunity.
I’ll be publishing a full review of the Bonnevilles in the coming weeks in Stereo Times.
*For a sense of scale – the "little speakers" (as my kids call them) are the REL 212/SX subwoofers.
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Hmm, seems like a legit competitor to the Jubilees at less than half the price..I have heard/have a pretty good feel for the jubilees and know what they can do. Very tempting, but unfortunately, to make the room i'd have to get rid of a lot of stuff. @willrich47 Thank you for the insight...
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They may be great and I’m sure some people will love them, but what I take from this preview is that the speakers are really ugly, you probably can’t move them into your listening space if you even have a listening space that will fit them and you probably don’t have an amplifier that will pair with them. |
A quick anaology — A mini-van is on one of the most practical vehicles you can own. They have great storage capacity, do well in poor weather, not too big and not too small, and are relatively easy to drive.
Sports cars (Lamborghini, McLaren, etc…) are not for everybody. They are not practical in any sense of the word. They are typically garaged most of the time, don’t do well on rough roads or inclement weather, can be extremely difficult to insure, and generally not as easy to drive. Despite the manifold downsides of owning a sports car, their owners tend to be somewhat passionate about their purchase. Setting aside functioning as status indicators and other variables not necessarily germane to this conversation, there seems to be thriving markets for high performance products that simultaneously have practical limitations. |
I was impressed with the speaker arrangment in the Sphere ( Las Vegas)... 167,000 speaker drivers, amplifiers, and processing channels, and it weighs 395,120 pounds (179,220 kg) .....not a bad seat in the house. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=oiSuxfrCLgY
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@knotscott - Love that photo and yeah the year too...I saw the Dead in Roanoke at the Civic Center there, and they had that wall of speakers behind them that went from floor to ceiling. When they played the opening chord of their first song...I thought I was going to be pinned against the back wall by the air displacement. Because none of the speakers were working that hard, the sound was cleanest I have ever heard at any concert I have attended. One of the best live musical experiences of my life...equally as astounding as hearing Andre Segovia play in New York City as a young boy. |
Step a) Something the designer oughta do....Get a grille made that covers the 4 front woofers. I would assume the mid array crosses over fairly low.
Step b) Maybe, move the ports to the back side....that really improves the look of things in my books
Hmmmm....now let me imagine the cabinet in a very dark crimson red or a very dark navy blue....and....hmmmmmm...it’s starting to look like a modern art piece now buddy (WAF’s going up, marriages are getting saved). |
I would never ever consider these in a home they belong in a j hall or theatre and how many MRS would allow this even in the house, Tekton totally knows -0 about style , and parts quality,especially cabinet design and Xover are not one of the strong suits That’s just my opinion having owned 2 and rebuilding and assisting current models not too many will be getting in line . I am still shocking Eric threated to sue a reviewer for bashing his speakers in several areas censorship in reviewing really !! |
There is a speaker out there for everyone. Just as there are audio components and brands for everyone. There is a house, car, city or village for every kind of person and taste. But people will complain and whine and bash all the other things they don’t like. That’s just how some people are, not happy unless they are bitch’in. |
"if i was a millionaire i think i'd buy them." Whoever buys these, needs their millionaire status pulled. You can buy them now. They are $15K for the pair. A price comparable to an average, performance speaker. https://tektondesign.com/product/full-range-speakers/flagship/bonneville/#color They likely sound okay, but it appears their still built the Tekton way- the woofers/tweeters aren't even countersunk into the cabinet. DIY looks. You can find nicer looking with equal/better sound for $15K. |
@jmrrobbie1 Very impressive, we need this in every US city.
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@ willrich47 A useful analogy. Tekton speakers were never designed for the way they look; they are designed for how they sound. Ignoring the inclosure visual aesthetics saves a lot of money in production. The builder wants to give the "everyman" the best sound he can for the lowest cost. Love him or hate him, I think he accomplishes his goals. |
The best sounding speakers in the world (for stereo) will never be a tiny goofy speaker. They will be huge and most probably look kinda ugly. When i heard both the klipsch jubilee (~38k) and the Levinson M1 (200k), both are not pretty at all...but, i thought they slayed every Magico, Wilson, Schweikert, mbl, etc out there. The OP reviewer says that these Bonnvilles have certain traits that are better than the jubilee. At less than half the price, it could be a easy buy for guys who can accommodate something the size of a jubilee (Not for the guy living in a closet with ls50 squawk boxes, of course...and a jubilee type of customer is certainly not needing the ls50 guy's approval). if i bought it, it will not look like the OP's set in that hideous grey, it will have some customization to look like a piece of modern art.
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Tekton has interesting designs for sure (we own their OB Sigma) but my wife ruled we shall have no speaker taller than her five feet even. Their best models are massive. Her rationale was also based on resale value. Huge speakers are harder to sell, and move. Most adults do not want the wall of sound like the Dead used in the '70's, in their living space. The big tweeter arrays with multiple bass drivers require elaborate wiring looms which if you have worked on a modern car chasing grounds or you obsess on continuity you may want a simpler design. If you love that stuff go wild.
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@tablejockey so you've heard these speakers and can attest that you can find better sound for 15K? "You can find nicer looking with equal/better sound for $15K" Oh that's great, where's your review and how many hours did you spend with these speakers before coming to that conclusion? What other speakers did you compare? Oh you didn't? Probably should keep your opinion to yourself and wait for the Stereotimes review. The amount of people that swear you can get better sound than XYZ product without ever hearing them is absurd LOL. Haters gonna hate |
Those speakers are the ugliest I have ever seen. Unless you have a dedicated listening room where no wife or GF would dare enter, you will never buy them. They look like pro sound speakers and I don’t care how good anyone says they are and sound, Tekton will not sell many. If Eric Alexander is trying to make the ugliest speakers known to man, then he is on to something. Good luck selling these monstrosities. |
jrareform, Having heard the D.I’s in past, and reading user reviews of other Tekton product qualified my opinion of the unheard Bonneville. Seriously, for a negotiable $7K difference, why settle when you could hear/appreciate aesthetics? There many other deals such as this. Clearly, there may be some dynamic differences, because of the Tekton design, but I’d gladly shell out a few more bucks and the overall presentation would probably make me forget the sonic advantage of Tekton. No need to blow a magic fuse over an opinion.
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Esoteric = the high end = intended for the few = the subject speakers fit the bill… @jasonbourne71 lite on facts..check your tweeter count on the Concert Grand… i know because i grew up w big Bozaks in the house… 1965 was a very good year to the OP … fair to poor analogy.. see Porsche 4S.. now even a poor minican track aficionado can turn hot lap times… Keep in mind, while spectacular and very innovative, the Wall of Sound just about $$$$ bankrupted the Corporation known as the Dead have fun Chill |
