Stereo Times review on the Tekton Design Encore Monitor

I have had several inquiries regarding what is the up charge for the stunning black gloss piano lacquer finish on the pair featured in the review. The cost for the upgrade is $500 for the pair of speakers.

Hey pbecker128,

Remember, I made the Encore Monitor my budget speaker of the year because of cost vs. performance ratio. The Encore speakers are $3000, the Arno 40 speakers are $15000. A much higher price does not allows equate a higher level of performance. However, in this case it does. The Arno 40 speakers are at a higher qualitative level in their performance than the Encore Monitors. For the details regarding the Arno’s performance read my review on them on Stereo Times. I made the Arno 40 speakers my "no cost consideration" reference speaker of the year.

Both the Encore Monitor speakers and the Arno 40 speakers are wonderful music makers, but are at vastly different price points.

Hey Everybody,

Just wanted to share that system that the Encore Monitor speakers are in, has been driven for the last week with a new tube based preamplifier (Sun Audio) rather then the solid state SPL Volume 2 preamplifier. 

Of course I expected an overall sonic change, by using NOS 5751 Sylvania Gold Brand/gold pin tubes I was looking for a more sparkly sweet top end and a relaxed liquidity in the mid-range, based on past experience with this tube. 

What I thought was terrific was that because the Encore Monitors have such a high degree of transparency, that the above mentioned qualities being offered by the 5751 tubes were so easily heard. This level of transparency is rarely found in a speaker at this price point, in my opinion.   

Hey fsonicsmith,

Since I believe in free speech I appreciate that you wrote your opinion on this thread. Of course, I totally disagree with your statements about me personally,  nobody had ever referred to me as "bird poop" before, but thanks anyways. Your assumption regarding my motivation is totally false. 

If you know my long history with AudioGon I started writing reviews for the forums for fun that members thought were helpful at informing them about different equipment they might want to try out in there systems. I consider this site my "home base" and for years have shared honest information, based on my personal taste which all reviews really are, on products that I find exciting and offer much for reasonable prices. Examples would be NSMT speakers, Coda, LTA, AricAudio, Pine Tree Audio,etc.

Many fellow members have been very kind towards my posts regarding how helpful they have been in allowing them to make decisions about different pieces of gear for their systems that lead to higher levels of enjoyment. I would not put you in this category! 

Have a nice day.   

Hey fsonicsmith,

I accept your apology. However, you again make a disingenuous statement regarding my history of threads on this forum. I have written professionally for three different websites. Yes, it is true that I refer GON members to my reviews for the details of what I'm informing them about. But your statement, "only touted the wines of a SINGLE producer" is completely and utterly false. I had not reviewed a Tekton Design speaker for close to five years and had many different companies speakers in for review during that time span. I know many people in the industry and have become friends with some of them. However, I never written a positive review or brought information on a product to the forum based on my relationships with the any manufacturer. 

Hey Ozzie,

I appreciate that you think I'm a "good guy". I agree that punctuation and correct grammar contribute to the quality of a review. However, they are not my top priorities, these are:

1) I clearly state what my personal taste is when I'm listening/reviewing a piece of gear. If your taste and what you are looking for match mine, it can help inform the reader come to the conclusion that it might be what they are looking for.

2) Use concrete descriptors and attributes that help the reader get a good grasp on the sonic characteristics of the piece being reviewed. To be quite frank, in my opinion, many of the print magazine reviewers use some of the stupidest analogies , metaphors and abstruse/esoteric language in their reviews. Don't know if this is trying show off their literary brilliance, as if there going for a Nobel Prize in literature , or they just have to fill-up so many pages to fatten the review.

Thank you to the individuals that posted that my reviews have been helpful to them and that I honestly try to help GON members get better gear for their systems.

Finally, to address Fsonicsmith statements. With merriment I totally disagree with the sophisticated put-down of me and my writing. I'm just a Hoi polloi having fun writing reviews that can inform music lovers to good pieces of gear for their systems. You take this much to seriously!    

Hey fsonicsmith,

You take this way to seriously. Remember I'm not a Harvard graduate. Therefore, I will not be able to distinguish between informing and conveying because of my lack of acumen regarding the use of language.

Relax and have great weekend. 

Hey fsonicsmith,

I appreciate your opening paragraph, which I believe is an "olive branch" towards me. I accept it, thank you.

I don’t expect that you are supposed to know my history of reviewing. If you did, along with reading my reviews, you would see many of your concerns/criticisms (unsolicited advice) are unfounded. I have reviewed for three reputable websites, hometheaterreview/SixMoons/Stereo Times, over the last 12 years and have over 150 published reviews.

I have many different front ends composed of both solid state and tube based gear and at least 4 to 6 speakers I use to evaluate the piece of gear in for review. My systems gear and what are the dimensions of my acoustic space is often mentioned in my reviews. I do share the virtues and short comings of gear I review. However, there are pieces of gear that I find so unsatisfactory that it is send back to the manufacturer and I do not write a review. I also dislike long drawn out reviews were the reviewer tells you what they had for breakfast, the weather outside, their emotional state of mind, etc. My reviews are short succinct perspectives on the performance of the piece of gear in for reviewing.

Thanks for your unsolicited advice. I still find it amazing that you would be so motivated to write a critique of me and my writing. I’ll assume you are trying to be helpful vs. haute towards me. Question for you? Since you take this hobby so seriously and have some very strong guidelines for writing the "right type" of reviews, why don’t you become a professional reviewer and have some fun!

It's kinda sad that my intentions only were to give information on a great affordable pair of speakers to Gon members and some how this thread was turned into a critique of my grammar and writing style instead.

To 2psyop and missioncoonery,

I actually take your negative evaluations of me, my reviews, and your disingenuous explanations of what you believe are my motivations for sharing on threads about gear that I review as a bizarre compliment. Why? Because I have an assumption that if you guys approved the above, that I would have lost my way in my work if it appealed to your grumpy mentality.

Thank you kennyc for your kind words regarding my reviews.