Tekton Design's new THE PERFECT SET equals "goosebumps time"

Clio09: Thank you very much for your input. I had also considered Aerial 5T’s for my den, but I really wanted to experiment with a high efficiency speaker and tube rolling. My main system (balanced) is comprised of an Audio evidence Research Reference 3 tube preamp, Audio Research PH-7 phonostage, Audio Research 100.2 solid state amp, VPI Classic turntable,  Bryston CD player, and afore mentioned Focal 1007 Be standmounts with a REL T9i subwoofer.  Very musical system that I think might compete with a system twice my cost.  Got the Audio Research gear used on Audiogon. 

If I decide to part ways with the Klipsch Heresys, I think the Fritz Carrera with it’s benign impedance curve would be to my liking. I live in Rapid City SD. I like the business model where boutique manufacturers sell to the consumer, allowing for a home trial. Yes, one can go to an audio show ( and Rocky Mountain Audio Fest in Denver has been on my bucket list for a number of years), but one still doesn’t know how a given speaker will sound in one’s own home.  At any rate, I think the Fritz Carrera with it’s benign impedance curve would be my first choice if the Klipsch Heresys don’t work out. 

Oldschoolsound: I was awestruck by the generosity of your response. Audiogon is a great forum — particularly I think for those of us living “in the Styx” with limited access to high end audio. Yes there are trolls on the website and some snarky comments, but all in all I have benefited from frequenting this forum over the past 10 years or so. You provided me with a wealth of history and good ideas. Thank you! I suspect you may be a Midwesterner like myself. I am going to try some tube rolling, possibly elevating the Heresys, and trying some more attractive room treatments before giving up on the Heresys. Again, many thanks for your kind, most generous input. 

Hey jayctoy,

If I have my facts straight your amplifier is around 40 watts and can use a variety of tubes.  I see no reason  way the Art Audio would not be a good match with the Prefect Set.  So far, every amplifier I have tried sounds great and somewhat different based on the tubes it uses or being SS.

dcevans,

Thanks for asking Teajay for some specific comparisons between the speakers to start with.  While Teajay said he would be doing a more in-depth review, I'm glad he answered our questions now.

By the way, I doubt I am a more dedicated audiophile, I just happened to have a portion of our walkout basement I could remodel into a listening and movie room (heavy emphasis on listening).

I also wanted to respond because we currently have similar speakers. The Heresy III’s you have are very fine speakers and I've been listening to various models since the 70s.  I run Klipsch Forte I’s from the late 90s modified with Bob Crites’s crossovers and titanium tweeter diaphragms as well as older vintage Heresy midrange horns and compression drivers since they are the exact same one’s used in the Forte I’s, but are are of higher quality vs. the period my Fortes where made.  (Klipsch, like other companies mentioned in this thread, used other manufacture’s drivers and changed them based on availability, cost, etc.).  These changes brought more clarity and control the midrange and upper frequencies while better integrating the already deep and tight bass.  Of course your Heresy III’s already have all the current improvements.

If I didn't feel some more depth, richness, etc., could be added to the midrange based on higher end horn speakers I’ve heard, or the reviews I’ve read about Tekton, I would be quite satisfied given the investment made.  

While horns may not end up being the best match for you, here’s what has worked for me with the Forte I's.

While I’m not familiar with how you have situated the speakers in your den, lifting my already 36” high Forte’s up another 5” to bring the tweeters to ear level gives the best detailed and open sound.  I also have them toed in so the horn is pointing a few inches outside of my ears in my listening position — rather typical with horns.

The Heresy, while the first Klipsch speaker not to have a horn loaded woofer — hence the name, since someone said the design was heresy — is still designed to be used near a corner or wall.  But playing with placement after attending to the tweeter’s position can still help.  The Forte’s have a passive radiator in the rear and require being about a foot and a half away from wall boundaries.  This is something you would want to consider with the rear ported Fritz Carrera, but I’m not familiar with that speaker myself, so hopefully someone else can address that for you.

You also mentioned the Heresy’s sound better at louder levels.  Mine can sound a bit thin at lower levels, but rising the tweeters did help with that.  I really got into stereos in the mid/late 70s during college while working part-time at a dedicated stereo store (back when they existed) and graphic equalizer were very popular.  A restored/upgraded SAE Seven that I am not ashamed to use helps give a fuller sound when adding a touch of bass and high end (actually subtracting what you want to de-emphasis is best).  Tekton’s ability to help our midrange focused hearing at lower levels does sound intriguing though.

Some of the coloration issues in horns is helped with tube amps, and your amp will certainly make the most of tube’s advantages, so your comment about tube rolling is worth looking into (and fun).  As you probably know, the greatest sonic change typically takes place rolling the tubes used in the front end, 6SN7’s I believe in your case.  While subjective, basically you change tubes with characteristics to either add warmth OR give a more analytical sound, so decide which direction you’d like to go based on what you’re hearing.

You mentioned about giving up some resolution to help make poorer recording more tolerable, so if you want to use the den’s sound system to enjoy these records, going with warmer tubes and/or speakers can help mask their short comings.

Finally, while your room is primarily a den, acoustic treatments still play a big roll.  A friend who has Focal Aria 948’s, (amazing speakers in their own right), and was familiar with my Forte’s before the listening room was build and treated said he was surprised horn speakers could as good as they do.  He has some nice wood covered acoustic absorbers and diffusers from GIK that are both very effective and aesthetic, so see what you think.

Didn’t mean to ramble or get off topic, and you probably know this stuff already, but hope some of this helps.  Good luck.

 

Fritz and I have done a number of shows together pairing his speakers (Carbon 7 and Carrera) with a 12 watt 300B SET amp. The whole thing happened by accident as the first show we did together the original amp we were going to use had an issue, so while it was being looked over we put the 300B on the speaker, We were pretty amazed and try as hard as we could we never were able to clip the amp. So we did a few more shows with that pairing. As for distance, we have put them about 2 feet or so (measured to the front baffle) from the front wall and there were no issues. These are very impedance friendly and flexible speakers.

I had previously read a stellar review of the Carrera 7 Be by John Richardson with Part-Time Audiophile 

Mapman, 
Wow— I have been looking at them, but was actually thinking of them for my main system — which doesn’t make a lot of sense, because they would be replacing another 2 way standmount with a beryllium tweeter (Focal Electra 1007 Be). Read some great comments from an audio show. Are they rear ported?  Do you think they would sound okay within a foot of the front wall?  Thank you for the suggestion!!!

dcevans,

If you do decide to try other speakers, consider the Fritz Carrera.    Not efficient on paper but designed to be an  easy load.  I heard them at a show off a flea powered tube amp and was shocked.   Have also heard Tekton Double Impact speakers off similar amp.   Also good, but I think the Fritz are better form and function for a smaller room and the sound is hard to beat IMHO.

I should upgrade the tubes before selling off the Klipsch Heresys. 

Hey Mikirob—
I have the stock tubes supplied with the amp, and have been thinking about upgrading them, so I would appreciate some recommendations. I was under the impression that the EL34 tubes were Tung Sol, but they are not clearly labeled as such. Considering that the amp ( my first tube amplifier) was only $1500, spending $500 or so in tube upgrades would be worthwhile.  I asked Israel Blume if I could put in a KT77 — an EL34 equivalent — and he advised against. Thinking about Mullard or Tung Sol EL34s, and the Russian 6H9C (black base) , a 6SL7 equivalent that Dick Olsher liked with this amp in TAS review last June.  Which tubes are you using? Best, Dave

Dcevans,
what tubes do you use with the Dynamo? Best,mikirob 

Thank you Teajay for your extended comparison of the Perfect SET and NSMT Model 50 — greatly appreciated! 

My wife and I moved into a wonderful townhouse 1 year ago, and about 6 months ago after quite a bit of deliberation, 
I purchase a Coincident Dynamo SE 8 wpc SEP and Klipsch Heresy III speakers for a 2nd system, in my den/library.  I chose the Heresy for what it could offer in a small dual purpose room — they can be positioned close to the wall, their horn tweeter has controlled dispersion  which limits its interaction with the room and therefore the need for room treatments, and they have a somewhat limited bass response (58 Hz +\- 4 dB),  to avoid overloading the room. And they look very nice in the room, in a special blond cherry veneer.  All well and good — I’m just not in love with the sound unfortunately. The bass — while well defined — is inadequate. They do sound better with a subwoofer and at higher volume — not ideal in that we live in a townhouse and the room is abutting our neighbor, and I don’t need to worsen my hearing loss with high SPLs. Also, I think I now know of the horn coloration of which you allude to. 

Like oldschoolsound, I live in a rural area and have not heard Tekton speakers. 
I guess I am not a true/dedicated audiophile like oldschoolsound — I am not inclined to use this space solely as listening room, and I am not particularly interested in adorning the room with acoustic treatments. I am a music lover though — and want to be drawn to the space to listen for extended periods without fatigue,  to escape, to feel the emotional impact of the music , for the music to sound live.  While the dynamic response of a speaker is critically important I think to achieve this alive quality — and the Heresys have this in spades — I’m not convinced that the horn tweeter provides a natural sound. Actually, I am okay with some coloration and loss of resolution if it allows me to connect more with the music, and it helps bad recordings sound better. 

Based on on your description, the size of the room, and aesthetic considerations including my aversion to room treatments— the Jamaica is probably a better fit for me. 

Thanks again Teajay. 

Hey Teajay,

Thanks for such a quick and in-depth response!  Good to know both speakers have very good soundstage capabilities.

Good point about listening space and bass extension.  While my room is on the small size (as far as I would like) at 13’ x 20’ x 8’, it has been acoustically treated following Ethan Winer's guidelines.  After playing with placement, it has my system/room sounding the best it ever has.  Hopefully this would be enough to control the Perfect Set's bass.  

And, as you said, the proper recording is the starting point.

Since my listening is near field and at lower levels that I use to listen at back in the days of my youth, your previous comments about the Perfect SET having good low level listening characteristic was also important to know.

The one thing I will not be able to replicate is the quality of your upstream components.  You’ve got one nice system there!  I’m old school (like my moniker) with a Cary SLP 94 and highly modified Dynaco ST70 based on Lance Cochran’s circuit.  But, like many of the other brands you’ve reviewed, I feel my gear gives me a very good return on my investment with a little tube rolling to fine tune the sound.

Still, always room for improvement, so thanks again for your comments on these two speakers.  Unfortunately, I live in a rural area and have not had an opportunity to hear any Tekton speakers.  But your description of what they provide beyond the typical horn design is what I’m looking to achieve.

Thanks again.

Hey oldschoolsound,

Both speakers are excellent at creating, if it's in the recording, a very large precisely layered soundstage that extends past the outside edge of the speakers with space/air between the instruments. 

Both speakers would work in a small acoustic space.  However, the Perfect Set is a much larger speaker then the Model 50.  Also, the Tekton speaker does go deeper in its bass extension, so it could possibly over load a very small listening space.

Imagine all the speed/dynamics/aliveness of a horn design with no horn colorations. Then add on a great extended high airy top end, great bass, and a detailed transparent midrange that allows what ever amplifier you are using to be heard regarding timbres/tonality.  I have listened many hours with both a SET 2A3 amp and a restored Threshold S/350e amplifier with the Perfect Set and find I'm enchanted with both amps in the system.  The rest of the system is a CEC transport, Lab 12 DAC, LTA Micro-ZOTL into the amps I mentioned above.  Think of the flexibility with this speaker, you can use a SET 3 watt tube amp or a 350 watt SS amp with superlative results.  If you already have listening experience with either the Double Impacts or the Double Impact Monitors you know what the Perfect Impact sounds like, just add outstanding linear extended bass which is totally integrated with the lower midrange. 

Teajay,

Thanks for comparing the Perfect SET and Model 50's to answer dcevans question.

Could you also include your observations regarding soundstage depth and width?  Your description of 5-10 vs. 15-20 feet away from a live jazz band gives some indication, but I would appreciate any additional comments.

And thanks for your review on the Perfect SET, as it is the first I have seen myself and have been curious about them since they were first offered.  I've enjoyed the sound of high efficiency/dynamic speakers with HF horns since the 70s, but would like something more natural and a bit deeper in sound stage, so these have my interest.

steakster +1

teajay,
thank you for your response. I am likely going to pull the trigger on the PERFECT early next week after getting my wife on board. Pick color. I value your input. Best, mikirob 

First, I try to buy the best, and spend my money on the best I can afford. Reviews don’t sway me at all and I take them with a grain of salt, as should anyone serious about a big purchase in this hobby.

I currently own the Tekton Encores. I love them to death. I had the Double Impacts. I loved them for the year I had them, but I prefer the Encore’s prodigious bass response and the double MTM array which to my ears sounds more transparent, detailed, and electrostatic-like than the DIs which were no slouch either.

If I was still using my 8wpc SET amplifier I would love to own a pair of the Perfect SET speakers because I’m certain they would be a match made in heaven. The build quality of both pairs of my Tektons were flawless.

The packaging on my DI’s were not as good as my Encores, but nonetheless they arrived safe and sound. The packaging for my Encores was painstakingly and superbly done. At 175lbs each, Eric has just as much on the line to ensure a safe delivery as I do.

The coherence of Tekton speakers is superb. The voicing of both Tekton’s I owned were spot on to my liking. They are detailed, but not clinical, neutral to maybe a tad on the warmer side of neutral, but they are coherent and that’s not an easy thing to do with a 4-way design. Many much more expensive and well known speakers I’ve listened to aren’t coherent sounding to my ears. I trust Eric’s ears and his ability to make any speaker he designs sound coherent, natural sounding, and organic, ya know. like music should sound.

@teajay Keep up the great work finding high value components and speakers that perform beyond their price tag. Don’t let the trolls get you down.

Sincerly,

A Tekton Fan-Boy!

PS: Not a paid shill and I have never gotten a discount on any Tekton Products!

Kosst

 AGREED ! The problem with constantly making threads of adoration is there is and will be those who call you out with their proofs and findings of misfortunes. Yes every company has a issue here and there. Its how they are handled on a timely manner.  Parts supplies in todays Audio world are much tighter tolerances. Customers should never be the test ground for a work in progress prototype

kosst, even if you were right, it doesn’t matter. If you were selling speakers, I would give my business to Tekton just to not be buying them from you.  I did not always think this way.

Here's some answers to questions or statements.

Mikirob- I have heard your DeVore speakers and thought they were great.  What's remarkable about the Prefect SET is that it performs way above its $1,800.00 price point.  So, would you enjoy them totally in your second system as much as your main speakers, I believe so.

Jay23- The issue of internal parts being different between one pair of speakers and another has been addressed already on other threads, but I'll explain it one more time.

Some of the most highly regarded companies will often change or use different internal components during a production run because the supplier of that part has none in stock, or they find something they think is better or just as good and available to them. This is standard practice across the industry, not unique to Tekton.

Because many buyers of Tekton Design speakers are DIYers and because the speakers are so inexpensive they often open them to take a look and modify or replace certain caps or wires.  Individuals who normally purchase very expensive speakers (YG Acoustics, TAD, Wilson, Magico) do not open up their speakers to see what parts are used or are going to modify them.  The speakers sent to reviewers have the same internal components as a regular customer.

By the way has anyone every seen a post that stated that the Tekton speaker that they own has malfunctioned or stopped working because of a faulty driver or internal component.  I never had read one or talked to any owners of Tekton speakers that had this experience.  I think this says something about QC regarding being dependable in the field.

   

Reading through lots of threads on various forums, the one thing that seems common is that when it comes to the smaller companies, those primarily selling through the internet....there is a pretty good chance that if you call the company, you will get to speak of the founder. 


Call Zu...you will likely have a shot at Sean Casey.  Call Chane...Jon Lane may pick up.  Call Tekton...talk to Eric....Call Salk...talk to Jim Salk.  I don't think this is all that strange as the owners want to talk to customers...and usually, their enthusiasm rubs off.

No doubt, each of the above guys has his own take on what speakers should sound like...and each guy has a different take.  So, as an example, if you are a Salk fan, you will probably be pretty enthusiastic about Salk...as you should be.  In fact, I spoke on the phone today  to a guy who is on this 4th pair of Salks....keeps trading up.  He has no real desire to move out of the Salk family because he loves the sound.

As for shills, it might be that there are a few people that aren't who they appear to be....personally...I like to look at whether people are showing their own system and where they might be from....but in the end....if a bunch of forum people say they like Tekton...and a bunch of reviewers say they like Tekton...we all KNOW this is not a guarantee that we will like Tekton.....but it may be a nudge that it is worth the price of return freight to give them a try.

And, on the subject of "trying something"....Teajay said the Perfect Set had a "sitting up front" type of presentation....and you hear that frequently from reviewers and posters regarding the "Tekton sound" (if there is such a thing)....so, if a person knows that they don't like an up front presentation, then its possible that the Tekton's may not be for them....but they will never know until they hear it...and if it isn't for them, it shouldn't be a surprise.

Guys give it a rest! Teajay is not paid by any manufacturer and is barely paid for his reviews. He simply loves affordable Audio equipment. Has anyone noticed the Coda amplifier thread where he gives similar superlatives to their new amplifier?  No one there is claiming Teajay is on the take there. Teajay prior to becoming a professional reviewer reviewed gear just on Audiogon giving his opinion of the merits of his latest purchases. The guy is a passionate audiophile like all of us. If you disagree with his opinion so be it,  but to disparage him because you don’t like the brand is insane. Teajay likes the latest versions of Teckton speakers and this doesn’t make him a shill or anything else derogatory. The motivation of those who are incensed by this review should be closely monitored. Teckton Perfect SETs are just speakers ..... get a life or get whatever speaker’s you prefer!

@teajay
Thank you. I enjoy reading your reviews.

I have heard the Electron SE and DI SE at two separate audiogon member homes. I was blown away how amazing they sound. Did not see any problems with the finish and look great in person. Thank you Lance and motta

I can’t wait to read your review of The Perfect Set before deciding on which Tekton to buy.

A previous responder wrote, “There are a couple of issues that jump out to me immediately. The manufacturer (Tekton) chooses to sell direct and has no distribution network.” And further, “This business model is good at cost constraint, but suffers with regard to wide spread exposure.”

I can’t think of a better way to get the message out than to initiate threads on Agon soliciting testimonials. Many of these gushy testimonials are from “members” with very few posts, which might indicate that they are new members or that this thread somehow compelled them to share their opinion. I’m stunned that many are able to quote specs on the speakers, and comment on the speaker designer’s philosophy as if they are old friends. I recall one poster asking “Are they really as good as they say?” Even this thread uses the term “goosebumps” to describe the listening experience. Really? Excuse me if I seem suspicious!

teajay,
Another Coincident Dynamo SE question: my current main system is DeVore Orangutan 0/96 with Leben CS600. It is my intention to pair a Coincident Dynamo SE (also own LTA MZ2) with the PERFECT speakers, Border Patrol DAC in a 14x17x9 room as second system. Do you think this system, PERFECT, will compare favorably with the DeVore's?

Would you just look at the retail prices of these speakers, read what Tekton's designer has to say about design relevancy and use some basic common sense. 

For some unknown reason I have read this entire thread.  I like to call my perspective as a view from the middle.

There are a couple of issues that jump out to me immediately.  The manufacturer chooses to sell direct and has no distribution network.  It also appears that he does not showcase his product at national shows (please correct me if I am wrong).

This business model is good at cost constraint, but suffers with regard to wide spread exposure.  The return situation is a function of the deficient business model.

The OP is all in for the brand and from a neutral corner seems to like superlatives that can seem a bit much.  I appreciate that it is one person’s view and absolute right to expound as he seea fit.

The counterpoint is that others who do not have the same high regard for the product get their back up due to their perception of excessive enthusiasm by the OP.

The truth I suspect lies in the middle.  Point of reference, I own big planars that are driven by large SS mono blocks via a tube pre amp.  Thus my specific experience is not in this specific product environment.

At the end of the day, what is percieved by others as excessive hyperbole will usually create a negative atmosphere.  Notice the term percieve.

If we can all tone it down a bit.  I guess my 750 bench tested watts per channel might be a bit excessive for them, ;-)

For some unknown reason I have read this entire thread.  I like to call my perspective as a view from the middle.

There are a couple of issues that jump out to me immediately.  The manufacturer chooses to sell direct and has no distribution network.  It also appears that he does not showcase his product at national shows (please correct me if I am wrong).

This business model is good at cost constraint, but suffers with regard to wide spread exposure.  The return situation is a function of the deficient business model.

The OP is all in for the brand and from a neutral corner seems to like superlatives that can seem a bit much.  I appreciate that it is one person’s view and absolute right to expound as he seea fit.

The counterpoint is that others who do not have the same high regard for the product get their back up due to their perception of excessive enthusiasm by the OP.

The truth I suspect lies in the middle.  Point of reference, I own big planars that are driven by large SS mono blocks via a tube pre amp.  Thus my specific experience is not in this specific product environment.

At the end of the day, what is percieved by others as excessive hyperbole will usually create a negative atmosphere.  Notice the term percieve.

If we can all tone it down a bit.  I guess my 750 bench tested watts per channel might be a bit excessive for them, ;-)

I find it disconcerting to agree with kosst, but there've been way too many reports about Tekton differences in internal components & other QC issues. I wonder if any reviewer has had a friend buy the same speaker to compare the crossovers. It'd be sad if Tekton sent reviewer versions.

@teajay 
Have you paid for every Tekton speaker you are keeping long term? There are no unpaid long term loaners? 

Over what time frame were those problems with other speakers? I'm sure the majority of those manufacturers or their dealers would take care of those issues. It doesn't seem like the same can be said of Tekton.

This thread will be closed if verbal attacks among other members continue. Keep your posts on the topic. 

Hey d2girls,

Sorry, that you were upset that I posted your name vs. your AudioGon moniker.  It won't happen and I apologize to you.

Thanks, for your gracious post towards me.  I'm not hurt or upset, just will not give in to individuals, excluding you, that have a vile/nasty agenda towards Tekton or me.  I have never hijacked anybody else's thread for personal reasons and wish the haters would just get off this discussion so we can discuss THIS speaker and nothing else. 

Hey Ketchup,

To answer your question:

1) The great majority of the most respected speaker companies do not build their own drivers (Wilson/Ariel Acoustics/Totem), so this has nothing to do with the question of general build quality.
2) I know at least three electrical engineers that have checked over the internal parts and the craftsmanship of these speakers and found it to be at a high quality.
3) Just had a retail dealer come over to hear/see the Perfect Set speakers.  Not only was he delighted with their performance he believed that the paint job was a good as Wilson speakers that he has closely examined.

My pair of Elf's are beautifully painted with a metallic black piano lacquer finish and the very large cabinet is rock solid and extremely well constructed with internal bracing.

Jim Thiel, rest his soul, was a brilliant designer, so is Eric.  I don't agree with you that it is "silly" to compare the two companies regarding performance and that occasionally any speaker company can have difficulties with enclosures, veneer, and paint jobs.

Imo what is high quality when it comes to aesthetic things like the finish is subjective. I have seen a pair of tekton speakers in custom orange finish, it was quite fancy automotive finish and looked probably as high end as any other manufacture offering a similar finish. maybe the smaller tekton bookshelf’s wouldn’t pass the knuckle rap test, or be completely inert with heroic and exotic internal bracing and materials used but we are talking about $1800 pair of medium sized bookshelf monitors so that kind of perfection is not to be expected.


@teajay 

I do hope you can appreciate that I am not like these other posters making blanket, generalizations about Tekton. I don’t recall ever making a post like that as I find such actions beneath me. Also I have never actually heard a pair of tekton hence why I’ve never said they sound bad (or good) as I don’t know.


Am I guilty of calling out Eric for his behaviour behaviour online? Maybe. I’m a little sick of manufactures bullying the little guys online because they had a bad experience. So I’m trying to call them out if I deem it necessary.

However, I have a heart and I do see that you seem upset so I will be nice and just refrain from saying anything at all about Eric on the audiogon forums henceforth. People are smart and will come to their own conclusions. 

Hey dcevans,

Both are great speakers, and of course would match beautifully with your amplifier.  Because of your amplifier I think both speakers would be a better match then the monitors.

The Model 50 is slightly, and I mean slightly, warmer overall then the Perfect Set.  The Perfect Set is slightly, and I mean slightly, more transparent, therefore you can pick-up some of the micro-details more easily.  Both have excellent bass, but the Perfect Set will go somewhat deeper because of its 12 inch woofer.

Two ways to try to describe the differences:  1) Would you rather sit 15 to 20 feet away from the stage/ Model 50 or sit about 5 to 10 feet from the stage/ Perfect Set when you go to hear live music in a jazz club. 2) Do you love Telefunken or Bugle buy NOS tubes.  They are both great, but sound different.

Finally, both are good looking speakers, however, the Perfect Set is a much wider/deeper speaker then the Model 50, so you would have to decide which would look better in your smaller room.