Tekton Double Impact & Comb Filtering


Like many of you, I have been pondering purchasing these speakers but am very curious about the unusual tweeter array. I asked the smartest speaker person that I know (he is a student of Sean Olive) about the design and below is what he had to say.   

"In theory it could work, but the driver spacing means that the crossover point would need to be very low.
He is using the SB acoustics tweeter which is 72mm in diameter, center to center on the outside opposing drivers is around 5.7 inches, which is about 2400Hz. This means that combing would stop between 1/4 to 1/2 of the wavelength (between 1200-600Hz) is where the outside tweeters should start playing nice with each other.
Since he is not using low enough crossover points he has created a comb filtering monster. Now while it's not the great point source that was promised, it's no worse than most line arrays and the combing will average itself out given enough listening distance.

The MTM spacing on the other hand is ridiculous. Hopefully he is cutting the top end off on one of those midrange drivers to avoid combing."

seanheis1
213, 
that was really clever how you engaged about the bose patent and acted like you were interested in it so you could compare it to 
Tekton. sneaky sneaky. Hahahahahhahha
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@mikirob 306 posts and finally one worth reading, or should we be on stage reciting!!! : )

Thank you! Wonderful stuff.
Thank you david_ten

Unfortunately, a "moderator" doesn't have a similar sense of humor or literary expertise and removed my Shakespearean post to another poster who I certainly deem as a damaging entity to a business based on baseless innuendo, lies, misbegotten misinformation, and other "crimes and misdemeanors." Yet, his foolish posts live. 

Something to to think about: when a poster makes outrageous claims against a product, business, unwarranted and not substantiated by facts, just comical BS, one needs to question the dogged attacks. Are they a rival business using Internet forums to sully a business rival? Are they the boyfriend of an ex-wife? Or any myriad of other illegitimate reasons. Most of the data in this thread by the dissenting minority is innuendo and fraudulent. There is also sidelong personal attracts against Eric Alexander, the designer of Tekton. The "moderator" should look at some of those crass attacks and gross disturbing distortions by some posters. Best, mikirob

Hey Tekton fans!

I ran across acrimony regarding Tekton fans on another thread tonight. I am totally new to Tekton and have no bias against them.  In lieu of reading this entire 7 page thread can someone explain how Mr. Alexander can deliver so much (11 drivers) in the Double Impact and a competent crossover network for $3000.00?

What's the secret sauce?

Just wanting to learn what allows the Tektons to do what people attest to at such a modest price point.

Thanks for illuminating me.
Hifiman5,
This speakers are sold direct which will reduce the retail price.
They could simply be "under priced" for the performance rendered. I had an opportunity to hear the Double Impacts driven by my 300b SET amplifier earlier this week. This is a very good sounding speaker.

I would remind you that the negative comments directed toward this speaker are from people who haven’t listened to them, or consider them unworthy due to their cost. In my opinion you don’t have a valid opinion of an audio product if you haven’t heard it.

I’m well aware that this doesn’t inhibit unsubstantiated speculation, conclusions  and opinion.
Charles
Thanks @charles1dad !  Like I said I am not in any way bashing them.  As you so correctly pointed out, I haven't heard them!!

I'm just trying to figure out how Tekton does it at such low price points.

I gather people just buy these speakers based on testimonials and professional reviews (which are few from what I could find).

The business model of the company is hard to come to grips with.

Thanks for helping me understand this audiophile outlier.
@hifiman5    In addition, as it is with more basic case work, Tekton isn’t blowing costs on cabinets, though one can upgrade at additional cost and build time. Since it is a small operation, overhead is contained.
1. Internet Direct

2. Basic Cabinets

3. Lower cost drivers

4. Word of mouth advertisement 

5. Profitable upgrade options 

6. Clever engineering 
7. Reasonable profit margin.

The High End audio industry is full of outrageous margin pricing. Companies like Tekton and Core Power Technology are making world class products with reasonable margin expectations so many audiophiles can enjoy their products!
Hifiman5
Based on your logic wondering how Tekton DI only cost $3,000 retail, the opposite could also be true. Even if a speaker maker quadruple Tekton's cost internally, wire, capacitors, speakers and so forth, how does he justify a $30,000 to $50,000 price point? I have Devore 0/96 and Harbeth SHL5s. I bet their internals don't cost mega bucks more than the Tekton DIs. How do they justify their cost? Nice cabinetry? I judge everything in my system by how it sounds to my ears in my environment. Best, mikirob
Hifiman5
It must be difficult to be so in the dark about business models. If you think real hard perhaps, just maybe you can figure it out.

I'm always amazed when a company such as Tekton produces something worthy/significant at a reasonable cost and instead of accolades or a well done for their accomplishment they engender attacks, like in this thread. Extremely weird. mikirob
Hi Mikirob,
You judge audio products by how they sound? Well so do I, Yes I understand that this is a strange and unconventional approach 😊
There’s an odd aspect of the High End audio community in that products can be looked down upon and dismissed "because "of their lower price.

There’s an ongoing thread that basically takes aim at Tekton Double Impacts and their owners. Essentially the premise is the speaker is "midlevel " quality and undeserving of the high attention level it has garnered. The OP of that thread hasn’t heard the Double Impact but deems it is not true High End caliber.

How one can glean so much information based on preformed assumptions is a mystery. There is a snooty snob attitude at work and this isn’t uncommon in the audiophile sector. Brand status and very high cost are required for approval or Acceptance.

Perhaps that OP and others of that mindset would find the Double Impacts unsuitable by their lofty standards, okay that’s fine. I'm a free market advocate and believe people can spend what ever they want, that’s their call.   My only point is to base an opinion on actual listening. I’ve heard very expensive speakers and some of them are truly superb sounding, yet still could be considered overpriced. This is subjective I freely acknowledge.

I do believe that higher price is actually viewed as a definite plus factor for a certain segment of audiophiles. That’s okay as there are always going to be distinct niches formed and individuals will decide where they fit in. My criteria is listen first and then offer a honest impression. Maybe Tekton's pricing model intimidates some, who knows. 
Charles
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Thanks to above respondents.  I would love to hear Tektons some day.  If anyone is in southcentral PA or thereabouts and would welcome a visit from a curious audiophile I would be most appreciative.
Charles1dad
As always on Audiogon you are clarion bell of clarity, common sense, good manners as well as many other positive attributes. And, as such I fully endorse your words. I also deeply respect how you listen and evaluate products and music. You are honest and fair.

It sickens me in certain threads the stupidity expressed; the illegitimate ranting vitriol against a audio product a person or persons has never heard. For no sound reason these members create out of thin air, based on nothing, a negative bias. Not only that, in doing so these members insult the Audiogon members who have purchased the product and report good sound, reviewers, as well as the designer who has labored to design a worthy product. This is a shame. The "Moderator(s)" on Audiogon ought to be ashamed of themselves to allow unwarranted attacks of product not actually bought or listened too. Instead, they delete responses to the dogged attacks because???? Oh, you fed the dogs in kind their own nonsense. You were as harsh as they were. Best, mikirob 

hifiman5:

Think that Eric's business model can be explained by considering the broad changes that have taken place in the cultural/musical/audio fields since the 1980s.

At this time there was a major shift in preference to visual over musical interest. All musical-related fields saw a downturn that affected certain areas first -- professionals in the field and retail establishments. At first, the tendency was for these areas to go high end -- there is still a small market for aficionados and these can be mined for a certain amount of time. Thus Fazioli pianos and Wilson speakers thrived.

The downturn has continued, however, and now it is impossible to find a grand piano dealer in most towns and hard-copy music and audio stores have gone the way of the dinosaur (yes, I know there are Best Buy stores but you know what they offer).

So, in this environment, Eric must offer a "budget" equivalent to high-end products at a fraction of the cost -- to attract new buyers who want the best but cannot (or will not) pay $30k.

This is exactly what he has done -- using the techniques described above. Here's my advice -- get your speakers from him ASAP as it will be difficult for Eric to justify the tremendous tensions and energy required for his business model over any length of time.

BTW, as a lifelong music historian, I can suggest that cultural shifts tend to move back towards musical preference in the mid parts of the century. SO, wait another 30 years or so and the broad picture might improve (LOL).

So, in this environment, Eric must offer a "budget" equivalent to high-end products at a fraction of the cost -- to attract new buyers who want the best but cannot (or will not) pay $30k.

I agree and I think that Tekton should be considered along with Magnepan, Spatial Audio, Ohm, Zu? and Vandersteen because all of these companies do something DIFFERENT and compete with speakers that are much more expensive when it comes to sound reproduction.  
Not sure why Devore speakers are being attacked? He makes good speakers, not for everyone, but they sound good.
I don't recall any attacks directed toward Devore speakers  on this thread. 
Charles 
" I have Devore 0/96 and Harbeth SHL5s. I bet their internals don't cost mega bucks more than the Tekton DIs. How do they justify their cost?"

Isn't that implying they are overpriced?
He owns the Devore and justified the price to himself based on how they sounded in his room. He does not seem unhappy with the choice. Not sure how that is attacking the speaker. The quote was taken completely out of context with the meaning of his entire post. Are you looking for a reason to be offended?
The statement questioning the the cost difference of internal parts between Devore and the Double Impact hardly seems like an    "attack".  Just a reasonable observation.  I suppose it is a matter of interpretation and level of one's sensitivity. 
Charles 
No. And no. No attack on DeVore or Harbeth. As charles1dad kindly stated it is a reasonable observation of many speakers internally. You might do your own investigation, you might be surprised in what you find out. Best, mikirob 
I see that anyone holding a different point of view is still getting mob attacked on this thread.  Nitewulf, whenever you see this kind of fervor for any particular brand, there is usually no point in trying to have a discussion.
Fact is most speakers "internals" cost very, very little that sell for $10,000-$20,000 new.  You won't find copper foil caps and top flight resistors from Path Audio or Duelund.  You will find sand cast resistors, electrolytic caps, less expensive poly caps and on and on.....The DI speakers may use the same cost parts, but they sell for far less.   The design is so good that they also sound great with average parts.  
And p.s., I very much enjoy both speakers. You're just picking a fight, injecting unwarranted out of context meaning as cmsgolf already rightfully pointed out. Again, research is your friend. Best, mikirob
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213 
would you like me to copy and paste every unwarranted slanderous thing you have said again? 
I think the double impacts would sound better with only five tweeters rather then six. In my mind that center tweeter is going to interfere or get interfered with by the other five. Thoughts? 
Even number of tweeters leads to even order harmonics, but an odd number of tweeters will lead to even order harmonics, so I'd do six or eight.

E
"I think the double impacts would sound better with only five tweeters rather then six. In my mind that center tweeter is going to interfere or get interfered with by the other five. Thoughts?"

From what I understand only the center one is a tweeter.

The six in the ring are coupled and crossover’d to be the midrange. The small/combined drivers can react quickly due to their low mass. The ring around the tweeter gives a point-source co-axial affect.
And where did you get that information about a co-axial effect?  The Tekton web site?
I'm thinking that this is coming from Mr. Eric. It's not mentioned in patent or website as far as I could see. This would be an impressive accomplishment for a passive speaker. 

" And where did you get that information about a co-axial effect?  The Tekton web site?"

It seems to be stated in various Tekton threads. Here's an example:
https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/tekton-impact-monitors?sort_order=asc
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It seems to be coming from kdude66. The first two posts in this thread give the crossover details and coaxial explanation.  
Well the only real way to get true "co-axial" effect is to get speakers with coaxial drivers.  I recommend Tannoy and Kef, and I'm sure there are others.
Klh007,

"213, keep on speculating, call Eric if you dare."

And order your own set of Tekton's while your on the phone,
Then you could tell us all about them.


Kenny.