@aniwolfe - explains it well. thanks
Tekton Double Impacts
Anybody out there heard these??
I have dedicated audio room 14.5x20.5x9 ft. Currently have Marantz Reference CD/Intergrated paired to Magnepan 1.7's with REL T-7 subs. For the vast majority of music I love this system. The only nit pick is that it is lacking/limited in covering say below 35 hz or so. For the first time actually buzzed the panel with an organ sacd. Bummer. Thought of upgrading subs to rythmicks but then I will need to high pass the 1.7's. Really don't want to deal with that approach.
Enter the Double Impacts. Many interesting things here. Would certainly have a different set of strengths here. Dynamics, claimed bottom octave coverage in one package, suspect a good match to current electronics.
I've read all the threads here so we do not need to rehash that. Just wondering if others out there have FIRST HAND experience with these or other Tekton speakers
Thanks.
I have dedicated audio room 14.5x20.5x9 ft. Currently have Marantz Reference CD/Intergrated paired to Magnepan 1.7's with REL T-7 subs. For the vast majority of music I love this system. The only nit pick is that it is lacking/limited in covering say below 35 hz or so. For the first time actually buzzed the panel with an organ sacd. Bummer. Thought of upgrading subs to rythmicks but then I will need to high pass the 1.7's. Really don't want to deal with that approach.
Enter the Double Impacts. Many interesting things here. Would certainly have a different set of strengths here. Dynamics, claimed bottom octave coverage in one package, suspect a good match to current electronics.
I've read all the threads here so we do not need to rehash that. Just wondering if others out there have FIRST HAND experience with these or other Tekton speakers
Thanks.
Showing 43 responses by sbayne
@baranyi - "Audio is not paint by numbers and you cannot cobble together a system based upon reviews or other people’s experience. It really is trial and error until it works for you. Tekton has done audiophiles a great service offering excellent speakers for little money in high end economics. The fact that they are even in the conversation of great speakers at $3000 is astounding. They are obviously not for everyone but they can sound quite different with different amplication, wires, front ends and the list goes on and on." Well said. I would only say I do think we can get a general idea of what something sounds like from reviews and other people’s experience. Just don't go overboard with thinking your system is somehow subpar if you don't copy a reviewer's or a well-regarded poster's equipment that they are currently using. Just learn from it and make your own decisions. |
@stfoth - "Probably going to go with monitors.......looks like the monitors use different tweeters and have different specs from the Double-Impact surround speakers. Curious whether anyone has considered the differences or considered the surrounds as main monitors with tubes." Good question! I own the Impact Monitors but didn’t consider the DI surrounds. Looks like they have a higher sensitivity. That may be helpful if you want to run lower powered amps. I can tell you the Impact Monitors have been getting rave "first impression" reviews from RMAF. (Go to the Impact Monitor thread to see my compilation of the reviews https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/tekton-impact-monitors/post?postid=1470434#1470434) I use a REL powered sub with mine and am very satisfied with the lower mids and bass. At their price, the Impact Monitors are very hard to beat. |
@mac48025 - Here is my 2 cents (1.5 cents is probably more accurate). You obviously got a taste for what’s possible with that tube when you heard Charles’ Frankensteins. Back in my Shindo days my next step in amps would have been his 300B monos. I heard them with a pair of DeVore Silverback speakers and was dumbstruck. During that listening session we replaced the Shindo amps with a different pair of very highly respected/costly 300B monos and the magic went away. It's not so much the tube but the design and build. So if Aric recommended the 300B and he knocks it out-of-the-park that will be REALLY good news for everybody. Can’t wait to hear how it turns out! |
@grannyring - Thanks. Really good info. Its an important reminder these are relatively low cost speakers that are not custom order. He is building them to a price point and can change them at will. Eric has made a business decision that may or may not lose him sales since he apparently changes parts from one build to the next. Some people may care and others may not. However, when Eric sells "upgraded" models of his speakers then I do think its reasonable to have an explanation of exactly was upgraded. His website says this about the upgrades: "Additional upgrade package: add $300 for Cardas inputs, Mil-Spec internal wiring, ClarityCap or Solen (depending upon real-time availability) within the tweeter section. Includes an oversized Jantzen or Erse Sledgehammer inductor (depending upon real-time availability) within the woofer section." Fair enough. I haven’t checked but my "upgraded" speakers should match those above specs. The Double Impact SE is a different story. They are more than double the cost of the normal DI but I see no explanation on his website of what has been upgraded. I’ve also seen a number of people ask on this thread for an explanation of the SE but I don’t remember seeing an explanation. |
Charles - I shouldn’t have been so short in my post. My thinking is Ozzy is well known and respected on these boards. He wants the manufacturer to respond to his inquires, specifically show him the impedance curve. Many have told him and believe (including yourself) his amps would be a fine pairing with the DIs but he wants to confirm it himself by seeing the data or at least talking to Eric about it. That hasn’t happened - which I agree should. Its been suggested he take the 60 day home audition but Ozzy indicated the speakers are too big and heavy for him to do that. Ozzy also indicated he doesn’t want to take a chance on a $3,000 speaker without getting this info. So, I was just trying to say it seems like the DIs aren’t for him. I’m not criticizing his posts it just seems logical too move on. Scott |
@snapsc - We've got a thread going on the Impact Monitors which will answer your questions. Here is the link: https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/tekton-impact-monitors Bottom line: they throw a huge soundstage and will most likely compete very well with the Maggies and KEFs. |
@pro-audio - I have the Impact Monitors and use Rythmik subwoofers. Tekton's tweeter array is very special and if you want to control the bass output, using separate subs is a great way to go. However, the real reason I'm chiming-in is because about a year ago a friend wanted my opinion on the Triton Ones (I haven't heard the References). He wanted them for HT but was worried they weren't "good enough" for music. The dealer let us spend hours in his listening room and changed equipment in/out for us. Not until we got them out in the room more, got better cables and used a better source did they really start to sound nice. He ended-up buying them and the matching center channel speaker. He has them about 2 feet from the front wall and about 9 feet a part. He has the top-end Oppo player and a very good Marantz receiver. They are great HT speakers and I don't think you would be disappointed on just music if you use some decent equipment and set them up right (which is true of any speaker). |
Hi all - Just a FYI that @grannyring (Bill) graciously agreed to upgrade the crossovers in my Impact Monitors. He did a fantastic job. I've made a few comments about it over on the Impact Monitor thread and Bill has already addressed a question. I posted a picture of a completed crossover on my system page. Thought you would be interested. |
Hi JT welcome aboard! You made made some great equipment choices. Congrats. If you want to come close to musical perfection may I suggest you hire some musicians from your local symphony or college music department and have them play for your next party. No amplification just raw professional class music in your home. It’s not as expensive as you might think and VERY rewarding. They are normally great people who love listening to your system. It makes for a great evening! |
"Listeners hearing the same system and recordings in real time and having very contrasting impressions." That’s exactly right Charles. I chalk it up to people not hearing enough live music especially acoustic music. How can you know what something is "supposed" to sound like if you have little or no reference to base it against? |
Dave - Excellent review! Very well written and clear. I already knew the Double Impacts (SE) are excellent so the message it conveyed most to me is how much the speakers can scale up and down based on the equipment they are used with. You inserted a $3,000 Synergistic Research Galileo UEF USB cable and heard "...heft and meat to the lower frequencies that I had felt to be absent before the change. It was as if the SEs instantly gained another octave in the low bass, providing a much more robust foundation for the rest of the frequency range." Wow! I haven't had that kind of change with different cables but it shows how capable this speaker design by Eric really is! |
Aric - I owned a basic Dude preamp for a couple of years. It was very good. Paul would use his excellent design and build it to your price point. I never heard one with Duelunds but from what I've been told they were something special. Grannyring (Bill) has a lot of knowledge regarding the Dude preamp if you should have questions. (Hope I didn't just speak-out-of-turn Bill) |
My 2 cents. Home auditions are the way to go especially for speakers. Next best is an extended listen at a dealer or someone's home who owns the speakers. Way too many variables to make a meaningful decision at a show. Just take Eric up on his return policy and if you don't want to do that because the speakers are too heavy - just move-on. |
Someone is selling a pair of DI SE for $4,500. Great deal. Just wanted to share: http://www.usaudiomart.com/details/649429788-tekton-double-impact-se-pair-soft-black/ |
I’ve owned Odyssey Kismet monoblocks as well. I think they would be great with the Double Impacts. A couple of months ago I heard the Double Impacts being driven with a Parasound Halo integrated and then with a Cary 300B integrated. I thought they sounded much better with the Parasound. They really opened-up through the lower midrange and bass with that extra power. |
@snovosel - thanks for sharing your experiences regarding the amps! As to your comment: "One more note I thought I should share (although I wish there was a way for me to display photos of my listening space because then this explanation would be clearer to anyone reading it)" The system pages on Audiogon are the best way to share pictures and thoughts on your system. I totally believe "a picture is worth a thousand words." I've been trying to get people to use the system pages for years. It's a little bit of work but it's worth it! @jbomber - nice series of speakers you've had over the years! What brand are the 845 monoblocks you are using with the DIs? What does the rest of your system consist of? |
Ha,ha thanks David. Part of it is, as I go through these boards many of the names are familiar but I can’t remember what someone said about their system 2 days ago let alone 2 weeks ago. So I have no idea what their system consists of. Just easier to click the person’s name, click "details" and then look at their system. That’s how Audiogon has set it up. Unfortunately, many people don’t use it. |
Hi everyone - I've been offline for a week (yep a real vacation) so a little late to responding to some questions that are right-up my alley. @totalwex and @canibefrank - I use the Impact Monitors with dual subs. Check out my system page. I've talked about my experience with them quite a bit. There is also an Impact Monitor thread going here on Audiogon. @craigl59 - I've always used Paypal. Yes, you have to pay a fee but its worth it. Audiogon has gotten a lot better recently so I would insist the transaction stay totally within the Audiogon system including all payment and tracking information. |