Corelli, yes, the Aric gear is all I could have hoped for.....and more.
Glad to hear I was helpful in you coming to your decision on the DI's. They really are amazing speakers.
I had a great time listening to some great music with Charles. He seemed to be very impressed with the sound.....but I don't want to put words into his mouth. He has a great ear and it's always good his assessment......and a good guy to boot. |
While I've been away from the site for a while it's great to see how civil, impartial and informative this thread has stayed. While I've been reveling in the sound my SE's with Aric Audio's Linestage and 300B amp is providing I enjoy reading others experiences with their equipment.
I too am looking forward to hearing lancelocks impression with his SE's with the LTA UL amp.
Congrats harv! You're in for a lot of happy listening as the SE's will only get better with time. |
Thanks Charles, your impressions are quite valuable to me as it was your systems sound that I was trying to emulate. While none of our components are the same the overall sound signature is very similar......which makes me very happy.
I'm using the Sophia Royal Princess 300B tubes Corelli and while I'm quite happy with them I'll be ordering a pair of EML XLS 300B's that Charles is using and possibly the 80th anniversary Western Electric re-issues when they come out in September. I'll also be updating the caps in my pre and amp to Duelunds ........then I should be set for a while. Maybe. Probably not :)
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I’m not daring enough to upgrade the caps myself Corelli, I’ll leave that to Aric. He put the same caps in the Motherlode preamp he made for Brian. You’re more than welcome to stop by should you ever be on this side of the state......just bring some Founders with you 🍻....or I’ll have some Oberons to enjoy out by the koi pond for you!
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It is interesting Charles. I believe that both of us utilizing 300B's and having similar DAC's along with speakers that are very transparent has given us very similar sounds. It will be interesting to hear what the EML 300B's sound like in my system. I'm guessing quite good. Once I get the new tunes and caps it will give us another excuse to get together again :)
Nice corelli! I had aquariums for over 30 years from guppies to discus and reef tanks. Now it's Japanese koi, which makes audio seem inexpensive by comparison 🤑 Never had fancy goldfish but they sound cool. Hope you do make it out this way some day so you can see what a 30"+ "goldfish" looks like!
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Dj,
I'll echo what Corelli and lancelock said as my room is only about 13.5'x17.5'. The SE's/DI's sound great at low or high volume levels and will work in any sized room they can physically fit into.
Brian,
Thanks to you ordering the Motherlode I was inspired to have Aric upgrade the caps on my pre and amp. I haven't done so yet, but will soon and look forward to them breaking in. Thanks for sharing your experiences with the Aric pre,the SE's and everything else. I couldn't agree more with you on the SE's. Lastly, right on regarding having passionate builders/designers creating musical gear that performs well beyond their price tags.
I too use the Duelund wire for IC's and speaker cable. 16 ga for the IC's and 12 ga for the speaker wire. Thanks to grannyring's and Jeff Days blog for all the info regarding this great sounding wire. It's fun experimenting with the different wire gauges. The thinner the wire tends to add more sparkle to the high end while the thicker wire is a bit warmer.
David,
Thats a tough pill to swallow......finally being content with ones system and submitting to the musical joy it brings rather than continually chasing that dragons tail. I think I'm there. Well, probably not, but I'm close at least! BTW, I'm enjoying a night of music by Walter Wolfman Washington, Jon Cleary and Water Seed......all New Orleans musicians as I'm sure you know.
Tom |
I haven't been online much lately and it looks like I've missed a lot of good stuff. It's also great to see this thread maintaining its civility while sharing many different upstream gear options, different room conditions, differing listening preferences and different Tekton models.
Congats on another winner Aric! I have both Aric's 300B and Transcend amps along with the 12SN7 Linestage he made for me and I love them all. I planned on giving the Transcend amp to my son after getting the 300B but I'm loathe to give it up. I already gave him my Tekton Enzo's so I don't feel too badly ;)
Based on Charles' recommendation I ordered a pair of EML XLS 300B tubes today and I can't wait to hear them in my system.
I havent had had time to listen to my system in over a week and that absence makes it sound better than ever. I guess absence really does make the heart grow fonder.
Like Lance I'm using the Soundocity outriggers with the Gaia I Isolation footers on first my DI's then the SE's. I used just the Gaia ones alone at first and noticed a clear sound improvement.....blacker background exposing even more minute detail and a tighter, more musical bass. Upon adding the outriggers I didn't notice an appreciable sound difference but they sure made the speakers much more stable than with the Gaia's directly into the SE's.
Good to hear so many enjoying their Tektons and hearing about all the different gear used ahead of them. I also couldn't agree more with the many glowing reviews they keep getting.
Happy Listening,
Tom |
Congrats rubytuesday. Great looking room and gear. There are so many great choices to drive the SE’s and your LTA gear will sound great with them. I drove my SE’s with the MZ2 for a while and it sounded great.....within the limitations of one watt output. Even with only one watt it was surprisingly dynamic and loud. The ZOTL 10 should sound amazing as will your vinyl as the SE’s will flawlessly reflect whatever you place upstream of them. Please keep us posted on your impressions as the SE’s break in.
Lance, great to hear how well the SE’s are working for you. I think once your speakers and amp fully break in you’ll be in for something quite special. I’ll be very interested in hearing how they perform with your vinyl rig.
I also think Mike Kay of Audio Archon is a real gem in the audio world. Knowledgeable, helpful, honest, trustworthy and a joy to deal with. I've purchased a number of items from him, including my SE's, and I look forward to purchasing more from him.
I agree with teajay, it's difficult to quantify increased cost with increased performance. I can definitely say the SE's are better sounding than the SE's but not twice as good. Spending twice as much rarely gets you twice the performance. It's not actually twice as much though if you're comparing upgraded DI's to the SE's. My DI's ran $3,750 and luckily the SE's were only $6000 when I bought them. For me the additional $2,250 was well worth it and would have no problem spending much more than that for them as they're that good! Having said that, the DI's are amazing and can understand those that are happy sticking with them. |
Agreed corelli, the DI/SE design certainly is something special. When ordering my DI's I had no idea what they would look like or sound but trusted in Eric's talents and it was a gamble that definitely paid off.
One of the many things I enjoy with these speakers is how well they reflect any upstream changes made in the system. I installed the EML XLS 300B tubes today and was immediately rewarded for doing so. The Sophia Royal Princess are great tubes but right out of the box I'm enjoying the EML's more. More bass, even better tone and more detailed. Seems like the soundstage is wider and deeper also. Thanks to Charles for the recommendation. |
Dan,
Thanks for the extremely thoughtful and well stated post. I believe you've hit the nail on the head. I have to chuckle at the no talent a$$ clowns ( sorry, one of my favorite lines from Office Space) that think they have all the answers as to why this speaker can not sound any good without ever hearing them or understanding how they work. I totally respect anyone that has listened to them and found them not to be their cup of tea. No one speaker will please everyone, but the SE's are the closest I've found in doing so. Very disruptive products indeed and a real boon to those of us that can't or won't spend tens of thousands on speakers.
Arics producs fall into the same disruptive product category in my opinion. Together with the Tektons one can own an amazing system for much less than one would think for the sound quality obtained.
4700 plus replies to this thread? Who'd have thunk it? Religion and politics next? Ummmmmmm.......let's stick to audio 😀🔉🔉🍺🍔🎼 |
David,
Like you I've upgraded my entire system since getting the DI's, including upgrading the DI's to the SE's. The DI's allowed me to truly appreciate the music more than any other speaker I've owned, causing me to reevaluate my entire system in order to get the most out of these amazing speakers. So buyers beware, while the DI's/SE's sound great with any level of gear they tend to inspire you to get the most out of them by buying even better components than you have.
What did you say, Aric? I couldn't hear you over the music 😜
Congrats xenophon! I think you made the right decision with the DI's, you can always get the SE's down the road should you choose. I could have lived happily ever after with the DI's but I'm definitely happy I got the SE's. Good luck with any future upgrades you make in your system, the DI's will certainly get the most out of any new gear you get. |
Congrats jcarcopo, I can't imagine you not being happy with the new speakers. The color sounds cool also. Sorry to hear about your dealings with CPT but it's not surprising as he pleaded guilty to fraud, or something like that, in his previous audio business. I don't remember the particulars but Google his name to learn more. Hopefully you'll get your refund but it may need to obtain an attorney to do so.
Please keep us informed of your impressions of the mini Ulfbehrts. It would be interesting to hear how they compare with SE's. |
Ozzy,
Did you see the newer brushed aluminum chassis? While more expensive I think they look nice and are more robust also. Not pyramidal though! 😀
Xenophon,
I concur with laaudionut, Aric is great to work with and his gear is first rate. I don't have the Motherlode but will either upgrade my 12SN7 pre with the Duelund caps or get the Motherlode. I like the idea of the separate power supply. I too am anxious to hear more about the upcoming 300B PP but will probably stay with his 300B SET and have its caps upgraded to Duelunds also. Aric's gear mates well with both the DI's and SE's so you're in for some happy listening!🎼🔉 |
Ozzy,
On the Aric Audio website under "tube gear" you'll see the last five models with the brushed aluminum chassis and transformer covers.....the Motherlode, the mini lode, 300b SET, special 6sn7 Linestage and special KT88 amp. Hope that helps
tom |
Indeed I did Charles, good memory!
343mps, the double impacts driven by the Kismet Mono-blocks and Candela preamp was a dynamic tour de force. I've never heard such realistic drums, it was a real slam in the chest. I've since gone the SET route, and love it, but miss that dynamic slam at times. If I get a second amp for a change of pace, the Kismets would be near, if not at, the top of my list. If you want dynamic slam with plenty of finesse Odyssey would be a great choice. A good tube pre would be a good match.....maybe one of Aric Audios or the Linear Tube Audio MZ2?
Tom |
Hello everyone. Long time, no post but I'm happy to see things still active here.
Its no surprise Eric has been busy and I see two new speakers, the Encore's and the Perfect SET's. I want both! Thankfully I'm VERY happy with my SE's with Aric Audio's 300B SET and Linestage..........but damn those Encores look enticing. Thanks a lot Jonathan! Lol.
I still have some catching up to do on the thread but it's good to see the same crowd here sharing their experiences in this wonderfully crazy world of audio.
Tom |
Thanks corelli and Charles.......yes, I'm very happy with my system and yes, I suffer from the affliction of being tempted with something different. Having so many great options is a good thing but having a system you're very happy and content with is a great thing.
Seems like the same names keep coming up with regards to sounding great with Tektons. Aric Audios new KT special sure is intriguing as is the Lyngdorf as many seem very happy with it. Two totally different designs achieving great results, got to love it.
Think I'll stick with my Aric 300B but get the caps upgraded to Duelunds. I'm on the waiting list for the new Western Electric 300B tubes due out in December.....although beating out the the EML XLS will be tough. |
I'm looking forward to hearing all the new impressions of the Encores. Intriguing to say the least.
Regarding the Herbies Giant Gliders and the Isoacoustic Gaia I's. I was using the Herbies Giant Gliders with my DI's and then the SE's and was very happy with them. Switching to the Gaia I's was a dramatic improvement for me.......and I was planning to return the Gaia I's without a clear improvement in sound. At their price they had better sound quite a bit better......and do for me. My flooring is carpet and pad over concrete, I imagine different flooring will produce different results. |
@mofojo The difference between the DI's and SE's? Where to begin? Both are great speakers and if I had two systems I'd have kept the DI's. When first recieving the SE's I was somewhat disappointed as I thought they were less lively and too laid back compared to the DI's. That changed over time as the SE's broke in, which takes longer than with the DI's. After having the SE's almost a year now I'm very happy with the change as they are truly amazing speakers but there are times I miss the DI's. I find the SE's to be more refined, more polished and probably better sounding from top to bottom but the DI's have more of the "Tekton" sound I grew accustomed in the previous three years with the Enzo's and DI's. What sound is that? It's not easy for me to describe other than the DI's, like the Enzo's, had a very "live" sound. The SE's do also, just not quite to the same degree. The SE's do everything else better IMO but being more refined aren't quite as rambunctious as the DI's.
In the end I'm glad I went with the SE's but could have been quite happy with the DI's. It's like I'm so lucky to have been married to a wonderful lady for 35 years......but I still remember my first love fondly. This is yet another time I'm glad my wife has no interest in audio and doesn't read these posts! I'd have a much easier time explaining my fondness for the DI's than fondly remembering a high school sweetheart 😃
@iclickjohn I've owned three pair Tektons, one in satin and two with automotive paint finish. The automotive paint surely takes their looks up a few notches but the satin black looked good enough to me. Fit and finish on all three speakers was very good. You won't mistake them for furniture grade, but then my couch doesn't sound as good as my speakers 😀 . Eric used to offer very nice wood veneers that looked great as he was a furniture or cabinet maker at one time but I'm not sure that's an option anymore. Delivery was as promised. I never ordered grills so I can't speak on them. |
Thanks Charles,
I'm quite sure it's a push pull and hopefully Aric will chime in with more information on his new creation. I think I referred to it as a parallel 300B and that's probably not correct. As you know, I'm not real good on the technical aspect of things.
Tom |
Great to see this thread so active still.
@iclickjohn, congrats. Looking forward to hearing your impressions with you DI's and PL. Make sure you're well rested when they arrive.....you just might be up all night listening to all of your music as if it was your first time hearing it.
I'll have Aric's latest amp creation, a parallel 300B PP delivering 25 watts, to compare to his 300B SET that I've been enjoying for the last year. Should be a fun comparison. Charles and iclickjohn will be stopping over to hear them, maybe Corelli will venture to this side of the state to join us......and bring some Founders? 🍻 🔈
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Yes iclickjohn, things will only get better with time. You'll need a good 200 hours on them before they really come together but as you noticed they sound quite good even now.
While here I'll share my time with Aric Audio's 300B push pull amp with my SE's. It's a very impressive amp that will suit many perfectly. The amp itself is very stout and well built and the seperate power supply is more massive yet. I nearly put out my back lifting that sucker!
In comparison to the Aric Audio 300B SET the two amps are more similar than dissimilar. The PP amp emphasized more power, control and dynamics with a very textured, smooth and effortless midrange. The bass was substantial without being sloppy or boomy. The highs were very articulate, airy and without any harshness.
While the PP possessed much of the texture, timbre, airy and holographic traits of the SET I found I wasn't willing to sacrifice any of those qualities that the SET provides. It was tempting as the PP excels with more genres of music but since the bulk of my listening is acoustical, where the SET really shines, I chose to stay with my SET in the end. Many will probably choose otherwise, especially those that prefer larger scale music, higher listening volumes or have less efficient speakers.
In in conclusion they are both great soundings amps and you can't go wrong with either. Your listening preferences will be the deciding factor. For me the SET "magic" has enchanted me to the point I can't live without it. I sent the PP off to a reviewer so hopefully soon you'll have a professional review to read on it. It will be interesting to hear a professionals impressions and he will certainly write a much more poetic review than I! |
Good to hear David! Those FM 2a3's are a sight to behold and the fact they sound as good as they look is better yet. Like you I've found out just how much a good preamp matters and have had very similar results to you with my Hornshoppe The Truth paired with my Aric Audio 300B SET. The DI SE's definitely pair well with low watt amps as much as they do with much more powerful amps. They also are great conduits at revealing everything upstream and they seem to beg for a very transparent preamp. With The Truth I'm hearing the softest and faintest of sounds against the blackest of backgrounds as if the preamp was nonexistent and the SE's effortlessly portray every detail and nuance thrown at them. I'm looking forward to hearing more about your Grandinote. |
mikirob,
I think you’ll have the makings of a very nice system with the Coincident, LTA, Border Patrol and Perfect SET’s. All great products!
I have and love the Border Patrol DAC with an Aric Audio 300B SET with the Tekton SE’s and I love the music it makes. The Perfect SET’s intrigue me as an easier to drive speaker alternative. Obviously teajay will better answer your question but I wanted to commend you on your choices.
good luck. |
I’m still enjoying my SE’s after a year and a half now and while their price decrease affects all of us early buyers that’s the way the cookie crumbles.
The SE’s have motivated me to upgrade my system to get the most they have to offer. My latest two upgrades have been monumental in doing just that.
First was the Perfect Path the Gate.....the way this product cleans up the electrical signal brought my system to life and has the SE’s singing better than ever. Kudos to Tim at PPT!
Second was having Aric Audio build me a pair of no holds barred 300B SET monoblocks with two external, tube regulated power supplies. I’ve only had them in my system since yesterday but haven’t stopped smiling since. With C3M driver tubes, Hashimoto output and power transformers, Duelund coupling caps, silver internal wiring, WBT Nextgen binding posts and rca jacks, Yamamoto tube sockets and copper shielding within the chassis along with other goodies I can’t remember Aric went all out in creating amps that will last me a lifetime. When properly designed and implemented the 300B can produce levels of power, dynamics, purity and transparency that drive the SE’s beautifully. Kudos to Aric!
I feel blessed having the likes of Eric, Tim and Aric providing products that bring about so much musical enjoyment at prices I can afford.
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