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
I was going to go with the soundofthecity outriggers but went with Herbie Audios Giant threaded gliders instead. Great isolation, stability and easy to move and level. Sounds similar to the feet you're using corelli. Great minds think alike! You took it a step further with outriggers AND isolation feet. I might have to copy that idea.
Dang ,lancelock, you're the man. Gettin' the job done!
An upgrade suggestion for the DI's. I contacted Paul @ soundocity regarding outriggers for my DI's. I have used this product before on other tall speakers and really like the stable platform it affords. When you consider the physics behind it, it makes a lot of sense to minimize any rocking of the speaker--especially how it gets magnified at the top of the speaker where the tweeter array is. Just seems to me this has got to blur the sound a tad.
I opted to buy just the bars, knobs without spikes, and used large rubber feet from Amazon and a 1" SS screw 1/4-20 thread to put it all together. Level with large nylon washer if needed. Makes for a very stable and solid support. Looks nice as well!
teajay, curious what ugrade options/finish you went for in your new DI's.
I live near LTA so I visit regularly and keep on top of the latest. The intergrated is probably the next product to be introduced along with a few others after that.
Sent an email to LTA asking if they ever thought of offering a true integrated with an active preamp. Something that would combine the awesome MZ2-s and the ZOTL 40. I've always enjoyed the virtues of an integrated. Word back, with no details, is that there is an integrated in the works, but no date on availability. This I would be very interested in .
While this thread, and many others here, is very informative......it's also quite enabling! Not that most of us needed much encouragement to pursue new equipment. Me thinks there's definitely a LTA MZ2-S in corelli's future ......and in mine. Like you corelli I need to recover from Uncle Sams bill first. Hopefully the LTA pre and amp with the DI's will give me a system I can be happy with for many years. I envy Charles and his not needing to look any further for musical bliss. We might be getting close to that corelli!
Good call baranyi.......for too many years I listened for audiophile sound effects instead of for realism in music. The DI's, PS Audio Perfectwaves and Cerious GE cables have taken me a good deal of the way towards that realism and I'm confident the MZ2-S and ZOTL 40 will get me all the way there.
Hey Lance, thanks to all of your great input and advice in pointing me towards the LTA gear. Not only do I like supporting overachieving and affordable products like LTA and Tekton but the fact they are made here in America by passionate music lovers is icing on the cake.
Corelli, Some buttons are worth "pushing" 😁 I don’t doubt the synergy aspect discussed here regarding the LTA ZOTL preamp and power amplifiers. I use the Coincident Statement Line Stage, their Frankenstein MK II SET 300b mono blocks and their Total Eclipse II speakers. There’s unquestionably much same brand synergy in evidence. If I weren’t so thoroughly pleased with my current system (approaching 8 years) I’d give "major" consideration for the LTA components. Or pair their preamp with a Line Magnetic 219ia or 508ia SET power amplifier. Corelli that ZOTL preamp button needs some action from you 😀. Best of luck. Charles
Charles1dad, I call hyper detail HIFI vs. listening to music. When I go to most shows there is a lot of HIFI and very little music. I guess HIFI sells Better than music. By the way, my new MicroZOTL2 (actually MZ2-S) just seems to have broken in and it is gorgeous to listen to. Tube rolling in this unit takes it a step higher. This unit is magic. I really thought it wouldn't make as much a difference as it has in my system. Sounds great in Teajay's system with the DI!
Corelli, Yes, the entire point of having a good audio system is to listen to the music that we love. Going to live jazz venues frequently over many years has definitely conditioned my ears. It makes judging audio components pretty simple. It's natural or it isn't. It's funny how some components reveal "hyper detail" yet exclude the music's soul and emotion. Charles
I remember when I was an 18 yr old kid and specs were everything. (I can still remember the capture ratio on my Pioneer sx-636 receiver--scary, I know). Your comments resonate with me Charles (bad pun). But when you hear an instrument presented with its fundamentals and harmonic overtones intact.....well, it sends a chill down your spine. The DI's are certainly in this camp. And all this is done with steel framed woofers. No really glamorous drivers here. Nice drivers, but not top shelf by any means. The magic lies in driver integration, and this is where the DI's shine. Credit Eric. Once built a pair of speakers using top shelf Scan Speak drivers. It was very nice but all too quickly ended up for sale on this site. Thankfully, it sounds like we've all learned to trust our ears.
Teajay makes a very good case for the LTA components particularly the preamp. I'm a jazz aficionado of many happy years. We all have our individual criteria and sonic hierarchy and for me it's tone,timbre and harmonic overtones authenticity. This is due I'm sure to the dominant presence of acoustic instruments used in jazz.
Dexter Gordon's tenor saxophone, Monk's piano, Chet Baker'-s trumpet or the vibraphone of Bobby Hutcherson. If you can't get the natural tone right nothing else the component and/speaker does can correct this major deficiency IMO. You lose much of the emotion.
If the LTA does this better than other components far more expensive then this is quite an achievement. I've heard expensive audio products that lack convincing natural (thus realistic) tone and timbre. Charles
First, I agree that the good threads on the GON, like this one is, are great at providing information that is useful/helpful to the readers. The threads that revolve around who's right or wrong are kinda silly and are just rants with individuals getting their ego's in the discussion.
Secondly, my first love is the music and then comes the fun of putting together a system with great synergy that creates the illusion that the musicians are in my room. I have been very lucky in the hobby that even though I'm a hard working middle class person I had enough $ to put together systems that allowed me to come home, and just relax in front of my two channel rig and dig the music, mainly jazz.
I have also been lucky to be able for years to hear, either in my home or other listener's systems, most of the highest regarded equipment that was on the market at that time. Now that I professionally review it's even easier to get the latest/greatest gear in-house to see how good it's performance really is.
You have no idea how often I'm kinda shocked that some of the most expensive gear is lousy, regardless of its price, yet other reviewers rave about in their writings. My greatest pleasure is finding the true "gems" of our hobby that transcend the cost vs. performance ratio and blow apart this equation so anybody who loves music can put together a system that allows them this experience and still is affordable.
I have less tolerance for individuals then I used to, that rigidity believe that if a piece of gear does not cost a shit load of $ it can't really be any good or just buy on a "bling factor" to show off their new toy. I rather hang out with the true music lovers like the guys on this thread.
I may have to let you jump in first mac. Just got my taxes owed statements. ): I will be very interested in you thoughts though.
teajay, I have no doubt in your enthusiasm for the LTA gear. You've had the opportunity to listen to so much more equipment than I ever will and to see you so excited by this little preamp/amp combo really gets me thinking. It really is a rush to find components that perform at such an incredibly high level --and they're affordable!! American ingenuity at its best.
Really want to thank you guys for sharing your thoughts and enthusiasm for this type of gear. These forums have become a vital link in the quest of enjoying our music at its best
corelli........join the club. Buying the DI's was just the beginning. Since getting mine every single improvement made to my system has been clearly portrayed by the DI's and can only imagine what adding the LTA MZ2-S and ZOTL 40 will bring. Like you my system is sounding so good right now I hesitate to change a thing, but I just have to try the LTA pre and amp. teajay's reviews along with numerous LTA owners personal appraisals have me convinced they will bring out the best the DI's have to offer, especially from those that previously owned the same amp I'm now using. I'll be ordering them soon and something tells me you'll be ordering the MZ2-S before long 🔉😀
Please take my word for this, the LTA Micro-ZOTL preamplifier is the electronic version of the Tekton Design DI's. Both are as good as anything on the market today, if not better, and each is very inexpensive compared to everything else.
I'm sure your system is "singing already", however you owe it to yourself to try the LTA piece when you can. Remember, you get a 30 day trail from Mark and if it does not blow your socks off, just return it. I sold off a highly regarded 20K tube based linestage that sounded 2D, washed out, and wimpy compared to the Micro-ZOTL.
You know, right after I posted I said to myself I'll bet teajay will say to try the preamp instead. Knowing how I love that solid state slam, that might be a great idea if I need a new piece of gear to play with. My integrated has preamp inputs so it would be easy to do. A much more affordable to introduce myself to LTA gear too. Right now I must say I'm so happy with the music this system produces I have nothing to compel me to change anything (save for final room treatments). But you know how we can be with our need for a new toy. Thanks to you both for your good advice.
I totally agree with lancelock that the Linear Tube Audio's combo really gets you the magic, a lot more then just using the ZOTL-40 by its self (It has a passive volume control). I believe that you get more of the magic by using the Micro-ZOTL preamp with a very good amplifier, either SS or tube, it gets you most of the beauty you want in your system, the combo takes you all the way there.
I will chime in here. I have not heard the double impacts yet but I have the MZ2 and ZOTL40. The amp sounds fine by itself but it is taken to another level with the Micro ZOTL or MZ2-S in the preamp position. The two together make the LTA gear very special.
Knowing how you love the ZOTL 40 with the DI's, I have a question. What if I ran my Marantz SA15s2 directly into the ZOTL 40 without the benefit of their preamp. Would I still get a big slice of ZOTL heaven?
Speaking of enjoying music through the DI's, thanks for mentioning Keith Jarrett teajay. I bought his " At Th Blue Note" box set, "The Cure" and "The Melody at Night, With You". Great stuff!
It's great that you having such pleasure listening to all kinds of music through your system and DI's! I find them explosive/alive, yet so musical and natural sounding on all the types of music I have played through them.
I just got in-house a CEC Tl-N3 transport, my usual transport is the big MBL reference, the DI's are so transparent that I heard the difference immediately between the two transports. So, all the little micro-details are easy to hear, but not in an etchy/analytic way.
Last night thought I would listen to a cut or two from Alan Parson's Eye in the Sky. Yea right. So the whole CD sounded great! Then I played E.S. POSTHUITIUS , UNEARTHED. This CD is a kick. It features the Seattle Choral Co. with orchestra melded with electronica and a host of other unusual instruments. The DI's produced the nice tight deep bass line on this CD impressively. Even more awesome was how I was hearing a percussion/synthesized? instrument what would shoot 5 feet to the right of my right speaker. HUGE sound stage.
This morning returned to Haydn Trio Eisenstadt. They have an 8CD box set up Haydn's piano trios. May be the best box set I have ever bought. Great recording quality and performance. (buy it!) The DI's perfectly place the three instruments in space. The tonal quality is just superb! You really feel transported into the recording venue. The strings are rich, detailed, and I feel like their harmonics are all there in full measure. I've said before that it is such a pleasure to listen to the piano on the DI's. It just sounds so clear, full, detailed and dynamic. You just better experience the nuance of the musicians performance.
I have the Enzo 2.7's in my home theater setup. They are good for that role, but lack the bass of the Double Impacts. Not as detailed as the DI's, either.
I finally got my Transmitter amps hooked up to the DI's, and the sound is glorious. Rich and full bodied is how I would describe the sound compared to the solid-state amp I was using before. I can crank them up without the sound becoming harsh. No straining whatsoever. Had to replace my preamp as the DI's revealed it's short-comings. Vocals and live recordings sound especially sweet now.
Glad you're enjoying them mofojo. Your impressions are spot on, thanks for sharing.
FWIW lowrider, the DI's would sound just fine in your room. My room is only slightly larger at 13x17......but it is heavily treated. Bass traps would probably be needed most. The Enzo's would also work, but the DI's would be amazing.
Drum solo at the beginning of Eleven is unreal cranked to 11 ;-). You can check out a video of this on YouTube on the Pendragon to give you a little bit of an idea.
I wasn’t comparing the performance of the Pendragon to the DI, (which seems to be in a class of its own in the Tekton line). Simply making an observation on this speaker and that it will not provide optimal SQ when demoed in an untreated room.
I’ve been following this thread and absorbing information regarding a possible speaker for my 12’ x 16’ room. Enzo 2.7 seems like a fit at 40" high and dual 8" drivers, and has a similiar tweeter array to the DI. I’ll need to research this further. Any comments on the Enzo 2.7 are welcome, as long as you feel it adds to the discussion.
Lowrider57, Teajay (Terry London) earlier in this thread compared the DI with the Pendragon and was emphatic that there's little in common between the two. He makes it clear the DI is far superior in sound quality. Charles
The Primus sounds extremely dynamic, but that room needs some acoustic treatment. In the other Pendragon videos, they sound thin and bright, but again the rooms are not treated, and they are not shooting from the sweet spot.
I wonder about the smoothness of the tweeter array based on those examples.
Update on the Double Impacts.. Currently running them with a Cayin A100T until my Tube Pre gets fixed then I will probably go back to the Odyssey Stratos Extreme. I have probably a good 100 hrs on them at this point. The bass has gotten more powerful and detailed and the speakers are seamless from top to bottom. The dynamics are amazing at whisper quiet to full throttle. The level of detail is amazing but is presented differently from most speakers that are detailed imo. They are never stressed, harsh, or trying very hard it seems. An example would be against the KEF 201/2 which I owned for several years. This speaker is a detail whore but can be tiring at times and can sound thin because of the detail level. I find the Double Impacts detail level very comparable but has a very meaty sound and is easier to listen to. To be fair the KEFs are 30lb monitors and the Double Impact is what it is. Every speaker I've owned in the past has done certain things if not most things very well but I always ended up playing music that played to their strengths. I don't do that with these because they do everything very very well. I could tell you exactly what I did not like about all my other speakers but I can't pinpoint anything these do not excel at. If you want to hear what this speaker can do with drums and bass guitar check out some of the re mastered Primus albums. Wow! Drum solo at the beginning of Eleven is unreal cranked to 11 ;-). You can check out a video of this on YouTube on the Pendragon to give you a little bit of an idea. I probably sound like a fanboy but I am a happy dude.
Have you heard the DI's audioman58? I can understand the thinking that by adding more expensive parts will lead to better sound but my experience doesn't bear that out. I can honestly say the DI sounds markedly better than much more expensive speakers I've owned with more expensive parts. How a speakers parts work with one another to produced the speaker designers desired sound is most paramount. Eric seems to have mastered that and I would suggest listening to a pair before suggesting improvements. Low level detail is a strong point of the DI's. Don't take my word for it, read Terry Londons review of them.....the link is posted on the previous page.....or better yet listen to some. If you're ever in the Detroit are you're welcome to here mine.
One thing very important to me having modded everything electronics and Loudspeakers. Jowls about saying or better yet what thd crossover looks like and parts quality. It is a fact Solen being the norm and average at best maybe Mills resistors If you are lucky and sledge hammers wire wound around a piece of iron . Jantzen Copper coil not expensive but still designers go on the cheap. The heart of your system depends on it and can sound Dramatically better for even an extra $100 . Just add it in yhe cost. That is my challenge for these speaker have a big wave form Low level detail is not their strong suit IMO. That is where a SE Model much better drivers ,as well as high end Crossover parts May be for super critical listening which I often to. Beatles white album is a very good example #9 for example every stereo sounds different and the interplay going on. That is my challenge to Erik I may by a pair if xover is upgraded and upper end parts quality.
Thanks for the clarification Eric. With your new PMD line the talk of an upgraded DI was a little confusing. A Double Impact SE? Very intriguing. Please keep us posted.
There seems to be some confusion surrounding Double Impact upgrades.
Here's clarification:
1. The 'standard' Double Impact - a true expression of extreme performance within the niche of 'affordable hi-fi and home theater'. The cost is $3000 delivered for the pair. This speaker is available in any color under the rainbow and is featured in my "Soft Gloss" finish. This is the loudspeaker reviewed by Terry London
2. I have one upgrade option package to the 'standard' Double Impact and it's been available since day one. This upgrade is very popular accounting for 40-50% of all production as of today. I see that many clients posting on here own this option. This upgrade uses Cardas inputs, upgraded internal wiring, ClarityCap on the tweeter section, and an oversized Jantzen coil on the woofer section. The cost is $3300 delivered for the pair. This model is available in any color under the rainbow and is featured in my "Soft Gloss" finish.
3. Next... add $500 to the total for piano gloss black or white finish or any German or Italian matched automotive paint color.
4. For those wanting a veneered finish... add $1000 to the total. I only offer walnut and African cherry on the Double Impact and this process requires months to produce so don't be in a rush.
5. AS of NOW I am excited to announce the production of an extreme version of the Double Impact. I'll call it the 'Double Impact SE' (special edition) but it's not set in stone. This model is an expression of the cost no object approach. The DI SE is not the same speaker nor does it use the same parts. This model will be available through exclusive high-end hi-fi dealers with the price set to $6K-$10K per pair.
Convert a room to a dedicated music room! I know it's not that simple but it's the best audio investment I've made. When I had the DI's, and the Legacy Focus SE's before them, in my family room they were bigger than the wife would have liked but she got used to it. On the other hand putting the Enzo 2.7's in your family room and giving them more room might be best. You can convert another room into a dedicated music room and get the DI's at a later date 😜
Hi corelli, I don't think I expressed myself correctly. I was trying to say that I like heavy bass, so would not be worried about too much bass, on the contrary, the more the better. They are just a little too big in physical size for my particular family room where my stereo is located and would visually take over the room. If they were a foot shorter I think they would fit in fine. But if I convert one of my other rooms to a dedicated music room this would not be a problem at all.
I know how it sounds, but sometimes a speaker has to benignly fit into ones room.
jetter, I agree with mac. In my room bass is very tight and unless the room is REALLY small think you would be fine. Just not sure you will get the same qualities out of a different speaker.
Hi mac, yes I did previously read where Eric brought up the Brilliance above. Now that you have pointed out the new Enzo I do like their looks/dimensions but I will wait to read reviews on them as is happening with the DIs. I am a little confused that the webpage indicates they are 3 way but they appear to have two woofers and seven tweeters, not sure if one of the woofers serves as a midrange? I have a very good pair of speakers with all scan speak drivers so I am not in a huge hurry.
I believe that you'll be very fine with the higher power push pull LTA amplifier .Low power SETs like my Frankenstein won't like the DI's speaker impedance characteristics.
Charles, Their low pricing has made some not consider Tekton speakers as conventional wisdom dictates they can't sound as good as speakers costing many times more. I took a leap of faith based on professional and owner reviews and haven't looked back. I purchased the DI's thinking they'd be my home theater speakers and my Legacy Focus SE's my two channel speakers. After listening to both it was evident the DI's warranted being my top speakers in my two channel system. My ONLY disappointment is that they probably aren't the best speaker for a small SET amp and I was hoping to go in that direction, but the LTA amp might scratch that itch.
Jetter, Eric Alexander suggested going with the Brilliance if you're looking for a physically smaller speaker. I believe he posted that on this thread a couple of pages back if you want to read his entire reply. I would suggest checking out the new update Enzo 2.7's. I had the old version Enzo's and loved them, the new ones with the seven tweeter array should be better yet. Having said that the DI's will work fine in a smaller room unless you physically can't fit them in.
Well, that review should sell a few sets. I will look into the brilliance soon and look foreward to the review(s) and A-Gon members opinions. I have to finish the listening, er, living room first. Installing flooring today. I'm sure more people will be weighing in as the sales increase.
This is one of the first new speaker introductions that has really peaked my interest in buying a new set. I envy you guys. Everything points to these being off the performance to value index. But I would have to build a dedicated equipment room, which is not out of the question as I have the space.
As the reviewer in the article above states, in "The Downside The only concerns I have about the Double Impact speaker involve its large size and the amount of lower bass frequency that it produces."
I would be fine and in fact would like the lower bass frequency more than most, but in other than in a dedicated music room, the size just won't work in my living or family room.
I have mentioned this earlier in the thread, if there was a second model, exactly the same, but without the large space between the lower midrange and the upper woofer I would have already bought a pair. I would accept the sonic trade offs. Not interested in any of the other speaker models at this time. Just mentioning this in case Eric ever wonders if there is a market for an identical speaker driver wise but of a physically shorter size.
There is truth and wisdom in what you wrote regarding cost. Ironic but I do believe that the low price (relatively) of the Tekton DI could in fact work against it in some High End circles. Some believe that it is not possible for a 3000.00 dollar speaker to be of reference quality as teajay asserts. It goes headwind into the face of those who equate quality with price.
I believe that listening settles the question of " how good is it really?"
There will be considerable resistance to teajay’s opinion that the DI outperforms the more expensive speakers he cited in is review. I’m not suggesting teajay is right or wrong, this all pure subjectivity. However some will outright reject the very notion that it’s even possible.
There is in some cases a strong psychological aspect to what forms someone’s foundational beliefs in the realm of High End. Some hold the idea that a true top tier audio product by default has to be expensive.
Referring to the Tekton DI as a "disruptive" product has much merit. Common sense dictates that not everyone will find the DI superior or equal to much more expensive speakers. What is significant is that there are those who will find them equal (or better). You have to "listen" and then decide.
I couldn’t agree more with Terry Londons accessment of the DI’s. While I was somewhat able to describe their attributes in audiophile terms, I could quite articulate their innate way of making music sound......for lack of a better term.....right. Terry described their "aliveness" and the perfect term. Many thought I was crazy for displacing my Legacy Focus SE’s ( $12k retail) from my system with the Di’s but that’s nothing compared to Terry doing so with his $18k Cello’s. The DI’s simply defy convention and I believe they would actually garner more attention and respect if they were priced $20k plus. I’m thrilled they’re not as I wouldn’t be able to afford what they bring to my musical enjoyment. All I need now are the Linear Tube Audio MZ2-S and ZOTL 40 to get the most out of them. Thanks for so eloquently putting into words what I’ve been hearing the last six months, Terry.
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