Tekton Double Impacts

I've got a Dennis Had fire bottle on its way in, to arrive late in the week. I hear great things about them, from just about everyone. I won't be rockin' hard with it at about 10wpc, but no matter, my preferences are acoustic and jazz, and about 75-82db peaks for evening listening sessions of a couple of hours.

@mwatsmeWRT custom grills for Tektons: see www.speakerworks.com

F5
(Nelson Pass, First Watt)

With my Tekton DI, I have used the McIntosh MC30s ,that had been completely re-done by Yves Beauvais, with Excellent results. Unfortunately had to sell them ... for financial reasons They could push them pretty hard ,even on techno or heavy Bass stuff. I also used the Rogue Audio St-100 tube Amp.It was still very good , but, I liked the Mc30s a little better . The rogue St-100 could have a little too much upper Mid-range presence , at times, but it could drive them much harder without clipping.

I would like to hear more about tube amplification with the double impacts. I have the Moab’s. I’m running them off the Schiit Aegir and it supports the speakers marvelously. I keep hearing that tubes are the way to go for clarity, soundstage, or what we might call a three dimensional sound image. The Aegir is actually amazing. It does create a 3-D image, but it does depend on the quality of the recording. I’m wondering how much more I would get out of a tube amp, and I’m also wondering what I would lose. I hear great praise for two watt Decware tube amps. Can they really generate the bass that my Aegir can generate? The Moabs claim 98db @1m, which suggests that one watt could easily drive them to astonishingly loud listing levels. I’m not convinced that’s the reality in a real live room set up. I’m about 7 1/2 feet back from my Moabs, the Aegir volume is about one or 2 o’clock on the dial. The sound is great at that volume, but the interaction between the speakers and the amp is generating maybe 40 watts and seemingly more than two at the volume I’m preferring. I’d like to hear more about the performance of tube amps for the DI’s or the Moabs. @recluse

@recluse
What  amp are you using ?

Just thought I would chime in since lurking on the MOAB thread.

I initially really liked my Tekton DIs I bought in 2017 that were driven by various less than 100 watt tube amplifiers for about a year.

Now that I have a solid state amp that "eats 4 ohms for breakfast" I love my DIs. The quality and quantity of bass was missing with previous amps.

Still love them, even more now, after 3 years and I don't plan on giving them up!

Eric, no problem I can call. I first emailed since that is a form of communication on the tektondesign website. My first email was directed to you, but someone else started answering the questions I had?

For starters, call me directly over sending emails or posting up questions here. Eminence is the company we use to manufacture both models of our DI drivers. Be is available in both models either center single or all seven.

Eric 
  

It’s a bit sketchy getting info via email. I have asked multiple questions in about 3 emails and will get two or three questions answered. Still don’t know who manufactures the drivers (I think it’s Eminence for the SE?) for either the standard DI or SE and after asking twice about if just one tweeter can be ordered BE instead of all seven, the answer is yes for the SE. For the pair it’s $500 added to base cost. Not sure if I will order a pair, but it’s worth asking questions to see what you might be getting for the money.

Looks like a couple of clarifications are needed:

Tekton Design is purchasing these parts directly from the source of manufacturing not Parts Express. 

Karma got married last October and left Tekton in December - we're happy for her! Beckie and Tammy are the crew members today.

Happy listening!

Eric Alexander 

 

@2psyop 

I agree with jcarcopo.  If you are frugal (nothing wrong with that and one more reason you should consider Tekton) I would cross the Be tweeters off my list.  Better to spend the extra $500 towards the Moabs over the SE/Be upgrade in my mind.  Nothing wrong with a trip to Chicago or elsewhere for an auditon but nothing will replace an audition in your listening space.  

@2psyop Things may have changed since the price reduction. I always though the whole point of paying for DI SE was to get the upgraded scanspeak drivers, but please somone correct me if I am mistaken.  I'd clarify concerns or questions with Karma or Eric for up-to-date information. If I give out old information, I apologize. 

Jcarpopo- thanks for the info! I did not know the upgraded tweeters in the SE were scanspeak. I thought? I read somewhere that the drivers Eric using are from parts express?? Maybe since he is not designing his own drivers that really helps keep the cost down. I know the JL Audio F series subwoofers have very high end and in-house designed drivers that are just magnificent in the amount of engineering that went into them.

@2psyop You can replace just the center or treble producing tweeter if need be. It's not cheap and may put you over budget.  I'm not fond of beryllium drivers and the wrong person to recommend the upgrade. You could do the whole array possibly, but you'll definitely go broke doing it.  I'm not even certain the SE has the option for BE drivers because he uses a scanspeak tweeters I believe in that model and the diameter size may differ from the BE driver, I'd ask Eric or Karma.  

Corelli
“Good to hear from old friends on this thread. I would agree with all that has been said. @2spyop, you won’t go wrong with the DI, DI SE. The Moabs will exceed budget by $500. Wish I had the ability to tell you I have heard them side by side. I prefer, in theory, the simplified crossover of the Moab over the DI SE. I suspect the purity of the Moab is very special. Only wonder if there is any loss of mid-bass impact vs the SE’s?

As you may know, I owned the Magnepan 1.7’s and loved that speaker. It is a special transducer. But it took little time for me to find the DI to be an overall superior transducer. I found the DI to have more accurate imaging and sound staging. Detail was better. Obviously the DI had superior low end extension, dynamics, and surprisingly, was just as coherent to my ears.

I think you will love the flexibility the Tektons offer regarding amplifiers. And I really do not think you will have any desire to return them--so I really would not factor that much into the equation. Eric offers tremendous value directly marketing and something has to give to maintain his margin. So the inability to audition and return to a local dealer is a small price to pay for a huge value. I’ll take that any day.

Keep us posted.”

Thanks for addressing my questions. I was going to drive to Audio Archon in Chicago to hear these speakers but I guess I will have to call first to see if they still carry them? I am like another poster here, I am a budget minded guy, not a big spender. So the appeal of the DI SE is that they appear to be HI-FI (or at least higher end MID-FI) for the blue collar guy. I might have to hear them before I drop the cash because shipping them back would have to cost serious freight charges if, for some reason, I did not like them.

Another question to all, how many tweeters can you have an option to replace with BE? Does the buyer have to replace all with the upgrade? Or can you just have one BE, the rest upgraded or standard tweeters? I never got a response from Tekton on that question.

I agree, the metal perf grills would be a big plus for those in need.  The factory grills aesthetically are lacking.  Much prefer the speakers without grills.  But if I were to move my DI's into my secondary system, those curved metal grills would be the ticket for sure.  Might be worth checking with SVS and see where they source their grills.  Hopefully not China. 

Great question.  Keep us posted with what you find out.

I have the Double-Impacts (FU) and OEM (wood & fabric) optional grills...
Does anyone know of a place to procure metal grills for these?
I’m thinking of something perforated, curved, powder-coated steel - like SVS subwoofer grills.https://1drv.ms/u/s!AqjTwQMaYQubg-klVbX1vH7Lbkyfpg?e=qHlDRd

If someone could make these for a reasonable cost - would really change the ’boxy’ look. Also, angling them forward (tweeter-array pointing down toward ear-height) about 7/8" lift at the back feet improves their look - similar profile as Focal. https://1drv.ms/u/s!AqjTwQMaYQubg-knY-Mfr8xzE9gIFg?e=LinIashttp://

Relying on the community to maybe have already found metal grill solutions - not sure I could DIY it, but I do have a welder, familiarity with perf-steel and powder-coat vendors. Not sure I could create a good roll-forming - have to think about that a bit - need some long steel rolls (maybe PVC pipe?).

Another option would be 3D-printing in sections. Appears to be 12"W x 54"L overall, with six 3/16"W x 7/32"L pins
https://www.parts-express.com/parts-express-pressfit-speaker-grill-guides-8-pair--260-366
located 10-5/8"S2S and spaced 26-3/8"B2M and 26-1/4"M2T. The grill itself could be as small as 11" x 53". For me, that would require printing and joining five sections - not ideal, but possible. Could also do some intricate design, which might be nice.

Anyone, let me know if there are solutions for this already available - thanks!

@charles1dad Well, my best audiophile friend, Mike, already owned the autoformers and some Atmosphere OTL amplifiers and he runs with just 1 pair of tubes due to heat issues.  He suggested I ask the designer, Kang Su, if I could run with 1 or 2 tubes safely since my amps are a parallel design similiar to the Atmospheres sans an output transformer. I contacted Albert Porter and he graciously and expeditiously reached out to Kang Su and he was able to get me my an affirmative answer a couple of short hours later. 

The only downside to running the single tube is the 4ohm output transformer tap of the amp effectively becomes 16ohms and that's a terrible mismatch with a 4 ohm load such as the Encores are by default.  This would likley stress the tube more. 

  Paul at zeroimpedance.com created the autoformers for this purpose.  Apparently, any amplifier below 100wpc can benefit by using them and he even has people with push pull solid-state amps using them too and enjoying them.  Seems making your amplifier loaf and not forcing it to push extra current into lower loads seems to have audibly pleasant effects for those users.

For me personally I'm enjoying using them in their 4x load mode or 4x4ohm=16ohm making it match perfectly with my amps 16ohm output impedance. (Autoformers can be set to 2x,3x,4x so there's versatility) It sounds like peanut butter and jelly or rather a match made in heaven. 

The sound flows effortlessly at any volume. I can play very loud and I have still have complete composure regardless of the scale or amount of bass of the music. It also fully restores the 10db of damping the amps have because you lose 3/4th the damping only running one tube.  There's something very intimate and even more set-like about the presentation running one tube since now the power, interstate, and output transformers are all loafing running just one 300bxls power tube and the autoformers are like the icing on the cake.  The Allnic A6000 is like buying a versatile 15,30,45,60wpc SET amp. 

Personally, if you don't need the extra wattage I think there's something to say for the sonic purity of driving a single triode, but if you need the power do to inefficient speakers you would benefit by adding tubes and power as needed to lower overall distortion that creeps up rather quickly as you drive a single tube up to its15wpc maximum output.

For me I get no audible softclipping or compression at all with just 15wpc at very high volume levels. Just complete composure. It's well nigh perfect. My system has never sounded this good. 

Good to hear from old friends on this thread.

Hear! hear!  @corelli  

fyi, my SEs have found a new home. Eric is really impressed and is enjoying them thoroughly.

Good to hear from old friends on this thread.  I would agree with all that has been said. @2spyop, you won't go wrong with the DI, DI SE.  The Moabs will exceed budget by $500.  Wish I had the ability to tell you I have heard them side by side.  I prefer, in theory, the simplified crossover of the Moab over the DI SE.  I suspect the purity of the Moab is very special.  Only wonder if there is any loss of mid-bass impact vs the SE's?    

As you may know, I owned the Magnepan 1.7's and loved that speaker.  It is a special transducer.  But it took little time for me to find the DI to be an overall superior transducer.  I found the DI to have more accurate imaging and sound staging.  Detail was better.  Obviously the DI had superior low end extension, dynamics, and surprisingly, was just as coherent to my ears.  

I think you will love the flexibility the Tektons offer regarding amplifiers.  And I really do not think you will have any desire to return them--so I really would not factor that much into the equation.  Eric offers tremendous value directly marketing and something has to give to maintain his margin.  So the inability to audition and return to a local dealer is a small price to pay for a huge value.  I'll take that any day.  

Keep us posted.  

@david_ten I agree, I had been driving my Encores with 60wpc Allnic A6000 Quad Parallel 300bxls SET Monoblocks, but I found out I am also able run my amps with just one 300bxls tube each which produces just 15wpc per monoblock. This is plenty of power for high sound pressure levels in my new larger listening room even though the Encores are only 96db into 4ohms. Originally, I did this to cut down on the heat generation and the AC running so often during the summer months which is a bit noisier upstairs, but I love the sound so much I'm going to run it like this all year round.  I did purchase some zeroimpedance.com Autoformers to quadruple the Encore's 4ohm load to match the 16ohm output impedance of my Allnics when running with one only output tube and I must say this was a match made in heaven.  I get no compression or softclipping whatsoever on even the deepest bass or biggest of musical pieces at any volume level.  The whole room is now fully treated with ATS absorbers and diffusors now and it sounds so incredible now.  Sorry for rambling. I don't post much anymore on here and usually post more on the Tekton Worldwide Owner's Group on Facebook now.  Great place to hang out with fellow Tektonians! 

It is hard to believe the sensitivity of such large speakers can be driven with low tube watts

@2psyop   I drove my SEs with a 2A3 amp and my music choices range far wider than yours. Your LM amp will cruise. : )

@2psyop If your budget is maxed out at 4K, then go with the DI-SEs. Your Line Magnetic 216ia, as Charles pointed out, will be a great amp pairing for the DI-SEs.

Folks, correct me if I am wrong on this: I believe that Eric tried to establish a dealer program but it never took or he pulled back from it. The good news is that the pricing dropped due to the dealer margin being eliminated from the models that were initially offered via the dealer program.

charles1dad "the Line Magnetic 216ia isn't a SET amplifier. It's a class AB push pull with KT 88 output tubes".

I stand corrected. It is hard to believe the sensitivity of such large speakers can be driven with low tube watts..... not sure what Moab cost would be, but I max out at $4k. Thanks for all the recommendations...

I agree with the rationale of jcarcopo.

The Line Magnetic 216ia isn’t a SET amplifier. It’s a class AB push pull with KT 88 output tubes. It can be switched between Ultralinear and Triode mode but topology remains push pull. Nonetheless I believe that it would pair well with the Moabs. IMHO this would be a very solid foundation for a 2 channel audio system. 
Charles

@2psyop Get the Moabs, I think personally it's a better value for your money and space.  Just my 2 cents.  I have the Encores, I love them very much, but the Moabs are a much better deal for under $5k when compared to the Double Impact SE. 

Question for corelli or anyone else with Tekton DI experience...
Looking at both the Magnepan 1.7i with JL Audio f113 sub and the Tekton DI, maybe SE to upgrade my audio system. When I contacted Tekton directly they told me the DI SE would match well with my system. They did not elaborate on questions about the BE tweeter or upgraded drivers on the SE.
Also, surprisingly, when I asked if I did not like them could I return them to an authorized dealer in Chicago, Audio Archon to avoid expensive shipping and hand deliver them to dealer.... the option was not offered. I have to ship them back to Teckton???
I thought Audio Archon was an authorized dealer? Anyone know about this? What kind of experience has anyone had with the DI or DI SE?

A little information from me. My room is approximately 18.8 feet by 15.5 feet. Ceiling is 9.5 feet high and two walls have windows and blinds, with one wall that is all cork board. It is all shag carpeted. Without treatments the room sounds good, and can be lively.
I have two audio systems that I would like to try the speakers with. One is a Parasound original A21 with Parasound preamp. The other system is a SET tube integrated amp, the Line Magnetic 216ia (about 28-32 watts a side). I currently use the SET amp with Vandersteen 2CE Sig II speakers and the Parasound amp runs Magnepan MMGs. I listen to jazz, blues and acoustical music. Often listen to female vocalists....
I have auditioned the Magenpan 1.7i with a JL Audio f113 subwoofer and although I like the planar sound with the sub, I would prefer not to match a sub to stereo speakers. My main objective is two channel audio listening and enjoyment.

I ordered the Impact Monitors on May 13th when I could longer resist the song of the upgrade siren. I have been a wide band single driver + sub guy for a long time. Going for a rather industrial looking three way, nine driver speaker instead of the beautifully finished Omegas currently in residence is a big change, indeed. After reading the many opinions here and elsewhere about amplifier matching with these speakers, I picked up a passive preamp on A'Gon and plan on moving a W4S amp + tube buffer into the room for the Tektons instead the small integrated tube amp I have been using with the Omegas. It is a relatively small room with limited options for speaker placement- looking forward to seeing if they work for me.

@zenbikefish, I agree with corelli, save for Moabs w/Be tweeter, the 15 tweeter array is considerably more transparent especially the mids/vocals and will be a longer term investment, end game for most.

@zenbikefish   If you are maxed out at 4k,  you would be limited to the DI's with Be tweeter--right?  At least if buying new.  I find the Tektons to be neutral speakers that emphasize no part of the spectrum.  As another option you could do the SE's and focus on your upstream gear to offer what you are looking for.  All the Tektons are very good at responding to what is placed upstream.  You are at an interesting price point.  If you were able to accommodate the Moabs, the extra $500 would be trivial in the long haul

Update to my comment about not having been able to reach Erik: He did ring me back and says either one would meet my needs. And while that's encouraging I'd still like to hear from users with varying rooms and upstream componentry. Thanks!

Thank you klh007,  totally agree that Be tweets do what I'm asking for. Trouble is I'm maxed out at $4k. I have Hiquphon OW1 soft domes in my Linn speakers that are quite nice and quite pricey.  Trouble with those speakers is in the mid and bass. I'm concerned the lower quality tweets in the DI and DI SE may not get me there. And if one or the other does, which one?

zenfishbike, Consider the Be tweeter option on either the DI or DI SEs if you want a more extended and revealing treble range. The single Be tweeter will handle from 2500 Hz up and deliver a more open defined upper few octaves. If you can take the larger enclosure, consider the Moabs with a Be tweeter, much more powerful bass with true low end extension to 20 Hz (at least in my room) than either the DI or DI SE, as well as the 15 tweeter midrange starts working at a lower frequency and ups the midrange/vocal transparency and realism.

Hello all,

I'm reading with great interest about the differences between the DI and DI SE. Lots of good information about the mids and lows here but I'm still searching for detailed descriptions on the highs. (Forgive me if it exists here already but this in one heck of a long thread!) I need to be able to savor the nuance of cymbal strikes, shimmy, and decay. And to tell the differences between the different types of cymbals. How do the DI and DI SE perform there? With the DI SE currently on sale at $4k in basic black I'm tempted to pull the trigger.

Note I've tried to reach Erik by phone on several occasions to no avail and his helpers don't know. Thanks!

Update: received my replacement 4-10 Monday, all good.  No grills yet, so I'll assume they eventually will get here.  Eric made it right, just had to follow up more than I'd like.  I will say the dual 4-10 subs fill a very large space.  Fun. 
I like the outward appearance of these speakers for those worried about The look.  Very monolithic, very minimalist.  Fits me perfect.

Personally ,I think that the ONLY reason Eric would tell you 3 weeks even if it is going to take 6 is, because he is afraid you won't buy if it takes that long... I think some people would change their mind.
Just my opinion on that

Listening99, that's one of the most comprehensive, well thought out posts I've ever seen on this site. I'm very happy with my long term reference von Schweikerts but am intrigued by the Tekton brand and wish I could find a way to hear the DI, Encore or even the Moab. I guess the only downside is not being able to really audition when there is a direct sales model (which is becoming more common) but the upside is certainly big performance for reasonable cost. Looking forward to more of your posts, thanks again.
Larry

@213runnin I find your comments interesting, in terms of how they represent you and what you are actually motivated to explain. You have an intelligent view, for sure, with strengths and limits. 

Could any of you supply me with a definition for fanboy? I would imagine this varies. I love a great deal of music. Would I consider myself a fan of Harry Connick Jr., owing to have listened to his mesmerizing album, "Lofty's Roach Soufflé" about thirty times in the past six weeks? I'm not particularly interested in much of his vocal work, but his trio - mesmerizing! If we aren't careful in our use of definitions, terms like "fanboy" can quickly become a kind of attack, what is termed the "ad hominem" attack, or fallacy, where criticism using a pejorative name is intended to act as a reason against that which the person is judged to be fanning. 

I've had my Moabs for two months. You want the good and the bad - I found them difficult to set up, partly because I've never wielded speakers that weigh 135lbs a piece. Initially, I found the bass difficult to dial in, and the soundstage was lacking... My room is smaller: 14.5 x 12, considering the 69" stature of each speaker. 

I think you called Tekton speakers "boxy" and I've had that label come up in my mind a few times, after reading an earlier post (I think it was yours). I have reflected on all of my earlier speakers and all of those dozens I've poured over at various high-fidelity shops these past decades. Speakers are a combination of boxes, smooth or soft edges, and sometimes some rounding, or globular looking effects. Some designers spend a lot of time and money tricking out the appearance of their speakers. I did first sense that Tekton's had what I was calling an "industrial" look, but then I found the tweeter array kind of exciting. Have I yet hit the mark for "fanboy"? Examples would help, here.

In my home, the Moabs are... in appearance, kind-of awesome. They are huge, white, imposing. I dialed in the paint in the room where they stand, as well as the adjacent stairwell and the walls that climb up along the stairwell. My previous Klipsch and Vandersteen, Bose, and advent speakers were all much less interesting to look upon. This is a personal experience, of course, and yet I'm sure I'm not alone. 

Sound-wise, after about a month, everything gelled. The full-range effect is, all by itself, very compelling. I could have bought some of the newest Vandersteen standmounts, and perhaps some element of the sound would have been more refined, but I seriously doubt it, and there would have been no bottom end. The top end, with all of those tweeters more-or-less effortlessly synergizing the sound, has had a number of noteworthy effects. First, the "air" - the effect wherein each voice seems to be moving the air - it's just delicious. My previous speakers - Klipsch RP280F - quite literally harmed my ears, as they were too bright. Initially, I kinda liked the fierce detail of those speakers, until I found that they were fatiguing my ears to the point of distress. The Moabs, on the other hand, have yet to cause even the slightest fatigue, and I'm not a casual listener. I sit with absolute focus, eating songs as though each is a small, but tasty meal. I think that's an honest reflect - take it for what it's worth. 

And by the way, if there are significant criticisms about the sonics of the Moabs or the Double Impacts, perhaps you could do some serious work to collect those in a sensible account of the available critical cross-section of reviews on these speakers. Many of us would be interested to hear an intelligent breakdown of "poor" reviews of the newer Tekton models. 

The bass is full and tuneful in the Moabs. There did seem to be some improvement over time, as the two 8" drivers in the RP280F's appeared to supply stronger mid-bass, initially. About two weeks back, it seemed to me that the mid-bass filled in, with the Moabs. This was probably because I mounted them each on their own bamboo cutting board. I definitely sensed bass improvement with that inexpensive modification. I'm particularly interested in hearing percussion, so I study the bass notes very carefully. I like to hear them change and shift and expand. I can keep my attention tuned directly at the bass material throughout a tune, because I see that section as the foundation of many of the selections I appreciate. Again, the bass sound is tuneful, cultured - defined and full. There are other words, but maybe just "live" is the right one. I have had that impression before, that the Moabs are able to give a BIG sound experience, able to fill the room with little effort, able to leave me feeling as though I was right there, on the dime, with the music, filled by it.

Of course, there are many different speakers (brands), each with something of their own sound. I loved my Vandersteen. Now I love my Moabs. A full, big, effortless, deep, life-like sound. They suck to move around. I also appreciated the "leap of faith" that was required to buy from an out-of-state online retailer, who was not as prompt with communication as I would have preferred. I think Eric could be more up-front about his timeline, for instance. I think it actually increases credibility to submit up front that it's going to take six, instead of three weeks. I could even discern when I was told "three weeks, but we are very busy" that it was going to take longer than three weeks, but I really shouldn't have to read through the lines, nor should Eric and Tekton need to feel they have to dance around the timing issue. So, I did experience some distress over the timeline issue, however, I made four or five visits to the local shops, auditioned Maggies, the latest Klipsch Cornwall IV, a few Paradigm models, and Golden Ears, I know I'm getting more for my money than would have been possible with one of these companies that is paying for a fully staffed front office, marketing department, salespeople, etc. Frankly, the Cornwall IV was compelling, but it would have cost a solid $2000.00 more. They want $6600.00 for the pair, at the local shop. The Maggies that include a full bottom end, were right up around $5900.00. The Moabs were not just a leap-of-faith on an online retail scenario, they were actually much more expensive than I was looking to spend. I'm not a big roller. I always scratch my way to the best possible deal and so you might note that I'm running these huge speakers off a Schiit Saga, purchased on a closeout value of $199.00. It includes the tube option. I'm also running the Schiit Modi 3. I'm also running the Nuforce STA200, which is delicious, until I start to demand chest bumping volumes, at which point it throws off waves of heat through the heat sinks and chasis. So, you are looking at a total outlay, including Cambridge CD transport, of about $6000. That's still very expensive by the standards of the ordinary consumer. The audiophile lifestyle is really (on average) very much removed from the finances of the ordinary person. You realize, don't you, that the average American would have a very difficult time accommodating an unexpected $400.00 emergency. So, my $5800.00 is really, by ordinary standards, an extreme outlay, and yet here on Audiogon it's almost peanuts... for me, it's been an experiment and, ultimately, a real joy. 

Finally, I like good criticism as much as the next guy, if it's useful. If it sounds defensive, or as though its attempting to put a finger on the scale, or if it seems oddly motivated, it's fairly easy to detect. 

Anyway, this is my two cents worth...

Actually, some(not all) owner comments can be just as bad as some non owner comments.  The bliss of new ownership coupled with inexperience and a desire to share online.  Overly positive or gushing reviews, and a complete lack of understanding what they are hearing from their new gear.  

I tend to throw out all the haters' and ecstatic comments/reviews and look for those who are balanced enough to find good and bad in a product.  Strengths AND weaknesses, it gives one an insight that the fanboy comments just don't offer.  

Just curious Miller, have you heard Tektons Ulf or otherwise? 
Not being a dick I owned DIs and loved them. Just curious. 

For quite a number of years now I've bought all my gear based entirely on on-line research. Would greatly prefer home audition but that's just not possible. Not once the field is narrowed down to the one or two best in value/best in class. 

One of the things I have learned in doing all these searches and reading all these comments is to completely disregard anything and everything that is not owner or at least first hand experience. Actually I learned that long before I started doing this. They keep on writing it, oh well.

Actual user comments on the other hand are gold. Especially when they run against the grain of the common wisdom. When something is popular it takes a certain strength of character to have the courage to say the Emperor has no clothes. But when something is new and different then you take on a certain degree of risk in saying its marvelous. Even if it is.

Tekton is a pretty good example of this. Everything about Tekton from their design principle to the owner and even manufacture and sales, its all a little unusual. You say something positive, you open yourself up to attack from people totally clueless with no knowledge whatsoever. Some so totally determined to complain instead of admitting they have nothing to say they fall back on... well never mind.

Another thing I learned is how to find value even in the negative stories. If there's a lot of them, doesn't matter what they are, run. Never had that happen yet. But if there's hardly any that says something too. Especially in the inter web age, where one bad experience can be broadcast around the world instantly.

Not seeing anything here that worries me. Got a pretty fine system right now, if I do say so myself. If I was to win the Lottery, my first call would be to Eric to order some Ulfs. Then to Raven for a Reflection MkII. And Peter for a Hyperion. Yeah. I know. Dream on. But that's the company I put Tekton in.

What an amazing display of low level integrity (not you slick).  

I'm sure that it will be fine in the end, but up until yesterday I had no comms and no idea what was going on- after 3 emails over 9 days which sounds an alarm for me.  Not sure how a customer's 3 emails get missed but the moment a forum post goes up, immediately replies to thread post.  Think about it.
Either way, I'm super happy to hear the replacement is almost out the door because yesterday's conversation left me rather disappointed, obviously.  
As for the basement- super large poop sandwich for sure.  I'm hoping I have a job one year from now so I can look back and laugh.  If not, I can get you a deal on some lightly used Tektons.

It looks like Tekton is very busy, and unfortunately sometimes emails can get missed. It’s not ideal, but the added cost to each speaker sold when a full office staff is hired to answer hundreds of emails and phone calls, as well as folks that frankly need way too much hand holding(not present company, please don’t misunderstand), would be really high.

Let me say this about Tekton. For a company to be in business this long, and have a product that has a still growing fan base, they must be doing something right. No company would be in business this long if they were dropping the ball with customer service.

Slickmachine, your experience, unfortunately, can happen with any brand. I’ve had items simply not show up, and when I made enquiries found out that the company(not Tekton) somehow got my address fouled up. The Fedex experience can happen with all carriers too, especially with heavier items and delivery people that frankly should get fired.

Anyway, that the owner of a company would come onto a forum and speak directly and be up front with a customer, that’s a rare thing, and is a mark of a respectable organization. Keep the faith, I’m sure it will end well.

Sorry about your basement project, that sucks. You’ve got a bit of a challenge there. Hopefully in a year you’ll look back and chuckle about the whole thing.

Eric,
I appreciate the response here, and now that I posted this I've suddenly received an email response as well this morning. After talking to you yesterday, it was clear that the replacement wasn't in the works, amp was going to be a problem because of virus, what color was it? etc etc.  So if you've pushed everything through that quickly that is very much appreciated as I was left expecting weeks until anything happened.
 As for a free replacement...???  I clearly and deliberately asked you, upon receipt of damaged product, what I need to do on my end to facilitate reconciliation with FedEx, for both of us.  I absolutely don't blame you for the damage, and I certainly didn't convey that here.  You clearly stated that you would handle it completely on your end, which didn't happen.  I expect nothing for free and I assume I'm sending the damaged sub back to you as per our original conversation, where you mentioned FedEx would pick up and package.  I hope you hold them to that and get reimbursed.  There is no reason why you shouldn't, and I don't feel like I should shoulder it either.  You have the video and pictures, if you need something else, let me know.  Please understand where I'm coming from as a consumer/customer:  My situation seems a one-off, and I believe I was lost in the shuffle afterward.  For future reference I think most people would start to get nervous in the same situation.  I feel a lot better knowing the speaker is almost finished.  ... If someone would have just responded to one email over the last week... are you guys monitoring the forum and not customer email? 

Dear Slickmachine,

I am sorry you feel this way. You and I spoke earlier this week about getting you a new subwoofer. I am sorry it was damaged by FedEx - I've offered to replace your subwoofer entirely free even though it was damaged by the careless actions of your local FedEx delivery driver - you have the video surveillance evidence of this fact. WE RUN better than 99% successful undamaged delivery so your situation is a rare one. I've said for years we've designed "damage proof packaging" and we have. I'm still working on the "idiot-proof" delivery boy design.

We are very busy here so the free replacement might not have come into you as fast as you've expected it. We'll have it shipped out soon. I believe it was painted last night. 

Sincerely,

Eric Alexander - audio designer