Considering the New Tekton Design Encores? AND Owners Group - Experiences/Questions

the Yamaha AVR, even in pure direct mode, appears to be adding some noise to the sound

What I been sayin’. The only way of doing HT at Encore level is to run stereo, plugging HDMI video directly into your monitor.

Those are some fine speakers. I know, because my Moab are awesome and Encore have to be at least that good. So even more awesome.

My suggestion would be to ditch separates, and all the extra multi-channel stuff, in favor of a Raven Osprey. Then not only your son but your wife too will be joining you and you can all sit there slack-jawed in awe of how good those Encores sound with some quality tube watts running through them.    https://www.ravenaudio.com/product/osprey-mk3/

Thanks.  I am just using the AVR as a DAC for my HDMI sources because most standalone DACs do not accept an HDMI source, and I don't use the multichannel or theater modes--just straight decoding in pure mode.  For music I use a Chord Dave DAC.
While the Osprey looks great, I don't need an integrated amp as I am already using an Pass Labs XA 25 as a power amp.  I just need a pre-amplifier to switch between the the Chord Dave and Yamaha AVR.
I did install an old Oppo HA-1 that I have as a premplifier and the pc audio sound significantly better using the HA-1 as the preamp instead of the AVR.  It will do until I find a better preamp.

@jsoku.  Congrats on your new encores! I have been digging mine.  They took forever to break in. 
As Millercarbon stated "My suggestion would be to ditch separates, and all the extra multi-channel stuff". I couldn't agree more.  Just a kick ass 2 channel is all you need to knock your socks off. Every mid-fi home surround sound system has been mediocre at best, unnatural at worst with the side sounds distracting from the content. I just run a Toslink from my TV to my DAC (Pro-Ject DAC box RS) with excellent results with blu-ray DVD's. On a side note, is it just me or does Netflix and Amazon prime streaming have horribly compressed audio? 

I do have a niggle on the encores, however. I wish the tweeter was lower.  My listening position is higher than the tweeter, causing decreased HF. If the Encore was set up like the Moab/Ulfberht, each woofer at opposite ends of the speaker, it would be an improvement, but perhaps Eric has a good reason why, maybe speaker not quite tall enough. 

protoss71 -

you mean you wish the tweeter was higher? that’s an easy fix - raise the speakers.

or, if you really *do* mean you wish the tweeter was lower, then get a listening seat that is lower.

doug s.