Stereo Times review on the Tekton Design Encore Monitor

Where's the link dude? 

https://www.stereotimes.com/post/tekton-design-encore-monitor-by-terry-london/

I have no idea how these speakers sound but the price given the driver costs is phenomenal.

If he made a simple 2 way speaker he could sell them each for $50.

Teajay I still remember the room where the Encore monitor are place now. Where me and Mark heard the ps 12. I still have the ps 12. Mark sold his and bought Moab. If I did not buy my Borensen x1? I would go for the Encore monitors.Very good review , thank you hope will cross path at axpona 2025.

Maybe some of the master-ers using Adam audio crap should set these up in mid-field... might eventually get a good recording out of some of these guys.

I have had several inquiries regarding what is the up charge for the stunning black gloss piano lacquer finish on the pair featured in the review. The cost for the upgrade is $500 for the pair of speakers.

The reviewer is spot on and on target of how low of mass that group of speakers make in mid and high.momentum is mass x velocity  because they have such a low mass they are fast quick and responsive.high spl because there are so many.eric offers such a broad range of products.it is so good that one of the speaker manufactures across the pond has copied its design. While I don't have the encore I have it's big brother,moab and ulf.they are amoung the best bang for the buck enjoy the music stay healthy 

These are monitors? Why would anybody claim these are monitors? There are so many true monitors that have better midrange and tweeter setups like all the speakers using AMT units, for example all the borreson, raidho, ps audio, and others.

If you like the looks of Tekton, I’m sure you will like the looks of these. I’ll continue to us my amt driver or diamond tweeters with a true midrange driver.

Thank you for the review Terry. How would you compare them to the Arno 40 which you also have?

Hey pbecker128,

Remember, I made the Encore Monitor my budget speaker of the year because of cost vs. performance ratio. The Encore speakers are $3000, the Arno 40 speakers are $15000. A much higher price does not allows equate a higher level of performance. However, in this case it does. The Arno 40 speakers are at a higher qualitative level in their performance than the Encore Monitors. For the details regarding the Arno’s performance read my review on them on Stereo Times. I made the Arno 40 speakers my "no cost consideration" reference speaker of the year.

Both the Encore Monitor speakers and the Arno 40 speakers are wonderful music makers, but are at vastly different price points.

Thanks @teajay ... great review!

Hey Everybody,

Just wanted to share that system that the Encore Monitor speakers are in, has been driven for the last week with a new tube based preamplifier (Sun Audio) rather then the solid state SPL Volume 2 preamplifier. 

Of course I expected an overall sonic change, by using NOS 5751 Sylvania Gold Brand/gold pin tubes I was looking for a more sparkly sweet top end and a relaxed liquidity in the mid-range, based on past experience with this tube. 

What I thought was terrific was that because the Encore Monitors have such a high degree of transparency, that the above mentioned qualities being offered by the 5751 tubes were so easily heard. This level of transparency is rarely found in a speaker at this price point, in my opinion.   

Hey fsonicsmith,

Since I believe in free speech I appreciate that you wrote your opinion on this thread. Of course, I totally disagree with your statements about me personally,  nobody had ever referred to me as "bird poop" before, but thanks anyways. Your assumption regarding my motivation is totally false. 

If you know my long history with AudioGon I started writing reviews for the forums for fun that members thought were helpful at informing them about different equipment they might want to try out in there systems. I consider this site my "home base" and for years have shared honest information, based on my personal taste which all reviews really are, on products that I find exciting and offer much for reasonable prices. Examples would be NSMT speakers, Coda, LTA, AricAudio, Pine Tree Audio,etc.

Many fellow members have been very kind towards my posts regarding how helpful they have been in allowing them to make decisions about different pieces of gear for their systems that lead to higher levels of enjoyment. I would not put you in this category! 

Have a nice day.   

@teajay ,

Nice review--I am not in the market for new speakers, but if I were, I would make note of these ones.

Cheers,

 I don't have anything to say about the speakers or the review except :  How is something that big called a monitor? Looks like a floor stander to me ....

Meyer bluehorns are considered monitors, not to mention big TAD pro monitors, etc. It has nothing to do with size.

I don't have anything to say about the speakers or the review except : How is something that big called a monitor? Looks like a floor stander to me ....

I accept as valid my post-deletion. Apologies! But what if we were on a wine forum and one poster repeatedly posted links to his wine publication in which he onlya touted the wines of a single producer who happened to be a good friend of his? 

Hey fsonicsmith,

I accept your apology. However, you again make a disingenuous statement regarding my history of threads on this forum. I have written professionally for three different websites. Yes, it is true that I refer GON members to my reviews for the details of what I'm informing them about. But your statement, "only touted the wines of a SINGLE producer" is completely and utterly false. I had not reviewed a Tekton Design speaker for close to five years and had many different companies speakers in for review during that time span. I know many people in the industry and have become friends with some of them. However, I never written a positive review or brought information on a product to the forum based on my relationships with the any manufacturer. 

fsonicsmith

I appreciate your point of view, but with Teajay I believe it is misguided. He (Terry) has posted some excellent reviews in the past, and let Agoners know in advance. I appreciate that he has reviewed some excellent gear, much of which is affordable for a great many.

In particular he has been absolutely spot on for a few products that I know very well or own: Aric Audio Motherlode II (XL version which adds XLR Connections) and several other Aric Audio products, CODA S5.5 SS amplifier which is a stunning amplifier (I own this too), Philharmonic BMR speaker (I don't own), LTA Aero DAC (I do not own)

+1 vthokie83

Terry has been an asset to the audio community and I have also found his reviews to be spot on.  

I think Terry is a good guy. He just needs a better editor. Or an editor at all, perhaps?

Please step back and think about the concept of being a reviewer. The reason for the word "reviewer" rather than "tester" or "researcher" is that subjectivity is involved. Food is a good example of subjective taste (pun intended). If looking for a good restaurant in NYC that matches the occasion, your mood and budget you could rely back in the day on Ruth Reichl or Mimi Sheraton of the NYT or you could read the opinion of some unknown burgeoning reviewer writing for free in some tiny local paper. Ruth or Mimi (and dozens of others). reached their height at the NYT due to BOTH a wealth of experience and having earned the trust of their readers that when they gave a good review, it was very likely worthy. The unknown burgeoning writer is bound to be a hit-and-miss proposition. A discerning reader can detect the shallowness of the review based on the writing; the sophistication of the writing style, linguistics, word-usage, grammar, syntax, references, comparisons, descriptors, etc. 

And then overlaid on top of the above came the internet and webzines. The true democratization of the ability to publish one's opinions. Suddenly instead of a handful of relatively unknown pundits there became hundreds like dandelions in an untreated lawn. Anyone and everyone who wished to put down to writing their thoughts and don the hat of "reviewer" could do so. Of the dozens and dozens of English based webzines I know of no other, in MY subjective opinion, has less credibility due to lack of standards than the one for which the OP writes. 

And then we come to the subject of the review. Nothing more need be said, I hope.

FW(Little)IW, my current favorite audio publications are both printed and web-only, Stereophile and Part Time Audio. Sure, Stereophile is no longer in its heyday with the likes of Larry Archibald, Tom Gillett (aka Sam Tellig) and Art Dudley among others. But Jim Austin is doing a great job at the helm. I know nothing of reviewers at PTA but I admire their penchant for searching out the meritorious products that others don't review or overlook. 

I am not a Tekton hater. I simply refuse to swallow a shovel-full of unconditional perspective-less pablum written by an author that would never pass muster at a publication with strict standards. A publication that is the equivalent of Phoenix University when compared to Harvard. 

Hey Ozzie,

I appreciate that you think I'm a "good guy". I agree that punctuation and correct grammar contribute to the quality of a review. However, they are not my top priorities, these are:

1) I clearly state what my personal taste is when I'm listening/reviewing a piece of gear. If your taste and what you are looking for match mine, it can help inform the reader come to the conclusion that it might be what they are looking for.

2) Use concrete descriptors and attributes that help the reader get a good grasp on the sonic characteristics of the piece being reviewed. To be quite frank, in my opinion, many of the print magazine reviewers use some of the stupidest analogies , metaphors and abstruse/esoteric language in their reviews. Don't know if this is trying show off their literary brilliance, as if there going for a Nobel Prize in literature , or they just have to fill-up so many pages to fatten the review.

Thank you to the individuals that posted that my reviews have been helpful to them and that I honestly try to help GON members get better gear for their systems.

Finally, to address Fsonicsmith statements. With merriment I totally disagree with the sophisticated put-down of me and my writing. I'm just a Hoi polloi having fun writing reviews that can inform music lovers to good pieces of gear for their systems. You take this much to seriously!    

@teajay 

I was serious about the editor thing. Don’t you reviewers have someone who reads your articles for content and grammar before they are published?

Enjoythemusic.com is another publication that doesn’t hold the bar very high when it comes to punctuation and grammar. Just an observation, nothing more than that.

You take this much to too seriously!  Fixed.

To be quite frank, in my opinion, many of the print magazine reviewers use some of the stupidest analogies , metaphors and abstruse/esoteric language in their reviews. Irony, I imagine. 

I'm just a Hoi polloi having fun writing reviews that can inform music lovers to good pieces of gear for their systems. That's it exactly mon frere. You can have fun posting your thoughts without calling yourself a reviewer. Do you lack total self-awareness that your view is not any more elevated than those of say, 5,000 others on this Board? You are not INFORMING, you are CONVEYING. Please look up these two words and think about it. 

Hey fsonicsmith,

You take this way to seriously. Remember I'm not a Harvard graduate. Therefore, I will not be able to distinguish between informing and conveying because of my lack of acumen regarding the use of language.

Relax and have great weekend. 

@teajay 

We are in times when it is critical to find commonality and goodwill in others. I understand you are a fine person and I will try my best to show you a bit more respect. I should have simply ignored the entire thread rather than publish my own criticism. 

May I offer you my unsolicited advice (as I am about to do)?

As with art, music, and food critics, establish your wealth of experience and knowledge base first. This is admittedly not easy to do but it can and has been done by countless others. It is about credibility. It is rather mandatory if you wish to be considered a reviewer. 

With audio equipment it is essential to provide context with comparisons to contrasting or similar products, preferably both. Herb Reichert does this in a rather unique way with amplifiers, for example, by using the same four or five of his favorite loudspeakers. 

Every audio product, particularly loudspeakers, involve compromises. There is virtually no piece of equipment known to mankind that is perfect or suitable for every situation, regardless of price. Describe the compromises. 

If you are dyslexic, not a native English speaker, or have other difficulties with the art of writing, get assistance. If nothing else, use AI to assist with your writing though I would consider that a very last resort. 

Hey fsonicsmith,

I appreciate your opening paragraph, which I believe is an "olive branch" towards me. I accept it, thank you.

I don’t expect that you are supposed to know my history of reviewing. If you did, along with reading my reviews, you would see many of your concerns/criticisms (unsolicited advice) are unfounded. I have reviewed for three reputable websites, hometheaterreview/SixMoons/Stereo Times, over the last 12 years and have over 150 published reviews.

I have many different front ends composed of both solid state and tube based gear and at least 4 to 6 speakers I use to evaluate the piece of gear in for review. My systems gear and what are the dimensions of my acoustic space is often mentioned in my reviews. I do share the virtues and short comings of gear I review. However, there are pieces of gear that I find so unsatisfactory that it is send back to the manufacturer and I do not write a review. I also dislike long drawn out reviews were the reviewer tells you what they had for breakfast, the weather outside, their emotional state of mind, etc. My reviews are short succinct perspectives on the performance of the piece of gear in for reviewing.

Thanks for your unsolicited advice. I still find it amazing that you would be so motivated to write a critique of me and my writing. I’ll assume you are trying to be helpful vs. haute towards me. Question for you? Since you take this hobby so seriously and have some very strong guidelines for writing the "right type" of reviews, why don’t you become a professional reviewer and have some fun!

It's kinda sad that my intentions only were to give information on a great affordable pair of speakers to Gon members and some how this thread was turned into a critique of my grammar and writing style instead.

@teajay 

It's kinda sad that my intentions only were to give information on a great affordable pair of speakers to Gon members and some how this thread was turned into a critique of my grammar and writing style instead.

True, ignore them.  What really is sad is when you realize several audiophiles with great systems who you have enjoyed reading their posts for years end up showing their true colors, and it is anything but a good look.

@jetter 

I was over the line, accepted my post being deleted with an apology, and then unfortunately felt the need to make my point. 

Funny thing though-thinking about this thread made me do a search for Stereotimes and another "flavor of the month" loudspeaker, the Acoustic Zen Adagio and I found this: https://forum.audiogon.com/discussions/major-innovative-break-through-the-new-nsmt-loudspeakers-reference-spe?page=2

So give me this-I am consistent (and no doubt a hobgoblin of a small mind)

And where is NMST now? Anybody?

This in particular is telling (to me);

audition__audio 1,572 posts 07-14-2024 at 12:34pm  Without really dwelling on this I am not a fan of the original post or this thread. Seems to me that not only is this reviewer calling attention to his review but also getting free advertising for a product. I will assume that since no one has questioned things to this point I am the only one that finds this questionable. I do like the design philosophy behind these speakers.

air-ag 2 posts 02-07-2025 at 02:20am  Great write up, check out our listing as we are selling a ex demo SE edition of the NSMT Clairvoyant sub duo at well below retail!

jrdiii 6 posts 02-07-2025 at 10:35am  @audition__audio Agreed. This whole thread comes across as a not-so-subtle marketing pitch.

theophile 259 posts 02-09-2025 at 02:03am  Without actually hearing the speaker system being put forward, and reading a post on an intenet forum is not hearing, all talk of excellence or otherwise is just talk. I doubt that many will get to hear this speaker to give meaningful corroborative testimony. My thought was that KEF utilised the bandpass woofer cancept 30 years ago and they do not use it now.

audition__audio 1,572 posts 02-12-2025 at 10:30pm  Only some advertising is good it seems. Mere association can be damning even to the innocent. I would ask this reviewer to stop posting in this fashion.

@fsonicsmith 

Teajay likes to float previews of his reviews that will come online.  I enjoy reading them and without a doubt several of his recommendations have been hits. 

After years of reading his posts, I am familiar with and comfortable with his writing style   In the end, there will be differences in styles of reviewers and their breadth of experience.  

You have articulated your points very clearly.  But I can say that after many years of writing I can only wonder at you having the energy or desire to so distinctly make your points understood.  What was actually accomplished?   

@jetter 

What was actually accomplished?   

Not a thing, and for that, I do apologize. I am sincerely not proud of just trashing someone else for little reason other than a flowery review of a product that I would never buy. 

Not all “experts” are created equal. Also, there seems to be 3 reasons against negative professional reviews:
1) P reviewers choose interesting components for their audience, usually meaning newer designs with good reputations - so expect reliability and performance to be sorted out. They do not pick randomly, which would lead to significantly more negative reviews. 
2) P reviewers seem to avoid publishing negative reviews because in our small niche high-end audio market, such a review can have major negative financial effect on the manufacturer. Some consumers may feel like it’s bias not to objectify report the good and the bad. 
3) If a P reviewer reports negatively, future manufactures may avoid using them for fear of a negative review.

As a consumer, I’d like honesty the good and bad to help my purchase decision. But to not perspectively seriously hurt a manufacturer, I think it best not to publish a very detrimental review to give the manufacturer a chance to correct the issues

+1 fan of @teajay - one of the better/best audio reviewers/writers 

fsonicsmith

Reminder to self- don’t assign any importance to what this person writes.

The OP has been pushing that speaker line and his" reviews" far too long IMO...I didn't know self-promotion was even allowed on this site

To 2psyop and missioncoonery,

I actually take your negative evaluations of me, my reviews, and your disingenuous explanations of what you believe are my motivations for sharing on threads about gear that I review as a bizarre compliment. Why? Because I have an assumption that if you guys approved the above, that I would have lost my way in my work if it appealed to your grumpy mentality.

Thank you kennyc for your kind words regarding my reviews.

You're welcome, just stating the obvious 

 Ozzy62...  Must suck being the guy with all the answers ....

It’s pretty good actually…😃