Tekton Double Impacts

@charles1dad :  Thanks. Good to get a strong second opinion from you on Backert Labs. I will look into the Dan Sachs Preamp.

Any others on Preamp choices?

Hi Guys,

I have been getting scores of Emails regarding which is the "BEST" combination of these three possibilities: 1) the Micro-ZOTL by its self  2) the Micro-ZOTL/ZOTL-40 amp  3) the Micro-ZOTL/2A3 amp to drive the DI's.

All sound terrific, all though slightly different, and factors such as how loud you listen to get to the sweet spot in your system, types of music, and what DB levels are needed for your acoustic space would decide which one you would prefer.

Right now I'm getting the total signature of the Micro-ZOTL plus the colors/3D imaging of the 2A3 tubes which I find enchanting on all acoustic jazz music, which I mostly listen to the great majority of the time.

All three combo's are great, it's your personal taste to reach your decision.  

I would love to hear about the comparison between the coincident pre and the M-ZOTL... especially on Charles' side since I have Coincident speakers and Franks myself (copycat).  I currently run my DAC directly into the amps but think regularly about adding an active pre.  Unfortunately I absolutely need a remote (it seems odd to buy a pre and then continue to use the DAC's volume control) and am scared a bit by Concident discontinuing the remote version.  So many options once I leave the Coincident universe though.  It's intimidating.  Please keep us updated.

@cal3713 : Why are you  "scared a bit by Coincident discontinuing the remote version." ?  Thanks.

Just chiming in. Received my DIs a couple of weeks ago.  A little about my background: In the past I've worked in the high-end audio retail side for about a decade and the engineering and manufacturing side for part of that time.  I've owned Von Schweikert, Dali, Analysis Audio panel speakers, Klipsch, and now Tekton. I don't like push-pull amps (tube or SS), period. I gravitated to SET Amps early on and have never looked back with the exception of a few CLASS D amps which were purchased because the speakers dictated it.

I currently own an Art Audio Diavolo 300B Copper Reference SET Tube Amplifier (10wpc) from the UK made by Tom Willis.  This is the 2nd one I've owned, which might speak volumes to some regarding my feelings toward their beautifully crafted and seductive sounding amplifiers; albeit my feelings toward their price point is a bitter pill to swallow. 
  I use a Benchmark DAC2 HGC for my digital/preamp front-end and ROON's Software for music management. 
  I use Analysis Plus Big Silver in a biwire arrangement and love their build quality, double 9awg size,  and their utter neutrality, but not for any placebo related perceived improvement, per se. 

Compared to the Klipsch's 101db sensitive @ 8ohms I can tell you that with only 10wpc the Double Impacts play much louder and do not soft-clip like the Klipsch easily do. It's been said they fudge their sensitivity a bit, but then again, many others do. I can tell you I'm able to push my amplifier much farther to very loud satisfying volume levels in my 16x14x9ft room. 

Im very pleased with the Double Impact' s horn-like dynamics and appreciate that it doesn't have to come at the expense of the subsequent horn-loaded sonic aberrations that I find compromise their sound in a deleterious way. 
  The DIs are a very musical speaker when compared to analytical or hyper-detailed speakers such as a few Wilson's or B&W offerings. They image incredibly well with an exceptional soundstage height, width, and depth that leaves me wanting for nothing.  
  A big pet peeve of mine with regards to perceived sound quality is top-to-bottom coherence, something many speakers manage to fail at surprisingly often, some more than others (ie. Most lowered tiered Martin Logans as an egregious example...there, I said it =-P). 
  The DIs to my ears present a very coherent top-to-bottom sound which I suspect lends to their big and bold wall-of-sound presentation and it's sure to please and beguile the owners of electrostatic or planar magnetic speakers.
 The most two important things that must be present in spades for me to be satiated sonically and emotionally are micro-dynamics and palpability in the midrange.
  SET amps of good engineering will get you part of that equation only to have it nefariously raped and robbed by lesser or simply incompatible speakers. In my system, the DI's reproduce micro-dynamics and palpability in spades, and with startling delight, with all the accompanied emotional hair-raising, tear-jerking, and goose-bump inducing pleasure that comes with it.

  I'm very fortunate to have found this thread and the one on Audiokarma before going down the rabbit hole of spending 5-10 times more for a speaker that would provide nothing more to my enjoyment. For this reason, I applaud and kindly stand in ovation to those of you who pioneered the way and contributed to this thread which helped me find such a rare unicorn in the audio world; extremely high value with no audible compromise which lurks in these pages of this fine thread. 

Sincerely, 

Jonathan Carcopo
Raleigh, NC
Music lovers are always welcomed to my home for a listen!