Tekton Double Impacts

@ recluseI ran a similar test with my DI's.  I had strong response down to 30hz (cabinet tuning frequency) with a dip from around 50hz.  I suspect this was a function of my room/preferred speaker/listening position more than anything.  I am surprised you did not get more low end extension as my speakers are well out into the room.  ? your amp.
@snovosel The DI's are very flexible regarding amplifier choice.  Yes, a tube amp with a high output impedance could be hit or miss depending on your taste, room, etc.  I find that my DI's perform beautifully with my SS Marantz Reference gear.  The sound is very well sorted out, crescendos have great control and impact, and it just draws me into the music.  I would never characterize the sound as cold or clinical--quite the contrary.  Very musical and with emotion.  I have also used several PP tube amps with great results.  My preference would be dictated by the type of music/recording to be honest. Would love to try a nice 300b SE integrated. I'm sure I would love it with some music, but suspect I would miss the low end impact and control of SS. So it's hard to go wrong.  Suggest you start with the type of amp that has brought you the most pleasure based on your past experience.

I’m running the NAT Audio Transmitter monoblocks with my DI SE and couldn’t be happier. The soundstage is huge, the images are layered with natural depth, the high frequencies and midrange are lush yet resolving and the bass is deep and tight.

@david_ten Included in the DI shootout are Spatial Audio M3 Triode Master and B&W 702 S2.

Will be driving it with PrimaLuna Dialogue HP Premium power amp (EL 34) and PrimaLuna Dialogue Premium preamp (wide assortment of 12au7 -- Mullard, TeleF, Brimar, Ciftie, stock).

Content is delivered via vinyl on a VPI Prime, w/2 3d arms outfitted with Dynavector XX2 and Ortofon Cadenza mono, via SoundSmith MCP2 phonopre; via digital through a Rocketfish bluetooth dongle by way of either Android or iPhone/iPad; via SACD through a SONY drive. Vinyl is typically (but not always) either original pressings and/or the newer 180g releases but in all cases I run them through an ultrasonic cleaner before use.

I’d have to double check but I believe that my interconnect cables are the ones <$100 purchased from Magnolia at Best Buy. Speaker cables are #10 Monoprice.

Room dimensions are 28x16x8, drywalled, carpeted, drop ceiling, no treatment; speakers facing into the long run, however this room is separated by a structural beam and so I have only half the space for listening. I’d like to try to post some images so that you can see the actual layout although it’s unclear how I’d do that.

Musical tendency leans toward vocal harmony groups and solos with decent (sometimes complex) instrumentation: Beach Boys, Beatles, Mamas & Papas, Turtles, Shirelles, Zombies, Ventures, Adele, Shadows, Dick Dale, Nat King Cole, Sinatra, ABC, B-52s, Go-Gos, Bow Wow Wow, Zeppelin, Elvis Costello, Gary Numan, Siouxie, Classics IV, et al.

I rarely play above 85db, most sessions are in the 68-78db range.

I read T. London’s review of the Pass Labs AX25 and Linear Audio ZOTL40 (when combined with the LTA pre) and he used a phrase that connected with me -- "palpability of individual players" during playback. He expressed in words the sensation that I would seek to recreate.

Hello folks, I' ve been keeping up with this thread since the beginning.
Has anyone with the DI's purchased the 8 ohm version?
Also, I see that some of you are running SET 845's, do they run in 4 and 8 ohms?
Lastly, can anyone elaborate any differences in sound between 4 or 8 ohm, or
advantages to having either.
Thanks all,
Sully

@snovosel Thanks for the additional information. It provides a ton of context and feel for your priorities.

Spatial Audio was also under consideration when I went with the Double Impacts. The only head to head in-home comparison I made was with Volti Audio Rivals (which are terrific speakers).

Your approach is commendable and I, and I am sure others, look forward to learning about your takeaways and comparative findings.

This may sound ’different or unusual’ but I’ve been able to take the SEs out of the equation and focus on what’s upstream. It’s a statement of faith in and commitment to, and a testament to how good the SEs are. In other words, I don’t think about the SEs...I hope those reading understand what I’m trying to communicate.

The reason for sharing the above is to point out the value in being able to focus on all that is ahead of the SEs (and the DIs) and to answer your original post on amplification pairings.

Your Primaluna separates will pair well!!! However,...

....if you can borrow or loan amps from audio friends or dealers, I would experiment to get a feel for how the different amps work within your system. I think you will find that once you have a week or two on the DIs they will showcase the differences between your current setup and anything else you bring in. I also recommend running LF sections from movie soundtracks to get a feel for the bass.

I realize, from your post, that you may not be into cables...however, in my experience (thanks to @dlcockrum for assisting me in this area) I found that cabling did help demonstrably with BASS response (and in a number of other areas).

I did see your specific thread on the Pass XA-25 (I have the XA-30.8) vs the Zotl40. Given how new the XA-25 is, and the fact that both amps lean towards being more ’cognoscenti’ amps I doubt you will get much direct and especially head to head comparative feedback. Your best bet is to reach out directly via PM to Terry @teajay who has been very open and generous in his support.