I have dedicated audio room 14.5x20.5x9 ft. Currently have Marantz Reference CD/Intergrated paired to Magnepan 1.7's with REL T-7 subs. For the vast majority of music I love this system. The only nit pick is that it is lacking/limited in covering say below 35 hz or so. For the first time actually buzzed the panel with an organ sacd. Bummer. Thought of upgrading subs to rythmicks but then I will need to high pass the 1.7's. Really don't want to deal with that approach.
Enter the Double Impacts. Many interesting things here. Would certainly have a different set of strengths here. Dynamics, claimed bottom octave coverage in one package, suspect a good match to current electronics.
I've read all the threads here so we do not need to rehash that. Just wondering if others out there have FIRST HAND experience with these or other Tekton speakers
Hi Tom (Mac48025), I'm happy for you, it sure seems as though the Aric KT 88 SEP amplifier is going to be an excellent choice with your Double Impacts. I'm very interested to see what you think of them. If you don't mind I'll invite myself over to hear this pairing 😊😊. Charles
Vitop - Ribbon tweeters sound great and when integrated with cones, seem to provide wonderful air with dynamics, so going with the Tekton DI's as opposed to hybrid ribbon/cone speakers like the Salk HT2-TL or Legacy Signature for a bit more $ has been a tough pill to swallow. The Seas drivers used by Salk with RAAL ribbons are great and the "get what you pay for" feeling is ever present. Perhaps the sum of expensive parts in one speaker doesn't always have the synergy a well designed speaker has with cheaper components.
Listening to DI's has not materialized, unless someone in the L.A. area chimes in. My "case closed" comment was coming from a position of having read the entire thread full of rave reviews and feeling like I may be overshopping this. Your right though, I shouldn't just take your word for it. These forums have been fun but they really can take time. Valuable during upgrade season.
@brotw Thanks for the added perspective. It's very helpful. Always good to know and hear more about takeaways based on what we are communicating and reading in these posts. As all of us are different our interpretations will be different as well. In this case, I can see myself coming to the same conclusion as you did. As @vitop mentions, you'll have a really good feel for these aspects of the speaker for yourself, apparently in short order! : )
Like mac48025, I'm also using Herbie's Gliders. I went with the 1 inch length for the threaded Giant Gliders since I didn't need to adjust height or tilt and wanted stability...the Gliders are flush with the speaker base. If you want the flexibility for tilt and height, the 1.5 inch that Mac is using would be the way to go. I also find that raising the speakers off the floor improves bass.
I'm using a set of the non-threaded Giant Gliders under an isolation shelf. The speakers with the threaded Giant Gliders sit on this shelf/Glider combo.
@david_ten I was thinking taller feet as well as I had similiar results with some large Jamo Cornet 100's back in the 90s. There were no feet, so used brackets and JB weld with threaded rod and caps, a college upgrade. Bass tightened up nicely.
Your comment on doubling up the isolation with shelves and additional gliders had me recall the Townshend isolation speaker platforms. The price has me looking for other tweeks. Is your isolation shelf basic mdf or something fancy?
Thanks Charles. I'm hoping to make a number of system upgrades in the next couple of months so there will be plenty of reasons for you to stop by to listen. No need to invite yourself as you have an open invitation!
evolvist, I believe teajay is using the Sistrum speaker stands. Charles uses them also. They are sweet looking.
@brotw The shelf is a synthetic composite. Was a one-off isolation rack made by a Japanese company. The only reason I'm using them is because I have them and I may as well put them to use. I also have another one-off carbon-fiber with honeycombed-center shelves, but I don't believe they would support the weight.
I'm sure any isolation shelf / material that you find has been helpful in the past would work.
I've been in touch with Star Sound Technologies (they make the Sistrum and other platforms) to come up with a stable solution for my needs. Their platforms and isolation for speakers are well regarded and they have been a real pleasure to work with. The holdup has been getting a blue-print of the speaker base from Tekton which I hope to have soon.
Another option I'm considering, as a direct comparison to what the Herbie footers have delivered, is IsoAcoustics, specifically their Gaia speaker isolation devices/footers. They are slightly more expensive than my Herbie's solution (16 Gliders) vs 8 IsoAcoustics footers. I'll likely continue using the base shelf + Herbie Gliders with the IsoAcoustics threaded into the speaker base standing on the platform/footers. This will give me another inch of elevation over the current setup.
Other DI owners are happy with Soundocity outriggers, in case you want to explore this option.
@david_ten Those are all excellent suggestions. Now I remember writing off the Sistrum platforms due to potential instability near kids. I'm giving the Gaia feet a serious look, thanks for the lead. Just like mountain bike frames, a carbon fiber platform would provide significant high frequency absorption.
Funny how this topic has many similarities to plane wave antenna mode scattering with impedance matching (spiked feet) and ringing currents (cabinet vibrations). Unfortunately loss is rarely an antenna designers friend, but i digress.
Vitop - Hi Fi Destination in L.A. is a Legacy dealer near me and have been meaning to check them out. I'll stop by next time I'm in the vicinity which isn't too often. Raises my blood pressure.
I am in Knoxville,TN . If there is anyone out there , who would like to hear the Double Impacts with the upgrade LMK,The upgrade consists of : Cardas inputs, Mil-Spec internal wiring, ClarityCap within the tweeter section. Includes an oversized Jantzen or Erse Sledgehammer inductor (depending upon real-time availability) within the woofer section). I am also using the Excellent Rogue Audio ST-100 amp. It is the best amp that i have ever heard. It is perfect for the Double Impacts. I honestly do not know how it could get any better. It is Jaw-Dropping .
Hi Grey9hound, obviously you have a fantastic speaker and amplifier match for your needs, congratulations. An amplifier shoot-out I would love to hear driving the Double Impacts based on feedback on this thread. Rogue Audio ST 100. Line Magnetic 508ia. Aric Audio KT 88. Coincident Frankenstein MK II (based on my recent listening encounter) . This would be quite the listening experience in my opinion. Charles
What preamp are you using with the ST 100? I am thinking about picking up an ST 100 to compare to my Pioneer M-22. If I have a tube amp, I wonder if a tube preamp is really necessary.
I live in Franklin, TN and want the same opportunity! Want to split the cost on a new pair with each of us listening for a month? We can decide who keeps this pair and the other can decide if they want to buy a set after auditioning.
Grannyring, i think you might have misread grey9hounds post......or maybe I did. He already has the DI's and is extending an invitation for others in Tennessee to hear them, if I have it right. Nice gesture grey9hound.
So, just to confirm ,I live in Knoxville, TN I own the DIs and the Rogue Audio St-100 and I invite anyone who wants to come by,to stop and have a listen. Come on over Grannyring
@ porscheracer I am using a McIntosh MX151 Pre-amp.It comes with the Lyndorg Room Correction software.McIntosh calls it "RoomPerfect". It is Fantastic.
Cables used are Mostly Purist Audio design. I am using a pc with JRiver Media Center. I was using a usb to spdif converter It was USB (Purist AudioUltimate USB cable )out of the PC to the Musical Fidelity V-link2 (usb to spdif converter).Then the (Purist Dominus Digital) from there to the input on the MX151. I am now using HDMI out of the PC to the input of the Mx151. here is where i have a cheap hdmi ,and i am looking to get a new HDMI. Possibly the Purist Audio HDMI, The VooDoo Silverstream High-Speed HDMI 1.4e ,or the Wireworld Silver Starlight HDMI. Out of the MX151 to the St-100 amp is a Pair of Purist Audio Dominus Fluid XLR Interconnects.I have one each of the purist Audio Design Fluid Power Cable on the Mx151 and on the Rogue Audio St-100. I was using the Purist Dominus Fluid Speaker cables, but i sold them for $3000 and bought the Tekton Double Impacts with the upgraded cap and coil, and cardas binding posts . Right now i am using the Voodoo Audio Reference speaker cables ,but I also have a pair of Sonoran Desert Plateau speaker cables . these are made by Star Sound technologies. They also make the Sistrum Apprentice stands you guys have been talking about. A friend of mine uses the real big ones under his 12 inch Tannoys driven by a pair of MC30 Mac amps. The purist cables for sale is the Purist Audio Design Dominus Luminist Revision Digital RCA 1.5 meter Also the Purist Audio Design Ultimate USB Luminist revison 1 meter
Sorry, I knew you owned the DIs and had a brain fart. Read too fast. I would love to stop by and listen. I will contact you through Agon so we can determine a best day and time. Thank you so much!
I understand that completely , but my (MX151) doubles for 2 channel and Home Theater. Please don’t think that because it is a Pre/pro it is lacking as to compared to a 2 channel pre-amp ,because it is not. At a cost of 12,500 when new , it had better be good , and... it is. I had just talked to Chuck @ McIntosh Labs Friday. I had a called him to see which of the 2 channel pres might have a better DAC than the MX151, and out of all of them , he said that there was only one , and I cannot remember if it was the C2600 or the C52. That was only 1 out of all of them that Chuck Hinton ,thought was better, plus you get Lyngdorf room correction . Grannyring can tell you all about Lyngdorf and how well it works.
I haven’t a friggin’ clue, man. This week marks the 6th week since I ordered, the 4th week after I was told they would be ready, and also 4 weeks after it was said that the mini-Ulfs would be on the Tekton website.
So, what’s the over/under that these will take a total of 3 months to get to me? Haha!
I don't need the preamp to have a DAC, either. I want a 2 channel preamp that is only a 2 channel preamp.
I've been listening to my Pioneer M-22 amp all night. I have been playing different renditions of Rimsky-Korsakov's "Scheherazade" and some classic rock. I have to say that the M-22 and the speakers work extremely well together. I can't imagine an amp that would sound better. The depth and fullness of the sound is so musical yet there is great clarity and detail. The soundstage extends beyond the speakers. Today proved to me that the DI's are fantastic speakers. I've never heard anything like what I am hearing in my listening room.
Hoping to get some guidance on speaker placement from our DI owners here. I've been reading tutorials on speaker placement and acoustic treatments from Argen. They seem focused on studio monitor implementations with critical listening and accuracy the primary goal but also mention home theater and music.
What I'm concerned with is the "Speaker Boundary Interference Response". The only way to mitiigate this with full range speakers is to smash them up against the front wall avoiding any nulls in the bass response. (see null frequency vs. speaker from front wall equations). All these tips fly in the face of DI's "needing room to breathe".
Furthermore, the listening position needs to be atleast 10 feet or more from the back wall in their view. This leaves little wiggle room from the 38% from front wall listening position model.
Why does this speaker placement guidance run contrary to the idea of giving these speakers space? Maximum accuracy is good, right?
The advice I would give is simple--trust your ears! While I'm sure there are some valid points made in this guide, I for one would never listen to my DI's up against the front wall. Yes, you will have gains in low end extension at the cost of worse imaging, less depth and air.
About 1-2 mo ago several members placed there DI's up against the front wall just to see what affect it had on their performance.
But in the end trust your ears and go with what sounds best overall to you. And remember, there is no perfect and there are always compromises on every decision we make in our hobby
Will my Allnic T-1500 300B Integrated amp be a good match for the Tekton Double Impacts?
Some information about the Integrated amp: This 300B Integrated amplifier delivers 12.5 WPC in Pure Class A single ended style! Ruggedly built weighing in at 50 pounds, this 35dB gain powerhouse will drive most speakers of 90dB + efficiency to very comfortable sound pressure levels.
@lak - " Ruggedly built weighing in at 50 pounds, this 35dB gain powerhouse will drive most speakers of 90dB + efficiency to very comfortable sound pressure levels."
Yep, I think your last statement pretty much answered your question.
Yes we have several very good choices. The deHavilland UltraVerve 3 Preamplifier is a great 6sn7 choice. The First Sound Presence Deluxe Mk III Tube preamp for sale here is another 6sn7 great choice. It will sound better than the UltraVerve, but is now over 10 years old.
A used Audio Valve Eklipse Preamplifier would be the best choice sonically. Check and see if it is still available on US Audio Mart. This is not a 6sn7 preamp, but sounds remarkable. I love 6sn7s also, but the design is far more important than the tube employed.
Makes sense Corelli. Maybe an unconventional diagonal listening axis where the speakers are spread apart in front of a room corner. The possibilities are endless, oh joy. Simulation software could prove advantageous here. Thanks.
Received my DI's last week. Hooked them up and was not impressed. However, I just plopped them down where my previous stand mount speakers were. Thought I made a big mistake but decided to work with them to see what I could coax out of them. My previous speakers were a little dark and needed some lift so I chose various silver combination cables to lighten the mix. These did not go well with the DI's. Went thru one by one to get the best balance with other cables I have. This helped. The first amps used were SS CLAYTON Audio M70's. Nice class A amps and generally have a warmer presentation but somehow didn't seem to be a good match. So I pulled out the COINCIDENT Frankenstein 300B amps. MUCH better. Now we're starting to get somewhere. The 300B's have no problem driving them. I am in the process of moving them around to find the best placement / integration with my room. It's a work in progress but making improvements The speakers seem to be starting to break in and loosen up. The 60 day trial period should be more than enough time to break them in and tweak my system. Will keep you posted on the progress.
A great SS preamp for reasonable money used, under $1000, is the Bel Canto Pre 3. Absolutely wonderful. Neutral in the best way and so smooth! !
For more money the Rowland Capri in it’s various versions is very good indeed. About $1800 - $2100 used.
For or even more money, one of the best preamps available tube or SS at any price, is the Tom Evans Vibe with Pulse power supply. Stunning preamp that defies labels of tube or SS sound. Dead quiet and so musical. Sheer absence of noise is a revelation.
Charles brought over his Frankenstein 300B monoblocks and we both thought they sounded amazing driving my DI's. The DI's are very transparent and will translate whatever is put upstream of them so keep experimenting with different cables and hopefully you'll find the sound you're looking for. Good luck.
The Plinius SA103 arrived today and happy to say I was able to get the behometh down stairs without a slipped disc. After a good while of warm up getting to the toasty class A temps it sounds absolutely incredible. A tube like warmth but with speed and bass slam that makes you realize what the DI's can do on the bottom end.
If you can find this 10K amp at a reasonable used price like I did it's well worth pairing with the DI's. At 125 watts per channel it has way more power than I need and draws 500 watts continuously in class A. It does however have a switch to change to class AB which I will use when in HT mode.
im sticking with this setup at least until the next new LTA amp comes out.
Hi jadedavid, Does your Frankenstein MK II have 4 and 8 ohm speaker taps? If so which are you using? My Frankenstein MK II is an earlier model which had 8 and 16 ohm taps. As Mac wrote they were exceptionally good with his DIs using the amplifier 8 ohm tap.
If you do have a 4 ohm tap how does it compare to the 8 ohm tap?
Lak, I can't imagine that you would have any issues at all using your Allnic 300b SET with the Double Impacts. In fact I strongly suspect that this pairing will sing as this is an easy speaker load. This has been confirmed numerous times on this lengthy thread. Your Allnic SET isa very high quality amplifier. Charles
Charles1dad, I have the original model also, not the MK11. So mine is the same as yours. I do have the V-Cap mod as per (Salvatore)sp? When I first fired up the speakers they sounded very dis-jointed. Like two different speakers in one box competing against each other. As they are starting to break in the drivers are beginning to gel with each other. Only have about 25 hrs on them. Plus, my dedicated basement room is acoustically cursed. I have been working on it for years. It keeps getting better. I was almost ready to call in a Shaman or have an exorcism or something but instead I ripped out the drop ceiling, exposing the floor joist and this has partially appeased the acoustical gods for the time being.
kdude66, Uhh, that was a rhetorical statement on my part. I knew in the first minute as well. The DI's kind of propel one to make tweaks for even more engaging sound especially since one can hear every little change. That is what makes it fun! Greg
Jadedavid, I have the earliest MK II version (2009) with the stainless steel chassis. Coincident switched to the 4/8 ohm speaker taps about 3 or 4 years ago. As for the first stage coupling capacitor I went with the Jupiter copper foil instead of the V Cap. You can not go wrong with either choice.
In my opinion you have an excellent audio system foundation with your Frankenstein and Double Impact combination. This is a very good speaker. Charles
Any suggestions on a tube amp, other than the obvious three that get a lot of play here? I'm closing in on a choice and want to make sure I haven't missed anything, especially an amp that may not have been mentioned in this thread.
@david_ten - I've gotten to know Vinnie Rossi over the years. He built a battery based integrated for me a few years ago that was excellent. I've heard his new LIO a number of times and can't help but think it would be a great match with the Double Impacts. Also, the oldie but goodie Decware offerings are a solid choice for high efficiency speakers.
If you go the Decware route I have a like new Torii MKIV I'd make you a good deal on but to be honest, as far as I'm concerned, the MZ2 sounds MUCH better.
The LIO looks very intriguing. Vinnie Rossi has some interesting products. I ordered his mini Pure DC-4EVR power supply for my MZ2 and am looking forward to hearing what difference it makes. As far as other tube amps I can't help as I'm sold on the Aric Audio SET KT 120 and will be ordering it Friday. I'll be getting the Concert Fidelity 040-BD DAC from Audio Archon in the next few days also. Once I get the CEC TL3.0 cd transport, I'll have the same system as teajay.....or at least the DI version of it. Imitation is the sincerest form of flattery.
Knowing what you currently have and seems to me that you are happy with the sound but may want a different flavor.
My thoughts are to go with a tube set or sep design such as a Aric audio custom build optimized for the Kt-150 tube only,should have 25 to 30 watts and could be built as mono's. Another choice might be to find a stereo or mono version of a set that uses the 845 tube.No brands that may meet your budget come to mind off hand but if you are willing to buy slightly used there might be more choices.
I can't really advise you too much with your front end choices,I'm a ole analog guy and still learning about all this new digital stuff.
My Aric audio amp has been shipped and I should get it Friday and should have a better opinion of his gear after a few days of using it.
Cant wait to hear your impressions of the new amp. I came close to going with the same amp but opted for the SET KT 120 as I'll have the Consonance 2A3 to play with. Aric is a joy to deal with, as I'm sure you know.
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