Tekton Double Impacts

Thanks for such a thorough and enlightening review Walter. Like you I find something magical about the DI's that keeps drawing me in. My comparison with the Legacy Focus SE was easy for me as dynamics play an important part in my listening enjoyment and I've not heard a speaker yet that beats the DI in that department......yet I'm sure they are out there.  What makes the DI so special to me is that it's so much more than a dynamic speaker. The immersive wall of sound they create draws me into the music. Your Daedelus/DI battle sounds neck and neck but given more time I believe the DI's will win out.....they are addictive! With the automotive paint I find the DI's to be attractive but obviously not the furniture grade look that Daedelus does so well. I have a WyWires PowerBroker that Daedelus builds the body for, sweet wood work. My Legacys were done in Ash Burl and that was difficult to give up. 

Good luck choosing coming to your final decision, it's not easy I know. The good news is that no matter your choice you'll end up with an amazing pair of speakers. I must admit that one of my biggest hurdles to overcome when choosing the DI's over the Legacys was price. How could a speaker at nearly a quarter of the price sound better? I'm so glad I chose the DI's, especially since I'm having so much fun driving them with the one watt LTA MZ2......musical bliss. 

Chris (Waltersalas), thanks very much for the thoroughness not only of your report, but especially for the thoroughness of the comparisons you have been performing between these two fine speakers.  Your opinions always have extremely high credibility in my book, and in this case certainly help to validate the many very positive comments others have provided about the DIs.  As well as adding an exclamation point (or three) to the remarkable value the DIs represent at their price point.

 As Mac said just above, "the good news is that no matter your choice you'll end up with an amazing pair of speakers."  In my own case, given that the comparison seems to be a close one, with each speaker having mostly subtle pluses and minuses relative to the other, and given also that my listening room is my living room, appearance would be the overriding consideration (that being equally important to both me and my wife).  (I chose the same quartersawn white oak option for my Ulysses as you did, btw).

But again, the huge price differential between the two speakers further reinforces the remarkable achievement the DIs represent.

Thanks again.  Best regards,
-- Al
        

Hi Walter, 
Thank you for such a well written and insightful listening comparison of what I believe are two excellent speakers.  The Daedalus Ulysses is a known standard of high achievement and deservingof the high regard it's held in.  

This is why I was very interested in what you heard in your system with the terrific Line Magnetic 508ia amplifier.  I've followed your posts over the years and value your taste and listening impressions. I'm not surprised that this is a very close and competitive battle and that each speaker has certain advantages.  

Based on your comments the Double Impacts are extraordinarily dynamic yet at the same time nuanced and possessing finesse. This is certainly an example of where one of these speakers could be preferred over the other based purely on specific taste. 

No doubt in my mind that both sound superb with that 805 tubed SET  amplifier of yours 😊
Charles 

Walter,

Your absolutely right nothing does come easy in audio,I enjoyed reading your tough but enjoyable comparison of 2 really good sounding speakers.

My comparsion with my DI's vs my Zu audio def 4's was much easier even though I know really my 2 different sets of speakers are more like comparing apples to oranges.

But I will sale the Zu's and get something else for my 2nd system,my ultimate goal is too have a really nice solid state system and a really nice tube based system.

Even though the DI's are a very dynamic speaker with outstanding bass qualities without being bombastic,what I like most is the lightness,quickness,very engaging coherent midrange and upper frequencies that to my ears just present such a at ease type of balance.I'm hearing inner detail and nuances with some of my favorite recordings that I have never heard before and like you said for your experiences It's only a few degrees but It does get me closer to the music and makes it that much more enjoyable.

Another quality I like is the DI's are early risers and certainly don't need much volume and they retain their good sound qualities when pushed harder,I realize it can be system dependent.

If I were you and could just keep both I think I would,if I remember correctly the Ulysses has been discontinued unfortunately.


Best,

Kenny.

The Ulysses is still listed as a Daedalus offering it isn't under the discontinued list.