Tekton Double Impacts

Teajay, what preamp did you use with the Carvers and BHK's? In my system, neither amp really came alive until I paired it with an excellent preamp. They hardly sound sterile in my setup.

Milpai, if you are a pianist, you definitely can tell a piano's make by it's tone. A Steinway does not sound like a Bosendorfer, for example. It takes a really good speaker to reveal this, though, which the Ulf's did.

Hi Jeffrey,

The Carver amps were driven by the Concert Fidelity tube based reference, a great sounding piece, and the BHK's were driven by two excellent SS preamps and a very high level Purity tube based preamp.  I don't know what you mean by "alive".  If you mean overall macro-dynamics, both amps are OK in that area.  They both fall short in color/tonality and in image palpability.  When I reviewed the Carver amps the SS Pass Labs had more liquidity and better air around individual players then the tube based Carvers.  I really found nothing special about the BHK amplifier, it was quite run of the mill sounding compared to most SS amps on todays market.  Neither was my cup of sonic tea.  I could also speculate that some of the "the image was right on top of me" is not the room or the speakers, but  the nature of the amplifier.  Because you can use very low powered SET amps because of the nature of Eric's speakers have you ever tried any of these types of amplifiers?  The most unpleasant I have heard the DI's sound as been when they are driven by high power SS amps, some what in your face PA system type of presentation.  So easy to drive, but total conduits which expose any short coming in the upstream gear.  They sounded great with excellent SS amps like Accuphase and Pass Labs XA-60.8 which sound much different then your BHK's.  

Terry:

I have a question but it concerns multi-channel SS amps. I know you do some of that but a lot of what you do is 2 channel. I was going to go with a NAD M27 amp for my HT. Have you run across any multi-channel amps that fall into the category of the Tektons in the sense of comparing to much higher priced equipment for a lower price?
Any other recommendations other than the M27?

Thanks

Hi vitop,

I wish I could be helpful, however I have never had a multi-channel amplifier in any of my systems which are two channel based not HT.  Hopefully, someone else with that knowledge/experience on this thread could answer your question.

Teajay, 
As someone who has had the good fortune to hear many varieties of power amplifiers over the years I must compliment you on your comments above.   In all candor  we probably hear in a very similar manner just as we have quite similar taste in music. 

Your description of the sound of the amplifiers you've listened to driving the Double Impacts is exceptionally insightful.  It really does seem to me that given the design and easy drive nature of these speakers that high quality SET would be an ideal match. For example my knowledge of the Canary amplifier would suggest the superb results that your listening impressions confirm. 

I appreciate your very respectful tone toward Jeffrey and his preferred amplifiers.  There's absolutely no doubt that we as individuals hear things differently and must choose what we find most suitable for ourselves.  Thankfully the Double Impacts allow this flexibility of choice. 

Triode Labs 2A3 and Canary 300b SET amplifiers no doubt sound as fantastic as you describe.  This continues to be a very informative and very friendly thread. 
Charles