Tekton Double Impacts

Hi Charles,

Micheal's preamp and amplifier are VAC tube gear.  Yes, it will be interesting what his experience will be.

Forgot to share the following:

1)  Ran the experiment of using the Micro-ZOTL as an integrated amplifier driving the Ulf's.  It was great, just like on the DI's with the added benefit of more headroom/volume when needed!  Again , this shows that the Ulf's are more efficient then the DI's.

2)  Took the Micro-ZOTL out of the reference system and replaced it with a very good tube based preamp that I use in my second system to drive the 2A3 amp.  This validated my assumption that the synergy between the Micro-ZOTL ( the powerful macro-dynamics-see through transparency-3D imaging-overall speed) and the Triode Lab 2A3 amplifier(gorgeous color/timbres-"meat on the bones" imaging) is what leads to the best combination for my ear's driving either the DI's or Ulf's.  The system minus the Micro-ZOTL lacked the dynamics/life and sounded soft and took the aliveness out of the listening experience.

I wish all you DI's proud owners could hear this combination in your system, it will play at very high volume levels, is totally grain-less, accentuates the aliveness of the DI's/Ulf's, vivid 3D imaging and produces the most beautiful tonality/colors I have ever experienced.  

Terry,
It seems that the Triode Labs 2A3 amplifier/Ulfberths impressed your three experienced visitors in the large listening space. Nonetheless I suspect  the 3 watt power specification is a formidable barrier for "some" to overcome regardless of the touted sublime sound quality.
Charles

Ditto, Charles!  =) 

Hey Charles,

I do not use a DB meter to see how loud the loudest passages are when playing music.  However, even massive pipe organ played at volume levels that pressurize my very large space are easily achieved with this combo.  I get that owners that use the DI's in home theater systems are not going to use either piece in their systems. However, if you are driving a two channel music system there would be no rational reason not to least audition this combo.  On at least three occasions, two with the DI's and one with the Ulf's, my guest listener swore they were listening to at least a 100 watt amp because of the control of the bottom end and the volume levels achieved on big band and rock music like Radio Head with no compression/attenuation at all.

So, if there is a psychological barrier I hope individuals would get past this power rating nonsense which Eric's speakers really bypass because you can drive them so easily, unlike many other full range box enclosure designs that do need watts/current to perform.