Tekton Double Impacts

Just wanted to share,

My hunch all along was that the superlative sound I was getting with the Triode Lab SET 2A3 amplifier was based on the synergy between it and the Micro-ZOTL preamplifier.  The 2A3 provided the timbres/colors, "meat on the bones" imaging and the ZOTL provided the dynamics/speed and the special spatial dimensions.

I now have tried running the 2A3 with three very good tube based line-stages on the Ulf's and the "magic" was greatly reduced in the areas of PRAT/speed, overall dynamics, and a much flatter sound-stage quality.  So, this validates that it's the combo's synergy that gets you the magic I kept reporting.

I'm also coming to the conclusion that the AricAudio SET KT-120, with KT-88's instead of  the stock 120's, is a better match for the Ulfberht's then the 2A3 amplifier.  Aric's amplifier opens up the sound-staging ability of the Ulf's to a much higher degree and is very close, if not a clone, of the beautiful timbres/tonality of the 2A3 tube sound.  Nothing is quiet as "wet" or colorful as the 2A3 sound, however with NOS RCA triple mica black plate 5751's as driver tubes and the JJ KT-88 blue glass tubes the AricAudio SET is not far off in these areas.  The match of the Triode Lab/Micro-ZOTL is still my favorite for the DI's that seem to not struggle with this combo in the area of a total open sound-stage and disappearing in that sound-stage.  

  

David, somewhere in this very long thread I thought I read that these speakers were better at creating the illusion of a live music performance rather than scalpel sharp detail reproduction. The comments about the speakers being revealing of upstream components and being a perfect conduit should have clued me in to the clarity capabilities. No doubt there are better drivers waiting for the SE version.

Apparently Vitop thinks there is plenty of precision, case closed for me. Sure would have been easier with a speaker demo. No doubt this thread was valuable for choosing an amp.

Anyone using the Herbies threaded or giant threaded stud gliders with the DI's? What size and recommended length? Sorry if this has been covered already.

THAN vs. THEN


There’s nothing more embarrassing then correcting someone’s language only to realize that your correction contains its own error. Like maybe the one in our first sentence. Did you see it? That harmless little four-letter word then. It should have been than.

People get tripped up on then and than all the time—and why not? They look and sound so similar, and both words function as linguistic workhorses—then is most often an adverb, while than is usually a conjunction—which means that we mostly use them to connect more obviously significant nouns, verbs, and adjectives.

The way to keep the pair straight is to focus on this basic difference: than is used when you’re talking about comparisons; then is used when you’re talking about something relating to time.

Than is the word to choose in phrases like smaller than, smoother than, and further than. And it’s the word that follows other, rather, less, and more.

Then—the option to choose when time is involved—fits in the phrases just then and back then, and after words like since and until. It’s also in the phrases and then some, every now and then, and even then.

Let us not forget about there, their and they're :)

brotw,
I use the Herbies Giant Gliders with the DI's and like them a lot. I bought the 1 1/2" length due to my basement floor being uneven and therefore needing the extra length to properly level the speakers. I had the Focus SE's when I purchased the DI's and never looked at other speaker options......except for the DI SE's which I hope to order soon. The mini Ulfs are intriguing to me also. 

Teajay,
Thanks once again for sharing your experiences with us. They've been invaluable to me in deciding what gear to use with my DI's. The MZ2 has been a joy, especially with good NOS tubes and I'll be ordering the Aric Audio SET KT 120 on Monday........I have the JJ Blue Glass and the Golden Dragon Retro's on the way already. I should be getting the Vinnie Rossi mini Pure DC-4EVR power supply for the MZ2 pretty soon also. Fun, fun, fun. 

brotw:
I’m not trying to be funny here (and maybe you were just being sarcastic (hard to tell with just the written word), but you should not have a "case closed" just because I think there is a lot of precision. That is me, not you. You should hear them yourself, but when a speaker reveals small upstream changes (which many people have been able to hear), I just don’t know how it can do that unless it can allow you to hear the small details. I heard them heads up against that ribbon tweeter in the Focus (which I think is a spectacular tweeter btw), and thought the DI was right there if not even a little better. And this is coming from a guy that loves ribbons. I own a set of electrostats for my HT and a pair of Apogee ribbons for my speakers. So I don’t typically prefer domed tweeters to ribbons. I can’t think of the last time I did. It’s just characteristic of me. I like the openness, clarity and revealing sound of the ribbons. Yet I went with the Tektons. But again, you need to compare yourself. I don't want to put words in your mouth, but the only thing that I remember reading on the live music vs anything to do with precision, was that I believe that someone (may several people) said that the speaker is musical, revealing but not revealing in a clinical way. Maybe that was what stuck in your mind? Not sure. But heck... when you listen to them you may in fact feel that they are not precise.... It's whatever you hear that really matters.