Tekton Double Impacts

@ccc8282 

People on this thread have consistently recommended giving the DI's "room to breathe" by allowing several feet from the front and sidewalls to achieve optimal sound. Since that is not an option for you, I would recommend auditioning the Lyngdorf TDAI-2170, primarily for its room correction. When using that system, part of the set up advises you to move the speakers within a few inches from the front wall. It's my belief that you could achieve optimal, uncompromised sound despite your limitations. As another bonus, the magic of this unit to achieve this optimal sound: Use it to replace your DAC, preamp and power amp as well. 

Hey Everybody,

Now that my review on Elfberht's has been posted I want to share some information on my experience with amplifiers driving them, along with the DI/DI SE's.

1)  My favorite combo (s) on the DI/DI SE's are the LTA Micro-ZOTL / Triode Lab SET 2A3, retails for $3,900.00 and LTA Micro-ZOTL/ AricAudio SET KT-88, retails for $2,100.00.  The 2A3 amplifier gives you a touch, and I do mean just a touch, more warmth and "meat on the bones" in the mid-range then the SET KT-88, which still has just a beautiful tonality in this very important frequency range, but Aric's SET KT-88 bests it in overall macro-dynamics and bass extension/control.  If you only listen to acoustic music you will be thrilled with the 2A3 amplifier; however, if you listen to all kinds of music (rock, blues, heavy metal, big music pieces) along with acoustic jazz then I would recommend the SET KT-88 amplifier.

2)  When I took the ZOTL/2A3 combo to power the Ulf's I still loved the tonality/colors, and image density. However there was a problem with the spatial dimensions regarding that the music seemed to be coming from just in front of speakers and lacking depth/width.  The Ulf's did not do the magical disappearing act like its smaller siblings easily do.  However, when I put the AricAudio SET KT-88 amplifier in the system I still got the great purity of tonality, 3D imaging of a SET design and then these big son of a gun speakers vanished in to a giant realistic layered sound-stage like a small reference level two way monitor does!

3)  The only other SET amplifier that I auditioned that produced about the same level of performance across the board as Aric's SET KT-88 was a pair of SET 300b mono-blocks that retail for $9,000.00.  To tube this amplifier "the right way" to get to this level of performance with NOS tubes, which I have in my own personal collection, would about another $1,500.00 for the pair.  In Aric's amplifier to get great performance a pair of NOS RCA black plate triple mica 5751's, along with a pair of JJ Blue glass KT-88's comes out to about $200.00.   

AS I stated on this thread already we have another Aric who goes on my short list of creative designers building high quality, great performing gear at such reasonable prices.    
 

@teajay , you will need to review some more gear soon. I stopped in at Linear Tube Audio today and saw some cool stuff coming. The new ZOTL10 MK2 is already on the web site and it is a completely different animal from the first version, with a Linear power supply and other changes Mark has made makes it sound like the MZ2 alone but with 10 watts.

Also the integrated 10watt amp is almost ready but the most interesting thing I saw was a prototype of a full size and function cost no object preamp. I always have fun when I stop in there especially when I’m supposed to be working.

Wow, no matter how many times I call and ask for the grills I paid for from Tekton I can't seem to get them! WTF?

Just say you don't sell them and return the Money?