2. speakers
  3. 136287-23122

Match Amp w/Tekton Design Lore

I recently purchased a pair of Tekton Design Lore speakers. I made this move because of all the reviews about how well they work with tubes. I'm using these with a variant of the YAQIN MC-100B Integrate. This unit has been upgrade with some "better" internals.My issue is, although the Tektons sound okay, they leave me somewhat underwhelmed. The Integrate puts out 60 watts per in UL & 30 watts per in Triode. It runs the speakers in Triode but I've found that the speakers need the higher wattage of UL. Being a 98 db efficiency speaker, I thought that even the 30 tube watts would drive the speakers with ease. They do drive them but I can turn volume ALL the way up and still could go louder. (I'm using KT 88 Gold Lion power tubes) Yes, I have enough hours on the speakers to break them in. I do not listen at ear drum breaking levels but it's just lacking in overall quality of sound. My B&W bookshelves sound great with this amp and they are much less efficient not to mention only a 6.5 inch main speaker.
So I guess I'm asking if anyone has experienced a need for these Lore speakers to be matched with a higher output amp? Sure, 30 tube watts drive them but, for me, leave something to be desired.
wcc10
wcc10 OP
119 posts
 
I should add that I was hoping the Lores would be somewhat dynamic, maybe not as much as the bookshelves but even on Triode they don't have much of a sound stage. Maybe I'm expecting too much?
jond's avatar
jond
5,740 posts
 
Since you don't mention it did you try running the amps in UL mode? And if so to what result? I don't really know your amp or the rest of you system it sounds like a gain issue not a wattage issue.
snapsc
669 posts
 
How about a few more details... what source are you using?  Room size.  Distance apart.  Distance out from walls. 

I have the lores...10’ apart. 30” out from the walls. Driven by an oppo 205 into a belles 22a tube hybrid pre into a halo a23 poweramp with a powersound audio s1500 sub to fill in the bottom.  At 12’ back at the listening position @85 dB the soundstage is massive and deep... and the sound is refined, powerful and musical... and I doubt I’m using more than 3-4 watts of actual amplifier power. 
kalali's avatar
kalali
1,977 posts
 
"They do drive them but I can turn volume ALL the way up and still could go louder."

I have no personal experience with Lore but given their spec of 98dB/1w/1m @ 8 ohms, you should be able to drive them very loud, e.g.,   98dB, with only a handful of watts in a reasonably sized room/listening distance. And assuming you're using the same source/cable/volume setting, your comparison with the B&W makes it even more intriguing. Something is not adding up, maybe the 98dB spec is bogus.
More to discover