Building the Audio Note Kit 1 SET amp...

Tubegroover,
I get the strong impression that the Tekton Lore could be a very viable alternative to a large horn speaker, Based on Mikirob's real life experiences and numerous reviews available. Of course their are other strong options(Audio Note speakers, but these are more money). Let's face it, as a diverse group of audiophiles, there is going to be no universal final agreement. I wouldn't expect it any other way.

Mikirob, you and your wife are going to be in music lover's heaven with those three rooms, what a delight!
I believe Rebbi received better sound with his amp than even he expected(just a gut feeling). Okay Rebbi we're all ready to read part 2 of your listening sessions.
Charles,

Charles,
Working all weekend, as usual. Hoping to have something posted tonight or tomorrow. Stay tuned!

I always understood the latest discussion was about dynamics and not loudness. Being a bass player in Rock Bands as well as performing as a studio musician for a limited time I know dynamics and slam. I think that the Tim Smith articles on dynamics with the Tektons mirror my own experiences with the Tektons and low power tube amps including SET; they do dynamics startling well. If you want concert-level volume and dynamics in a normal house, or room have at it, pay the price of admission and be done with it.

What we are discussing here is a family man with about 11x10 listening room, and like most people with a family, limited resources to allocate to the high-end of audio. I believe Rebbi has done a stellar job separating the chaff from the wheat demonstrating remarkable ability to put together an Everyman high-end system. We truly need more of that example.

Suggestion for speakers ought to be of high quality all around, that best fit
in with creating a properly balanced, synergistic system that also fits a budget.

My audio bias falls in the camp of tone, tone, more tone, timbre, natural musical flow, richness, liquid sounds that get a piano right, as well as all the other instruments, just like real accoustic life, a good stage, coherence, natural decay, PRAT, male and female voice front and center with height and dimentionality, as well as all the other goodies. If I miss a smidgen of slam, ok, it costs too much, but the Tektons amongst others come close, very close. So given the goody bag cost which do you prefer to lose?

Mikirob, great post and it could be these Tektons would be perfect. They are certainly affordable. Perhaps they are worth a trial.

It's not about music being loud. Distortion always seems louder due to noise. The issue is the contraction and constriction of dynamics that come way before clipping. My 97db efficient, 12 ohm Coincident speakers played loud enough for me, but not well enough over a period of time. Gorgous music to be sure, but in the end the music was limited to jazz and vocals.

It took time for me to notice this and more importantly, other more powerful amps made that easily apparent. You can get loud in your little room, but not the kind of expansive, at ease, fully dynamic sound that is possible with a better suited amp. Sure, you get beauty and tone with the right kinds of music, but not the full experience with many kinds of music.

The right speaker for the amp will also work, but it also has to be the right speaker for Rebbi. It will be interesting to see where he lands. More than one way to accomplish a bit more flexibility in his system. All good points thus far.