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Tekton speakers with Ribbon / AMT ??

Anyone out there have any Tekton speakers with either ribbon or AMT tweeter?? Uruz owners perhaps?

I have finally decided to order a pair of Encore loudspeakers. Upgrading from the Double Impacts. 

I've been back and forth as to which speaker to order. Encore vs. Moab. vs Ulfberht......Well, I had a chance to talk to Eric at Tekton the other day. I asked about Beryllium tweeter on the Encore and he certainly can make that happen. At that time, he brought up the idea of using a ribbon tweeter.  I have seen zero examples of his larger speakers with that tweeter installed. He seemed very confident in the ability to integrate it into the design. I enjoyed the enthusiasm, so much so that it prompted me to go for it. Experimental blood in my veins I guess. 

That being said, I am curious if there are other individuals out there with Tekton speakers with ribbon tweeters?  and what their take might be. Impressions? Downsides? Yes, I realize the standard design is fantastic. But I'm a tinkerer at heart. Willing to try things unseen, unheard assuming the risk isnt too much. 

Eric said he could use two different brand drivers. Fountek, and Mundorf. Both very linear responses. Both something he felt very east to integrate into the current design. Mundorf being the bees knees, but at an additional cost. 


So, bottom line,  I gave him the green light to go to crazy and use the Mundorf driver and see what kinda unique loudspeaker he could create.  

Also, side note.....I guess a true ribbon tweeter is not exactly AMT?? Casually interchangeable terms? Not exactly sure the specifics as to why thy aren't the same.  

But I'm so damm curious how he can integrate this into his current Encore design that I'm willing to try it out. 

audiophile adventure proceeds
128x128whacky
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mapman's avatar
mapman
22,588 posts
 
Goldenear Aon3 are one model using folded ribbon tweeter I am familiar with. The sound was very “polite”.  Nothing there likely offensive to most. 
Flip side is my understanding is most folded ribbon tweets are very directional.  I know some makers won’t use them for that reason but obviously others do. 
Use in the Tekton array is a unique case.  Surely Eric knows what to expect there I would think or he wouldn’t suggest it.  If it works you would think he might offer it as an option or even design some models to use them by default though cost would likely have to go up. 
I had Heil AMT speakers many moons ago.      The problem back then is they were easily fried but I expect modern technology would alleviate that by now. 
millercarbon's avatar
millercarbon
12,531 posts
 
He's been slammed with orders pretty much nonstop for at least a year now. Summer usually is slower but not this year. 

My Moab story started similar to yours only with the better Ulfberht tweeters. All was fine until build day and the reality hits that any one different thing like a tweeter requires a complete redesign of the crossover network.  

In hindsight I was a fool to believe anyone even as fertile a genius as he is can just slap some new tweeters in and have it be better like I imagine in my naive little mind. That one little change means a significant re-engineering of crossover network, not to mention baffle and bracing. Inside mine at that same location is a brace that fits right around the tweeter. Different tweeter, different brace. On and on the ripples flow out from this one seemingly simple change. 

I would get the standard parts upgrades. Caps, wires, binding posts. Leave the rest alone. When you hear them you will know why. Freaking awesome. 

whacky's avatar
whacky OP
53 posts
 
@millercarbon yup. I have a feeling the situation you described with your Moabs has a high likelihood of happening with this custom build. Worst case, If things don’t seem to be working out when the time comes to actually build the speakers, I will gladly change directions and take either the stock Encore or the Be tweeter. I’m fairly certain I won’t be disappointed either way and im expecting added time and / or hassle with it. It’s that early adopter mindset. Gotta be comfortable knowing things may not go as planned. I’m cool with that.  
I did think to myself when he was mentioning the option that it’ll likely take more work to get it right with the internals just based on the fact that it’s not the standard design. Ie crossover design, etc. But who knows. It very well may be easier for him just the same. 
@squeek I did not ask too many specifics concerning the placement, size, positioning. However, there was also nothing said about how it would drastically chance his array positioning. I doubt he is going to go to great lengths to change the cabinet design. Not unless it’s a quick and easy modification. My assumption at the end of the call was it would likely be a direct swap or very close to it. 
The Fountek be mentioned appeared to be a circular shape roughly the same size as what’s currently used. I have not scrutinized it in detail, not have I looked to see what Mundorff offers that could directly swap in. So I’m not sure which tweeter he was specifically referencing. 

I will always go for every possible upgrades when it comes to internals as well. Wiring. Capacitors. Etc. those represent upgrades I would never want to do myself, so I’d rather have those in place from the get-go. 
 
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