Zu vs. Tekton? -- your comparisons on price, build, sound

ZU makes some very attractive speakers in fun colors I can relate to.

Steve Guttenburg recently harpooned a new ZU model. Odd

that he did so as normally does no negative reviews. Did

he feel he needed to say what he did or did he not realize how 

his review came across? I think some of both.

 

The Tekton look is for a younger market. I get that.

Audiophiles owe a debt of gratitude to Tekton for capturing the

imagination of younger folks who may be new to audio.

 

I have heard Moabs in two home systems.

Ditto with Double Impact and Lore.

The first Tekton I heard that piqued my interest is that Monitor I mentioned.

 

Decware promotes about 10 models on their site.

He has knocked off some of the truly proven designs over time.

Although I haven't heard Steve's stuff I am a believer.

 

I doubt many other makers can claim the 700+ unit backlog

that Decware currently has. 

decware.com/newsite/speakers

 

As the story goes if you have a drinking fountain in an obscure

location, people would  flock to it if flowed beer.

 

People may want to get in line there before Harmon gobbles

them up and the genius & pricing changes.

 

I like the Zu full range speakers. I would buy them over Tekton.Just my opinion. 

@larry5729 sure, cables matter, but the money spent on cables are way better investment on speakers, they make such a tiny difference. It's not a myth but way overhyped. 20 dollars cables vs 2000 dollar cables make the littlest difference

I've owned Tekton monitors and several months ago bought a pair of Zu Omen Defs.Not really in the same price range but I have a few thoughts that might be relevant. The Zus are way more sensitive,excel at separating instruments and vocalists and placing them in the soundstage, are not in the least bit bright and thin - IF time and thought is spent on set up.If there are any issues upstream you will hear it,which to me is a good thing. Easy to track down and remedy.

 The Tektons aren't built to the same standard, they had a clear almost sterile sound(at times), even with a tubed dac,pre,and amp.They were not as easy to drive as I thought they would be and would get shrill and congested when pushed. I did really like them with acoustic music though - lots of detail and nuance.

The only thing I wish the Zus were better at is the very highest frequencies - cymbals and "air".The whizzer cone can cause some grit and grain in the presentation but is easily eliminated by damping it.They do not need any help in the dynamics dept. and will not be shouty if the cabling is of a neutral variety that leans slightly to the warm side.So not Odin:-)Again - they were a bear to get positioned correctly!!!!

Grislybutter - have you ever heard Synergistic Research Atmosphere Level Speaker wires.  All I have thinking about is upgrading my speakers.  However, Jason Ressler at The Cable Company kept telling me I haven’t heard my system.  I didn’t believe.  However, now I don’t know if I need to do so.  I am hearing a lot of space and detail I have not heard in the past 5 years.  It is difficult to come to grips with spending $1,700 for 2 pieces of wire.  I think those you put down wires can’t afford them and as a result they tell everyone how crazy they are.  I think Carbonmiller told me to think of cables as components. They are sending signals to your components so why not improve the signal. Perhaps this is why they call this electronics.