# Tekton Design Speakers



## 333jeffery

I just came across these guys a few months back, and thought I would share my experience with them. I bought their Double Impact speakers to replace some old Legacy units that I have been using since the 90's. The Double Impact's are fairly large speakers at 100 pounds each, and 54 inches tall. Out of the box, the sound was quite impressive with bass being particularly detailed, much more so than the Legacy's. The midrange was fine to start with, and really blossomed with burn-in. My jazz cd's and prog rock cd's were a treat to listen to on these speakers. Classical piano recordings were taken to a whole 'nother level. In fact, if you are a piano aficionado, do yourself a favor and listen to some of your favorite tracks on these. You will not want to leave! Electric guitar benefits from these units, too, with the strings sounding crystal clear, yet smooth.
 I liked the Tekton speakers enough that I bought a pair of their Enzo's for my home-theater setup. Tekton's founder, Eric Alexander, does great work and is available by phone if you have any questions. Highly recommended.
      www.tektondesign.com


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## 333jeffery

Update: the Double Impacts have fully burnt-in now. Been playing some of the Steven Wilson remixes of Yes, ELP and Tull, as well as some Cat Stevens on them. The midrange on these is almost eerie in the way it handles vocals and live recordings, they seem to float in the air. Very detailed, yet smooth. Percussion is very satisfying without being overblown. The goosebump factor is high with these speakers. With a decent amplifier, they will play most anything well.
  
  
 The Enzo 2.7's that I'm using on my home theater setup are still settling in, but they are opening up nicely. I played John Wick on them last night, and the gunfights made my house sound like a warzone. I'm surprised my neighbors didn't call the police as it honestly sounded like bullets were flying everywhere. Once I upgrade my a/v receiver, this should be an endgame setup.


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## Benny-x

I saw a lot about the Tekton Pendragons over the past 3-4 years that i always wondered what they'd be like. Now i see the Double Impact have come out and they seem to have addressed one small issue with the Pendragons, their slightly less vibrant midrange.

What have you compared them to besides what they replaced? Or what other speakers do you have experience with to share against these?

I apologise if your 2 channel component list is in your profile, but can you say what your chain is before the Double Impacts?

I'm VERY interested in them now and hoping to get them for my new condo around August.


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## 333jeffery

I've compared them to Legacy and Thiel speakers, as that is what I had before. In online reviews they have been compared to Golden Ear Tritons, Magnepans, ZU Audio and B&W speakers. The Tektons beat the others quite handily. They have a superb midrange, and wonderful dynamics. The Double Impacts are a big step up from the Pendragons and would be my recommendation for anyone looking to upgrade their system.
  
 My setup is: Double Impact speakers hooked to NAT Transmitter tube amps connected to Cambridge Audio preamp fed by an Yggdrasil dac/Emotiva transport. Prior to this I was using a Musical Fidelity integrated amp.
 The Double Impacts are highly revealing of any inadequacies in your audio chain, and will lead to numerous equipment upgrades until you get your ideal sound from them.


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## Benny-x

333jeffery said:


> I've compared them to Legacy and Thiel speakers, as that is what I had before. In online reviews they have been compared to Golden Ear Tritons, Magnepans, ZU Audio and B&W speakers. The Tektons beat the others quite handily. They have a superb midrange, and wonderful dynamics. The Double Impacts are a big step up from the Pendragons and would be my recommendation for anyone looking to upgrade their system.
> 
> My setup is: Double Impact speakers hooked to NAT Transmitter tube amps connected to Cambridge Audio preamp fed by an Yggdrasil dac/Emotiva transport. Prior to this I was using a Musical Fidelity integrated amp.
> The Double Impacts are highly revealing of any inadequacies in your audio chain, and will lead to numerous equipment upgrades until you get your ideal sound from them.


 
 Ah-ha, so you were the guy on Audiogon or AVF that had them hooked up to the NAT Transmitters. Those are $20,000 amps, so I do hope they make anything sound great   How in the world did you come on to them, of all choices? I mean, if you're willing to play up in that league, why those over anything else? And why the DIs if you're amping in that kind of dollar range? 
  
 In my experience, though I love the gear, the speakers/headphones do have a genuinely MASSIVE impact of the sound (being what produces it and all), so I've always wondered about people who shell out the cash for crazy expensive, TOTL components, but then don't have TOTL speakers or headphones on the last stage. Can you share more about that? I'm not trying to put down the DIs, I'm likely buying a pair, but I don't think anyone is trying to say they're in the $30-50,000 speaker range, or more, like I would associate with having $20,000 amps.
  
 Or, you're saying that's how it all happened? You were there, happily with your Musical Fidelity amps right until the DIs showed up and made them look bad, then you came back over the top at the DIs with the NAT Transmitters? Haha.
  
 Oh, what finish did you get them in? I'm really thinking that because these are more or less going to be "on display" all the time, and they're big, I might opt for the piano gloss finish for the extra money. If the "soft gloss/satin" finish is anything like the one on my Emotiva Stealth8s (which it looks to be), then I think the 13 coats of paint and gloss in the piano gloss finish should hold up better over time and be more repairable if they do get scratched or damaged. Thoughts?


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## uncola

I think this every time i seethese speakers mentioned. The tekton brand is paradoxically one of the rare brands whose speakers ate sensitive enough to use with low power tube amps yet seem oriented to loud level rock concert lovers? If he ever made some big sensitive three way. Bookshelves id be tempted!


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## 333jeffery

I got my Double Impacts in the semi-gloss black color. You can get custom automobile finishes for the Tektons as an option, some folks get the BMW colors on them. As for the NAT amps, I got them used at a large discount--less than 50% of the new price. I couldn't resist that deal for such great amps. I always wanted tube amps but could never find any really powerful ones at a decent price. The NAT's have power to spare. Tekton speakers sound fine with either high-powered amps or lower power amps, you just lose some of the dynamics with lower power amplification. The Tektons are routinely pitted against much more expensive speakers in reviews and usually beat them. They have a certain magic to their midrange that is unmatched by any other speaker that I have heard. Vocals and live recordings sound superb on them. Give'em a try, you will be pleased with them.


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## Benny-x

333jeffery said:


> I got my Double Impacts in the semi-gloss black color. You can get custom automobile finishes for the Tektons as an option, some folks get the BMW colors on them. As for the NAT amps, I got them used at a large discount--less than 50% of the new price. I couldn't resist that deal for such great amps. I always wanted tube amps but could never find any really powerful ones at a decent price. The NAT's have power to spare. Tekton speakers sound fine with either high-powered amps or lower power amps, you just lose some of the dynamics with lower power amplification. The Tektons are routinely pitted against much more expensive speakers in reviews and usually beat them. They have a certain magic to their midrange that is unmatched by any other speaker that I have heard. Vocals and live recordings sound superb on them. Give'em a try, you will be pleased with them.


 
 I haven't placed my order due to not knowing my exact move-in date yet, but I'm gonna grab a pair! I'm pretty pumped.
  
 I'm opting for the internal wiring and capacitor upgrade, then for the full piano gloss paint upgrade. I figure they're going to be front and centre in my family room, so I might as well go for a tougher finish and something that looks nice. I'm going with BMW Santorini blau (blue), like the M3. I was actually searching for a colour with some POP that's also similar to my old DNA Sonett amp. The workmanship and paint on that amp was absolutely fantastic, so here's to hoping the Santorini Blau paint comes out even better!
  
 Then I'll be powering them with my Xindak A600 '09 amp. We'll have to see how the pairing works and if I can get any other amps in for testing. I like the Xindak amp a lot with my HiFiMAN HE-6 and HEK, it did a great job in the amp-out I performed over 2 days at the dealer I bought it from. Then for cabling I'll use the Nanotec Systems OFC in silver/gold oil wire that I bought to make up some interconnects. 
  
 And wow, that's a pretty lucky deal on the NAT amps for you. $10k is still mighty pricey for amps, but I guess I'm on the road and may get there some day? Tubes amps that I like now are by a company called Line Magnetic, and the mono-blocks I like are the LM-503PA or the higher up LM-513PA. They've got a nice integrated with the LM-219ia and it's gotten some very positive reviews.


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## uncola

nice, if it's anything like donald north audio smurf blue, it will look pretty cool   yeah I'd go for every upgrade too.. just due to the size of speakers and shipping I tend not to upgrade them for ages compared to my electronics so you want to max them out because you'll be living with them a long time


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## Benny-x

uncola said:


> nice, if it's anything like donald north audio smurf blue, it will look pretty cool   yeah I'd go for every upgrade too.. just due to the size of speakers and shipping I tend not to upgrade them for ages compared to my electronics so you want to max them out because you'll be living with them a long time


 
 Yeah, I'm thinking as long as they show up all fine, it'll be many years before I upgrade to anything else. 
  
 And yeah, that DNA Sonett blue always did it for me. It didn't hurt that Donald had magnificent craftsmanship either~  He's got some new behemoth coming out now, it'll be interesting to hear if I ever get a chance. 
  
 I'm really counting on Eric matching up the colours right and putting a killer gloss on that blue colour. It'll look pretty sweet and blend well with the black rimmed drivers. 
  
 I see you've got the Philharmonic Audio Loudspeakers Philharmonitors! I was REALLY looking at The Philharmonic Three when I was thinking about which speaker to get. I lover the RAAL tweeter on the Phil, it's almost killing me not to keep with RAAL/Ribbon tweeters, but I've got to spread my wings a bit. Did you ever get to give The Three a listen? How do you feel about the Philharmonitors and what else have you compared them against or listened to in the same environment?


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## uncola

I live in hawaii so I haven't really been able to audition anything good due to lack of dealers.  My new phils and my kef q900 in my 5.1 home theatre are unfortunately the only decent speakers I've heard.. I enjoy both but the new phils are definitely more resolving.  I feel like tekton and philharmonic are very different design focuses.. if I was ever to get new speaks I might go with emerald physics or spatial open baffle.. it would be cool to experiment with electronic crossover and room correction stuff.  I've been reading about panel speakers but they just have too many issues


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## Benny-x

uncola said:


> I live in Hawaii so I haven't really been able to audition anything good due to lack of dealers.  My new phils and my kef q900 in my 5.1 home theatre are unfortunately the only decent speakers I've heard.. I enjoy both but the new phils are definitely more resolving.  I feel like tekton and philharmonic are very different design focuses.. if I was ever to get new speaks I might go with emerald physics or spatial open baffle.. it would be cool to experiment with electronic crossover and room correction stuff.  I've been reading about panel speakers but they just have too many issues


 
 Yeah, I definitely agree that the Philharmonics and the Tektons are going after different design philosophies. The Tektons are like "secret sauce" speakers that actaully have very good feedback and a great following. Then the Philharmonics are more like proven concepts, clearly outlined for their purpose, and then supported with some measurements. Also with great user feedback, but I'd say less feedback than I found for the Tekton speakers.
  
 I'm hoping the Tektons come through, though. I don't have an option to demo or listen to either of them, so though I can find good user feedback on both, I'm still shooting blind :-/  I feel you on that one with you being in Hawaii, I'm in China and here you're either finding local speakers to audition or ridiculously priced foreign import brands. There's not much of a middle ground and I can't really navigate the Chinese audio forums for proven, local DIY gone Internet Direct brands. There's not really much support for that here, though. There's not much DIY happening due to the low cost of labour and cheaply available parts, then there is a lot of support of branded products and the high end scene. 
  
 So, we'll have to see how things go.
  
 #1 though, I'm worried about my little girl thinking those blue coned woofers look like the perfect height and test subject for being skewered with a fruit fork...


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## SurFi

Have the DIs in soft gloss grey with the internal upgrade.
  
 They've been running for about 10 days now.
  
 Getting the positioning dialed in now.
  
 And looking into options for isolation/decoupling that are stable.


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## Khragon

some photos please


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## Benny-x

surfi said:


> Have the DIs in soft gloss grey with the internal upgrade.
> 
> They've been running for about 10 days now.
> 
> ...




Yeah, attach some photos 

As for stable isolation, I've looked into an outrigger bar called the "Soundocity outrigger". You screw them into the bottom spike/footer holes that're already in the DIs, then it'll add about 4" to their width. They look sharp and lots of people say they make a difference sound wise too. 

I've inquired with Soundocity and they said to order a couple weeks in advance due to manufacturing delays. They also run you about $270 for outriggers for both speakers + the milled brass spikes.


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## SurFi

Thanks.
  
 I am looking into Soundocity outriggers. Waiting to hear back from Paul.
  
 Do you have them in-system or are you waiting on yours?


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## SurFi

Right after unboxing.


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## Benny-x

surfi said:


> Thanks.
> 
> I am looking into Soundocity outriggers. Waiting to hear back from Paul.
> 
> Do you have them in-system or are you waiting on yours?


 
 Thanks for the pic. I've been wondering whether my speakers would have grill mounts or not as I'm not buying them with grills and some of the pictures I've looked at have been a little unclear. Did you order grills? 
  
 The grilled pictures of the Philharmonic Audio Three speakers look some nice. Nicer than the big, flat, black rectangle this Tekton grill would turn into... Maybe I'll see if I can order mine without grill holes, I'm not a fan. 
  
 And the Soundocity Outriggers, I also emailed Paul and heard back. I haven't placed the order yet as I won't be back in America until ~October, so I'll pick them up on my way through. There seemed to have been a couple other outriggers on the market over the past 10 years, but the Soundocity ones now seem to be the easiest to buy. I hope they've got a nicely applied and crisp black powder coat on them so that they jive with the driver rings.


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## SurFi

benny-x said:


> Thanks for the pic. I've been wondering whether my speakers would have grill mounts or not as I'm not buying them with grills and some of the pictures I've looked at have been a little unclear. Did you order grills?
> 
> The grilled pictures of the Philharmonic Audio Three speakers look some nice. Nicer than the big, flat, black rectangle this Tekton grill would turn into... Maybe I'll see if I can order mine without grill holes, I'm not a fan.
> 
> And the Soundocity Outriggers, I also emailed Paul and heard back. I haven't placed the order yet as I won't be back in America until ~October, so I'll pick them up on my way through. There seemed to have been a couple other outriggers on the market over the past 10 years, but the Soundocity ones now seem to be the easiest to buy. I hope they've got a nicely applied and crisp black powder coat on them so that they jive with the driver rings.


 
  
 Ben,
  
 I never use grills, but my little guy has dimpled two drivers (other speakers) with his fingers. No damage, but I can only imagine what that fork will do.
  
 So I did order the grills, but they are MIA...guess it takes Eric some time to get them out.
  
 I wish I had taken the risk and not gone with the grills, and therefore had no grill holes on the speaker. I'm assuming that Eric does offer without the grill holes, since all of his photos onsite are without the grill holes.
  
 Having said that, I can also say that the grill holes are small and don't really stand out, to my eyes...if that's any reassurance. 
  
 BUT why mess up that BMW M3 Blue.....  : )
  
 I did hear back from Paul at Soundocity. I'm still mulling over whether to go with his outriggers.


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## 333jeffery

After months of enjoying the Double Impacts, I decided to upgrade to Tekton's ultimate speaker, the Ulfberht. These things are monsters, roughly the size of coffins. But the sound is glorious, easily the most natural-sounding speaker that I have come across. Instruments have proper tone to them, rather than the synthetic sound that alot of speakers produce. Taut bass and ethereal midrange. They use 15 Scanspeak tweeters to produce the magical midrange,and 4 mid-woofers plus 2 12" woofers to handle the bass. Definitely a reference-grade speaker.


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## Khragon

333jeffery said:


> After months of enjoying the Double Impacts, I decided to upgrade to Tekton's ultimate speaker, the Ulfberht. These things are monsters, roughly the size of coffins. But the sound is glorious, easily the most natural-sounding speaker that I have come across. Instruments have proper tone to them, rather than the synthetic sound that alot of speakers produce. Taut bass and ethereal midrange. They use 15 Scanspeak tweeters to produce the magical midrange,and 4 mid-woofers plus 2 12" woofers to handle the bass. Definitely a reference-grade speaker.



Wow, look very intimidating, any pictures of the setup?


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## 333jeffery

I don't have any pics of the setup, but the speakers are over six feet tall. 15 tweeters per channel!


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## uncola

Wow everyone going bigger.  The Impact Monitor bookshelf speaker is on my short list for the future..  high sensitivity would let me try it with any amp including the firstwatt f7 in my closet


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## Benny-x

uncola said:


> Wow everyone going bigger.  The Impact Monitor bookshelf speaker is on my short list for the future..  high sensitivity would let me try it with any amp including the firstwatt f7 in my closet


Over on the 'gon Double Impact thread, the DIs are being used and loved by many owners direct from a LTA MicroZOTL2-S, which puts out 1W. 

Those Ulfberhts look like the ticket, though. 6ft. tall, 180lbs, 300 drivers. Bliss.


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## Benny-x

333jeffery said:


> I don't have any pics of the setup, but the speakers are over six feet tall. 15 tweeters per channel!



Have you gotten a chance to take any pictures yet, Jeff? Due to some delays on my end, there's no more chance for an August purchase of the DIs, so a February purchase of the Ulfberhts is now on my radar :-D

I've been following the A'gon thread, but posting pictures there totally sucks, so I was hoping you might do so here. 

One thing I'm curious about is the paint/finish and the craftsmanship of the Ulfberhts vs. the DIs. What can you fill me in on there? IMO, the DIs look pretty bland and have reasonable craftsmanship, but for 4x the price, I'm hoping the Ulfberhts are something special.

Oh, did you get grills with the Ulfberhts? I'll need to get grills and I wonder how they attach; are they via pegs or magnets? If you had a choice, what would you recommend for grill attachment style?

Thanks man


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## rlkeel0 (Aug 6, 2017)

I just unboxed my Impacts.  Seem very well made.   A bit bigger than I expected.  Which is awesome.  Tekton told me they are a few weeks behind on grills.   Now my Schiit Vidar needs to hurry up and arrive.


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## Khragon

Very nice, please share impressions when you get a chance.  What's your room size?


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## rlkeel0

Khragon said:


> Very nice, please share impressions when you get a chance.  What's your room size?



Roughly 15'x15'.  Still finishing out the space.   Will share when I get set up.


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## uncola

I can't believe the tekton dude is still taking months to make his customers paid for grills..  this was a complaint people had like 3 years ago when I read the first tekton thread on some other forum


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## rlkeel0

uncola said:


> I can't believe the tekton dude is still taking months to make his customers paid for grills..  this was a complaint people had like 3 years ago when I read the first tekton thread on some other forum




Yes.  Annoying.  But thankfully my kids are old enough not to touch.


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## rlkeel0

Khragon said:


> Very nice, please share impressions when you get a chance.  What's your room size?



Just set everything up to test.  Sending lossless ALAC through microRendu to Bifrost Multibit from Roon.  Used both Asgard 2 and Jotunheim as preamps for Vidar.   So far, midrange seems a bit bright and bass seems a bit lacking.  Seems a bit better with Asgard 2 rather than the Jot.  I've not experimented with speaker placement, and all of the furniture is not in the room yet.  I've ordered a Schiit Saga preamp to play with.  I expect things with improve with time and the proper preamp.   I've got less than 20 hours on the speakers and amp so far.  And I still don't have my grills.


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## Khragon

rlkeel0 said:


> Just set everything up to test.  Sending lossless ALAC through microRendu to Bifrost Multibit from Roon.  Used both Asgard 2 and Jotunheim as preamps for Vidar.   So far, midrange seems a bit bright and bass seems a bit lacking.  Seems a bit better with Asgard 2 rather than the Jot.  I've not experimented with speaker placement, and all of the furniture is not in the room yet.  I've ordered a Schiit Saga preamp to play with.  I expect things with improve with time and the proper preamp.   I've got less than 20 hours on the speakers and amp so far.  And I still don't have my grills.



Thanks for the update, usually things do improve, so hopefully with some burn in things will turn for the better.  Saga should help too as it's very transparent.
Good luck on those grills


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## 333jeffery

I uploaded some videos of the Ulberhts on Youtube:

Keep in mind this is with a crappy camcorder. I will post some new vids with the Allnic preamp and BHK amps I just installed.


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## Benny-x

Thanks a lot for sharing that. Did you take any install pictures or any other ones before the speakers found their homes in the corners/straddling the shelf? 

These are like the only pictures of Ulfberts in the wild and I'd love to see some other pictures with a bit better lighting or beside something for scale. 

Congrats again, they must be amazing to have and listen to.


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## 333jeffery

I didn't take any pictures before setup. I will try to shoot more video of them up close next time I post to Youtube. For scale, that cabinet in the videos is 7 feet tall and 13 feet wide.


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## rlkeel0

333jeffery said:


> I didn't take any pictures before setup. I will try to shoot more video of them up close next time I post to Youtube. For scale, that cabinet in the videos is 7 feet tall and 13 feet wide.




How did you actually get grills??


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## 333jeffery

It's a miracle that I got grills, as Tekton hates to make them. I was talking to Eric at Tekton several months back about my Double Impacts when he mentioned that he was working on something awesome and wondered if I would be interested. I said hell yes and placed my order, but I was firm in demanding grills ship with the speakers. The result is what you see in the videos, the world's first pair of Ulfberht speakers. I think Terry London the reviewer got the second pair.


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## 333jeffery

Here is my latest video of the Ulfs:

Features the Allnic L-7000 preamp and BHK 300 amps.


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## uncola

doh "This video contains content from Warner Chappell, who has blocked it on copyright grounds."


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## 333jeffery

I wonder if there is a way to reupload the video without the copyright police taking it down? It was barely up an hour.


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## 333jeffery

This video has some close-ups of the speakers:

The Allnic preamp sounds awesome with the Ulfs.


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## Music Alchemist

I sent an email to Eric Alexander a week ago, but got no response, so I'm pasting it here in case anyone has answers:

I noticed that the Pendragon PMD Monitor costs ten times as much as the basic Pendragon. What are the differences between them?

I also noticed that although it's $20K, your site says the $12K Ulfberht is your best model. Can you explain the reasoning for the $20K price if this is the case?

Is the Ulfberht better in every way or does the Pendragon PMD Monitor outperform it in certain areas?


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## rlkeel0

I spoke with Eric via telephone a few days ago.  Sounds like he is swamped with orders and will likely be raising prices across the board soon if he hasn't already. 

And still no grills.


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## Music Alchemist (Sep 15, 2017)

333jeffery said:


> The Double Impacts are a big step up from the Pendragons and would be my recommendation for anyone looking to upgrade their system.



I would greatly appreciate it if you could elaborate on the differences you've heard between the Pendragon, Double Impact, and Ulfberht.

I did some research last night and it would appear that the Pendragon could still be suitable for a smaller room whereas the DI would require a larger one. I'm actually using floorstanding speakers (Klipsch RP-250F) in a bedroom at the moment with surprisingly good results. It would be ideal if whatever I get could be used in many different rooms.

Either of them are affordable enough that I could give it priority in terms of upgrades. (I previously owned five figures worth of headphones and transitioned to speakers this year.) It's too bad I didn't know about Tekton months ago; I could have bought them already.

Even if the Pendragon isn't as good as the DI, its room versatility and lower price make it more appealing for me. I'm not too worried about not having the best sound immediately since I'm hoping that flagship Tekton speakers could be endgame for me.

What I'm most curious about is how the $20K Pendragon PMD Monitor compares to the Ulfberht. Going from info on forums, it would appear that the Ulfberht was originally going to sell for $40K, but the price was lowered to $12K. (Thank goodness.) But if that price was lowered and the other PMD models remain at their original prices, it seemingly makes an inferior model $8K more expensive. There are barely any impressions out there so far. Perhaps I should just call Eric and ask about this in detail.

Update: He replied via email and at least told me that the Ulfberht is far superior to the Pendragon PMD.


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## 333jeffery

Some footage with the grills off:

The Ulfberhts are Tekton's flagship speakers, I wouldn't put too much stock in those prices. The DI's and the Ulfberhts are much better sounding than the Pendragons, the tweeter arrays on them are the secret to their sound quality. If you want a more compact speaker with much of the sound of the DI's, try the Electrons. They replicate the DI's sound very nicely, just in a smaller package. A miniature version of the Ulfberhts will be coming out in a few months, for about $7500. Eric is testing them now, and making improvements. On the Audiogon forums you will find a lot of information about the Tekton speakers from current owners and reviewers. Hope this helps!


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## Music Alchemist (Sep 22, 2017)

333jeffery said:


> Some footage with the grills off:
> 
> The Ulfberhts are Tekton's flagship speakers, I wouldn't put too much stock in those prices. The DI's and the Ulfberhts are much better sounding than the Pendragons, the tweeter arrays on them are the secret to their sound quality. If you want a more compact speaker with much of the sound of the DI's, try the Electrons. They replicate the DI's sound very nicely, just in a smaller package. A miniature version of the Ulfberhts will be coming out in a few months, for about $7500. Eric is testing them now, and making improvements. On the Audiogon forums you will find a lot of information about the Tekton speakers from current owners and reviewers. Hope this helps!



Thanks so much for sharing!

They are gorgeous. I was hoping you'd share what yours look like without the grills...and now I set the YouTube default image as my wallpaper for inspiration. (I'm a loser, I know. hehe)

I'm actually in a large house with much larger rooms, but I tend to spend most of my time in my bedroom on the computer. I encountered someone who's using his Double Impact in a room even smaller than mine, and he says they sound great even in such a tight space. I don't need it to work in a small room per se; it's just a bonus I'd appreciate, since then I wouldn't have to go to another room for listening sessions. I might move into another house before upgrading my speakers, at any rate.

An upgraded Double Impact with grills would be my most likely next move. I would want to have at least $20K (preferably $30K) in the bank (and a fully treated listening room...and property insurance...and a security system...) before investing in the Ulfberht, so that may take some time. (I'm kicking myself for recently blowing through an inheritance.)

One of the main issues for me is the weight. I'd probably need to get another person to help me move them around, because I barely weigh more than the speakers!

Yes, I did days of research on various forums. I came across some of your posts as well. It was interesting that one of the DI reviewers didn't like the Pendragon much. I think the Pendragon has an elegant aesthetic, at least. Upon further examination, its lower price is a moot point when you factor in all the options. (~$600 plus $500 for an automotive finish.)

If possible, it would be very helpful (not only to me, but anyone searching for the scarce info) if you could write up an in-depth comparison between the Ulfberht and Double Impact so people can have a better idea of how significantly they differ.


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## 333jeffery

Basically, the Double Impacts give you 70% of the sound that the Ulfberhts do. The Ulf's excel at bass and detail. They have the finest bass I've ever heard, not just more bass, but very refined and textured bass. They will go as low as your other components will allow. Tekton describes them as the "hammer/butterfly" of speakers. That is quite an apt description, as they have a delicate touch when the music requires it, yet can punch you in the chest when the low notes really start to kick-in. Detail and nuance in recordings shine through, revealing things that I never knew were on my cd's. For example, I took out my copy of The Cramp's Gravest Hits and played it through the Ulf's, expecting to be disappointed by what I thought was a crummy old recording. Wow, was I wrong. Lux's voice leapt out into the room as if I had never heard it before. The Ulfberhts have that kind of ability. The Double Impacts will get you most of that, but leave out the finer details. They are the "sweet spot" in Tekton's lineup, offering excellent bang-for-the-buck performance.

Zero Fidelity just posted a useful review of the Double Impacts on Youtube:


----------



## Music Alchemist

333jeffery said:


> Basically, the Double Impacts give you 70% of the sound that the Ulfberhts do. The Ulf's excel at bass and detail. They have the finest bass I've ever heard, not just more bass, but very refined and textured bass. They will go as low as your other components will allow. Tekton describes them as the "hammer/butterfly" of speakers. That is quite an apt description, as they have a delicate touch when the music requires it, yet can punch you in the chest when the low notes really start to kick-in. Detail and nuance in recordings shine through, revealing things that I never knew were on my cd's. For example, I took out my copy of The Cramp's Gravest Hits and played it through the Ulf's, expecting to be disappointed by what I thought was a crummy old recording. Wow, was I wrong. Lux's voice leapt out into the room as if I had never heard it before. The Ulfberhts have that kind of ability. The Double Impacts will get you most of that, but leave out the finer details. They are the "sweet spot" in Tekton's lineup, offering excellent bang-for-the-buck performance.
> 
> Zero Fidelity just posted a useful review of the Double Impacts on Youtube:



Awesome, thanks again. Can't wait to hear them.

I actually watched that review a week or so ago.


----------



## Canadian411

I read lot of good reviews on these speakers, they said it competes against the speakers in $18,000 range.
I am in the process of upgrading my main listening speakers, and wonder if anyone had a chance to compare Double Impact against the followings ?

- Sonus Faber Olympica III
- Focal Electra 1028BE
- Focal Kanta
- Martn Logan ESL 11A / Classic 9

I also listened to harbeth, I didn't like the sound stage and the look.  SF are really good looking speakers, I wish I had money to buy Amatis but I won't spend that much money.

My question is, is DI sound more musical or more for home theater speakers ?


----------



## 333jeffery

The DI's beat the Sonus Fabers and the Martin Logans. I can't comment on the Focals. The Double Impacts' sound depends on what components you hook them to. If you hook them to a small tube amp, you will get a sweet, emotional sound that is very pleasing for jazz and vocal recordings. If you hook them to large solid-state amps and preamp, they will fill a large room with very dynamic and powerful sound, great for rock and orchestral pieces. They reveal everything that is upstream of them. At the recent RMAF, they received very enthusiastic  responses from folks that tried them.


----------



## 333jeffery

Here's a professional review of the Ulfberhts:https://hometheaterreview.com/tekton-design-ulfberht-floorstanding-speaker-reviewed/?page=2
Enjoy!


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## Music Alchemist (Nov 23, 2017)

For those interested in learning about the new $6,500 Double Impact SE: http://www.tektondesign.com/double-impact-se.html

Another newer model is the $2,500 PMD Studio Monitor: http://www.tektondesign.com/pmd-studio-monitor.html


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## 333jeffery

The Double Impact SE's are getting a lot of praise on Audiogon. They are a good alternative to the Ulfberhts for folks that don't want to spend the extra money.


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## Music Alchemist (Dec 10, 2017)

First impressions for the PMD Studio Monitor from pro audio engineers are out!

http://www.tektondesign.com/uploads/9/8/4/7/98478018/pmd_monitor.pdf

My current plan is to start with that one since it seems like the ideal compact speaker for me that could be used in just about any room.

It has the same high frequency domes as the Ulfberht, but only three instead of fifteen.

The Ulfberht would hopefully be my endgame (I'm crossing my fingers that it actually is the best speaker ever made like the designer claims, so I wouldn't need to spend significantly more to get the best), but would have to come later when I could easily afford it and have a suitably large listening room in a more secluded house where neighbors wouldn't hear my music.


----------



## 333jeffery

I placed an order for the PMD Studio monitors a week ago and am looking forward to trying them out. I wanted some small speakers for a bedroom setup and these fit the bill. If Eric ever releases the Mini-Ulfberhts, they will be the speakers to get for most set-ups.


----------



## Canadian411

Does Tektondesign speakers come with the speaker feets ? or can it be attached with the 3rd party ones ?
Specs looks fantastic but I am really not sold on the look of these speakers.

Anyways, do you guys know how much they charge for the custom color paint ?


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## 333jeffery

Most Tekton speakers come with spikes, but you can use any threaded feet you want. Herbie's threaded Gliders are popular on them.

The custom paint-jobs range from $500 to $1000 depending on if you want metallic automotive colors.


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## Music Alchemist (Dec 13, 2017)

I have a question about the drivers used in some Tekton speakers.

I noticed that the Ulfberht, Double Impact, Brilliance, etc. are listed as 4-way (despite having three types of drivers), and the Impact Monitor (and presumably PMD Studio Monitor) is 3-way (despite having two types of drivers).

So is each high frequency driver 2-way even though they look like a single driver? How does this work?


----------



## Benny-x

The "ways" has to do with the crossover(s) and how the entire speaker has been configured to reproduce sound. 

This is ultra simplified, but:
1-way; usually only one driver, plays all frequencies (called a full-range speaker)
2-way; bass, mids+highs
3-way; bass, mids, highs
4-way; bass, mids, highs, ultra-highs

Feel free to fill in more if needed, but that's it


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## Music Alchemist (Dec 14, 2017)

(Never mind.)


----------



## Benny-x

Read mine. The "ways" has nothing to do with the number of types of drivers, it has to do with the wiring of the crossover(s). You can wire 1 type of driver an infinite number of ways to achieve whatever goal you/the design is shooting for. 

Here, it is true. The Tekton DI and Ulfbhert lines wire a collection of tweeters to function as a mid "driver" and then wire some other tweeters to function as highs/ultra-tweeter. I'm not crystal clear on the internals, but the tweeters and the tweeter array is where the additional "way" beyond the driver count is happening. 

Make sense?


----------



## Music Alchemist

Benny-x said:


> Read mine. The "ways" has nothing to do with the number of types of drivers, it has to do with the wiring of the crossover(s). You can wire 1 type of driver an infinite number of ways to achieve whatever goal you/the design is shooting for.
> 
> Here, it is true. The Tekton DI and Ulfbhert lines wire a collection of tweeters to function as a mid "driver" and then wire some other tweeters to function as highs/ultra-tweeter. I'm not crystal clear on the internals, but the tweeters and the tweeter array is where the additional "way" beyond the driver count is happening.
> 
> Make sense?



It makes sense now. It's just that the way you listed them seemed like a rule rather than examples.

I guess I will eventually ask Eric which high frequency drivers are wired to do what, since they look the same.


----------



## Benny-x

I did say "ultra simplified" and "feel free to add more"... 

Actually, Eric already has the idea of the info on his website, it's what you see as "design defect" or whatever about all other speakers being inadequate until now. His whole patent thing. 

If you read the extremely long Double Impact thread on Audiogon, it has more real specifics about the tweeter array being wired (via the crossover) to function as a distributed mass mid-driver. 

I've called Eric before, and emailed, and I  would wager that the Audiogon thread is be more informative and direct than a call to Eric. The thread includes owners, reviewers, and speaker designers, so there's a lot of great stuff there.


----------



## Music Alchemist (Dec 13, 2017)

Benny-x said:


> Actually, Eric already has the idea of the info on his website, it's what you see as "design defect" or whatever about all other speakers being inadequate until now. His whole patent thing.



I've read the pages there about the technology...but it seems to be far more complex than the topic we are discussing here. The main points, as I interpret it, are related to how the moving mass of most speakers is too high, and that sound travels too quickly through conventional metal materials compared to how quickly it moves through air. It seems to imply that his technology gives you the proper moving mass and speed that would be closer to the sound coming from the original instruments. But there isn't much information provided to go on, so I dunno...



Benny-x said:


> If you read the extremely long Double Impact thread on Audiogon, it has more real specifics about the tweeter array being wired (via the crossover) to function as a distributed mass mid-driver.



If it's 4-way, wouldn't that high frequency array have some of them assigned to handle the mids and the rest assigned to treble? (The way you worded it makes it seem like it's just mids.)



Benny-x said:


> I've called Eric before, and emailed, and I would wager that the Audiogon thread is be more informative and direct than a call to Eric. The thread includes owners, reviewers, and speaker designers, so there's a lot of great stuff there.



I've read some of the threads on other sites, but they're quite long, so I've just scratched the surface.


----------



## Benny-x

It's exactly as you said, some of the tweeters function as highs/super-highs, some as mids. 

In my understanding, which is only gathered, not fact, the tweeters that form the perimeter of the circle/hexagon are the mid drivers and the centre tweeters are the highs.


----------



## Canadian411

Music Alchemist said:


> First impressions for the PMD Studio Monitor from pro audio engineers are out!
> 
> http://www.tektondesign.com/uploads/9/8/4/7/98478018/pmd_monitor.pdf
> 
> ...


 Beautiful color !


----------



## Music Alchemist (Dec 14, 2017)

Another thing I'm wondering about is the "pulps and textiles" in the drivers that Eric talks about, especially since most of them seem to be sourced from other manufacturers.



Canadian411 said:


> Specs looks fantastic but I am really not sold on the look of these speakers.





Canadian411 said:


> Beautiful color !



So you don't like the look but you like the color? 

Personally, I like the Tekton look. I tend to favor black myself, but that blue is certainly eye-catching.

Given Tekton's stellar reputation of outperforming speakers many times the price, I'd much rather have that basic box shape than, say, a seashell design that costs $60K.

Fun fact: Those two models only have black, white, red, and grey as the default options on the website. If you wanted other colors, you'd have to call and arrange them, potentially paying extra.

The Ulfberht (along with most of the other models) has a soft gloss finish whereas the PMD Studio Monitor has high gloss.


----------



## Canadian411

Music Alchemist said:


> Another thing I'm wondering about is the "pulps and textiles" in the drivers that Eric talks about, especially since most of them seem to be sourced from other manufacturers.
> 
> 
> 
> ...



Ya very confusing uh ? haha, I love that blue color, it's eye catching indeed. 
I might order the PMD monitors and if I like I will go with the full tower.


----------



## Music Alchemist

Canadian411 said:


> I might order the PMD monitors and if I like I will go with the full tower.



Oh, you mean the $12K Ulfberht? (Rather than, for example, the $3K Double Impact.)


----------



## Canadian411

Music Alchemist said:


> Oh, you mean the $12K Ulfberht? (Rather than, for example, the $3K Double Impact.)



I mean, PMD monitor for $2k but I am not sure if I will spend $12k on Tekton company, debating to get Sonus Faber Olympica III or Focal Sopra No 2.


----------



## Music Alchemist

Canadian411 said:


> I mean, PMD monitor for $2k but I am not sure if I will spend $12k on Tekton company, debating to get Sonus Faber Olympica III or Focal Sopra No 2.



I was just curious what you meant by "the full tower" since that seemed to imply buying Tekton floorstanding speakers.

If you haven't read this, you may want to. It says the Ulfberht is on the same level as the $58K Magico S7 and so on. That Focal is also mentioned.

https://hometheaterreview.com/tekton-design-ulfberht-floorstanding-speaker-reviewed/?page=2


----------



## Blueshound24

Canadian411 said:


> I mean, PMD monitor for $2k but I am not sure if I will spend $12k on Tekton company, debating to get Sonus Faber Olympica III or Focal Sopra No 2.



I am very curious/interested in those PMD as well. If they are half as good as all the hype I may replace my LS50 for my nearfield setup.


----------



## Music Alchemist

Blueshound24 said:


> I am very curious/interested in those PMD as well. If they are half as good as all the hype I may replace my LS50 for my nearfield setup.



I'd love to see more impressions for them even though I've already decided I want them.

If anyone has ideas for the best speaker stands, share away!

...Pretty bummed out I didn't know about Tekton earlier this year, 'cause I blew through over $5K on other things and have to work my way up again before I can buy them...


----------



## Blueshound24

Music Alchemist said:


> I'd love to see more impressions for them even though I've already decided I want them.
> 
> If anyone has ideas for the best speaker stands, share away!
> 
> ...




I use the IsoAcoustic stands for my desktop and they are very well regarded.


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## Music Alchemist (Dec 21, 2017)

Blueshound24 said:


> I use the IsoAcoustic stands for my desktop and they are very well regarded.



Oh, I meant full-size professional-grade stands.

By the way, the PMD Studio Monitor is 21.5" tall. Not exactly something I'd put on a desktop.

But I've used full-room positions either way, with full-size stands, both of which significantly improve the sound. (My old monitors were placed roughly the same distance away as my current towers.)


----------



## Blueshound24 (Dec 22, 2017)

> *Not exactly something I'd put on a desktop.*




I would. If it had the sound signature I wanted/craved, whatever it takes to get there, I'm game for it. I've never been one to worry about looks when it comes to sound. I have emailed Eric a few times and he says the PMD would be the ideal speaker for extreme nearfield and the one review is from a recording studio where I think they have them in the extreme nearfield as well. Initially I was considering the Impact Monitor but Eric suggested the PMD. The PMD is about as tall as my LS50 on the IsoAcoustic stand, so it's about the same height, albeit a bit wider...

Eric also said, *“I do have a smaller 5.5" MTM version version in the works right now. This speaker will be 20.5" tall x 8" wide x 10.25" deep. They will be about $1500 per pair”.
*
This may even be better for my situation, and I hope to hear more about it.

How tall of stands are you looking for?


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## Music Alchemist (Dec 22, 2017)

Blueshound24 said:


> I would. If it had the sound signature I wanted/craved, whatever it takes to get there, I'm game for it. I've never been one to worry about looks when it comes to sound. I have emailed Eric a few times and he says the PMD would be the ideal speaker for extreme nearfield and the one review is from a recording studio where I think they have them in the extreme nearfield as well. Initially I was considering the Impact Monitor but Eric suggested the PMD.



It's certainly something you can do. I didn't mean to imply that you can't or shouldn't.

I'm not looking for extreme nearfield myself. I get much better sound with the speakers spread further apart like you would do with a floorstanding speaker system. (Though I _am_ using towers in a bedroom that are fairly close to me.)



Blueshound24 said:


> How tall of stands are you looking for?



Floor stands that would put the speakers at ear level from my listening chair, so at least a few feet. And I would want the best stands that provide a high degree of resonance control / isolation; not cheap ones that often come with affordable studio monitor packages.


----------



## Blueshound24

Music Alchemist said:


> I'm not looking for extreme nearfield myself. I get much better sound with the speakers spread further apart like you would do with a floorstanding speaker system.



Agreed. I wish I could separate mine more and get some space behind them and the front wall, because any speaker will sound better that way. For convenience I moved out of my dedicated sound room some time ago to concentrate on getting the best sound possible within my means, on my desktop.


----------



## Canadian411

Depends on your budget but Sonus Faber stands are really good looking IMO.


----------



## Canadian411

Music Alchemist said:


> I was just curious what you meant by "the full tower" since that seemed to imply buying Tekton floorstanding speakers.
> 
> If you haven't read this, you may want to. It says the Ulfberht is on the same level as the $58K Magico S7 and so on. That Focal is also mentioned.
> 
> https://hometheaterreview.com/tekton-design-ulfberht-floorstanding-speaker-reviewed/?page=2



Ya I read that, not sure I will still pick Ulfberht over Focal Spora No 2, which are pretty much the same price and the article says Focal is a notch better if I understood correctly, just not as efficient/sensitive as Ulfberht speakers.

Beside, Focal speakers looks way better and finishes are exceptional.  Nothing against Tekton Ulfberht , but looks like DIY speaker to me, if it was $5000 oh yes, no question asked, I will buy.


----------



## Music Alchemist (Jan 3, 2018)

Canadian411 said:


> Depends on your budget but Sonus Faber stands are really good looking IMO.



I don't mind the $400 price as long as it's the best at that price. But are we sure it would be ideal for the larger Tekton monitor?

My priority is how well it isolates the sound, so looks aren't so important here. I may end up putting higher-end isolation feet under them, so stands that support that are preferable.

Adjustable height is also a plus.



Canadian411 said:


> Ya I read that, not sure I will still pick Ulfberht over Focal Spora No 2, which are pretty much the same price and the article says Focal is a notch better if I understood correctly, just not as efficient/sensitive as Ulfberht speakers.



$14K and $12K are not pretty much the same price in my book.

No, he said: "Their French industrial design is a notch or two above the monstrous Tektons." This just means they have nicer aesthetics / build quality.

Phrases like the ones quoted below lead me to believe that he regards the Ulfberht as the best speaker he has heard.

"the most spectacular macro-dynamics I've ever heard in my system"
"the best I have ever heard piano portrayed on a system"
"the most transparent and incredibly resolving transducer I have ever had in my system"
"After listening to scores of transducers, two speakers stand out for me because of their special performance: the $45,000/pair TAD Compact Reference 1 and the $58,000/pair Magico S7. I would put the Ulfberht's performance on the same level as these speakers in terms of macro-dynamics, total transparency/musical details, and overall musicality."

He didn't say anything about the sound of the Focal being better. "Smooth as silk" (the only thing he described about its sound) seems like a more colored sound to me, and Tekton's philosophy is that beryllium is inferior:

"Important Note: did you know sound waves travel through beryllium over 37 times faster than sound waves travel through air?! Talk about a mismatch and a serious conflict of musical interests! Sounds travel through pulps and textiles at or less than the speed of sound through air so air always wins the race over the transverse propagation of the vibrations through the cone. In my opinion, beryllium pistons are a giant no-no as the vibrating source of your sound.

For example: in a beryllium-based acoustic device, the vibrations travel through the beryllium transversely and internally from the voice coil source to the outer cone edge 37 times faster than the sound can radiate from the inner-center of the cone to the outer edge of the cone through the air. Anyone care to listen to a solid beryllium or magnesium violin? Highly doubtful."



Canadian411 said:


> Beside, Focal speakers looks way better and finishes are exceptional. Nothing against Tekton Ulfberht , but looks like DIY speaker to me, if it was $5000 oh yes, no question asked, I will buy.



Aesthetics are very subjective, so fair enough. (I think the Ulfberht looks cooler, personally.)

There are much more affordable Tekton speakers, from under $1K to over $6K, though I don't know if you were looking for ones lower in performance than the flagship.


----------



## bfreedma

Music Alchemist said:


> I don't mind the $400 price as long as it's the best at that price. But are we sure it would be ideal for the larger Tekton monitor?
> 
> My priority is how well it isolates the sound, so looks aren't so important here. I may end up putting higher-end isolation feet under them, so stands that support that are preferable.
> 
> ...



Given that the Beryllium dome is less than 100 microns thick, propagation speed it isn't an issue.  And if it was, it would be simple enough to deal with.  The quotes from the Tekton site are pure marketing - notice no actual examples or mathematical simulations are posted after those claims?  IMO, Tekton believes beryllium is inferior because for a small company, they would have to purchase OEM Be drivers - an in house manufacturing of Be tweeters isn't realistic for a smaller company.

As to Focal vs. Tekton, at least Focal provides front grills with the purchase.  Unless things have changed greatly at Tekton, getting grills is somewhere between problematic and impossible. This may not be significant to some, but something to be aware of.  The Tekton is also significantly larger at over 6' tall than the under 4' Sopra 2.  You're going to need a substantial space to properly set up either, but a much larger area for the Tektons.  That may not matter to some, but I suspect it would be difficult to get the Ulfberht to perform well in a med/small room.

What sounds better will be purely subjective - anyone considering investing in this level of speaker should audition them.  I'm sure both brands will have fans of their presentation.


----------



## Canadian411

WHAT ! there is no grill for Tekton speakers ? What in the world .... !

And beside the Beryllium, it isn't the only way to achieve the tweeter, folded ribbons are really great if you have the right angle of listening position.
Also maybe I am the only one but Martin Logans Eletrostatic speakers (15,13, classic x) are really good speakers with the built in subs, really love the sounds of these.

So many too audition haha, just have to take a chance


----------



## Music Alchemist

Canadian411 said:


> WHAT ! there is no grill for Tekton speakers ? What in the world .... !



Most of them can be ordered with grills from their website. If you wanted grills on the Ulfberht, you may need to contact Eric in advance and arrange it, as @333jeffery did.


----------



## bfreedma

Music Alchemist said:


> Most of them can be ordered with grills from their website. If you wanted grills on the Ulfberht, you may need to contact Eric in advance and arrange it, as @333jeffery did.



In the past, ordering grills from Tekton and actually receiving them has been an issue.


----------



## Music Alchemist

bfreedma said:


> In the past, ordering grills from Tekton and actually receiving them has been an issue.



I am aware that it can increase the wait period. (Though I'm sure he would be willing to ship the speakers beforehand if they were ordered with the grill option.)

For what it's worth, at least these ones are in stock: http://www.tektondesign.com/specials.html


----------



## rlkeel0

bfreedma said:


> In the past, ordering grills from Tekton and actually receiving them has been an issue.




This.  Received my speakers in August.  Received my grills in December.  After multiple emails and at least 4 phone calls.  And they don’t fit correctly as the bottom sides of the frame sit against the metal woofer ring, not flush against the cabinet.  Speakers sound good though.

Edit:  and mine were listed as in stock when I bought them.


----------



## Music Alchemist

rlkeel0 said:


> This.  Received my speakers in August.  Received my grills in December.  After multiple emails and at least 4 phone calls.  And they don’t fit correctly as the bottom sides of the frame sit against the metal woofer ring, not flush against the cabinet.  Speakers sound good though.
> 
> Edit:  and mine were listed as in stock when I bought them.



Well, that sucks. I don't usually use the grills on my current speakers anyway. Trying to think of the circumstances in which I would definitely want grills on the Ulfberht... By that point in my life I would have a dedicated room for it, so any pets etc. wouldn't be allowed there.


----------



## rlkeel0

Music Alchemist said:


> Well, that sucks. I don't usually use the grills on my current speakers anyway. Trying to think of the circumstances in which I would definitely want grills on the Ulfberht... By that point in my life I would have a dedicated room for it, so any pets etc. wouldn't be allowed there.



Agree. I’d rather not use the grills on anything.  But I have a small dog and 3 teenagers so I’m a bit paranoid.


----------



## Music Alchemist

rlkeel0 said:


> Agree. I’d rather not use the grills on anything.  But I have a small dog and 3 teenagers so I’m a bit paranoid.



Yeah, grills are pretty much essential in that situation. I hope they become less of a hassle to acquire for future customers.


----------



## Canadian411

rlkeel0 said:


> This.  Received my speakers in August.  Received my grills in December.  After multiple emails and at least 4 phone calls.  And they don’t fit correctly as the bottom sides of the frame sit against the metal woofer ring, not flush against the cabinet.  Speakers sound good though.
> 
> Edit:  and mine were listed as in stock when I bought them.



Oh my.... I feel sorry for you. I am not going to order, this is very helpful.


----------



## rlkeel0

Canadian411 said:


> Oh my.... I feel sorry for you. I am not going to order, this is very helpful.



The wait was annoying.  But the fit is down right maddening.  A simple test fitting at the shop would’ve shown this.  Quick router job would likely fix if I get around to it.  I really do like the speakers though.  And Eric the owner actually answers the phone.  I think he has a lot of business now and not a lot of staff.


----------



## Canadian411

rlkeel0 said:


> The wait was annoying.  But the fit is down right maddening.  A simple test fitting at the shop would’ve shown this.  Quick router job would likely fix if I get around to it.  I really do like the speakers though.  And Eric the owner actually answers the phone.  I think he has a lot of business now and not a lot of staff.



That tells me a lot about the quality control at Tekton.


----------



## Music Alchemist

Canadian411 said:


> That tells me a lot about the quality control at Tekton.



That tells you nothing about the speakers. From what I've seen, the quality control of the speakers themselves is very high.


----------



## Canadian411

Music Alchemist said:


> That tells you nothing about the speakers. From what I've seen, the quality control of the speakers themselves is very high.


Exactly, I didn't say about the speaker, I said about the quality control if you read it right.


----------



## Music Alchemist

Canadian411 said:


> Exactly, I didn't say about the speaker, I said about the quality control if you read it right.



But quality control applies to everything, including (actually, especially) the speakers.


----------



## Canadian411

Music Alchemist said:


> But quality control applies to everything, including (actually, especially) the speakers.


Sure . I understand you. I will stop here, I have other important business to do.


----------



## 333jeffery

I got the PMD Studio Monitors today. They are interesting little speakers that I will have fun playing with over the next several weeks. I hooked them to some old Levinson and Triode Labs gear that I had on hand. Awesome midrange on them, and surprising bass response, so far. May post a video later.


----------



## Music Alchemist

333jeffery said:


> I got the PMD Studio Monitors today. They are interesting little speakers that I will have fun playing with over the next several weeks. I hooked them to some old Levinson and Triode Labs gear that I had on hand. Awesome midrange on them, and surprising bass response, so far. May post a video later.



I look forward to it with great interest! (As well as your continued impressions.)

If you can take photos of every angle of the speakers, that would also be great.

Do you think the wait period will be over a month for anyone who orders these?


----------



## Blueshound24

333jeffery said:


> I got the PMD Studio Monitors today. They are interesting little speakers that I will have fun playing with over the next several weeks. I hooked them to some old Levinson and Triode Labs gear that I had on hand. Awesome midrange on them, and surprising bass response, so far. May post a video later.



So you just have some old Levinson and Triode Labs stuff just laying around? LOL! Very nice!
Do you have any thoughts on whether the PMD's would be a good nearfield speaker on a Large desktop? I'm in the market for an upgrade to my LS50's


----------



## 333jeffery

These are great for nearfield use, but they are 45 pounds each. You would need a large desk. They sound real nice on just a couple watts output from the Triode Labs 2A3 amp that is powering them.


These took about six weeks to build and ship. Tekton is slammed with orders right now. They have the gloss black finish on them.


----------



## Music Alchemist

333jeffery said:


> These are great for nearfield use, but they are 45 pounds each.



That's heavier than my floorstanding speakers! 

This gives me even greater reason to seek out high quality stands. Which ones do you use?

Do you know anything else about the speakers, such as impedance and sensitivity? I'd assume it's 4 ohms and ~99 dB. (Like the Ulfberht and Double Impact.)


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## Blueshound24

333jeffery said:


> These are great for nearfield use, but they are 45 pounds each. You would need a large desk. They sound real nice on just a couple watts output from the Triode Labs 2A3 amp that is powering them.



Could you describe your layout? Are they in near field?
I would really like to hear how they would sound on a large desktop.


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## 333jeffery

Right now, they are on some generic Pangea stands that I got from Amazon. I will probably get some larger stands for them because they are so heavy and the speakers are quite wide. Don't want them to fall off.
This setup is in a small bedroom, with the speakers located  a few feet away from the bed and equipment racks.
The only spec I have for these is that they are 4ohm. They work fine with the 4ohm tap on the amplifier.


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## 333jeffery

Here is some video of the Studio Monitors in action, plus the setup:

Note: the sound is kinda loud. Enjoy!


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## Music Alchemist (Jan 14, 2018)

333jeffery said:


> Here is some video of the Studio Monitors in action, plus the setup:



They look gorgeous, especially with that high gloss black finish.

What happened to the domes on the right speaker? They look like they got pushed in. Will you be able to fix that?

Do you know if the PMD Studio Monitor has the same 6.5" woofers as the Impact Monitor?


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## Blueshound24 (Jan 14, 2018)

333jeffery said:


> Here is some video of the Studio Monitors in action, plus the setup:
> 
> Note: the sound is kinda loud. Enjoy!




Very nice! What song is that? Would you be able to do a video with somebody like Stevie Ray Vaughn, Ronnie Earl, Robben Ford or Robert Cray?  Im sorry that sounds a little pushy, but I sure would like to hear how they sound and perform with one of my preferred genres.


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## 333jeffery

The tweeter domes got pushed-in when I lifted the speaker out of it's box, they are soft rubber and should pop back out. Hasn't effected the sound, though. I believe the drivers are higher grade than the Impact monitors, but I can't say for sure. The tweeters definitely are.

The song is Midsummer Night by the Guitar Trio--Paco De Lucia. Al Di Meola and John McLaughlin. I have some Stevie Ray Vaughn that I can put on them in the next day or so.


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## Blueshound24 (Jan 15, 2018)

333jeffery said:


> I have some Stevie Ray Vaughn that I can put on them in the next day or so.



Thank you! Or actually, preferably , Ronnie Earl, Robben Ford or Robert Cray instead, if you have any. Many thanks if you can do any! but seriously what ever you have in some Good Blues, (maybe not Blues Rock).


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## mitchell2001

333jeffery said:


> Here is some video of the Studio Monitors in action, plus the setup:
> 
> Note: the sound is kinda loud. Enjoy!



hey if you want to replace those pushed in tweeters you can find replacement drivers here if its the peerless version https://www.parts-express.com/peerless-by-tymphany-dx25tg59-04-1-fabric-dome-tweeter--264-1020 or if it's the Scanspeak version https://www.madisoundspeakerstore.c...nspeak-discovery-d2604/833000-1-dome-tweeter/ The only difference is the scanspeak is magnetically shielded. impedance and frequency response are the same so it should work with the crossover regardless of the one you choose.


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## Blueshound24 (Jan 16, 2018)

Blueshound24 said:


> Thank you! Or actually, preferably , Ronnie Earl, Robben Ford or Robert Cray instead, if you have any. Many thanks if you can do any! but seriously what ever you have in some Good Blues, (maybe not Blues Rock).




Went to your YouTube page and heard Texas Flood by Stevie Ray Vaughn, Very nice. Thanks for doing that... I think the PMD's would trounce my LS50's...


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## Music Alchemist

I'm playing the new vid as well. Sounds great, of course...but unfortunately, without being there myself, I can't tell how a speaker really sounds and compares to what I've owned. I've watched many videos of this type and can't even tell how the speakers on various videos compare to each other, especially with different music. I _am_ playing all the audio through my own speakers, after all.

I can't get over how classy that piano-like reflective finish looks.


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## Canadian411

Nice ! did you get the grills ?


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## Music Alchemist (Jan 30, 2018)

Canadian411 said:


> Nice ! did you get the grills ?



If you look closely, there are no grill holes. And I've never seen compact monitors with grills.

Edit: Now that I think about it, there are compact speakers with grills, but they're relatively uncommon.


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## Canadian411

Music Alchemist said:


> If you look closely, there are no grill holes. And I've never seen compact monitors with grills.



Oh that i didnt know...


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## Canadian411

FYI, after reading this, I decided not to buy but it's really depend on you, not for me.
I am a busy guy and no time for hassle.

http://www.avsforum.com/forum/89-sp...ct-double-impact.html#/topics/2775937?page=83


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## Music Alchemist

Canadian411 said:


> FYI, after reading this, I decided not to buy but it's really depend on you, not for me.
> I am a busy guy and no time for hassle.
> 
> http://www.avsforum.com/forum/89-sp...ct-double-impact.html#/topics/2775937?page=83



I read that entire page and it's just a bunch of random info. You did not explain your reasoning. What hassle are you referring to?


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## bfreedma

Music Alchemist said:


> I read that entire page and it's just a bunch of random info. You did not explain your reasoning. What hassle are you referring to?



Read the entire thread.  The owner of Tekton makes a lot of claims that he can’t support, then refuses to discuss them when challenged.  Even the most ardent supporter of Tekton gives up by the end of the thread in his frustration with Erik.

People may like their speakers, but all of the manufacturer’s claims about design and uniqueness fall apart.  With Tekton’s continued refusal to generate measurements, all we are left with is the owner’s unsubstantiated claims about design and performance, claims which don’t align with actual speaker design theory.


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## Music Alchemist

bfreedma said:


> Read the entire thread.  The owner of Tekton makes a lot of claims that he can’t support, then refuses to discuss them when challenged.  Even the most ardent supporter of Tekton gives up by the end of the thread in his frustration with Erik.
> 
> People may like their speakers, but all of the manufacturer’s claims about design and uniqueness fall apart.  With Tekton’s continued refusal to generate measurements, all we are left with is the owner’s unsubstantiated claims about design and performance, claims which don’t align with actual speaker design theory.



Ah, I see. That's understandable. I thought he meant there was something on that page in particular that was a deal-breaker.

The sound is what matters to me in the end. Naturally, measurements relate to that, but if the manufacturer doesn't accommodate that, owners can always measure them. (Hopefully after doing proper acoustic treatments and equalization, since otherwise, you'd be measuring too much of how the room affects the sound.)


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## Music Alchemist

From an older version of the product page:

"The Ulfberht also implements musically compatible molecular-structured natural pulps and textiles that skilled musicians and audiophiles always discern as sounding vastly superior to the man-made elemental-based exotic components of our day."

Does anyone have insight on this statement?

What pulps and textiles are being referred to?

Can anyone confirm the materials in the drivers?

What about the last part of the statement? What evidence is there for it?


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## bfreedma (Jan 18, 2018)

Music Alchemist said:


> From an older version of the product page:
> 
> "The Ulfberht also implements musically compatible molecular-structured natural pulps and textiles that skilled musicians and audiophiles always discern as sounding vastly superior to the man-made elemental-based exotic components of our day."
> 
> ...




Marketing BS.   As usual with Tekton, big claims but no supporting evidence or specifics.

Think about it - the statement is that "skilled musicians and audiophiles ALWAYS discern as sounding VASTLY SUPERIOR....".   So Tekton is claiming that every single audiophile and musician will prefer their material and that it's vastly superior, yet provides no details on composition, no supporting measurements, and not even a testimonial?

It's almost comical what this company puts out for public consumption.


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## mitchell2001

Music Alchemist said:


> From an older version of the product page:
> 
> "The Ulfberht also implements musically compatible molecular-structured natural pulps and textiles that skilled musicians and audiophiles always discern as sounding vastly superior to the man-made elemental-based exotic components of our day."
> 
> ...


it can be boiled down too "paper cones make nice sounds, better sounds than other things" but For the most part paper cones are able to maintain more pistonic motion in low weight than other materials which is very good, and yes those eminence drivers they use for the mids and woofer are paper. As for what specific pulps and textiles I'm not sure but it is some kind of paper composite.


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## mitchell2001

mitchell2001 said:


> it can be boiled down too "paper cones make nice sounds, better sounds than other things" but For the most part paper cones are able to maintain more pistonic motion in low weight than other materials which is very good, and yes those eminence drivers they use for the mids and woofer are paper. As for what specific pulps and textiles I'm not sure but it is some kind of paper composite.


also, its %200 marketing jargon and don't buy into that they can make "It has a port" sound cool if they throw in some adjectives.


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## Music Alchemist (Jan 18, 2018)

bfreedma said:


> Marketing BS.   As usual with Tekton, big claims but no supporting evidence or specifics.
> 
> Think about it - the statement is that "skilled musicians and audiophiles ALWAYS discern as sounding VASTLY SUPERIOR....".   So Tekton is claiming that every single audiophile and musician will prefer their material and that it's vastly superior, yet provides no details on composition, no supporting measurements, and not even a testimonial?
> 
> It's almost comical what this company puts out for public consumption.



Yes, that phrase made no sense to me, but also made me curious whether part of it (excluding "always") had at least some basis in reality...like how some audio companies run listening tests with potential consumers to see what they like. (Sometimes these types of tests are not made public and are just for R&D purposes.)

The Klipsch towers I use have titanium tweeters and woofers made of ceramic and aluminum. So the material is mostly metal, and I do think it imparts a somewhat metallic quality to the sound. I'm just beginning my speaker journey, but having owned more than a few headphones, I noticed how the driver materials impacted the sound with those as well.

Anyway, I was more curious about the pulps and textiles themselves. The paper woofers mentioned below make sense, since they are well-known...but what about the Scan-Speak domes? Does anyone know what they are made of? A brief search brought up nothing specific.



mitchell2001 said:


> it can be boiled down too "paper cones make nice sounds, better sounds than other things" but For the most part paper cones are able to maintain more pistonic motion in low weight than other materials which is very good, and yes those eminence drivers they use for the mids and woofer are paper. As for what specific pulps and textiles I'm not sure but it is some kind of paper composite.



Thanks for confirming. This is what I suspected as far as the woofers go.


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## 333jeffery

Another review of the Double Impacts:http://v2.stereotimes.com/post/tekton-designs-double-impact-loudspeakers/

I sold my DI's to a member of a local audiophile society just a few weeks ago. He got rid of his Klipsch speakers after listening to the DI's. Tekton seems to be gaining ground.


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## Canadian411

I bought my dual SVS SB13 Ultra subwoofers after reading tons of 5 stars reviews coming from Klipsh, Polk, Def Tech sub woofers, even ML Dynamos and so on.
Basically I was sold by these people who were coming from the entry level subs, of course if you are coming from there you will find SVS subs amazing.

Truth is you cannot believe everything what reviews say, as I was bit disappointed with SVS subs, there are always better ones for less price. (PSA, JTR, Seaton subs)

Going back to Tekton, I will love to have PMD monitor and Pendragon Monitor, or maybe Ulfberht but the customer service is my main priority especially dealing with the product that costs $20k, and outside of Canada.

I am not bashing the Tekton products, just that their CS is really pain in the rear, I don't have time for that, that's why I am writing off Tekton, no other reasons.

thanks for understanding.


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## Music Alchemist




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## Canadian411

Music Alchemist said:


>


Beautiful living/listening room.  DI looks good with that spot lights, awesome !


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## Alcophone

Canadian411 said:


> Beautiful living/listening room.  DI looks good with that spot lights, awesome !


These aren't the Double Impacts, but the Ulfberhts. Otherwise you're right, that's great speaker porn!


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## Music Alchemist

Canadian411 said:


> Beautiful living/listening room.  DI looks good with that spot lights, awesome !





Alcophone said:


> These aren't the Double Impacts, but the Ulfberhts. Otherwise you're right, that's great speaker porn!



Yep, and in case there are any misconceptions here, those are not my speakers; I just shared the photo because I thought it was pretty.


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## Canadian411

Music Alchemist said:


> Yep, and in case there are any misconceptions here, those are not my speakers; I just shared the photo because I thought it was pretty.



haha, doesnt matter  I am sure you will own it, but nice !


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## 333jeffery

I think that I have found the perfect amp for Tekton speakers,the Pass Labs XA-25. I have been using one with the Studio Monitors for a while now, and it is simply amazing. As good as the Triode Labs 2a3 was, the XA-25 just beats it across the board. Explosive dynamics, wonderous speed and transparency, yet natural sound. No harshness whatsoever. A solid-state amp for tube lovers!


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## 333jeffery

Here are the Studio Monitors with the Pass Labs XA-25 powering them:


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## Canadian411

333jeffery said:


> Here are the Studio Monitors with the Pass Labs XA-25 powering them:




Beautiful speakers, I wish I can get these. Looks like piano black, really beautiful !!! 
Just curious, what is the reason you put them inside the closet ? did you noticed the improvement ?


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## 333jeffery

I put them in the closet because this is a small room and I didn't want them to get in my way. Since their ports are on the front of the speakers, it doesn't hurt their sound to put them there.


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## D2Girls

333jeffery said:


> I put them in the closet because this is a small room and I didn't want them to get in my way. Since their ports are on the front of the speakers, it doesn't hurt their sound to put them there.


Hey awesome setup. I happen to know Frank, the man behind your awesome triode labs amp. I heard the ffx 2 integrated. It's funny, as I also have a pass labs amp, xa30.5. I believe the xa25 is a superior amp, at least I get that impression from the latest review of it which compare it favourably against the xa30.8. It would be nice to have one, if only for the much much smaller foot print. My xa30.5 clocks in at 75lb. Haha.


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## Canadian411

333jeffery said:


> I put them in the closet because this is a small room and I didn't want them to get in my way. Since their ports are on the front of the speakers, it doesn't hurt their sound to put them there.


Ah !, I thought you wanted to hide it from someone


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## smodtactical

I've been thinking about the ulfberhts. I have a deal for trading in my Aria 948 and can then get them for $4500.

I already have paradigm signature s8 v2s so not sure how much of an upgrade it would be. This is also for a smaller room about 12 x 16 x 8 feet.

Any thoughts ?


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## Archerious (Aug 16, 2021)

Just ordered a pair of Pendragons, should arrive Friday.

EDIT: Whelp still haven't been delivered, Old Dominion Freight Line has had my speakers just sitting. Will update with pics when they actually arrive......


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## dsticker

smodtactical said:


> I've been thinking about the ulfberhts. I have a deal for trading in my Aria 948 and can then get them for $4500.
> 
> I already have paradigm signature s8 v2s so not sure how much of an upgrade it would be. This is also for a smaller room about 12 x 16 x 8 feet.
> 
> Any thoughts ?


I know I'm replying to a very old post but I've been away a while.

12x16x8 feet?!?  For the Ulfberhts?  I have a pair of Double Impacts driven by a Parasound Halo Integrated amp in a room of the same size and they're overkill.  Although I love them, they really need a bigger room to be fully appreciated.

How far would you expect to (or did you already) separate your speakers from the wall?  Mine are pushed back over 2 feet, which I've found is about right.  That leaves very little space to properly position oneself for optimal effect.  Unfortunately the only larger rooms in my house are not suited to these speakers.


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## Alcophone

dsticker said:


> 12x16x8 feet?!? For the Ulfberhts? I have a pair of Double Impacts driven by a Parasound Halo Integrated amp in a room of the same size and they're overkill. Although I love them, they really need a bigger room to be fully appreciated





My guesses (not sure about all of them):

Enzo XL
The Perfect Set 15
Double Impact
Encore
Moab
Ulfberht
Polycell 15
Pendragon
2-10 Perfect Set
Lore
Lore Reference


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## dsticker

Alcophone said:


> My guesses (not sure about all of them):
> 
> Enzo XL
> The Perfect Set 15
> ...


Great pic!  I can confirm you're right about the DI, and I'm sure the Ulfberht being the flagship is at the top.  I can't imagine two of those in a room this size.  Overkill would be an understatement.  smodtactical must've been kidding.

That pic makes me think my DI's are puny little speakers.   But based on how much effort it took me to drag them into this room by myself, I'm glad I don't own the Ulfberht's!


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## smodtactical

dsticker said:


> I know I'm replying to a very old post but I've been away a while.
> 
> 12x16x8 feet?!?  For the Ulfberhts?  I have a pair of Double Impacts driven by a Parasound Halo Integrated amp in a room of the same size and they're overkill.  Although I love them, they really need a bigger room to be fully appreciated.
> 
> How far would you expect to (or did you already) separate your speakers from the wall?  Mine are pushed back over 2 feet, which I've found is about right.  That leaves very little space to properly position oneself for optimal effect.  Unfortunately the only larger rooms in my house are not suited to these speakers.



Ended up getting some NS5000s for this space and even those are too big !


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## dsticker

smodtactical said:


> Ended up getting some NS5000s for this space and even those are too big !


Oh nice, those look incredible and I'm sure they sound even better than they look.  $15k though, damn!  Well at least you didn't go with the Ulfberhts; I think the Yamaha's were a much better decision.


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