fatdaddy2 thanks for the input. Agreed that some of the larger, multi-tweeter Tektons ar downright ugly, but the Lore is within the acceptable WAF range. I'm more concerned about some of the negative comments about the Tekton sound, because the reviews for this speaker are just the opposite.
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Sbank you are correct about the Devores needing to be away from the back wall. I've owned 9s, O/96 and now the Super 9, and they've all sounded best at least 30 inches away from the wall. So I'm not considering them for the new room.
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Fiesta75, thanks for your input. If you don’t mind my asking, what in particular don’t you like about the Tekton Lore?
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hilde45 thanks, great thread
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missioncoonery what is it about Tekton that "blows," particularly the Lore? My experience has been just the opposite, most of the people that have heard them give them rave reviews. This type of post is not really helpful.
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ddafoe, thanks for the information. My wife thinks the Fleetwood is beautiful, but I haven’t told her how much they cost. I’ve seen them on Youtube videos, they certainly aren’t your tiny min-monitors. They’d be a much easier choice at about half the price. I have considered Fyne speakers, they are made by former long-time Tannoy people. They do look kind of like a cyclops, my wife says they remind her of the one-eyed minion cartoon characters, which was not exactly a ringing endorsement.
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missioncoonery I went back through this thread. Three of the negative Tekton comments had to do with their efficiency not being as high as advertised, with Stereophile test confirming. As far as I can tell, only two of the negative posters actually listened to a Tekton, but to what extent and under what conditions is unknown. Two other posters actually own a Tekton and love them.
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Don't know what you mean by "fan boy," I have no dog in the hunt, just looking for useful, helpful information.
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blkwrzwgn thanks for the information. It seems both Tekton and Zu attract some very extreme viewpoints. There have also been comments about the Tekton customer service in other forums, which concerns me. As far as some other posts on this thread, I do have a low tolerance for those who feel the need to be condescending know-it-alls on these forums, but it seems that’s the way things are trending these days. Several posters mentioned sensitivity ratings. You are right, and anyone who follows John Atkinson’s speaker measurements knows that Tekton is not the only speaker that tests lower in sensitivity than they are rated. When this happens, he is quick to point out that 91 db (as opposed to the claimed 97 db) is still very efficient. But even more importantly, he explains that some of these speakers have a high impedance and a benign impedance curve (Tekton, Zu, Devore), which will make them more efficient in use than the 91 db he is measuring. So impedance is just as important as the sensitivity rating. There are some 92 db speakers out there with unfriendly 2-4 db impedance curves. You’d be better off with 88 db and a smooth 8 ohms. So speaker-amplifier matching is just as important as the sensitivity tests, in my observations over the years with many speakers.
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vladtheimpala but then I couldn't afford to move in to my new house.
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Bradf I originated this post and mentioned I currently own the Devore Super 9s. They are the best speaker I've ever had in 40 years of high end audio, and I've owned about 20 brands. I previously had the 0/96 which I think are better overall, but the Super 9s were a better match for my room. The Super 9s disappear, throw an enormous soundstage, image precisely, and possesss excellent dynamics, scale, pace and timing. They don't go as deep in the bass or have as much low-end impact as the 0/96, but I find the bass very satisfying. They are SLIGHTY warmish on the neutrality scale but in a very lifelike way. Actually, that's the Devore trademark, a tonal balance that is very much like real performers in real space. And then, there is that hard-to-define quality, they just sound right.
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David12 thanks for the Daedalus recommendation. I left them off my list but I am considering them.
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bradf to answer your question about scale, I’d say it’s very realistic. If voices or instruments don’t seem "life-size" on these speakers, they aren’t set up well, although in my experience they are very easy to set up and get sounding right. The 0/96 bass would probably disturb the neighbors but not the Super 9s. The two 7-inch woofers provide deep, tight bass with good impact. I should add that I’m not a "bass freak," I enjoy deep, tight bass that hits you in the gut, but have no desire to shake the room or show off weird sound effects. I have no desire to add a sub. I’ve used a wide variety of amplifiers, including tubes by Leben, Antique Sound Lab and Luxman. I’ve also used some solid state, including Pass and First Watt. Right now I’m using a hybrid Rogue Sphinx and I really like this pairing. The Super 9s are discerning of the qualities and "flavor" of each amp, but they always maintain their basic nature, which is very musical. Keep in mind, I have never had horn speakers so I can’t compare to that. It sounds like you’ve done your research and read the reviews, but I’ll just point out that there are several good reviews on line that address most of your questions.
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Thanks audionutjeff, the Fleetwoods are at the top of my list and if I can scrape together the $$ I will probably go with these. The Volti is probably my second choice.
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Petecow thanks for the input about the Tektons. I am considering both the Lore and the LoreR, can you go into a little more detail about the difference between them?
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bradf glad I could be of help. I've lived with the Super 9s for about three years so I know them well.
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Thanks badgerdms, that's very helpful information.
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trentmemphis I agree that the Tektons are very plain looking. Cornwalls won't be necessary because we won't be listening at loud levels (mostly background levels), and the WAF isn't too great with those, either, due to the wide, squat appearance. But thanks for the input.
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Thanks for the advice fosolitude. I am leaning towards Volti and Fleetwood Deville. I used to have the Devore 96, it made music seem more physical and present than anything I've ever had but was too large for my room, so I went to the Super 9s, which are perfect. I will check out Charney, that is new to me.
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Thanks for the advice, 213cobra. I am still considering the Soul Supreme, the WAF is high and I've always wanted to try Zu. I'm a little hesitant, though, because out of all the speakers on my list, these seem to have the most "personality" and folks either love them or hate them. I usually enjoy Steve Guttenberg's YouTube reviews, but his description of the Soul 6 made me think he either had them set up wrong or they weren't broken in. I guess by the Griewe Gap, you're referring to the space between the bottom of the speaker and the floor. That seems like it would be a real pain in the ass to have to adjust.
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Thanks low325. What do you like about the Deville?
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Thanks tsushima. I've been "up" the Devore line and my favorite is the Super 9, which I plan to keep. What is it about the Zu sound that attracts you? What would you say are the weaknesses?
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Hi Bradf. My current room is 19 by 15, I found the Super 9s sound best along the long wall, about 31-37 inches from the back wall (to the back of the speaker). They are 7 feet apart which means there's lots of space on the sides, and I found it helps to keep each speaker a different distance from the side wall to help balance out room bass nodes. My ears are about 9 feet from the plan of each speaker. Your room should be a great size for the Super 9s, they are not difficult to place. Also, most reviewers found they sound best firing straight ahead instead of toe-in, I tend to agree, but it's fun to experiment.
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I use bananas, although I do recall using spades when I first got them and didn't notice and problems. I have the speakers boxed up right now as we are preparing to move, so I can't measure the space.
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low325 thanks for the link to the Fleetwood post, that was very helpful
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