Efficient speaker: Zu, Tekton, Volti, Klipsch, Fleetwood?

Check the Aric Audio Dynalto.

price ranges are all over the place: ~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~ I paid less than $1G. I have zero complainst on performance. My speakers are not in your high priced list. Spend more = get less ~~~is my mantra Another one of my mantras is ~~~ how least can I spend to achieve the best sound possible. Experiements are costly, but pay off is the jack pot Lotto winnings.

ladok OP

76 posts

12-29-2021 7:46pm

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.

@ladok as you can tell from looking at his posts, that’s all he does. I’m all for calling out the over the top owners who make wild and outrageous statements about how great Tekton speakers are at the same time calling out the trolls like @missioncoonery who is out of control in their hatred of the brand.

I own DI’s from Tekton, I wrote a fairly long review of them some months back. I think I’m pretty fair in how I look at the speakers and in fact a bit on the more reserved side in showing how I feel about them and the company. Ignore the nonsense here, I’m all for listening to as many speakers as you can and there is something to be said for what you get for your money for Tekton. In fact, I can’t think of many other speakers that deliver as much for the money.

One thing to keep in mind though, I don't think Tekton speakers are as efficient as they state but that can go for many other speakers too.  

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.

@ladok How true, impedance curve so important! Many speaker manufacturers don't provide this, I'd say this is more important than sensitivity rating. Extremely important in choosing amp tube type, output transformer and speaker tap.

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.

This is pretty much what you will find, over and over again. Actual owners are incredibly happy, and while the haters can never be stopped hating neither can they find any traction given how few and far between these things come up for sale in the used market. People don’t wait for months except for a good deal. Nobody keeps $5k speakers just because it costs $200 or whatever to ship them back. A quick estimate based on serial numbers shows something like 99% are bought and kept. Hang out on the FB Tekton Owner’s Group page you will find more often than not when they are sold it is to upgrade or buy another Tekton. All solid evidence backing up the accolades from owners and reviewers.

This only serves to make the haters hate all the more.

I don’t know if Atkinson got 91dB, and frankly if he did I would have to seriously doubt the man even more than I already do. Before Moab I had 92dB speakers and Moab are considerably, obviously, exceedingly more volume per watt. Not even close. Which in any case, "they aren’t as sensitive as claimed" talk about thin gruel!

Real world experience: I’m using mine with a 20W Raven tube amp and have measured 102dB at the sweet spot 9 ft away in my 17x24x9 room. More importantly, they sound absolutely terrific, at every volume, with every kind of music.

Most people you would think would be thrilled to learn they can actually be able to afford this level of performance. Not the haters. It is all enough to make you think they not only do not want to be happy, they don’t want anyone else to be either.

Join the FB Owner’s Group. You will be pleasantly surprised.

And there we Have it Dear Readers ….

A Very well and widely regarded Professional in the field of measuring audio electronics,  and in this case the parameters of a particular speaker design ( or should that be thrown together ?)   Has his unbiased professionalism and years of experience mired by … well I dont know what really … perhaps agenda fuelled Zealot …  

A big + 1 Tsushima1.........

tsushima1

623 posts

12-30-2021 6:21pm

And there we Have it Dear Readers ….

A Very well and widely regarded Professional in the field of measuring audio electronics,  and in this case the parameters of a particular speaker design ( or should that be thrown together ?)   Has his unbiased professionalism and years of experience mired by … well I dont know what really … perhaps agenda fuelled Zealot …  

Oh good lord, the burn is too much to handle. hahahaha man that was cruel. ;)

And now OP, you see why things turn upside down when you bring up Tekton, you get MC and others who spout off trash and have to be called out by others.  But next time the burn unit might need to be called if @tsushima1 responds ;)

MC, go back into hiding please.

I recently heard some O/96s at my dealer and compared to my La Scala AL5s the Devores were a little more forward through the high mids/low treble.  There were other differences of course but that was the big takeaway for me. Different systems/rooms  but I think I could be happy with either.

No mention of Daedalus Audio I think. I have had my Darama large standmounts for over 10 years and no plan to change.All the range is in the mid 90s sensitivity, with a benign load too.

 

As for WAF, Lou is a Carpenter by trade I believe and makes beautiful solid wood cabinets. Mine cost $5500 in 2010, much more now I'm sure, inflation in HiFi is ridiculous in my view. No Dealers I believe, but Lou has a number of owners happy to Demo, across the States and outside too. I recommend an audition.

Not for Tekton bashing as I believe they make a pretty good inexpensive speaker.  I owned a pair of the Perfect-SET speakers.  They may have not been quite as efficient as advertised, however they were efficient and sounded pretty darn good over-all.  $-for-$, they are tough to beat.  I sold them as there was an obvious dip in the upper mid-range frequencies, which in comparison to my Living-Voice OBX-RW's was brought out however those speakers were $12K+ when new 11 years ago.  All in all, if I hadn't had the L-V speakers, I may have not noticed the mid-range dip in the Perfect-SET Tektons.  They had great bass and were noticeably more-efficient than my L-V's...  Great speakers for rock & roll ! 

By the way, I also had several pairs of ZU speakers and none of them I believe were rated very accurately in terms of actual efficiency, especially the Soul-Superfly version I had.  Was actually tougher to drive than the Druids...  

John

Jim Salk is renowned for his cabinetry, but there are not that many speakers in his line that are all that sensitive. Still, a few are 90-92db, and they are beautiful.

FYI, Salk has home trial. Daedalus, I think, does not.

Lines are limited but take a look:

92 db https://www.salksound.com/series.php?series=Exotica
90 db https://www.salksound.com/model.php?model=BePure%202

I have been corresponding with him in the hopes he might develop some higher sensitivity speakers. His concern is with distortion. I personally would wish he'd make a speaker that rolls off a bit higher -- 45-50 hz -- that is easy to drive and could be paired with an active sub.

 JBL K2 9900 are what you want.

 93 dB efficiency, +/- 1 db from 70 - 20kHz, less than 1% distortion at 96db across the audible sound spectrum and 500 watt power handling.

 

 

 

I agree with Robshaw, I have the Tekton DI monitors paired with an RSL Speedwoofer driven by a Peachtree Nova 300 and it is audio Nirvana IMHO. Been in audio for close to 50yrs and did pro-audio live sound for 5yrs and this system will be around until I can afford a $25k system. Even then I don't know if it can be beat.

 

Klipsch are good. Volti is good.  All brands mentioned are good.  I personally have Crites, same size as cornwall. I think better parts in crossover. These are very efficient, approx 100dB. Can get upgraded ALK crossover if you prefer. They would be about 2800 delivered with ALK. They do come unfinished.

I've got the White Pendragons and run them nicely with 8 watts tube...They Are Highly Efficient....Don't let anyone tell you different. I love their soundstage. CEC CD T w/ Ares 2 DAC ....Will blow the doors off with the sound of real instruments playing. Get the Upgrades and the 7 speaker tweeter array and never look back . $2500    You'll LOVE them. (8 ohm)......

Volti Razz without any doubt.

But if you have space Cornwall IV without any doubt or hesitation.

Had never heard of the Volti Razz in the past, need to check those out, look great!

You cannot put 6-15 drivers in a cabinet and expect solid sound.

Impossible. Unless the cabinet is the size of a Volkswagen. Sorry.

 

Neither head nor shower.

 

After watching this video, I am changing my mind about Klipsch

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=EKxOWKQewVs

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sSkIHVJ6rts

Also a video on the Fleetwoods

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a5F0bYAa1Fg

 

 

 

I have listened to Tektons Ulfbehrt’s (or whatever the monster 7’ speakers are called) sides by side with Zu Druids.  With the right amp, setup correctly, the Tekton’s are very good.  That being said, they are harder to drive than you would think as the efficiency deviation is driven by them being 4 ohm speakers.  With the wrong amp, they sound bad and picking the right amp is harder than you would think.  At least for these giant Tektons.  A high current tube amp with 4 ohm taps can do the job well.  A SS like Naim would be a better choice.  
 

regarding impedances actual impact beyond making it more taxing on an amp, in practice it may have minimal impact unless you listen at very high levels or are using for home theater.  With 20w of power, a 92dB speaker will output 102dB of volume at 9’.  A 97dB speaker will output 107dB at 9’.  For music, 10-15dB of headroom is plenty and since reference levels are 85dB, there is no practical difference other than where you have the volume nob set. 

To my taste, especially with a lower watt (20w in triode) tube amp, I preferred the Zus but the Tektons sounded really, really good with that amp.  Really a matter of personal taste.  
 

Tannoy Kingdom Royal MkII

4-way bass reflex, 8 ohm, freq. response 24Hz - 61 kHz (-6dB), sensitivity 96 dB for 2.83 volt at 1 metre, 90 deg conical dispersion. 

$40,000.00 each from Stereoland, Bloomington, MN

 

I think the titanium driven mid horn in Heresy III sounds better than the new poly driven and much simpler mid horn (the convoluted deep throated mid loading Heresy III horn is a very different design relative to the simple short throat IVs) in the heresy IVs. That said, best 1500 bucks I’ve ever spent (open box or something non sequential serial numbers new a few years ago Capitol Records 75th anniversary version). Clean and clear alleged 99db masterpieces I’ll likely never get rid of. 2 REL subs flesh out the lows...do they sound better than some of the far more costly options noted here? Meh...just don’t care...most other new efficient speakers are either ugly, expensive, or both.

I never heard any of them but if you randomly reorder the list, I can tell you that #2 and #4 are terrible. 

vladtheimpala but then I couldn't afford to move in to my new house.

I've heard Volti's at shows a number of times and was consistently impressed -it's a great horn speaker, really a better Klipsch.  I've also heard Tekton's a number of times and was impressed from a price/performance perspective, but I don't think they are comparable to others on the list.  

I recently enjoyed a great demo of the new upgraded Fleetwood DeVille at OMA's showroom and was truly impressed -this is a great speaker with phenomenal bass for the size, terrific efficiency, a wonderful soundstage, and gorgeous cabinetry.  That would likely be my pick from this list. 

I own both the Tekton Lore and the Lore Reference.

I bought the Reference because the Lore was on backorder.

Just needed something to listen to, not expecting much.

I was totally impressed with them but also thinking I would sell the Reference when the larger Lore showed up.

When the bigger Lore arrived it was a totally different speaker.

I liked them equally for different reasons.

I find myself switching from one to the other and will not get rid of either pair now.

Pete

I am also in the market for a new pair of high sensitivity / high-flat impedance curve speakers with a nominal impedance of 8 ohms or greater. 1st order crossover, highly dampened woofer, etc.

I'm researching Devore Super 9's and Coincident Super Victory III.

Anyone owning or hearing either (or similar), would appreciate your input.

My current speakers are Sonist Concerto 4, Genertaion 2, driven by 30 Watt P/Pull Class "A" (mostly) EL34 (Ars Sonus Filarmonia,  with Jupiur Copper Foil / Bees Wax coupling caps)

Front baffles of speakers are approx 5' from front wall, 9' apart tweeter to tweeter, 3' from side wall (center of tweeter to side wall.  I sit 10 to 12 feet from front baffle of speaker. Opens up to kitchen behind where I sit, about 22 feet to wall behind my seat.  So basically the entire area is 15' wide X 37' long, speakers on the narrower wall (15')

I have purchased a LTA ZOTL 40 Integrated W/ EL34 Mullard tube upgrade. The LTA will be the primary amp in the new set-up.

Other than what previously has been referenced above; your suggestion of a speaker other than the Devore and Coincident would be welcome.

Thnx

Brad

I’ve been running Zu Omen DWs for about 2yrs. Awesome value. Great build quality. Run them with a yaqin MC-13s (chfi push pull based on old Hafler circuit) running 38w into 8ohms. DWs are 98db efficient. My power meter rarely steps out beyond 10w. Great imaging, good soundstage, awesome dynamics for their price.
About 2 weeks ago I pulled the trigger on a set of Druid MkIV. Same front end. I’m still setting them up. Not as simple as the DWs. So far, I’m wildly impressed, and they keep getting better everyday. 101dB efficient. Crazy dynamics. Everything is just bigger and more lifelike. That said, I am contemplating a change in amp - mostly just to see what SETs or Class A SS has to offer.

Im sold on the high efficiency crossover less design of Zu and others mentioned in this thread. Haven’t heard or seen DeVore but I can say for certain that Tekton seems to puts the money into the drivers and less into the cabinet and finish. I wish Tekton would up the build game because they sound marvelous (and are made right there in UT).

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.

Ladok

Very helpful, thnks.  I have read just about everything I could, but never came across a reviewer mentioning scale.  I did come across a forum where an individual stated that instruments and voices did not seem life size.  That has stuck with me since, and had me re-reading reviews to see what was mentioned regarding scale. Most reviewers emphasized there staging and imaging performance, but not much at all on how they scale or size instruments. So that is helpful.  What amplification did you or are you using with the Super Nines. Unlike most, I prefer a tamer bass, I am very conscious about disturbing the neighbors, and its a distraction to my listening pleasure if I think I am bugging someone.  They are spec'd at 28 Hz, but based on the woofer size, I cant imagine they push a lot of air.  On occasion when I want more and lower bass I turn on My REl 305.  I would prefer an integrated sub, maybe even powered, but in my case this is the better option.  The other question you may be able to help me with is there performance level in portraying life like instrument/voice tonal qualities.

The closes Devore dealer that has the Supr Nines on dynamic display is in San Francisco, so I would like to have an idea that the speaker has the qualities I am looking for, before I take a drive from Portland, Or. to audition.  

 

Also,  If there's someone who has lived with or heard the Coincident Super Victory III, I would appreciate your thoughts.

Thanks again

Brad

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.

David12 thanks for the Daedalus recommendation. I left them off my list but I am considering them.

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?

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.

The Cherry finished pair of Legacy Focuses (98db, maybe actually 96.4db) originals for moderate to large size rooms.  Conventional but nice looking.   Or 94db, easier to drive (30 tube watts-loud and punchy bass) Legacy Signature IIIs (only know original version).  Same-moderate to large room, smaller than Focuses and just as nicely finished.   

.

ladok

Thanks again.  I actually found your comments more helpful than most all the reviews I have read.

Brad

bradf glad I could be of help. I've lived with the Super 9s for about three years so I know them well.

It all really comes down to personal taste.  I've only heard Zu and Tekton at shows so I don't have much to offer on those.  I've owned Forte IIIs and have upgraded those to Volti Razz and from the Razz to Volti Rivals.  I wrote a quick review for Greg for the Razz that's on his site and can be found here (it's the one that mentions the Forte IIIs): https://voltiaudio.com/razz-press/

He also left the link up for the Rivals that I have now which are here: https://voltiaudio.com/RivalSErosewood.shtml

I liked all three speakers but I can't foresee ever getting rid of the Rivals.  I think you will find any of these pretty different from the Super 9s, which I think are definitely a little hotter on the top end (a local dealer sells them and I've auditioned them twice).  The Rivals are being driven by an LTA Z40i w/Mullards (updated to the latest version a couple of weeks ago) and the main source is an Innous Zenith music server going into a Border Patrol SE-I DAC.  I'll add a turntable this year.

I have another system that I've been deciding whether to do something similar or something completely different and after toying with the idea of speakers from Marten, QLN and Joseph Audio (which are all great) I decided I kind of love horns and bought a pair of Fleetwood Deville's yesterday.  The Deville's throw out just an unbelievably layered soundstage and the way voices and instruments just kind of fall out of the speakers in an effortless way is pretty intoxicating.  For me, it's all about engagement.  I either find the music coming from speaker X engaging or not, and the one I want to keep listening to is always the right choice.  It sounds obvious, but trust me more folks end up buying based on some perceived audiophile trait than don't.  The other speaker that I really love (but it's a bit too nearfield for my room) is the Harbeth 30.2 (just to draw a reference point for you).  I hope some of this helps.  Good luck.

@badgerdms - What size room will you have the Fleetwoods in, and how will you have them set up?

I’m real fan of Volti Audio & recently purchased the Rivals which I really enjoy! They sound more like true live music than anything else I’ve ever owned or heard including many very expensive models. They sound, big, open, dynamic but still with much nuance & image. I heard Greg Roberts ( Volti designer, builder & owner) also demonstrate his Razz which were very similar if not a little less big & dynamic but very close at half the price. I think they’re about $6000 w/great build quality at that price easily eclipsing the similarly priced Klipsch model. I’m all for artisan made, American products especially when they’re excellent & a great value. Check them out!

Thanks badgerdms, that's very helpful information.

When I heard the Volti Rival and Razz at consecutive Axpona shows, they were set up on the long wall and not very far out from the wall. Almost certainly less than 2 feet and in both cases they sounded good to me.

@facten The room is basically 13'x23'.  They will be set up on the short wall about 6' into the room.