So this will be a short version as I have had the speakers for about a week but feel that since they were broken in and I sleep with them on, I have enough data points to start to form a point of view.
First let me say my use case is not what I would think is typical for this sort of speaker. I have a Fisher 500c that I did have completely refurbed late last year. This is a bedroom system but I live alone and like to read, then sleep with music on. Sometimes I will wake up and simply listen sometimes its just background but overall I do use the system a good bit and what I get out of it matters. So its not a desktop..... like to watch some youtube vid on it sort of thing. Source is a Logitech squeezebox touch with an MSB 24/96 capable DAC.
I have been using a very good pair of Cantus Leasier II speakers from M&K. Lets be honest best case they are 86db although from all that I have read the upgrade in cross over makes them 88/90db.... my read its really more like 87/88 best case. I can say this...... if you want to go vintage then go with something 90db + its just easier.
My bedroom rests in a 137 year old house with small bedrooms and old variable width pine floors and stucco wall and ceiling covering over slats. We have upgraded the insulation, wall covering windows, plumbing wiring etc but lets be honest you live in a century plus old home and things are going to rattle. What I missed after years of playing with various old setups was something close to full range sound while not shaking the walls to the point where you were waking up every 15 mins.
The systems gets a good steady stream of small acoustic jazz, female vocals and the like. Think Patrica Barber, Cowboy Junkies, and say Dave Getz. will and can firmly admit I have more then once fallen asleep to Pink Floyd or even a bit of CSYN but the basics are all the same. Full range but not to an extreme..... I don't need a peddle organ in my bedroom. If you can push and I do mean really push out a 30-40hrz signal then you are all good with me.
If like most mini monitors you fall off the map at 60hrz then lets call it what it is.... I loved my Celestion Sl 600's and the 700's that came after but to be blunt if they hit 60 in a given room I was walkin on sunshine.
So to set the stage here I have three systems. I have a pair of ATC 20-2A speakers in a HT setup with a Revel 15a sub and a couple McKie speakers when I want to watch a movie. I have a Proceed AVP mK II hooked up to a Bel Canto EVO 4Mk II with 350wpc going into a pair of Talon Kohrus speakers and then I have the old throw back bedroom system with a fisher, MSB, Logitech Touch, Tekton Lores.
So up front let me say I do think the Lores are a game changer. If you don't then you can cut it off here and move on. Are they as accurate as the ATC's....... nope not even in the same ballpark. Are they as smooth and full range as the Talons.... again nope not even close. Are they as dynamic as say the McKies likely not but who cares.... here is what I will say. If you put me in a small to medium room with the goal that I want a full range speaker on a desert Island then I would grab the Tekton Lore's a tube amp and a good source all for less then say 3k and call it a day.
What I like. The lore do a good job with tone and timber. Are they the most hyper accurate speaker I have ever heard?....nope. But then again do you want to spend 1k for 90% of what you will get for 10k... up to you. For me it was clear early on as these were going up against speakers in the 10-20k range at current market I would go with the lore. Are they the most accurate speaker I have ever heard again NOPE. you want me to call it out I would take the ATC over the Lore any day of the week if I were looking to pull apart a recording and figure out how to play a part or portion of it... In fact I would call out any ATC if you are a musician and want to listen and then disect the recording. The ATC are the better bet...... but you want to spend 8k or 1k?... up to you.
Again with Talon and the like as I have owned most everything from Revel through Paradigm..... they all have what I would call a strong point or position. But overall I would pick the tekton Lore not because its better in any one category but because overall its more musical, efficient and or full ranged then the competition.
let me try it this way. I loved the Revel M-20 it was if anything one of the most full range best all round mini monitors I have heard in years. But it is not as efficient, it taxed the tubes I had around the house. The tekton meets 90% of what I got from the Revel and I need not worry about blowin a tube...... More over and I love the service I have from Harmod...... do I really care at about a grand..... or 650.... if you go M lore about service? Don't get me wrong but I paid 2500 for my M-20's and that was used....... I paid just under half that for my tekton's used... but even new you are looking at about half. What do you choose?
First off know that this is a bedroom system in a 12x14 room. I will and plan to knock out the main speakers in the 2 channel system and will report back, but early returns seem to say well.... its about a tie with some of the higher end more expensive stuff I have on hand. I am getting real quick and substantive bass at say 30hz with them in my room. Like wise while not the last word in imaging and pinpoint accuracy I would rank them as competitive with the better speakers out there. They flat out kill paradigm and PBS in terms of overall bandwidth range while offering more in terms of extension and flat out musicality.
I have heard some say these are sort of middle of the hall speakers and I really take that as an issue. If you listen then I would say the tekton is about where I want to sit. Front to back, side to side its accurate and enjoyable. Its not so much mid hall as it is... well in hall. You hear what is there. Seat me where you will I want to hear what a happened not what some sound engineer determined I should get. End of the day....... I have the ATC's to tell the truth I have the tekton lore's to spin out the yarn. I would encourage you all to give them a listen ... much as I thought it over I do not regret it.
First let me say my use case is not what I would think is typical for this sort of speaker. I have a Fisher 500c that I did have completely refurbed late last year. This is a bedroom system but I live alone and like to read, then sleep with music on. Sometimes I will wake up and simply listen sometimes its just background but overall I do use the system a good bit and what I get out of it matters. So its not a desktop..... like to watch some youtube vid on it sort of thing. Source is a Logitech squeezebox touch with an MSB 24/96 capable DAC.
I have been using a very good pair of Cantus Leasier II speakers from M&K. Lets be honest best case they are 86db although from all that I have read the upgrade in cross over makes them 88/90db.... my read its really more like 87/88 best case. I can say this...... if you want to go vintage then go with something 90db + its just easier.
My bedroom rests in a 137 year old house with small bedrooms and old variable width pine floors and stucco wall and ceiling covering over slats. We have upgraded the insulation, wall covering windows, plumbing wiring etc but lets be honest you live in a century plus old home and things are going to rattle. What I missed after years of playing with various old setups was something close to full range sound while not shaking the walls to the point where you were waking up every 15 mins.
The systems gets a good steady stream of small acoustic jazz, female vocals and the like. Think Patrica Barber, Cowboy Junkies, and say Dave Getz. will and can firmly admit I have more then once fallen asleep to Pink Floyd or even a bit of CSYN but the basics are all the same. Full range but not to an extreme..... I don't need a peddle organ in my bedroom. If you can push and I do mean really push out a 30-40hrz signal then you are all good with me.
If like most mini monitors you fall off the map at 60hrz then lets call it what it is.... I loved my Celestion Sl 600's and the 700's that came after but to be blunt if they hit 60 in a given room I was walkin on sunshine.
So to set the stage here I have three systems. I have a pair of ATC 20-2A speakers in a HT setup with a Revel 15a sub and a couple McKie speakers when I want to watch a movie. I have a Proceed AVP mK II hooked up to a Bel Canto EVO 4Mk II with 350wpc going into a pair of Talon Kohrus speakers and then I have the old throw back bedroom system with a fisher, MSB, Logitech Touch, Tekton Lores.
So up front let me say I do think the Lores are a game changer. If you don't then you can cut it off here and move on. Are they as accurate as the ATC's....... nope not even in the same ballpark. Are they as smooth and full range as the Talons.... again nope not even close. Are they as dynamic as say the McKies likely not but who cares.... here is what I will say. If you put me in a small to medium room with the goal that I want a full range speaker on a desert Island then I would grab the Tekton Lore's a tube amp and a good source all for less then say 3k and call it a day.
What I like. The lore do a good job with tone and timber. Are they the most hyper accurate speaker I have ever heard?....nope. But then again do you want to spend 1k for 90% of what you will get for 10k... up to you. For me it was clear early on as these were going up against speakers in the 10-20k range at current market I would go with the lore. Are they the most accurate speaker I have ever heard again NOPE. you want me to call it out I would take the ATC over the Lore any day of the week if I were looking to pull apart a recording and figure out how to play a part or portion of it... In fact I would call out any ATC if you are a musician and want to listen and then disect the recording. The ATC are the better bet...... but you want to spend 8k or 1k?... up to you.
Again with Talon and the like as I have owned most everything from Revel through Paradigm..... they all have what I would call a strong point or position. But overall I would pick the tekton Lore not because its better in any one category but because overall its more musical, efficient and or full ranged then the competition.
let me try it this way. I loved the Revel M-20 it was if anything one of the most full range best all round mini monitors I have heard in years. But it is not as efficient, it taxed the tubes I had around the house. The tekton meets 90% of what I got from the Revel and I need not worry about blowin a tube...... More over and I love the service I have from Harmod...... do I really care at about a grand..... or 650.... if you go M lore about service? Don't get me wrong but I paid 2500 for my M-20's and that was used....... I paid just under half that for my tekton's used... but even new you are looking at about half. What do you choose?
First off know that this is a bedroom system in a 12x14 room. I will and plan to knock out the main speakers in the 2 channel system and will report back, but early returns seem to say well.... its about a tie with some of the higher end more expensive stuff I have on hand. I am getting real quick and substantive bass at say 30hz with them in my room. Like wise while not the last word in imaging and pinpoint accuracy I would rank them as competitive with the better speakers out there. They flat out kill paradigm and PBS in terms of overall bandwidth range while offering more in terms of extension and flat out musicality.
I have heard some say these are sort of middle of the hall speakers and I really take that as an issue. If you listen then I would say the tekton is about where I want to sit. Front to back, side to side its accurate and enjoyable. Its not so much mid hall as it is... well in hall. You hear what is there. Seat me where you will I want to hear what a happened not what some sound engineer determined I should get. End of the day....... I have the ATC's to tell the truth I have the tekton lore's to spin out the yarn. I would encourage you all to give them a listen ... much as I thought it over I do not regret it.