Well @grey9hound was kind enough to allow me, at total stranger, to visit his home and enjoy his company, his system, and Romeo his wonderful canine companion. Romeo and I hit it off spectacularly!
Here are some details of Dennis’s system:
McIntosh MX151 Pre-amp. It comes with the Lyndorf Room Correction software.
JRiver Media
Rogue Audio St-100 stereo tube amp tricked out with NOS Telefunken 1960s 12ax7 tubes
Voodoo Audio Reference speaker cables
Purest power and IC cables cables the circumference of my arm! Forget the models, but very high quality.
The room is a basement room with concrete under carpet and two concrete walls covered in paneling. The room is open on the left side to an adjoining space/room. Not sure of the room’s exact dimensions and perhaps Dennis can clearify. Speakers looked to be about 8 feet apart center to center and we sat about 9 feet back with a wall directly behind us. Speakers were perhaps 18 inches from the wall behind them. Dennis will need to confirm actual measurements.
His JRiver Media software is just amazing and Dennis has complete mastery over it. The features and adjustability seem limitless from my virgin perspective. We listened to his ripped cd files which covered music genres ranging from electronica to female vocalist. I could not bring any of my music as I do not own CDs, but stream from Tidal and play my ripped and now sold music collection. He did have several artists and recordings I am very familiar with including Van Morrison who is my favorite artist.
First, the Tekton DI speaker is the most interesting speaker I have ever listened to. Eric the designer/builder has a speaker that portrays a sonic perspective, that to my ears, is new and somewhat unique. What he has accomplished for $3300 shipped (upgraded model) is astonishing. He has my sincere respect. Not sure how anyone could come away with a different conclusion after a serious listen in a reasonably set up system.
Please understand my thoughts are based on a well seasoned perspective having owned all manner of gear and systems over the decades. My last five speakers include;
Soundlab A1s driven by Atmasphere MA1s
Lahave Audio Khara driven by numerous tube amps including DHTs
Coincident Total Victory II driven by several SS and tube amps
Harbeth 40.1s driven by tube amps and the Lyngdorf 2170
Acoustic Zen Crescendo highly modified and upgraded my myself - driven by a Lyngdorf 2170 also modified by myself. This is my current set up.
I will cover the bass first and this will take little time and few words. In Dennis’s room the bass response was remarkable. He played some electronica at db levels well over 100db that pulsated my body and the room. It was remarkably deep, powerful, and articulate. The DI speaker gives a wonderful foundation to many recordings, even the ones we all love that often sound mediocre at best. On all types of music the bass was fast, impactful, and always articulate. My Crescendo speakers cannot match the bass exploits of the DI. This was clear folks. In fact with room correction and in Dennis’s set up, no speaker I have owned comes close.
The next attribute I quickly took note of was the immediacy of this speaker. Here is where it is rather unique and ground breaking. Song after song, genre and genre, the immediacy of the performance was uncanny and arresting. The instruments seems to be right before me and spread out nicely right to left.
These two attributes, bass and immediacy, make the DI speaker a fun and exhilarating experience. They make audio and listening fun!
For $3300 I know of no speaker that comes close it it’s overall level of sonic performance. Let’s go a little deeper now.
Ever watch that Seinfeld episode of the "close talker"? The person stands unusually close to others when in conversation thus invading
personal space. The immediacy of the DI ended up giving me this feeling. This first few rows perspective was evident recording after recording. I would have liked more stage depth. How much of this is due, if at all, to the room is impossible for me to know at this juncture.
While my current AZ Crescendo speakers are not as impressive in bass response, speed, and uber immediacy, they sound more beautiful and lovely to my ears. Here is a somewhat poor example, but it at least sums up my feelings pretty well. The DI speakers are a fun, fantastically exciting and vividly engaging date for me. I would in the end marry the Crescendo speakers 🙂
This is only MY subjective opinion so please know that. I for example don’t usually like FAST in my gear. When I hear some piece of gear is fast it often ends up sounding less beautiful and sensual than I prefer. I am fine with things moving a tad slower and letting the notes linger and roll a tad.
Impossible to say the DI speaker beats out $20,000 speakers, as by what criteria is this judgement being made? By a speaker’s sonic muscularity and staging gymnastics? We all have different check lists and there is no one checklist of attributes that rises to the one standard for all to be judged. Listen for yourself and have fun. Goodness this is one fun ride of a speaker folks!
Remember this summary is based on my preferences, in one particular room, with one particular grouping of components. The DI speaker is an amazing achievement and a plus for our industry. It should have higher priced speaker builders a little bit anxious. If not, they are not paying real attention.
A great big thanks to @grey9hound !
Here are some details of Dennis’s system:
McIntosh MX151 Pre-amp. It comes with the Lyndorf Room Correction software.
JRiver Media
Rogue Audio St-100 stereo tube amp tricked out with NOS Telefunken 1960s 12ax7 tubes
Voodoo Audio Reference speaker cables
Purest power and IC cables cables the circumference of my arm! Forget the models, but very high quality.
The room is a basement room with concrete under carpet and two concrete walls covered in paneling. The room is open on the left side to an adjoining space/room. Not sure of the room’s exact dimensions and perhaps Dennis can clearify. Speakers looked to be about 8 feet apart center to center and we sat about 9 feet back with a wall directly behind us. Speakers were perhaps 18 inches from the wall behind them. Dennis will need to confirm actual measurements.
His JRiver Media software is just amazing and Dennis has complete mastery over it. The features and adjustability seem limitless from my virgin perspective. We listened to his ripped cd files which covered music genres ranging from electronica to female vocalist. I could not bring any of my music as I do not own CDs, but stream from Tidal and play my ripped and now sold music collection. He did have several artists and recordings I am very familiar with including Van Morrison who is my favorite artist.
First, the Tekton DI speaker is the most interesting speaker I have ever listened to. Eric the designer/builder has a speaker that portrays a sonic perspective, that to my ears, is new and somewhat unique. What he has accomplished for $3300 shipped (upgraded model) is astonishing. He has my sincere respect. Not sure how anyone could come away with a different conclusion after a serious listen in a reasonably set up system.
Please understand my thoughts are based on a well seasoned perspective having owned all manner of gear and systems over the decades. My last five speakers include;
Soundlab A1s driven by Atmasphere MA1s
Lahave Audio Khara driven by numerous tube amps including DHTs
Coincident Total Victory II driven by several SS and tube amps
Harbeth 40.1s driven by tube amps and the Lyngdorf 2170
Acoustic Zen Crescendo highly modified and upgraded my myself - driven by a Lyngdorf 2170 also modified by myself. This is my current set up.
I will cover the bass first and this will take little time and few words. In Dennis’s room the bass response was remarkable. He played some electronica at db levels well over 100db that pulsated my body and the room. It was remarkably deep, powerful, and articulate. The DI speaker gives a wonderful foundation to many recordings, even the ones we all love that often sound mediocre at best. On all types of music the bass was fast, impactful, and always articulate. My Crescendo speakers cannot match the bass exploits of the DI. This was clear folks. In fact with room correction and in Dennis’s set up, no speaker I have owned comes close.
The next attribute I quickly took note of was the immediacy of this speaker. Here is where it is rather unique and ground breaking. Song after song, genre and genre, the immediacy of the performance was uncanny and arresting. The instruments seems to be right before me and spread out nicely right to left.
These two attributes, bass and immediacy, make the DI speaker a fun and exhilarating experience. They make audio and listening fun!
For $3300 I know of no speaker that comes close it it’s overall level of sonic performance. Let’s go a little deeper now.
Ever watch that Seinfeld episode of the "close talker"? The person stands unusually close to others when in conversation thus invading
personal space. The immediacy of the DI ended up giving me this feeling. This first few rows perspective was evident recording after recording. I would have liked more stage depth. How much of this is due, if at all, to the room is impossible for me to know at this juncture.
While my current AZ Crescendo speakers are not as impressive in bass response, speed, and uber immediacy, they sound more beautiful and lovely to my ears. Here is a somewhat poor example, but it at least sums up my feelings pretty well. The DI speakers are a fun, fantastically exciting and vividly engaging date for me. I would in the end marry the Crescendo speakers 🙂
This is only MY subjective opinion so please know that. I for example don’t usually like FAST in my gear. When I hear some piece of gear is fast it often ends up sounding less beautiful and sensual than I prefer. I am fine with things moving a tad slower and letting the notes linger and roll a tad.
Impossible to say the DI speaker beats out $20,000 speakers, as by what criteria is this judgement being made? By a speaker’s sonic muscularity and staging gymnastics? We all have different check lists and there is no one checklist of attributes that rises to the one standard for all to be judged. Listen for yourself and have fun. Goodness this is one fun ride of a speaker folks!
Remember this summary is based on my preferences, in one particular room, with one particular grouping of components. The DI speaker is an amazing achievement and a plus for our industry. It should have higher priced speaker builders a little bit anxious. If not, they are not paying real attention.
A great big thanks to @grey9hound !