Tekton Design's new THE PERFECT SET equals "goosebumps time"


Just got in house for review for hometheaterreview.com Tekton Design’s new, The Perfect SET, which is close to 100dB efficient and never dips below 8 ohms, which Eric built to be used with SET "flea watt" amplifiers. It is a front ported design using a 12 inch woofer and his patented array of small transducers that function as a midrange driver with a single tweeter in the middle. I set them up in a system with a great 2A3 SET amplifier and found them so superlative I did not stop listening for over five hours! Taking about "goosebump time" the music was so beautiful that
I lost track of time.

These speakers have all the virtues of the other Tekton speakers, speed, utter transparency/micro-details, great soundstaging, and that special "aliveness" that I experience when I listen to my Ulf’s. What really amazed me was what the Perfect SET was delivering on the bottom end frequencies, subterrainian/taut powerful bass, that was shaking the room, all coming from at most 2.5 to 3 watts.

If you love SET amplifiers this speaker is a match made in heaven, and remember this pair just arrived and is not totally burnt in yet.

teajay
@Cap

Boiling it all down, it seems like what you are saying is that you heard the Tektons and didn't particularly like them...and it bugs you think their patent is too generic, that their ad copy is too boastful and that the return freight is too high of a price for home audition.

So, just a few thoughts:

1.  Not really a big deal that you didn't like them...we've all heard lots of well promoted, top of the line speakers that we didn't prefer.

2.  Their patent attorney decided how the patent would be worded, what would be included and what would be left out...so, I guess if there is a quarrel it is with the attorney.

3.  Maybe the ad copy is too boastful...but you have to admit that it resulted in a lot of attention for Tekton...and a lot of satisfied customers.

4. Lots of audio equipment is sold with the "you pay the return freight"...here is an example from Audio Advisors...  https://www.audioadvisor.com/faq.asp#return 


5.  As for the cost of the return freight....you can fly round trip from Florida to Salt Lake same day for $226....so its possible to avoid all the hassle of packing, unpacking, repacking and returning...and while you are at Tekton, listen to some of their other speakers.

I guess my point is that it would be much more effective when people don't like a product...Tekton or otherwise....to make a point/post...simply saying something like..."hey, I know a lot of people on this thread like product A...but I'm telling you that I heard product A with this associated equipment in this kind of a room...and this is what I heard XXXXX....so my advice to anyone considering buying product A is to consider alternatives such as B,C,D,E...and be aware of the return policies.

At any rate...I hope this thread can now return to Teajay being able to post what he has heard over the past few days since receiving the Perfect Sets...and since few if anyone else has heard them, there really isn't much they can say as to their own specific impression.
Cap, I have also been fortunate to visit Teajay house. He is one of my best audio buddies and have seen the evolution in his system over the years.  We don’t always agree on equipment but most of the time we agree on the merits of a piece of gear. Teajay called me the other day quite excited about this new speaker and I am hoping to listen to them shortly.

 While I have never bought a Teckton speaker, I think they are fantastic bargains. The Double Impact at around $3,000
is amazing for what it costs. I can make no comment on their business practices but it hard to believe that the margins in this speaker are large. Their more expensive speakers do have a dealer network and can be heard. You can visit Mike Kaye in the suburbs of Chicago to hear them. Another friend Dave Cox of Puckerbrush Audio is about to take on the line in Maine. There are probably other dealers in other areas as well. 
          
My point is in this internet world it is a different ball game without bricks and mortar stores.  As an aside Roger Modjeski in another current thread said that Bill Johnson of Audio Research threatened to pull the line from Modjeski’s store if he didn’t stop demoing ARC gear against other manufacturers! I guess even bricks and mortar stores are immune to outside pressures beyond paying the rent.   have been burned before buying gear based on enthusiastic forums (yes I even bought a HCAT preamp...yes I was one of those gullible types!)
I have no idea if the haters on this thread are competing manufacturers or have financial interests that are being hurt by the popularity of these speakers. It has been known to happen. The flip side is direct sales have made more gear affordable than ever before. You can put together a great system today for less money than before. 

The economics of  the higher end of audio have changed as well. Many of the most expensive brands are not catering to audiophiles but to the rich who must have the best (and most expensive) equipment. One of the largest retailers told me that these Icon brands are lifestyle products being sold to those lucky few that can spend 250k without reservation. I have seen ads where these customer’s trip to see the equipment will be subsidized upon purchase. I can’t imagine Teckton could afford this practice.

All I know is that Teajay is fair and balanced in his thoughts on gear. He is an audiophile first and he does not make his living in the audio industry. He is free to call them as he sees them! This is exactly what he does and it is a benefit to us all. Audio nuts like you and Jeff Day make this hobby more rewarding!
"Audio NUTS"........ !   HMMMM.. Maybe a compliment? Maybe not!



This is NOT business for the consumer ! Federal Per Diem is set rate. Gas per mile ! Food cost as well as hotel stay ! Write offs!
There has to be a better way than me paying $400 to demo and my time !
Maybe Tekton can sponsor an event. Send a pair of speakers to a individuals house with comparative or higher end speakers and advertise it as a Get together listening session. Host will be Reimbursed for the Ordeal (food, drinks, time) A neutral place to demo against and for ! Its up to the consumer to get there for free food and drinks as well as potentially world class listening !

Dealers provide that and head to head comparisons. I would like to know who Blindly buys something based off and opinion or review?
Like "Dec Fest" put on by Decware every autumn.They provide food and drink for the three day weekend and there is a variety of components to audition.Great idea for small audio manufacturers!
Cap,
         It was only meant "audio nut" as a compliment and I also like the ideas that you propose but how many purchases have you made that have paid your expenses to buy them? I do like the Tupperware party of audio gear idea!
I am guilty as charged for buying many pieces of gear without first hearing them. There was the HCAT example and I also bought a few TRL modified CD players, AMR Cd-77, Lector Cd player, Supratek Preamp, Mapelnoll Athena, Well Tempered Turntable  and many others over the years. Some were great purchases and others were not so great. I am willing to take a chance based upon the recommendations of others whom I trust. Some of the poorer purchases maybe have been component mismatches.
In audio the best we can typically do is to go to shows and read reviews if there is no dealer network. There is much great gear sold this way like Triode Lab in Canada, Auric Audio, Don Sachs and others.  The Triode Lab 2A3 single ended amps are great.  I believe this is what Teajay is using with this new Teckton speaker. He used them also on the Double Impacts and they were an amazing combo.
I read the reviewers who I agree with in their taste of Audio. This is why Teajay has helped so many by bringing to light otherwise unknown manufacturers. Many have agreed with his reviews and find them relevant.  If others are interested I can post my impressions after I have heard the speakers. My taste is more biased toward classical and jazz  and gravitate toward tube gear.