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

Hey chrshanl37,

I would not call this Deja Vu, but my sonic horn of plenty.  This is a great time to be a lover of SET amplifiers when you can have world class performance for less then 2k.  Also, I'm not a fan single driver or horn designs, so these new designs offer a great alternative for me.  When I write my review, the section on competition/comparison will surely compare the Perfect SET to the Model 50, they are both great, but different.  For the details you will have to wait for the review.

Hey snapsc,

Yes, these speakers are not petite.  However, if you take your time it's a one man job to remove them from the boxes and set them up.  The packing was quite good, they were easy to slide out and they were shipped Fedex.

Yes, I tried using a high current SS 200 watt amplifier that sounded great on this speaker.  However, the pairing with the 2A3 was really special for my tastes.

You haters just don't get it.  Eric's breakthrough design offers world class performance at very reasonable prices.  Yes, I have reviewed four models over the last three years, and none of them are "stinkeroo's".

Question: Mr. Stereo5, have you ever heard any of the Tekton speakers?

Also, in the last two years numerous reviewers have raved over the different Tekton models and many gave them their speaker of the year award.  I guess all of us were hood-winked to come to this conclusion.

To jackd and stereo5 two of my most adoring fans,

1) The first Tekton speaker that I professionally reviewed was the Sigma open baffle design.  I had stated here on Audiogon that I was not a fan of the Pendragon speaker, the poor man's Wilson speaker, because the way it was voiced was not my cup of tea.  Hundreds were sold to very satisfied customers.  So, stereo5 I get you did not like that specific Tekton speaker. However, the speakers that I have reviewed based on Eric's breakthrough technology sound qualitatively different then what you found lacking possibly years ago. Yes, in my reference system the Tekton Ulf's are my speaker of choice.  They replaced a pair of $20,000.00 speakers for half the price.

2) Yep, as a professional reviewer I get the industrial accommodation of a reduced price if I choose to buy the demo piece in for review.  However, why would I give an excellent review to a piece of gear that I would not want to personally own?  To imply that I have taken a bribe or been bought out by any company I have written a review on their equipment is attack on my personal integrity.  I get scores of Emails from Gon members who trust my ears' and honesty thanking me for reviewing inexpensive high performing gear that they intensely enjoy in their systems.  I think your personal attack on me says more about your character then mine.

3) Please, jackd if you are going to compare me to any other reviewers that would be a personal role model for me that would be Sam Tellig, the audio cheapskate. Mr. Valin only reviews uber-expensive gear that I'm not a fan of at all.  I get great pleasure finding small companies ( AricAudio, LTA, Beckert Labs, Jay Audio, Coda Technology, Sophia Labs, Woo Audio, NSMT Loudspeakers, Tekton Design) to name a few that create/build beautiful gear at very reasonable prices.  I don't agree that this has "gotten out of hand" at all.  I try to support these creative companies that can't afford advertising with detailed honest reviews and occasional posts like this when I find something truly superlative. Ain't it interesting that when I do share on a thread about other companies great new gear, I get get no personal attacks or mud slinging at all.  However, there is a small hard core group of Tekton haters who go after every Tekton thread on AudioGon with the same false accusations time and time again.

4) Thanks to many GON members who trust my intentions are honorable and my taste in stereo equipment that matches what they are looking for at reasonable prices.

Yes, let the fleas bite, but the music caravan moves on.   

Hey invictus005,

I recommend you let your very intelligent dog that you mentioned before read my statement.  I believe your smart canine will make the correct interpretation or see the parallel more clearly then his master.

There is obviously a small group of posters who's agenda is to disrupt in a highly vile and unpleasant manner any thread on Tekton Design speakers.

As I stated before when I start a thread to share information on a great piece of equipment from other companies I never get personal attacks on my integrity or my motives for sharing with Gon members.

I will not address their motivation or goals, this was explored on another Tekton Design thread that this small group attempted to hijack, but I hope members interested in this speaker or want information will still participate on this thread.  I have already received numerous Emails inquiring about the PERFECT SET speaker.  The senders explained that they did not want to post positive opinions about Tekton or ask questions because of the possibility that they would be attacked in a nasty/disrespectful fashion. 

I want to be very clear about two things: 1) I find their totally none reality based raging narrative somewhat amusing, kinda parallels the approach of some one who gave a speech last night.  You just keep stating the same lies over and over again until you convince yourself that they really are the facts.  2) I believe in free speech. However, I think AudioGon's moderators are making a grievous mistake to allow the same few individuals to launch personal attacks, bold face lies, and hijack every thread regarding Tekton Design products.

  

Spent about three hours listening to the Perfect SET speakers tonight.  They have about 50 hours on them and as they settled-in their main change was more effortlessness/liquidity. 

Like all Tekton speakers the PS are conduits that are totally transparent regarding timbres and micro-details.  I rolled three different 2A3 tubes tonight (NOS RCA spring top loaded 40's black plates- JJ 2A3-40-PsvaneWR2A3) and easily heard the difference between each one.  For my tastes the JJ 2A3-40 was the most enjoyable of the three. Think of the pop/dynamics/bass of a DI with the beauty of color and 3D imaging that a SET amplifier provides. 

To my dear propagandists, Kosst_Amojan, d2 girls, and Rotarius along with your pet dog,

You use the same tactics over again to spin your self created delusional narrative about Tekton Design.

Keep repeating the same lies over and over again to convince readers that they are facts.  "Read post after post after post of Tekton customers who were upset over grills, etc."  I have never called anybody a liar who shared annoyance/frustration regarding issues with their speakers or timelines at receiving them.  No company, including Tekton Design, is flawless and surely screws up. However, you totally magnify out of proportion the number of individuals who rightly express a negative experience with Tekton Design and completely leave out the thousands of positive posters all over the internet regarding pleasure with both their speakers and customer service they received.  Do some fact checking, your surly won't propagandists never do, and you will find a  few rightly disgruntled customers. 

Ad hominem and hostile attacks on Eric and I.  I'm corrupt, stupid, and lie in my statements/reviews.  "Nobody would choose a $3,000.00 Tekton speaker over a $25,000.00 thousand dollar Wilson speaker.  I sold off my $19,000 Lawrence speakers for a Tekton and three other professional reviewers sold off their Wilson speakers ranging in price from $25,000 to $70,000.  We all most be deaf or stupid, or have been bought off by you know who.  Regarding Eric, he's charlatan, his patent is stupid, he is nothing but a DIY level manufacturer.  Hum, he's won numerous product of the year awards from at least three respected websites and a solid series of very positive reviews from both internet sites and written publications.  The patent was accepted by the US Bureau, who normally approves stupid/worthless applications, and his break through design has lead to affordable reference level performing speakers for middle class audiophiles.  He does sound like a sub average designer/builder doesn't he?

Keep posting the same distortions, misinformation, and personal put downs until you hijack the thread and hope you wear out the sane participants looking for respectful conversation/sharing of information and looking for posters experience about new products.  These forums are a fun place to talk to other people in this hobby.  You wonderful propagandists spin your absurd narrative hoping to to push your agenda, hopefully, the rest of us relatively sane people won't ruin our day over your false narrative.  By the way you three should see what positions might be open in the White House, they could use your talents for misinformation, false narratives, and distorting the facts.  You all would fit right on in.  Say hello to your dog for me.    

Thank you Kosst_Amojan,

Your black bile towards me personally and professionally validates that I'm living up to my credo on informing/sharing information on less well known small companies that create inexpensive gear that people can afford and enjoy.

If some one with your entrenched closed minded, hostile narrative actually was a fan of my reviewing, I would be very concerned that I had lost my integrity and my vision.  So, thanks for giving me the feedback that I'm still on the right course!

My dear kosst_amojan,

We are not claiming that a small percentage of Tekton customers had negative experiences are lying at all.  Even if it just was one customer that is regrettable. 

Your false narrative, that you repeat over and over again, is your self-created lie that there are hundreds of this dissatisfied customers.  Like all propagandists when asked to produce any facts to support your allegations you just repeat the same nonsense over again.  There are hundreds of posts all over the internet, including the numerous threads here on the GON, that objective prove that the vast amount of owners of Tekton speakers are delighted with there performance and cost.

You are a real piece of work, I would love to know what your real motivations are that drives your irrational need/ compulsion to hijack threads like mine and spread a false vile narrative every chance you have.  

My dear kosst_amojan,

As you tone and out right hostility towards me increases your living up to what all propagandists resort to as their sense of control starts to erode away.

1) Distortions of what was actually said by people who disagree with their absurd narrative and more statements, such as, "preponderance of complaints out of proportion to their sales compared to every single speakers manufacturer discussed here," which is a fiction that only exists in your imagination. Do a fact check and report back with anything objective that would support your delusion. 

2)  Personal attacks, name calling, and accusing anyone who disagrees with your narrative is stupid and corrupt.

Thank you for labeling me as a "shill," coming from you this is a great compliment.  It's obvious that your strategy, often used by bullies, is to resort to naming calling/verbal put downs with the hope that I'll sink to your immature level, upset myself, and sink to shooting your unsophisticated verbal arrows back at you.  

 You must think the average GON member is not such a bright fellow who has to be protected from the evils of Tekton Design "empire" and corrupt reviewers that are shills that are attempting to hoodwink them out of their resources and happiness.  Like all propagandists, you only know the TRUTH and have to save the poor masses from their own flawed
shortcomings. Quite a lofty position to be in, and I assume that you surely have convinced yourself that your motivation is purely to save the GON members from the evil forces to be, or this demonstrates ego/arrogance at an amazing level.


  

After another extended listening session with Perfect Set using both the Triode Lab 2A3 SET and Threshold S/200 series 2 amplifiers, another very good virtue I am now aware of is that this speaker hits it's "sweet spot" at low volume levels.  So, if you do late night listening or live in an apartment/condo and have to be careful at what dB levels you play your music at this would be a blessing.  You get all the dynamics/aliveness and soundstaging at low volumes.  This does not imply that you can't rock out at high volume levels, the PS can move a lot of air if you want it to.

Well mr_m,

It's funny you mention this gentlemen. Many months ago Kenny sought me out and personally apologized to me for accusations toward me. Of course I accepted this and had a friendly/nice conversation with him. Hope he's doing well these days.

The nickname I gave him in our disagreements on that thread revolved around his position that what ever issue of speaker design, parts, build quality, and theory he was a world class authority, always knew more then anyone could, hence the "brightest Bulb" in the room moniker. Labeled is attitude, but did not condemn him. 

If I had never professionally reviewed even one Tekton Design speaker or ever posted here on the GON, the irrational hatred/mudslinging and the spinning of a false narrative towards Eric/Tekton by a small number of individuals who had taken place for reasons that have been discussed (ego, speaker companies threatened by a product that out performs their speakers at much lower prices, jealousy of a breakthrough design) many times before this thread.

 

 

Hey Cap,

Well, we had peace and good cheer for maybe a total of 2 hours.  Nobody is challenging that their are a few dissatisfied Tekton customers.  This is very old news.  Find a company that never makes mistakes and has 100 % satisfied customer base.

As I stated before, I want to go back to having an enjoyable/fun conversation but these killjoys just won't let it go.  Cap you convinced us that Tekton is a rotten lousy company. Don't buy their product and get off this thread so we can go about our business.  You attempted to save us from the "evil forces", we would not listen, so go on with your life.

Hey Guys,

I start a nice post to share information on a new exciting speaker. Then I get personally attacked, always the same very few posters with a hateful agenda on every Tekton thread, and AudioGon allows them to hijack the thread.  

So, I stand up in a respectful way regarding the facts and don't resort to nasty retorts towards these few individuals, and yet you are advising me to call a "Truce" as if I started this conflict to begin with!

I would be thrilled to go back to only having fun talking about the Perfect SET speaker on this thread.  But we all know that the individuals with their agenda towards Eric and I will always act like bullies and not just get off this thread.  If AudioGon will not intervene, and ban them from posting on this thread, I'll still stand up for what's factual and not let these few sally my reputation.

Here's some answers to these questions.

1) Snapsc, the Perfect SET does well at all volume levels and also gives you the virtue of being played at low volumes without losing dynamics/punch or soundstaging.

2) Tsar7 and Lula, thanks for your kind words regarding my reviewing/posting.  Remember, this speaker was built to mate beautifully with SET amplifiers and avoid any of the shortcomings of single driver or horn designs.  Based on my experience so far is that it gives what the Tekton designs all offer a sense of aliveness, great transparency/micro-details, and wonderful soundstaging.  What I'm finding amazing is the quality and extension of the bass even when driven with 3 watts.  When you figure in the cost of stands for Impact Monitors and their size, I could see someone using the Perfect SET, even if they don't drive it with a SET, because it gives you much more bass then the stand mount.

Right now I'm using a Threshold S/350e amplifier, instead of a SET 2A3 amplifier, and the Perfect SET's sound superlative.  So, even though Eric designed these for us SET lovers they mate extremely well with high power SS amps.   Lula,I get your concern regarding moving around this heavy speaker, however, just be careful because it might be surly worth your effort.  I find it amazing that Eric is able to sell this speaker for $1,800.00 a pair based on performance, build quality, and how much materials have to be used based on size/weight of this floorstanding design.

Hey d2girls,

Sorry, that you were upset that I posted your name vs. your AudioGon moniker.  It won't happen and I apologize to you.

Thanks, for your gracious post towards me.  I'm not hurt or upset, just will not give in to individuals, excluding you, that have a vile/nasty agenda towards Tekton or me.  I have never hijacked anybody else's thread for personal reasons and wish the haters would just get off this discussion so we can discuss THIS speaker and nothing else. 

Dear kosst_amojan,

You surly are a persistent propagandist, again giving misinformation and over generalizing about matters that can happen in all speaker brands.  I owned a pair back in the day of 802 B&W's, when they were still completely built in England, that the veneer was peeling off on both speakers.  I have known individuals that own Wilson speakers and the paint started to bubble up and peel. People who loved their Thiel speakers often discovered over time that the front baffles, on certain models, would crack and pull away from the side of the cabinets.

So, I'm sure occasionally, in all brands, unfortunate stuff happens.  Your illogical and distorted conclusion that Tekton speakers cannot be at a high quality is part of your irrational/illogical narrative.

Please, even though you won't, just get off my thread so we can go back to the real propose of this thread to share information about a great new speaker that I know you have not even heard.  

Hey dcevans,

Both are great speakers, and of course would match beautifully with your amplifier.  Because of your amplifier I think both speakers would be a better match then the monitors.

The Model 50 is slightly, and I mean slightly, warmer overall then the Perfect Set.  The Perfect Set is slightly, and I mean slightly, more transparent, therefore you can pick-up some of the micro-details more easily.  Both have excellent bass, but the Perfect Set will go somewhat deeper because of its 12 inch woofer.

Two ways to try to describe the differences:  1) Would you rather sit 15 to 20 feet away from the stage/ Model 50 or sit about 5 to 10 feet from the stage/ Perfect Set when you go to hear live music in a jazz club. 2) Do you love Telefunken or Bugle buy NOS tubes.  They are both great, but sound different.

Finally, both are good looking speakers, however, the Perfect Set is a much wider/deeper speaker then the Model 50, so you would have to decide which would look better in your smaller room.

Hey Ketchup,

To answer your question:

1) The great majority of the most respected speaker companies do not build their own drivers (Wilson/Ariel Acoustics/Totem), so this has nothing to do with the question of general build quality.
2) I know at least three electrical engineers that have checked over the internal parts and the craftsmanship of these speakers and found it to be at a high quality.
3) Just had a retail dealer come over to hear/see the Perfect Set speakers.  Not only was he delighted with their performance he believed that the paint job was a good as Wilson speakers that he has closely examined.

My pair of Elf's are beautifully painted with a metallic black piano lacquer finish and the very large cabinet is rock solid and extremely well constructed with internal bracing.

Jim Thiel, rest his soul, was a brilliant designer, so is Eric.  I don't agree with you that it is "silly" to compare the two companies regarding performance and that occasionally any speaker company can have difficulties with enclosures, veneer, and paint jobs.

Here's some answers to questions or statements.

Mikirob- I have heard your DeVore speakers and thought they were great.  What's remarkable about the Prefect SET is that it performs way above its $1,800.00 price point.  So, would you enjoy them totally in your second system as much as your main speakers, I believe so.

Jay23- The issue of internal parts being different between one pair of speakers and another has been addressed already on other threads, but I'll explain it one more time.

Some of the most highly regarded companies will often change or use different internal components during a production run because the supplier of that part has none in stock, or they find something they think is better or just as good and available to them. This is standard practice across the industry, not unique to Tekton.

Because many buyers of Tekton Design speakers are DIYers and because the speakers are so inexpensive they often open them to take a look and modify or replace certain caps or wires.  Individuals who normally purchase very expensive speakers (YG Acoustics, TAD, Wilson, Magico) do not open up their speakers to see what parts are used or are going to modify them.  The speakers sent to reviewers have the same internal components as a regular customer.

By the way has anyone every seen a post that stated that the Tekton speaker that they own has malfunctioned or stopped working because of a faulty driver or internal component.  I never had read one or talked to any owners of Tekton speakers that had this experience.  I think this says something about QC regarding being dependable in the field.

   

Hey oldschoolsound,

Both speakers are excellent at creating, if it's in the recording, a very large precisely layered soundstage that extends past the outside edge of the speakers with space/air between the instruments. 

Both speakers would work in a small acoustic space.  However, the Perfect Set is a much larger speaker then the Model 50.  Also, the Tekton speaker does go deeper in its bass extension, so it could possibly over load a very small listening space.

Imagine all the speed/dynamics/aliveness of a horn design with no horn colorations. Then add on a great extended high airy top end, great bass, and a detailed transparent midrange that allows what ever amplifier you are using to be heard regarding timbres/tonality.  I have listened many hours with both a SET 2A3 amp and a restored Threshold S/350e amplifier with the Perfect Set and find I'm enchanted with both amps in the system.  The rest of the system is a CEC transport, Lab 12 DAC, LTA Micro-ZOTL into the amps I mentioned above.  Think of the flexibility with this speaker, you can use a SET 3 watt tube amp or a 350 watt SS amp with superlative results.  If you already have listening experience with either the Double Impacts or the Double Impact Monitors you know what the Perfect Impact sounds like, just add outstanding linear extended bass which is totally integrated with the lower midrange. 

Hey jayctoy,

If I have my facts straight your amplifier is around 40 watts and can use a variety of tubes.  I see no reason  way the Art Audio would not be a good match with the Prefect Set.  So far, every amplifier I have tried sounds great and somewhat different based on the tubes it uses or being SS.

Hello facten and d2girls,

To answer your questions:
1) My favorite 2A3 tube is the JJ 2A3-40, which you can purchase for around $240.00 a pair.  I have a large collection of NOS 2A3 tubes, they all sound very good, however the current JJ's sound the best in my system.  

2) When Mike Kay of Audio Archon came over to get his take on the PS speaker he brought that Rush album and played it at high SPL levels, he thought that the system sounded superlative playing this music.

Hello estuardo4 and dgny,

To answer your questions:

1) I have not yet tried the LTA Micro-ZOTL as an integrated amplifier yet, but when I do I'll let you know what I hear.  My hunch is it will sound pretty special.
2) Both speakers play at the same dB levels at the same setting on the volume control.
3) For the last four days I have been listening to the PS being driven by the brand new Bricasti Design model M15 amplifier that's in for review.  First, the Bricasti Design is one of the best sounding SS amplifiers I have ever had in my house.  Secondly, it seems absurd to be using a 12K amplifier to drive either of these speakers, but the speakers are so good you completely hear what is driving them upstream.

Hey roadwarrior75,

Yes, I have used the Coda #8 on these speakers.  Love the amplifier and it sounds great with the PS speaker.  As I have shared before, even though Eric designed this speaker as a prefect match with SET "flea watt" amplifiers, they sound superlative with very high current/wattage amps like the Coda/Threshold/Bricasti/Pass Labs, which are all great sounding amplifiers.

Had a wonderful time today when two gentleman, Bon and Mark, came over to hear the Perfect Set speaker.  They brought their own musical selections to get a take on this speaker.  Both are seasoned listeners with excellent "ears" and great knowledge about the hobby.

They were, to put it mildly, enthralled and delighted with what they heard coming out of the PS pair.  They were not shocked, because they already know what a great bargain Tekton Speakers are regarding price vs performance ratio, but found it amazing that this kind of performance was coming out of a $1,800.00 pair of speakers!

Bon, shared that when he has a chance in the next couple of days that he will post his experience with you guys.  Hopefully, Mark might be inclined to also share his take on the speaker.

I forgot to mention that I have finally tried the LTA Micro-ZOTL  as a integrated amplifier (around 1 watt) on the Perfect Set and it sounded terrific.  Using a 6SN7 as a power tube in the ZOTL circuit has its own virtues such as tonal purity, see through transparency, and lighting quick speed that you hear clearly through the Perfect Set speaker.  For my personal taste I still prefer the LTA Micro-ZOTL as a preamplifier driving the Triode Lab 2A3 amplifier because I get more "meat on the bones" imaging and the overall intensity of timbres/colors goes up a bit.  Even with 1 watt I had no difficulties with volume levels/attenuation or roll off of the bottom end at all.

Hey roadwarrior75,

Eric designed this speaker for lovers of SET amplifiers. As I said in different posts on this thread, the Prefect Set sounds wonderful with high current/wattage solid state amplifiers.  I just happened to have my Threshold S/350e in the system driving the Perfect Set speakers when my guests came over to hear them.  Bon and Mark agreed with my take on them as being terrific performers.

However, I have spent hours listening to them being driven with the Triode Lab 2A3 SET amplifier and find them equally superlative and wonderful to listen to on all types of music.  There is no difficulties with volume levels, overall dynamics, and bass extension/control when using this 3.5 watt amplifier at all.  On my Ulf's when I tried tube amplifiers they did alright on them, but this much bigger speaker that dips below 4 ohms loves high current solid state amplifiers to reach their true potential. 

So, out of all the Tekton speakers the Perfect Set "sings" with SET 'flea watt" amplifiers beautifully and also can be driven with high power solid state amplifiers wonderfully.  It just happened when Bon and Mark came over I had the 350e in the system instead of the 2A3 SET amplifier.

Thank you Bon, Mark, and David for your kind words towards me.  You are always welcome to come visit, you guys are great guests, indeed! 

Hey mac48025,

You know you will go past me on your way to Axpona next month.  If you want to come visit you are more then welcome.  Just let me know.