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

First, I try to buy the best, and spend my money on the best I can afford. Reviews don’t sway me at all and I take them with a grain of salt, as should anyone serious about a big purchase in this hobby.

I currently own the Tekton Encores. I love them to death. I had the Double Impacts. I loved them for the year I had them, but I prefer the Encore’s prodigious bass response and the double MTM array which to my ears sounds more transparent, detailed, and electrostatic-like than the DIs which were no slouch either.

If I was still using my 8wpc SET amplifier I would love to own a pair of the Perfect SET speakers because I’m certain they would be a match made in heaven. The build quality of both pairs of my Tektons were flawless.

The packaging on my DI’s were not as good as my Encores, but nonetheless they arrived safe and sound. The packaging for my Encores was painstakingly and superbly done. At 175lbs each, Eric has just as much on the line to ensure a safe delivery as I do.

The coherence of Tekton speakers is superb. The voicing of both Tekton’s I owned were spot on to my liking. They are detailed, but not clinical, neutral to maybe a tad on the warmer side of neutral, but they are coherent and that’s not an easy thing to do with a 4-way design. Many much more expensive and well known speakers I’ve listened to aren’t coherent sounding to my ears. I trust Eric’s ears and his ability to make any speaker he designs sound coherent, natural sounding, and organic, ya know. like music should sound.

@teajay Keep up the great work finding high value components and speakers that perform beyond their price tag. Don’t let the trolls get you down.

Sincerly,

A Tekton Fan-Boy!

PS: Not a paid shill and I have never gotten a discount on any Tekton Products!

teajay,
thank you for your response. I am likely going to pull the trigger on the PERFECT early next week after getting my wife on board. Pick color. I value your input. Best, mikirob 

steakster +1

Teajay,

Thanks for comparing the Perfect SET and Model 50's to answer dcevans question.

Could you also include your observations regarding soundstage depth and width?  Your description of 5-10 vs. 15-20 feet away from a live jazz band gives some indication, but I would appreciate any additional comments.

And thanks for your review on the Perfect SET, as it is the first I have seen myself and have been curious about them since they were first offered.  I've enjoyed the sound of high efficiency/dynamic speakers with HF horns since the 70s, but would like something more natural and a bit deeper in sound stage, so these have my interest.

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. 

Wow Teajay as good as the Impact monitor, the SET is a bit improvement , for less money? It looks like , no sub needed..

Hey Teajay,

Thanks for such a quick and in-depth response!  Good to know both speakers have very good soundstage capabilities.

Good point about listening space and bass extension.  While my room is on the small size (as far as I would like) at 13’ x 20’ x 8’, it has been acoustically treated following Ethan Winer's guidelines.  After playing with placement, it has my system/room sounding the best it ever has.  Hopefully this would be enough to control the Perfect Set's bass.  

And, as you said, the proper recording is the starting point.

Since my listening is near field and at lower levels that I use to listen at back in the days of my youth, your previous comments about the Perfect SET having good low level listening characteristic was also important to know.

The one thing I will not be able to replicate is the quality of your upstream components.  You’ve got one nice system there!  I’m old school (like my moniker) with a Cary SLP 94 and highly modified Dynaco ST70 based on Lance Cochran’s circuit.  But, like many of the other brands you’ve reviewed, I feel my gear gives me a very good return on my investment with a little tube rolling to fine tune the sound.

Still, always room for improvement, so thanks again for your comments on these two speakers.  Unfortunately, I live in a rural area and have not had an opportunity to hear any Tekton speakers.  But your description of what they provide beyond the typical horn design is what I’m looking to achieve.

Thanks again.

Thank you Teajay for your extended comparison of the Perfect SET and NSMT Model 50 — greatly appreciated! 

My wife and I moved into a wonderful townhouse 1 year ago, and about 6 months ago after quite a bit of deliberation, 
I purchase a Coincident Dynamo SE 8 wpc SEP and Klipsch Heresy III speakers for a 2nd system, in my den/library.  I chose the Heresy for what it could offer in a small dual purpose room — they can be positioned close to the wall, their horn tweeter has controlled dispersion  which limits its interaction with the room and therefore the need for room treatments, and they have a somewhat limited bass response (58 Hz +\- 4 dB),  to avoid overloading the room. And they look very nice in the room, in a special blond cherry veneer.  All well and good — I’m just not in love with the sound unfortunately. The bass — while well defined — is inadequate. They do sound better with a subwoofer and at higher volume — not ideal in that we live in a townhouse and the room is abutting our neighbor, and I don’t need to worsen my hearing loss with high SPLs. Also, I think I now know of the horn coloration of which you allude to. 

Like oldschoolsound, I live in a rural area and have not heard Tekton speakers. 
I guess I am not a true/dedicated audiophile like oldschoolsound — I am not inclined to use this space solely as listening room, and I am not particularly interested in adorning the room with acoustic treatments. I am a music lover though — and want to be drawn to the space to listen for extended periods without fatigue,  to escape, to feel the emotional impact of the music , for the music to sound live.  While the dynamic response of a speaker is critically important I think to achieve this alive quality — and the Heresys have this in spades — I’m not convinced that the horn tweeter provides a natural sound. Actually, I am okay with some coloration and loss of resolution if it allows me to connect more with the music, and it helps bad recordings sound better. 

Based on on your description, the size of the room, and aesthetic considerations including my aversion to room treatments— the Jamaica is probably a better fit for me. 

Thanks again Teajay. 

Dcevans,
what tubes do you use with the Dynamo? Best,mikirob 

Hey Mikirob—
I have the stock tubes supplied with the amp, and have been thinking about upgrading them, so I would appreciate some recommendations. I was under the impression that the EL34 tubes were Tung Sol, but they are not clearly labeled as such. Considering that the amp ( my first tube amplifier) was only $1500, spending $500 or so in tube upgrades would be worthwhile.  I asked Israel Blume if I could put in a KT77 — an EL34 equivalent — and he advised against. Thinking about Mullard or Tung Sol EL34s, and the Russian 6H9C (black base) , a 6SL7 equivalent that Dick Olsher liked with this amp in TAS review last June.  Which tubes are you using? Best, Dave

I should upgrade the tubes before selling off the Klipsch Heresys. 

dcevans,

If you do decide to try other speakers, consider the Fritz Carrera.    Not efficient on paper but designed to be an  easy load.  I heard them at a show off a flea powered tube amp and was shocked.   Have also heard Tekton Double Impact speakers off similar amp.   Also good, but I think the Fritz are better form and function for a smaller room and the sound is hard to beat IMHO.

Mapman, 
Wow— I have been looking at them, but was actually thinking of them for my main system — which doesn’t make a lot of sense, because they would be replacing another 2 way standmount with a beryllium tweeter (Focal Electra 1007 Be). Read some great comments from an audio show. Are they rear ported?  Do you think they would sound okay within a foot of the front wall?  Thank you for the suggestion!!!

I had previously read a stellar review of the Carrera 7 Be by John Richardson with Part-Time Audiophile 

Fritz and I have done a number of shows together pairing his speakers (Carbon 7 and Carrera) with a 12 watt 300B SET amp. The whole thing happened by accident as the first show we did together the original amp we were going to use had an issue, so while it was being looked over we put the 300B on the speaker, We were pretty amazed and try as hard as we could we never were able to clip the amp. So we did a few more shows with that pairing. As for distance, we have put them about 2 feet or so (measured to the front baffle) from the front wall and there were no issues. These are very impedance friendly and flexible speakers.

Reviews gives you an idea how the gears, cables, speakers sound,I always like to read Herb Reichert review, I trust Him , and I think we have the same taste, Robert Harley is one of my favorite reviewer as well...Teajay I could tell, He is very passionate on this hobby, He lives maybe 2 hrs from Toska audio in Illinois , and I saw Him on the way out, I was told that’s Teajay, We both attended this seminar about vynil tt set up.blew me away , 2 hrs drive for the seminar? And He is there... So far his review on Double Impact got me to buy the impact monitor , I am thinking now to audition the SET instead of the encore...I can smell something special on this speaker...

Teajay I have concierto amp by Art Audio, I think this would match SET without any problem ......What do you think?

dcevans,

Thanks for asking Teajay for some specific comparisons between the speakers to start with.  While Teajay said he would be doing a more in-depth review, I'm glad he answered our questions now.

By the way, I doubt I am a more dedicated audiophile, I just happened to have a portion of our walkout basement I could remodel into a listening and movie room (heavy emphasis on listening).

I also wanted to respond because we currently have similar speakers. The Heresy III’s you have are very fine speakers and I've been listening to various models since the 70s.  I run Klipsch Forte I’s from the late 90s modified with Bob Crites’s crossovers and titanium tweeter diaphragms as well as older vintage Heresy midrange horns and compression drivers since they are the exact same one’s used in the Forte I’s, but are are of higher quality vs. the period my Fortes where made.  (Klipsch, like other companies mentioned in this thread, used other manufacture’s drivers and changed them based on availability, cost, etc.).  These changes brought more clarity and control the midrange and upper frequencies while better integrating the already deep and tight bass.  Of course your Heresy III’s already have all the current improvements.

If I didn't feel some more depth, richness, etc., could be added to the midrange based on higher end horn speakers I’ve heard, or the reviews I’ve read about Tekton, I would be quite satisfied given the investment made.  

While horns may not end up being the best match for you, here’s what has worked for me with the Forte I's.

While I’m not familiar with how you have situated the speakers in your den, lifting my already 36” high Forte’s up another 5” to bring the tweeters to ear level gives the best detailed and open sound.  I also have them toed in so the horn is pointing a few inches outside of my ears in my listening position — rather typical with horns.

The Heresy, while the first Klipsch speaker not to have a horn loaded woofer — hence the name, since someone said the design was heresy — is still designed to be used near a corner or wall.  But playing with placement after attending to the tweeter’s position can still help.  The Forte’s have a passive radiator in the rear and require being about a foot and a half away from wall boundaries.  This is something you would want to consider with the rear ported Fritz Carrera, but I’m not familiar with that speaker myself, so hopefully someone else can address that for you.

You also mentioned the Heresy’s sound better at louder levels.  Mine can sound a bit thin at lower levels, but rising the tweeters did help with that.  I really got into stereos in the mid/late 70s during college while working part-time at a dedicated stereo store (back when they existed) and graphic equalizer were very popular.  A restored/upgraded SAE Seven that I am not ashamed to use helps give a fuller sound when adding a touch of bass and high end (actually subtracting what you want to de-emphasis is best).  Tekton’s ability to help our midrange focused hearing at lower levels does sound intriguing though.

Some of the coloration issues in horns is helped with tube amps, and your amp will certainly make the most of tube’s advantages, so your comment about tube rolling is worth looking into (and fun).  As you probably know, the greatest sonic change typically takes place rolling the tubes used in the front end, 6SN7’s I believe in your case.  While subjective, basically you change tubes with characteristics to either add warmth OR give a more analytical sound, so decide which direction you’d like to go based on what you’re hearing.

You mentioned about giving up some resolution to help make poorer recording more tolerable, so if you want to use the den’s sound system to enjoy these records, going with warmer tubes and/or speakers can help mask their short comings.

Finally, while your room is primarily a den, acoustic treatments still play a big roll.  A friend who has Focal Aria 948’s, (amazing speakers in their own right), and was familiar with my Forte’s before the listening room was build and treated said he was surprised horn speakers could as good as they do.  He has some nice wood covered acoustic absorbers and diffusers from GIK that are both very effective and aesthetic, so see what you think.

Didn’t mean to ramble or get off topic, and you probably know this stuff already, but hope some of this helps.  Good luck.

 

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.

Clio09: Thank you very much for your input. I had also considered Aerial 5T’s for my den, but I really wanted to experiment with a high efficiency speaker and tube rolling. My main system (balanced) is comprised of an Audio evidence Research Reference 3 tube preamp, Audio Research PH-7 phonostage, Audio Research 100.2 solid state amp, VPI Classic turntable,  Bryston CD player, and afore mentioned Focal 1007 Be standmounts with a REL T9i subwoofer.  Very musical system that I think might compete with a system twice my cost.  Got the Audio Research gear used on Audiogon. 

If I decide to part ways with the Klipsch Heresys, I think the Fritz Carrera with it’s benign impedance curve would be to my liking. I live in Rapid City SD. I like the business model where boutique manufacturers sell to the consumer, allowing for a home trial. Yes, one can go to an audio show ( and Rocky Mountain Audio Fest in Denver has been on my bucket list for a number of years), but one still doesn’t know how a given speaker will sound in one’s own home.  At any rate, I think the Fritz Carrera with it’s benign impedance curve would be my first choice if the Klipsch Heresys don’t work out. 

Oldschoolsound: I was awestruck by the generosity of your response. Audiogon is a great forum — particularly I think for those of us living “in the Styx” with limited access to high end audio. Yes there are trolls on the website and some snarky comments, but all in all I have benefited from frequenting this forum over the past 10 years or so. You provided me with a wealth of history and good ideas. Thank you! I suspect you may be a Midwesterner like myself. I am going to try some tube rolling, possibly elevating the Heresys, and trying some more attractive room treatments before giving up on the Heresys. Again, many thanks for your kind, most generous input. 

This speaker company intrigues me. But man it seems you either love it or hate it.

dcevans,
sorry I wasn't around yesterday to answer your tube questions. So, here goes: first, a question, do you have the most recent Dynamo or the original? I have owned both. The original Dynamo is a sweeter sounding amp though less robust in power supply. The original uses 5U4G rectification or equivalent and the newer model 5AR4/GZ34 or equivalent.

My original Dynamo SE sound best with Gold Lion KT-77s; they were compared to Psvane black 6CA7-Z (el34) which I used initially for about 6 months. Then I conducted a tube shootout. NOS Siemens el34, Tung-Sol el34s, New Mullard el34s and Gold Lion KT-77s. My results matched reviewer Steve Smith's results closely. Order of finish: KT-77s Psvane, Tung-Sol, Mullard, NOS Siemens.

My 6SL7 choice is either RCA Red base 5691 or NOS Sylvania 6SL7WGT. Rectifier tube best NOS GEC 5U4G, NOS Mullard CV378, RCA 5U4G or NOS Mullard 5AR4.

Along the way I modified my original Coincident Dynamo SE at the advice of Yazaki-San. Read about this gentleman on Jeff Day's Blog now on Positive-Feedback. Yazaki-san recommendations included strengthening the power supply, use of better capacitors, NOS resistors, rewire of internal wires with Old Western Electric tin-plated copper. 

You might consider contacting fellow Agon member grannyring for a loom of Dueland powecords, interconnects, speaker wire...all of which work great with the Coincident and my current Tekton speakers, Lore and Mini-Lore. I also use these wires with my DeVore Orangutan 0/96 Leben. Best, mikirob 

I will private message you. Didn’t mean to hijack this thread. Thanks  Dave

The newest Coincident Dynamo seems like a cool amp, at least based on the recent review I read somewhere, and it’s gorgeous...I considered a used one when shopping for a single ended amp (it was the older version), but my "bought used 3 months after its birthday" Dennis Had Firebottle HO (yes, it’s a HO...says so right there) won out and I’m happy with it....a few more watts. Defy the manufacturer and stick a pair of Gold Lion KT77s in that Dynamo! Do it, do it now!

I’m slightly curious about the "impedance curve" of my Heresy IIIs, but only slightly, and mainly due to Mapman’s comments...damn him! (kidding...don’t report me to the moderators)...the Fritz Carrera is 87db efficient and the only thing I’ve dug up about its "benign" impedance curve matches what I’ve read about the Heresy III, but I didn’t dig that hard...8ohms nominal, 6ohms minimum...and the Fritz is exactly 3 times the cost of my Heresy IIIs and 11db less efficient (!), which makes for strange if not unlikely bedfellows. Those things would likely suck the mojo out of my Firebottle during a crescendo or pretentious jazzbo outburst! One of the things I like about the Heresy IIIs, other than the sound, is they’re somewhat unique for a modern speaker...I was kind of bored with the "woofers and a tweeter in a box" design of 99% of what’s out there, needed efficiency with my Had amp, have been very happy with the sound of the anachronistic fat little things, and get uncontrollably emotionally defensive when their worth is questioned...*sniff*..."leave Brittany, uh...I mean MY HERESY IIIs alone!"

I have historically preferred high end 2 way standmount speakers.  They disappear in the room, throw a big soundstage, and offer high value IMHO. For the type of music I listen to, a lower frequency of 40 Hz is all I require. The Fritz Carrera caught my attention roughly 3-4 months ago based on highly positive reviews by attendees at an audio show ( Capital Audio Fest I believe), and it’s solid base extension to 35-40 Hz. That they are sold direct by the manufacturer with very high quality parts and the offering of a home audition before committal, and learning that they have a smooth/benign impedance curve that allows for lower wattage tube amplification, only heightens my interest.  Yes, with stands they are almost double the cost of new Heresy IIIs, BUT they are less than half the cost of the Joseph Audio Pulsar — a similar highly desirable speaker that also has a SEAS driver, similar frequency response and benign/smooth impedance. 

I had wondered when you might weigh in Wolf haha. As I mentioned above, my critique of the Heresy was premature.  The stock Chinese tubes that came with the Coincident Dynamo 34 SE mk2 are casting a somewhat bright sound with these speakers I think, and that is something I can modify to suit my taste. One of the reasons I wanted to try a tube amp in the first place. My system currently lacks the warm lush saturated midrange that I heard in the late 70s-early 80s at a dedicated audio store in Rapid City that unfortunately ceased to exist many moon ago. There I heard large Klipsch speakers being driven by Mcintosh tube gear playing Sheffield Track records — a very memorable sound.  If I can create that midrange of yore with my current system, I can live with the 58 Hz extension— or buckle and get a small 8” subwoofer.  

By the way, I like the fat/squatty profile of the Heresy — and it was another reason I chose it: I don’t have to worry about my dog or a future grandchild knocking it over. 

Thanks...I feel much better now. I have noted here and there that the lower powered amp binds me to efficient speakers thus ruining any fantasies regarding all the cool small speakers out there, but the Heresy IIIs sound so good I'm OK (although clearly fragile). I also like little stand mounted speakers as sort of replicated by my recently sold Silverline Preludes with 3.75" woofers in a thin tower speaker...like a mini monitor with gusto. I strongly suggest a sub or two with the Heresy IIIs as that raises their game and sweetens the mids (who knew?). I already had a couple of RELs so I was prepared, and man...

@ks2  In response to your comment, I would suggest that you can be very comfortable with the Tekton line.  I suspect the newer Perfect SET is another excellent speaker and a huge value.  The VAST majority of Tekton owners are very very happy owners.  It's just that some have focused on rearticulating a very small number on negative posts over and over and over.  This skews ones perception.  As teajay points out, some very high end brands all have things that go wrong.  It's part of life.

I will say this.  I know of NO speaker line that offers so much for so little.  This is not opinion, it is simple math.  Add up the cost of the drivers alone in the DI's, for example, relative to their price.  It's a crazy low mark up.  Eric has offered the audio community a huge value here.  MORE importantly, he knows how to blend the drivers in a special way.  One uniformed poster suggested a "DIY" effort with Tekton  which is just sheer ignorance.  I've done a few DIY builds with good results--but nothing close to my DI's.  Nor would I ever fool myself into thinking "I could do that."  

@corelli I agree totally buddy!

+1 corelli

@teajay Any new discoveries on the Perfect SET? Have you used other new amp with them? 

Have you used the speakers connected directly to the MicroZOTL preamp, like you did with the Double Impacts?

Thank you for your response 

 teajay,
how does the sensitivity compare to the nsmt 50, Does the nsmt play louder at the same volume settings on your amp(s)?

thanks.

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.

teajay,
I apologize if you have stated this elsewhere and I have missed it, but what brand 2A3 tubes due you use in your amp? Txs

I got a playback related question specific to owners of these speakers in your system. How does Rush's Moving Pictures album sound on these, at high SPL in your system?

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.

Txs teajay

Hello d2girls,
Just browsing this thread.  
Reading your post regarding Moving Pictures made me think that I had not listened to that album straight thru since the 80s.
Put her on at high SPL last night.  Ears still ringing this morning. Good stuff. You just forget how great a band Rush is.
Did not play with PS speakers (I have DIs) so no help there. 
Thank you for that suggestion, as indirectly provided.

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.

@teajay 

have you tried the Coda #8 amp and are you still getting goosebumps or do you prefer a tube presentation?

asked a few questions on Coda #8  thread and  no response?

Thanks  

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.

First of all Teajay thank you for inviting us, opening the door so wide for us, We enjoyed both of your systems, The first thing I did when I got home , I read yourPS  thread again, the way you describe the SET is very very accurate, Goosebump time is precise too, When we play M.A recording Goldberg variation in piano, my jaw drop, I have never heard the Don Bennett cd sleeping giant as good as that it’s so live , the music is so beautiful...those PS are musically intimate, Mark fell in love with the PS...Your Ulf blew me away on every music we play, on big scale orchestra they are effortless and musically powerful, Going back to PS for $1800 they are bargain.its shocks me..

@teajay

thanks for the info...

was looking to add  the  SET speakers  for a second system,they sound like a great match with my Threshold S/350e amp!

will the Coda #8 blow away my Threshold. enjoyed your review on the Coda #8 

Cheers 

 There is something on the PS that draws you to the music automatically, the palpabilty of the PS will draw you the music, and they are very fast...We  play Bob Dylan, Blowin in the Wind , You thought he is the room, His guitar sound right with those PS...The speakers looks good too in glossy black finish....

@teajay  Thanks for your gracious hospitality, and allowing Bon @jayctoy and me into your house to listen to your systems!  We certainly enjoyed it, and the listening session was not only enjoyable, but also educational.  Oh, and you have a beautiful house too!

My biggest takeaway was that the Perfect SETS and the Ulfs are very different sounding speakers, and ultimately, which one you prefer will depend on the music you mostly listen to and your sonic preferences. For me, the PS hit all my buttons. I preferred their more immediate (note that I would not consider them "in your face") and intimate presentation, which is not all that different from my Tekton monitors.   With the ULFs, I have never heard the sense of soundstage scale as they portrayed, and the  dynamics were.... simply stunning; you easily heard the boundaries of the hall / studio / room, etc., and you easily felt the transient response of drums and other percussion in a real, and unexaggerated way.  Orchestral music flowed out with ease, as did Holly Cole.  

Bottom line for me, I preferred the Perfect SET for it's Row 1-5 presentation over the Ulfs mid-hall presentation, but that's only me and my preferences, since I don't listen to massively complex music like orchestral fare.  

What's even crazier, is the disparity between the costs of the two speakers.... that big gap makes no sense to me, but that makes the Perfect SET a screaming bargain!

Going back to the theme of this thread.... "goosebump time"?? Oh yeah!

Thanks again @teajay !

@jayctoy    @1markr 


thank you for the feedback.

did you guys listen with both tube gear and SS  and your thoughts?

was looking at adding a second system and thought about the SET speaker. since i own the LTA MZ2S (1 watt)   it would be a wonderful combo?

Thanks 

We listen to Threshold amp only, on ss the PS shines..Iam not sure how will they sound on your LTA 1 watt,.You can’t go wrong with those PS , they are  rediculously bargain...On glossy finish they look very nice.. 

@roadwarrior75 

We did not at Teajay's house.  As Bon mentioned, they were powered by Threshold amps.  Both systems had tubed preamps (both LTA) though, and in concert with the SS amps, the matching was ideal on both systems.

I've heard our Impact Monitors with tube amps, and I heard the Ulfs wth tubes amps, and my feeling is that the Tektons sound their best with SS amps; you will not get the best from them with 1wpc, in my opinion of course. @teajay can better articulate his experience with low power tube amps and the Tektons.

It would be interesting to hear how the PS will sound with the Pass xa25, seems like they would be perfect together.