I am a big fan of Audio Note E/J/K speakers, and believe that they provide a certain synergistic sound with SET amps; especially AN units. Are they expensive? I guess some would say so, but I think that the entry level of the E and J lines are pretty affordable. I have not head the AZ speakers in a long time and cannot remember what they sounded like.
If this is still too expensive, I can strongly recommend the Audio Note Kits. If you but the cabinets pre-made, the kits go together in just a couple of hours of easy work and sound every bit as good as the higher-priced AN equivalents IMO. Audio Note says that the factory speakers are better matched, but they pretty much have to say that in order to justify the higher cost. No disrespect intended to Peter Qvortrup or Audio Note.
But, all in all, these are Snell E/J/K designs. If you are really on a budget, lool for a clean pair of Snell E/J/Ks, but only the original or /II models. I fond that these provide about 85% of the same sound for (maybe) 10% of the cost or less. Upgrade the xovers and they will sound even better.
Re: Tekton - Eric Alexander is a genius, and his speakers sound great, especially considering the aggressive price point. I have enjoyed the Lore speakers, but they do not sound the same as the AN/Snell designs. I'm not saying that they are better or worse, just very different. They might be the ticket is you are looking for a more conventional sounding, highly detailed speaker. The AN units, placed properly in the room (corners), is a completely different experience.
In a perfect world you would be able to try both. But if not, hopefully others here will be able to chime in with their own experiences.
If this is still too expensive, I can strongly recommend the Audio Note Kits. If you but the cabinets pre-made, the kits go together in just a couple of hours of easy work and sound every bit as good as the higher-priced AN equivalents IMO. Audio Note says that the factory speakers are better matched, but they pretty much have to say that in order to justify the higher cost. No disrespect intended to Peter Qvortrup or Audio Note.
But, all in all, these are Snell E/J/K designs. If you are really on a budget, lool for a clean pair of Snell E/J/Ks, but only the original or /II models. I fond that these provide about 85% of the same sound for (maybe) 10% of the cost or less. Upgrade the xovers and they will sound even better.
Re: Tekton - Eric Alexander is a genius, and his speakers sound great, especially considering the aggressive price point. I have enjoyed the Lore speakers, but they do not sound the same as the AN/Snell designs. I'm not saying that they are better or worse, just very different. They might be the ticket is you are looking for a more conventional sounding, highly detailed speaker. The AN units, placed properly in the room (corners), is a completely different experience.
In a perfect world you would be able to try both. But if not, hopefully others here will be able to chime in with their own experiences.