Tekton Impact Monitors


Hi All,
I'm relatively new to Audiogon but have trolled the discussions for a few months. I have been listening to Spendor LS3/5As driven by a Quad 34/306 combination since the late 1980's and decided that it was finally time to upgrade my speakers. I love the Spendors but they are very limited in dynamics and scale. I auditioned the SVS Ultra Bookshelf speakers and while they brought some additional scale they simply didn't have the sweet midrange that I can't live without. I listened to some open baffle speakers (Emerald Physics) and loved them, but their size and need for space worried me, and I found them less satisfying at moderate and low volumes, where I do a fair bit of listening. I was fascinated by all the discussion regarding Tekton speakers and was considering getting a pair of Enzo 2.7s, but after a short discussion with Eric I followed his recommendation of the Impact Monitor with upgrade. They have the 7 tweeter array and a pair of 6.5" woofers and are rear-ported. I use a pair of SVS subs (the sealed variety). The Impact Monitors are simply amazing. The midrange is oh-so-sweet (very similar to my Spendors, but with more air) and the detail, even at low and moderate listening levels, is superb. The imaging is even better than my Spendors managed and the scale is huge and is much more music-appropriate. My system is really quite modest but now when I walk into my listening room (doubles as our living room - thankfully my wife appreciates Hi-Fi) I get the audio-show feeling of "being there". I have a Denon DP59L turntable with a DL110 HO moving coil cartridge running through an Emotiva XPS-1 phono preamp and the Tektons are absolutely incredible with classic rock on vinyl. I'm not sure how Eric managed it, but these speakers are superb, even with my 30 year old Quad electronics. I believe they are basically the top 24" of the Double Impacts, but are rear-ported rather than front ported. I can heartily recommend them and Eric and his team are great to work with. I'm not sure how many other Impact Monitors are out there since the pair I have are S/N 0005 and 0006!  
ky1mag

Showing 5 responses by stfoth

@nonoise. Same here. $1800 just a few days ago. IIRC, it was represented to be an "introductory" price.

Went on the site to maybe pull the trigger, and $2k. Not a huge deal, but enough for me to temporarily put the safety back on since I was teetering on the fence anyway.

I suspect it’s those recent reviews and probably demand rather than any upgrades. I don’t think I can count how many wines I thought were decent values and then some jerko at WS or WE gave it a 95+ or a top 100 of the year--demand skyrocketed along with price.  Happy for the wineries, but sad for my wallet.
I'm getting closer to pulling the trigger on the Impact Monitors.  I'll have a couple of options for amplification, but I'm curious what folks are using "in the field" and whether folks with "real world" experience with them might opine on whether:

--they would work well with a DHT SET--likely 2a3 or 300b.  In a small room (11x12x9h-ish), about 6-7' listening distance, and possibly with sub with a crossover providing some relief on the SET and Monitors.  I guess the Monitors are at around 91db 1w/m.  Although measurements seem unavailable, seems some reports suggest that the impedance is pretty flat around 4 ohm.

Anyone else stuff two systems in one room?  For variety, compulsion, hoarding, etc.?

Thank you.
Black Friday specials in the house (grills tbd).  These are interesting.  I was a huge skeptic after reading the raving "fanboy" reviews and the marketing bluster.  I'll report back after I get them broken in, but they sure are fun to listen to.  Only about 30 hours in.  First $.02.

Unless they take a sharp turn, I don't think that they render the entire industry obsolete or that they kill every $15-20k "giant," but there is definitely something special about them.  The "one more song" and "turn it up a little" intangibles are there.  Right now, the bass is flubby and the highs are a little gritty, even as there is a big, fast, live sound overall that I've rarely, if ever, heard on anything that wasn't bigger and more expensive.  Slightly thin in the lower mids on some music.  Give an impression of space--almost like adding a hint of 'verb.  Oddly, both delicate and a little crude; detailed, yet a bit unrefined.  "Twinkly" and "sparkly," but without fatigue-I-ness or excessive sibilance.  Could listen to these things all day long (and have for two days).  Female voices often forward.  Male voices often recessed.  Maybe like an Omega RS5-based speaker and a smaller, older model Wilson had a bastard child.  So far, glad I caved and ordered them.

I'll guess that these may not satisfy the specs-are-the-bible crowd, but, for the I want to enjoy what I'm hearing crowd, definitely, definitely worth a try in or around the price range.  I know...new toy, but I'm really a little surprised.
@danoroo May I ask why you went with the Enzo 2.7 over other options?

Thanks!