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Former Tekton owners: What have you moved on to?

I owned the Tekton Lore Reference for about a year and a half and they were great for the price. I ran them with a 50w tube integrated and it was a nice combo. For $750 I had no complaints except perhaps that the paint was cracking on one of the rounded corners. I ended up buying a pair of Gallo CL-2 for an office system on closeout direct from Gallo for $390/pair. After they were broken in I found myself listening to them more than the Tektons after awhile. I was getting addicted to the CDT tweeter.

Based on that experience I ordered the CL-3 refurbished for $650/pair shipped (crazy steal) and they were on a different level than both of the above. Sonically, one defining moment for me was listening to Joni Mitchell, Both Sides Now. (I think the Track was You’re My Thrill. )
During the intro there is a brief flute soli. With the Tektons it sounded like a really nice flute section that was very homogenous sounding and blended. With the Gallos I could hear each individual flute player and their unique tones and vibrato. The bass was also deeper and tighter on the gallos and the imaging was just amazingly holographic and wide and deep.

I know the timing of this is interesting as the Tekton hype train seems to be at full tilt right now with some of his higher models and I am curious to hear them. The 2 things that would give me serious pause and keep me from moving up the Tekton line are 1) the size and aesthetics 2) The very much "in your face" house sound that can get tiring to me.  Just wondering what others have moved on to from Tekton and what they heard that moved them in that direction.
clarinetmonster2
213runnin
562 posts
 
James above said that people shouldn't have to defend disliking a product, but I think he has a short memory.  He attacked me for repeating my dislike for Tekton speakers and went so far as to mock my system, and now I see he sold his Tektons.

I've still got my Rainmakers, James, if you want to poke fun at them.  

Anyway, it's as I observed, Tektons are big ugly speakers that use cheaper off-the-shelf woofers and their frequency response tends to be anything but flat.  And the owner of the company goes to great lengths to keep their frequency response specs nowhere to be seen.

Obviously they are not for everybody.
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kosst_amojan
2,095 posts
 
Two points:
1) Folks like James make me want to avoid any product that provokes the kind of ugly, nonsensical fervor he just displayed. And from what I've seen in Tekton discussions, he's not really an exception, but more the rule. 

2) Tekton fans, and Eric himself, like to bang on about how their speakers just blow away products costing 10 times as much. But.... there's Eric selling $12,000 and $20,000 speakers! Am I to believe that a pair of $20,000 Pendragon PMD's are showing up Wilson Alexandria XLF's and Focal Grande Utopia EM's? Or even a pair of Sasha W/P's or Sopra No.3's? That's really hard to believe. 
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theprivateer
2 posts
 
I owned the Lore-S for about a year. Loved them immediately once installed, very attractive characteristics of lightning fast response and a unique quality about projecting impactful bass into the room which I still yearn for sometimes. Great for simple vocal/jazz/folk, and exceptional with my wife's electronic/techno records. The big deficiencies were a lack of refinement (probably counterpoint to the excitement at first listen), and most importantly a lack of midbass and lower midrange density, i.e. the crunch of electric guitar/bass etc. 

In search of this, I moved on to Harbeth Compact 7s which were a marvelous improvement in all areas except for the lack of speed on electronic music. (And the nasty interaction with my room due to the lossy cabinets...another story). Still wonderful speakers that I'd consider re-buying anytime. 

Finally moved to the Sonus Faber Venere S. I am a typical audiophile in constantly seeking upgrades, but no longer (at least for a while!). These don't excel in any particular area -except for looks- but are so well rounded with all genres that one has no pressing desire to move on. Less exciting than the typical audiophile acquisition, but more conducive of financial and familial stability!

In summary I support what Eric is doing with Tekton, if I don't quite buy some of his "science". He makes good product at great value, but one should be cognizant of his lack of large scale R&D resulting in limitations (which are more than fair, for his prices). 

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