Tekton Uruz Speaker Review vs. ZU Dirty Weekend MKII
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- เผยแพร่เมื่อ 25 มิ.ย. 2021
- Lots of configurations, several amps and no disappointments. Full review of the Tekton Uruz with factory upgrades.
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Club For 5 - Brothers In Arms
music.amazon.com/albums/B073J...
Damian Rice - 9 Crimes
music.amazon.com/albums/B0012...
Tool - Invincible
music.amazon.com/albums/B07W3...
Buckethead - Electric Sea - Point Doom
music.amazon.com/albums/B007A...
Hanz Zimmer - Time (Inception)
music.amazon.com/albums/B003U...
Michael Hedges - The 2nd Law
music.amazon.com/albums/B001V...
Patrick O’Hearn - Panning the Sands
music.amazon.com/albums/B001Q...
Incubus - Aqueous Transmission
music.amazon.com/albums/B0013...
Regina Spektor - Cover of My Guitar Gently Weeps (Movie Soundtrack Kubo)
music.amazon.com/albums/B01HH...
Endless Fields Album; Alive in the Wilderness
music.amazon.com/artists/B071...
Bozzio, Levin, Stevens - Track; Duende
music.amazon.com/albums/B000T...
Melody Gardot - Live in Europe - Wayfaring Stranger (Bonus Tracks)
music.amazon.com/albums/B0824...
The System:
Unison Research Unico P - Integrated Amp
Peachtree Nova150 - Integrated Amp
Red King Premium - Integrated Amp
OSD Nero Stream HD - Integrated Amp
Denon DVD3930CI (CD, DVD, SACD Player)
Yamaha CD-S2100
Audience Ohno RCA cables
MIT Matrix 18 Speaker Cables - เพลง
Welcome back. And thanks for the direct comparison review and newly crowned champ!
My pleasure! Thank you sir!
I've had the Dirty Weekend Mk II for about a year. I've hit 'em hard and they still sound amazing and rock hard!
Good to hear, ZU's are awesome.
The Uruz have been my current reference for last 5 years and I love them. The unsung hero of the Tekton line and audio in general. And yes they are awesome for home theatre as I use them for dual purpose.
What a terrific endorsement, thank you Ryan!
If you think they are unsung, maybe you should write a review for Tekton's website. There are none there currently.
Thank you sooooo much for reviewing this niche speaker.
Ben, all my pleasure!
Excellent review! Thanks. 👍
Thanks for watching! Cheers.
Props for testing with the Iron Maiden! Will have to do the same on my DeVores.
Thank you! There you go...
Fantastic review Jason!! I've had the Lore Bs for a year now and was really curious on the Uruz so thanks for that!! Was wondering if you had a preferred website you sell your gear on.. Thanks again.
Absolutely and thank you Brian. I migrated away from Audiogon and now am using US Audio Mart exclusively. I know this will sound preposterous to some, but it feels to me like Audiogon continues to go upscale, less and less good values to be found in the pond I can afford to swim in. Thanks for asking.
Epic battle. You need to do Uruz with the Ribbon tweeter vs Lore with upgrade and Berryllium drivers next!
Thanks GG. Someone will have to send me a Berryllium equipped Lore, I'm done with buying Lores. Appreciate your enthusiasm.
That's was great ! The Tektons really have me interested. Such a fantastic review thanks for taking the time to do that . I'm curious I generally listen near field and they're literally are no walls behind my speakers where they're positioned it just works out perfect where I am I wonder how those would be on stands near field?. Right now my speakers are about 4 ft either side of me on stands on top of subs it's a pretty sweet little setup did I mention I have crown class A B amps. I definitely have juice I mainly watch videos but when I Jam it's so cool to be right in between the sound
You can use them in a nearfield application if you wanted to, however, I would say the lesser expensive Lore Reference would suffice. My only concern is driver integration at four feet, you may hear some discontinuity between the ribbon tweeter and 10" Eminence driver, not properly integrating. The closer your are, the more sensitive your ear will get to driver placement.
@@2ChannelListening But you know what?. I am 50 and have worked around tools and have stereos for a long time I don't mind the trouble I can take more than most people my friends don't like the way I live so my music I have to dial it down generally so definitely have a little bit of hearing loss so I don't mind things like that.
Can't wait to get a pair
There's a line forming!
Congrats on new digs! Hoping at some point you are able to return to KEF speakers. Many thanks!
At some point, I want to demo R11's. But nothing else that I could remotely afford in their current line floats my boat. Vintage wise, oh yes, several speakers I've been keeping tabs on.
Thanks Scott!
I am really enjoying this ongoing series. The comparison of Zu models Vs Tekton models and the competition is really intriguing, thanks for the continued efforts! Is there any chance we'll see a new match of the now "reigning king" Tekton Uruz VS. the new Zu Union 6 Supreme? Since these are the new offering in that space, displacing the DW's? I'm curious if they can compete any better than the DW did against the Uruz. So far no one has had any ears on the new models (probably too new). I know you like to pick up on the used market so I understand it might not be possible. Thanks again for putting the work into the channel.
Greetings and welcome Jeff! Yes, you nailed it, I'm not a Steve G. or John Darko, so no free ZU demo for me yet :-) even though I have bought several of their products *sigh* lol. I absolutely intend to get the new DW6 when I can. I appreciate your thoughts and nice compliments, thank you.
Enjoyed your review. Lots of useful information shared about the design and drivers. Personally, I have “discovered” Piega speaker with ribbon drivers that are detailed/extended in high frequency like your Uruz but never harsh and they cast a 180 wide soundstage. I think that the Uruz is overlooked by many people checking out the Tekton’s wide range of 30 models. It’s wonderful for you to own and review a pair. Thanks
Thanks for sharing! Everyone who loves Tekton should head over and watch your videos. I love what you have done with your room. The attention to details, room treatments and mods is inspiring. Very clean recordings.
th-cam.com/video/sbfB2sqIBKY/w-d-xo.html
Running Zu dirty weekend mkii with clarity caps with a reisong a10. Still breaking in but so far I'm all smiles.
Terrific Travis. Tubes really do go with these speakers so well. Smile away young man!
The King is dead, long live the King. Based upon what you said about their versatility ,high sensitivity, and sound quality these should pair well with both tubes and solid state gear might make these end game speakers for a lot of people. Thanks for the review.
For some, these absolutely could check most of the boxes. I still have lots of life left to live and absolutely am not settling any time soon, plus what would I jabber on about if I did! Lol. Thanks Marc.
Thank you for these very detailed reviews. I like that you show the wiring and crossovers. You kept saying the tweeter of the Uruz is "smooth". Would you say that it is less bright or warmer than the Lore? I am seriously considering these two for purchase.
The Uruz are the smoothest, least bright, listenable all day without fatigue. The regular Lore are really good, I wouldn't say overly bright, but the ribbon tweeter in the Uruz really add extra depth (extension) and space (also being placed up over the main driver is better than the tweeter hanging below your ears). Good luck in your hunt.
@@2ChannelListening Thank you. If you can get your hands on some Wharfdale Lintons, I would love to see how they stack up against the Uruz.
Gret review. Do you still prefer the Uruz when comparing the two while using the Nova 150? Thanks!
Thank you. I absolutely choose the Uruz over Lore and Dirty Weekend, regardless of which amp I was using to compare the trio. The Uruz really had the best balance when pushed hard.
Great review! Could listen all day! Wondering if anyone might know how these sound with the Leak Stereo 130 Integrated Amplifier.
Not sure, but that's a good one to find out about.
I find with Tekton they are like a mail order company from the years past. If I order online they take months to manufacture then ship, in comparison I recently called, Tammy answered, I asked if they had any speakers that were already made or possibly from cancelled orders. The sheer amount of speakers, I swear at least ten different models. I ended up going for 7 tweeter upgraded Pendragons. I had ordered a pair of Dirty Weekenders but when the pandemic hit I cancelled the order out of fear I'd be laid off :D. I didn't expect so many companies to do work at home. Zu Audio was really friendly and great. Tekton didn't inform me they shipped the Pendragons, had to call multiple times. Finally Tammy answered and provided me the tracking #. On the bright side they shipped Wednesday and are estimated to arrive Friday/later today.
Well, you summed up most of our experience with Tekton. Grab them by the ear and they are Johnny on the spot. Leave them to their process and frustrations and lack of communications ensue. It's a patience game - but most of our new economy is turning into this. As an a cog in the CI world, we are struggling to get products to customers from the biggest brands. We call them and they can't tell us with any certainty what will be available and when.
Good luck with your new Pendragons. Please report back in how you like them once you have over 50 hours on them. Be patient with those woofers, they take some time to loosen up.
@@2ChannelListening Will do. Thank you for replying :).
@@2ChannelListening
It appears if you really want Tekton speakers, the best way is to either buy used or buy speakers they already built and are ready to ship. If you buy from them and they don’t have any stock, you must wait for them to be built and shipped (which currently is 3 months or so). Also, I understand there’s a fee for canceling, even if you never receive them.
@@healthynutster it is a frustrating game Mark. As much as I love the Tekton value proposition, my own customer experience has turned me away from the brand completely. It's not to say that if there is a smoking deal on a different model I would like to try, I'll still buy it. However, my participating in their new order process is over. Eric's success is also his demon to slay. I wish them the best of luck.
I'm glad you bring all this shortfalls of tektron to our attention
Like any audiophile, I end up wanting more and I move on.
As others have commented, esthetics are important, and while I can hear and appreciate the difference between very different speakers, I doubt I would be able to notice the difference between these two, and that Tekton is all function, to put it kindly. The customer service issue sealed the deal for me. Considering Zu's near-legendary communication, Dirty Weekends ordered.
Hi John, lol, I like how you put that "all function", yes, very true indeed. The legendary poor communication from Tekton will bite them, its unfortunate because these are such great products at the price point. Everything is escalating so quickly. It is getting harder to find really good gems in the affordable floor standing speaker department.
As much as I love ZU, I have no idea where they came up with the new price for the new Soul-6. I've always wanted to demo the Soul Supreme, but I never have found one at my budget cut off.
Thanks for your comments.
I live 15 minutes from Zu, purchased Zu speakers, they were absolutely horrible to communicate with. Nice people, but they would never return a call after saying they would.
To each his own. To me, those ZUs look straight out of 1996 design esthetic. As long as they sound better, I'll take the understated design of the tektons.
How do you fair these two speakers against like Elac Floorstanders like the B6 model (which is a BS but I own the floorstanders and bookshelf models) would it be a major upgrade you think? Trying to find something that sounds up there with the B&Ws 702s
I have no frame of reference for the Elac, have not heard a pair. The Uruz will sound nothing like a B&W product, not in any shape or form. They both make music, the similarities end there...I can listen to the Uruz all day long and not get tires of them.
6:11 “for you boneheads out there”
I don’t know why but this made me burst into laughter 😂😂😂
Thank you for watching.
Finally ! They get my attention a ribbon tweeter ... I really like the look too. Might have to break my piggy bank for those soon 😅
Yep and they require so little power to drive them, 8 ohm version. I was using a 25 watt class D amp last night while watching a movie with them...just amazing.
@@2ChannelListening a friend of mine had a pair of tekton double impacts. And those , he drives them with a McIntosh tube. Honestly they didn't make me warm for them at all. And he knows I am a magnepan/esl/ribbon type of guy.
It's so much at the other end of the spectrum sonic wise for me. That i swerved away from tekton ever being a option for me.
Your review of the uruz has totally bend my iron will back towards them again. I really going to get a set soon 😃
Huge ribbon fan
I had ESS redo my vintage heil air motion speakers. They are the best sounding speakers, I have and will ever have. The redo way way under Tektons which I love, too.
Buy a pair of vintage ess for under 1k and take them over to ess in l. a. You will NOT be disappointed. The other alternative and overlooked is rsl speakers.
Yeah, there are many many fans of the ESS Heil Air speakers and also Ohm Walsh 5000's. My buddy has a pair of RSL towers that need some work, so I cannot comment on Roger's yet. Thanks Kevin.
I love my ess Rock monitors. Loud and clear
How do you find the tweeter above the woofer on the Uruz vs the Lore's tweeter below? Any noticeable listening position differences? Thanks.
I certainly appreciate the Uruz configuration better. With the vertical dispersion of the ribbon tweeter, it works much better being within ear level, kicking in at 5k, adding space and air to the Eminence instead of pushing through it it, from underneath like the Lore. Don't get me wrong, there is still so much to love about that gold Audax tweeter, but certainly the Fountek contributes a bit more speed. I guess its all in preference honestly.
I wouldn't have sold my ZU DW's if the Uruz didn't win me over. With my system configurations, I absolutely preferred the DW's over the base level Lore's, there was a bigger performance gap from the ZU DW MKII to the base Lore's than the Uruz to the DW. The Uruz steps in with some needed refinement from both camps.
@@2ChannelListening Awesome. Thanks for the reply. I've got a pair of Tekton Mini Lore's that I thoroughly enjoy. I run them with a NAD C 326BEE amp.
Superb video! How does the Uruz sound reproducing piano and associated realism? Also, what is you opinion on depth perception ?
I would say the middle and upper registers are fairly good, one would still want dual subs for the lowest registers to carry into the room.
So how do the Tektons sound in comparison to the Tekton Lore you used to have that used an audax gold dome tweeter? Since they both appear to use the same dual cone bass driver, it begs a comparison.
Hi Burgie. this is how I ranked the Lore (base), ZU DW with Upgrades and Uruz with Upgrades...
1. Uruz beats them both out with a touch more balance in the mids and treble energy, the ribbon tweeter ads a sweetness and more refined extension versus the ZU's more aggressive approach. Plus the cabinet structure update also help. It only beats the ZU by the slimmest of margins on performance - the fit n finish of the ZU is still superior, especially in person.
2. The DW with updates certainly has more balls, presence and better integrated bass over both speakers, but it also is a little less flexible versus the Uruz. The ZU play big and loud with any amp, even ten watt wonders. There needs to be a little more care with equipment matching versus either Tekton. Sharp, analytical or upper region tilted amps or DAC's get accentuated with the DW's, especially with the Clarity Caps. I have no comment or experience with the Jupiter Caps. Some claim those take a bit of edge off. I wouldn't know.
3. The Lore does so much right and for the money, is still the best bargain out there. Its not a night and day difference, but compared to the other two, it shows its disadvantages in price, materials and execution. If I could say this, buying a nice, clean pair of Lores for under $700 is well worth it and would be a better bet than spending more than twice as much on the Uruz. I could and did out of pure curiosity, knowing I love ribbon tweeter equipped speakers. It paid off for me with my taste. Others would and could be perfectly content with what the base Lore can offer.
Enjoyed the review. Just a note about ribbons and dispersion. A narrower ribbon will have wider dispersion. Similar to how a 3/4" dome tweeter should have wider dispersion than a larger tweeter.
Thank you John. If interested, you should look at the spec sheet on these Fountek cdNeo 3.0. Handles lower hz x-over point. Little less fussy. I do understand the your point with the 3/4" tweeter, however this set up plays wider than with the Ascend Acoustic Sierra's I had. Less directional, same amount of toe in. Cheers.
Exactly,
A more narrow exit aperture elicits a wider coverage pattern.
i defiantly need to try full tubes on my omen def one of these days. so far cj pre and schiit ageir is best i have heard them
Tube pre with class A (SS) is an amazing combination for these high efficiency speakers. Just read 6 Moons and all the First Watt combo's. My favorite old system was an all tube preamp with SS mono's, just fantastic.
@@2ChannelListening ya im hoping to get a good price on rp5 or primaluna evo300 pre one of these days lol
I just got the Zu Dirty Weekend Omen 2 and wow. I'm hearing new things is every song, both good and bad. Im not sure about my setup but will tinker with them tomorrow between trips to the grill and a Boston Butt. Ive picked up white noise, hiss that I've never heard before. I hear instruments behind the speakers, above them and from the side walls, but not all at once. Because I'm tall in a wheelchair i think they might need to point up a few degrees. Any suggestions?
Use marble or granite platforms if you can (maybe solid maple). If you rake the ZU's back, you lose bass as per how the internal bass loading performs with bottom finger ports. They can be very finicky, but once right, you will love them. You have to have some really high quality preamplification and amps to reduce hiss - welcome to High Eff speakers! They prefer balanced equipment if you have it.
@@2ChannelListening I'll get a used Willsenton R8 when i can get one under 9. I think it is some recordings. Maybe I'll put the last book shelf speakers on top of them for those other recording when i want poorly recorded music. Maybe the it is the NAD M10 with the hiss. I have a parasound amplifier i can try it. I thought i had the Hsu Subwoofer connected yesterday. Today i used the subwoofer below 40hrz on a few Galatic and other jazz base heavy songs. 80hrz was horrible but the 40hrz was crazy low. Back to normal world, I put a magazine under them and it helped remove some base. Lowering them is a bitch. My 11yo twin son and daughter were tired of 1/4 turns.
Glad to see his series of comparisons continue. Thank you. If the Tekton has a 10" driver, it is beaming from about 1,600 Hz up to the 5K Hz crossover point. IS that audible when moving left to right in you listening area?
The crossover point is 5K to the ribbons. My opinion is this really allows the tweeters to relax and smooths out response considerably versus ribbon tweeters trying to play from 2.8K up. Voices are handled completely by the 10" Eminence drivers with a nice natural warmth. The Uruz are fatigue free speakers for my listening tastes. Tekton are a little more reserved comparted to ZU.
Thank you for watching.
@@2ChannelListeningthat's way too high of a crossover for a 10" woofer it starts beaming at 1400 and amt tweeters don't crossover that low at all I don't understand there designs . Especially with the tons of tweeters they use it's going to have major combing I would love to see the frequency response on them they must look like a 🪮
Of course it is that's why you don't crossover that high with a 10 " woofer that amt tweeter doesn't play that low they should have made it a 3 way
@@BostonMike68 Spoken as someone who looks at a speaker and already condemns it without any first hand experience with it. Stay away from ZU Audio then, they run their custom modified 10" drivers up to 10K. I guess folks like the way they beam?
@2ChannelListening yeah you are right I designed a 2 way with a 10" woofer I used a tweeter that could be crossed low to avoid beaming I used a step roll off on the crossover and I don't have beaming and my frequency response is flat even off axis but I have people that never heard it telling me it you can't make a 2 way with a 10" and I they are wrong. I guess I am starting to sound like them . I shouldn't judge it before I heard it. But I does go against all logic of speaker design.
What are the Cliff Notes version of the Uruz vs Lores in terms of soundstage (width, depth, height) and imaging (Ribbon vs Audax dome)?
The Uruz vs. Lore:
- Uruz has slightly more recessed sound stage, less forward vs Lore
- Width, toss up between the two, no clear better or worse
- Uruz needs to be tilted just slightly up, the driver swap gives a little more height to Lore
- Uruz absolutely on imaging, the ribbon outlines instruments decay a little more, better outlines and textures. Therefor the presentation is an improvement over the Lore.
@@2ChannelListening Thanks for summarizing the info! I just placed a deposit for a 20W Decware Torii Jr amp and I am in the hunt for high efficiency towers to replace my low efficiency Elac bookshelf speakers. Besides the Tekton's, I'm also considering the Klipsch RP-8000F
@@derekf7772 oooh, congratulations on moving forward with a Decware, I really would like to hear your impressions of it. Lots of good choices out there for speakers. Happy hunting.
Jason, have you tried swapping the 10’s between the 2 speakers, see if they sound the same or different? If they sound the same… at least the Uruz would look better with the Zu’s 10” drivers in them ;)!
Ha ha, no, didn't do that. The Uruz drivers were soldered on to their networks, I wasn't cutting anything.
Good Review!!!!!, Uruz vs Lore, which has higher bass or are they the same?
Thank you Daniel. Not sure I understand your question of which one has "higher" bass? Do you mean lower usable hz? The Tekton punches out a couple more hz down low, maybe a good 2-3 hz in my room, but the ZU's is a little better dispersed because of it bottom port scheme. Both are equally punchy. There's just a hint more bass detail with the Tekton in my room. Otherwise, they both are great speakers.
@@2ChannelListening Please compare the Uruz vs the Lore. I think that was the question here. Although you seem to have already answered it partially in the review by saying you think Uruz is the top of the Lore series.
I will still like to hear more though. Is it worth the extra cash to get the Uruz over the Lore?
Hi Greg, there is a trap here for audio enthusiasts, and I am totally susceptible to it. Yes, in my words, I call the Uruz the top model of what should still be considered the Lore line. The cabinet dimensions are identical, same Eminence 102b driver in the Lore, Lore Be and Uruz. I have not been able to confirm the latest cabinet upgrades in my Uruz, if they exist in a new Lore. Having said that, the differences I hear in the Uruz, the sweeter, more detailed and airy highs, are to me, worth the extra money I paid, because, darn it, now that I heard it, I wouldn't be able to settle on a basic lore, even at half price, and stay there. If buying new, then absolutely the extra few hundred bucks (no grills) is a great investment to experience a well sorted ribbon tweeter.
Now, if the Uruz was $2K versus a $1,100 Lore, then I would say no, the benefits are not that big, at $2K, I'd rather have that ZU fit and finish. There's a difficult line to balance between materials, driver quality, costs of goods and Fit N Finish. The Uruz stretches the performance line higher for the little bit of extra coin and I like the internal cabinet improvements 99% of owners will never notice or know about.
Even for me, I don't know that there is a 15 minute video in exploring these micro differences. Thanks for asking!
@@2ChannelListening fantastic! Thanks for the detailed analysis. It's surely a trap like you mentioned, now I'm eyeing the Uruz 😂.
Hope I'm not too late to ask a question! Of the 3 (lore, uruz, zu) which is the most forgiving of source?
Not at all, the Uruz is by far the best of the three for my constantly changing electronics. The ZU DW is the least forgiving of a top end tilted signal. Again, just my mileage and experiences with so many different integrated amps.
@@2ChannelListening Thanks buddy!
As a reviewer , do you think the sound elements you’re hearing from the speakers were intended by the speaker designer? Is it possible to hear the same sound elements with different electronics in the audio chain? Thanks!
Hello Nalds, I assume or I am going to answer like I assume you are referring to a "House" or "brand signature" sound. ZU absolutely has a consistent signature sound across its line up, specifically because of how they modify their B102 drivers and use only minimal crossover on the tweeters. Out of 4 pairs of ZU's, they all have consistent sonics across associated inputs. There are extremes, ZU do sound best with class A amplifiers, much older A/B or D designed amps are not as pleasant, throw in old budget AVR's and it can get bad.
Even looking back on all the ADS speakers I've owned from L710 to L1230's, very consistent sound signatures with little bits of variance, mostly size of presentation and further refinements. We use our electronics to "fine tune" the best sound we can extract from a speaker design.
I have to assume the speaker designer's finished product was based on what they wanted to achieve and how they wanted it to sound. The trick for them is ensure there is a bit of the same magic (brand sound) in their entry level offerings. This comes with price and design compromises, followed by the driver and crossover choices as well as cabinet material. I think this is what you were asking?
@@2ChannelListening Thank you for taking the time to reply! That’s one aspect ‘house sound’ that’s difficult to discern when one is limited to hearing only a few speakers. I’m a fan of your channel.
My Zu Dirty Weekends are arriving this week after 6 months of waiting! I am excited to have the former king. Ha
Enjoy them, the long wait will be worth it as the hours pass with your favorite tunes!
Still loving my Zu Omen with clarity caps coupled to Schiit Vali + Aegir, in no small part thanks to your reviews. Thanks for throwing some love on the lower budget, under-rated gear! Made in USA to boot. Cheers.
Yes sir, glad you like them! I have some more American vintage goodies coming later this fall. Maybe sooner if some of the refurbishment goes well. Thanks MB!
A single Aegir? I’m considering one for my DW Mk2 w the Clarity Caps. How’s the punch and bass?
Yes, and more importantly to me it has good separation and brings out fine details. I may add a subwoofer in the future for sub 30hz enhancement.
One benefit of these high efficiency speakers is the low power requirements.
@@mbp2059 Thanks. I’m definitely pulling the trigger on a single Aegir. Guess I can add another later if needed?
I just went to the Tekton website and it said that the Uruz was an 8 ohm design. Did you special order a 4 ohm version?
Did I miss speak about the spec's in my video? The Fountek is a 7 ohm nominal. I believe I simply made reference to preferring the 4 ohm taps, giving a little stronger bass via my valve amp. Nice catch if I accidentally called them 4 ohm Marc.
@@2ChannelListening I'm actually glad that they 8 ohm so that my vintage H-K could drive them. I guess need to start saving up some cash.
Do you know which Mundorf caps they use? I asked tekton directly and got no information.
They use the red letter Mcap Evo. Aluminum in Oil. 2.7 450v and 1.0 450v, I have a close up picture of the board on my Instagram page.
@@2ChannelListening Thank you very much. I was a little surprised when the person who handles their email account said she wasn't sure and didn't offer to find out. Have always had great experiences with Tekton, aside from this one minor hiccup.
I am using Audio Nirvana Classic 10" full range drivers but considering getting rid of them in favor of Tektons. One major reason is their inability to handle complex, busy recordings. For example rock or classical, you lose certain instruments as one speaker is trying to do everything. Have you experienced that with the Tektons?
Hello RN, I do know what you are talking about for sure. There are a few unique challenges though with why there is additional compression and lack of instrument separation for older hard rock - not the best attention in studio mastering. I make this point often; I love Rush, but they were not studio guys and didn't see the long horizon benefits of spending Fleetwood Mac levels of money on the studio recordings. Alas, there are not many exceptional Rush albums for loud playback. Permanent Waves is one of the better recorded albums in my opinion. You want to give a system a workout. Try Iron Maiden and Dream Theater. Dream Theater does have some good recording quality though.
Fast, big drum kits do challenge single drivers and systems with very high crossover points. The Tekton Uruz surprise me with how well they hold it together, yet there are still some tracts, or moments that they too cannot do the best of the best. The drum crescendo on Patricia Barber's "Cafe Blue", track Nardis, there is some jumbling of the symbols and kick drums - but I have heard that compression or separation loss with most systems. The big Altec Lansings manage to handle it though. Very good tube amps manage to help this as well and that's where I am really enjoying my Uruz, with my low watt, class A integrated.
Good luck with your search, let me know what you end up with. Thank you for watching.
@@2ChannelListening Thanks for the informative reply! Great channel, keep up the good work :)
All these years later...I still can't warm up to whizzer cones...
Where did you get your wall treatments?
Absolutely an acquired taste, lots of love 'em or hate em folks, not many in the middle.
The hex panels are from here recordstands.com/acoust-hex-panels
@@2ChannelListening It's funny, because I've heard dirty weekends on several occasions and realize that they do sound pretty darn good...... It's just the whizzer thing... And the Tektons with a great ribbon tweeter, very nice.
Thanks for the panels link, that place look like it has some really cool stuff at decent prices.
Great customer service too. They let me exchange some panels that didn't mesh with my color scheme. Quick to respond and friendly.
How many designs does Tekton have?
Probably too many to focus on.
Have you listened to panel speakers?
I have heard Carver Andromeda III speakers extensively. Maggie 3.6R's, Maggie MMG's, several Martin Logans and an Apogee Slant 6. Love the Maggie sound, don't care for the "in room" looks, power needs or integration hassle.
Have you tried Zu DWX?
I have not. Truthfully with the width and depth cabinet dimensions the same for floor standing versions, this product makes no sense to me.
2" screws? How thick are the baffles?
I honestly do not remember if they were 3/4" or 1"...I'm getting old :-(
I placed an order for Tekton speakers several months ago having discovered them via channels like yours. I really liked their take on speaker design, and I even like their industrial look. However every attempt at communication with Tekton has been rudely ignored. I have lost all faith that I will ever receive the speakers I already paid for and have come to simply loath this company. If ever I do receive my speakers, I don't know if I will ever be able to listen to them with out contempt. I should have just got some JBLs.
I'm really sorry to read your struggles with Eric and Tammy not communicating. As I had said, and hope they watch, they do have room for obvious and immediate improvement in that department. Its not okay that business is so good, manufacturers (especially boutique) can ignore their clients. As a former JBL owner, you will feel the anxiety and irritation wash away as the hours increase listening to your new Tektons. You absolutely can come back to tell me differently if that is not the case. Good luck, hang in there.
Did you ever receive them?
@@2ChannelListening
Agree 100%. I get the sense that they know they don’t have to provide good customer service due to the high demand on their products, but that’s not an excuse. I’ve been dialoguing with Mr. Alexander recently over this very point. It’s a shame really, because they offer some of the best speakers for the money available
Reputation, as well as their appalling appearance, are why I went with Zu. Long story short, I'm about to buy my second pair from Zu. Zu cares about their speakers looking good as well as sounding good (Tekton has ZERO WAF), and with the Jupiter Copper caps, my Zu's are NOT forward and in your face. They're actually quite classy and neutral, even warm-ish. And if you want more "air", get a Schiit Lokius. And when you aren't listening to them, you can enjoy looking at them, and not wasting energy on having to despise the manufacturer.
I had ordered a pair of Encores with custom paint job. They took MONTHS longer than I was told it would take. Sure this was during Covid and seems like they had fired someone doing the paint jobs on their speakers.
They finally arrived. They’re great speakers to be sure. Unfortunately same thing (even worse) occurred when I wanted to place an order for their 4-10 subs(x2). Months and months I patiently waited.
I inquired again and again to Tammy and crew. Apparently supply chain issues with the plate amps for the subs.
I eventually gave up and said cancel my order. Right then somehow the stars aligned and they were being completed.
Never waited so long for any item INCLUDING my Magnepan LRS (epic back order delay story there…).
The 4-10 subs were one of the best purchases I’ve ever made. Very fast bass and keep up with Maggies and ESLs. Big…but so worth the price of admission (I’ve had Velodyne, Martin-Logan, KEF and REL subs so that says a lot!)
I share your review in my cheap audio Man Facebook group. Cheap audio Man is Randy he has a TH-cam channel I'm not sure if you're familiar he's buddies with Ron from new record day he's really good he reviews budget gear but he's way smarter than he looks buddy LOL good people man that's good group
Oh, that's wonderful, thank you Trey. Yes, Ron is awesome. Randy is a very interesting character in our world. Thank you for sharing my video with that group. I'll check out the FB group, I am not very good at spending time there...kind of loath it to be honest.
I just wish Tektons didn't look so cheap. I usually don't mind looks but man idk. How would u compare this to a Klipsch Forte? Thanks
I had a pair of Forte II, unmodified. They were great speakers for the $650 I paid for them. They have a classic look and a good sound, are easy to drive and play most genres really well. Its been too long for me to properly compare the bass notes to my Tekton Uruz, but I can easily say the ribbon tweeter in my Uruz out plays the top end of the Forte, Cornwall and CF-4 I owned. Now, having said that, when I modified and updated my Cornwall's, they played orchestral music VERY well. Modding older Klipsch is a good approach to maximizing their potential - much like what Danny does at GR Research.
You gotta get an email man. You inspired me to look on thenused market and I ended up
Buying a Pathos Inpol 2 intehrated Amplifier for about 20% of its cost new. It’s in immaculate shape and is probably the most ridiculous amplifier I’ve ever even seen . Look it up , it’s amazing. I could NEVer afford it new. Brand new 10,000. I got it from a cool old cat for 2100
That does sound like something pretty special. I have looked at those. Really interesting design and a different kind of hybrid technology. Congratulations!
I do need to looking into a 2Channellistening email address...thanks.
Hi! Did you make the zu 12 ohms is it standard 8, should make them 12 ohms especially with the valve amplifier. What improvement if any did the caps bring you?
Wood who needs a wood... we don't need wood where we're going!!!! resin 3D printing much better speak cabinet they should start doing it!!
you would like Zamrock you should check it out
I wonder what the zu woofers sound like in the tekton could be a better match?
Room has a bearing on speakers it might have been the other way round in the old please.
Yes, the Tekton's are set for 4 ohm operation and I took advantage of the 4 ohm taps on my valve amplifier, the bass was stronger, better defined. The ZU's still perform amazingly, there is such minor differences between them, and nearly none in the mid-band. Good point about the 3D printing, grills absolutely could be built from resin and probably perform better with the additional damping properties.
As for the Clarity Caps, I'd be lying if I said I could point to any difference. I have no special audio track anecdotes to share in saying the Pulse X cap was less here and the MR cap more there, I just didn't notice it with out minds games. Sorry John.
@@2ChannelListening no not tekton 4ohms! I'm talking about the zu dirty weekends!! what ohms are yours have you changed them?
@@johnsweda2999 standard 12ohm.
12ohms I thought that was an option you could choose! how do you connect to the valve amplifier 4 - 8ohm or both
Tried both, still prefer 4 Ohm tap. The ZU come as 12. I bought mine second hand.
Does anyone out there know what the "Nanotech" coating on the Zu cone is actually made from, and is the back of the cone blue with a lacquer dip stain around the bottom half?
Good luck with the interpretation...at the end of the day, it is some kind of resin epoxy.
www.zuaudio.com/questions-list/2014/2/4/what-is-nano
@@2ChannelListening Wow, I didn't see that. Although speculating at best, my interpretation is carbon powder in a fiberglass resin thinned with lots of acetone so as not to build up on the surface, and flash off before it gets wet and starts growing peach fuzz. If the layer is as thin as they say, how much effect it has on the acousting properties or life of the cone becomes questionable. If nothing else, it looks a lot better than the stock blue cone with a dried pee stain in the middle
@@gregmiller3630 😂 at the “dried pee stains”!
@@2ChannelListening I know it's silly and immature, but for some reason that's what comes to mind when I see it. Probably because the stain is sometimes lop sided and out of round like they weren't "aiming" properly when applying it. On a more serious note, that stain and it's inconsistency is really noticeable on the Beta 10CX version to the point where I will not use it for custom hi-fi speakers. (The 12" model has a regular black cone but even those are sometimes quite blotchy and could use a cosmetic fix) Part of the reason that I'm interested in the coating that Zu is using on their drivers is it looks really good, and doesn't destroy the tonality or structure of the cone like black paint or similar polymer coatings often do.
@@gregmiller3630 well, sounds like you need to reach out to Sean Casey. I wish you luck in your hunt for the right drivers. It would be interesting to hear the ZU's crossed over at half their intended operating frequency, properly matched to a good tweeter.
I ordered the Teklton Lure Reference.. I hope I made a good choice... Maybe I should spend the extra 550 bucks for the Aruz.. But I might not have the room.. Please give me you option
Hello Mr. Chan, you will love the Lore Reference. Nice tidy package, no need for regrets.
@@2ChannelListening thank you. Ive got upgraded biding post and the wire upgrade as well.. Gonna run though a Adcom GFP 555 and GFP 545 and Oppo DVD,CD player. Should be Awesome
Hello and welcome on here. Stay seated would you please. Because I sure did the whole 35 minutes long. They could of added in more ad's I believe I wouldn't of bounce.
It's past 11pm now I think my new use Kenwood KR9400 at daytime cares to go sailing too. Now I know that it's not me hearing things believing I'm going nuts. Yes I'm still crazy with music for a soul. I'll just can't wait, found them Grado PS500
A KR-9400 you say, boy howdy, King of the KR's indeed. 120 watts of big transformer power. Bet it sounds very smooth and lovely. Nice and thank you for the compliments sir! Glad to have you.
Just want to point out Tekton had atrocious grill backlog & other customer service issues BEFORE the lumber shortage or covid.
Not good Mr. Winters. I said what I said in the video. Not looking to pummel them on my forum, they at least respond to me when prompted.
I asked Tekton for a shipping quote to the UK back in late January. They replied and asked for my postal code and nearest airport. I sent them the details promptly but didn't get a reply. I wrote several times, still no reply. Then after a couple of months I emailed them if they'd send me the parts so I could build it myself. I got a prompt reply saying they don't do DIY. So I emailed again asking for a shipping quote, and again. I've given up. It's June now. I think Tekton have got a grudge against me for some unknown reason. Zu speakers , however, replied with a quote within a week.
Very unfortunate Ada. Must go with the ones who provide the request. Thank you for sharing.
Dont take it personally, they treat everyone that way. As if they are hiding something. I had better luck with ZU. They are a more professional business
Hmm, I’ve had no issues with customer support with Zu Audio. But then I bought mine a little less than a year ago, early in the pandemic
I've only experienced great communication from ZU, even if the answer isn't what I wanted. I've purchased so many items from ZU with no issues or quality problems. Still will remain near and dear to me. Wish I could afford the Definitions!
Thanks Jeremy
Form should follow function, while fancy cabinets and machined trim rings might have a high WAF, you can get another wife, go for the sound.
Lol, salty this one :-)
How much whiskey or wine has our bro had here......Lol
What brings about this comment, I'm curious?
I'm still waiting for my ZU's, but I ordered the Jupiter copper upgrade and rustic hickory finish which brought the price down..
Hi Wizard, I think the Jupiter caps might also be a source of holding up production, availability an all. Has Gerrit shared anything with you, or Sean?
@@2ChannelListening yes, they have everything but wood..I've spoken to Gerrit..
@@thewizard9815 Im in the exact same boat right now. Zu just emailed me to offer a different wood finish at a discount so I can get the speakers sooner (with still a 4-6 week delay).
lol you colored the triangle pink on purpose didn't you.
What? What are you talking about :-)
Maggie LRS next or bust! Give her plenty of good power and space.. she will walk all over Zus and Tektons.
That's a seriously bold statement for a speaker that will lose 15hz or low end range to the ZU and a full 20hz of range to the Uruz. Then add to the fact that my Uruz play's huge on my 12 watt class A PSE tube amp...
Said another way, that's a pretty big asterisk*** declaration requirement. I'm reminded of some Mark McGuire and Barry Bonds moments here. LOL...If you have a pair to send me, I'll demo them, but I'm not willing to go spend more money on stronger amps just to test a tough load speaker. Sorry Ace, I don't have Thomas' inventory of amps to pull from :-)
After my experience with Tekton, I don't give a shit about his 'genius' or Tammy making nice.
I decided that I did not like the sound and returned a matched LCR set. I was informed that upon return and inspection (NO FINGERPRINTS ALLOWED) that they measured perfect. I didn't ask. They blame my receiver company (Yamaha A-3000, a well-respected receiver) for it's sound. I bought Ohms and am happy.
What version of the Ohms?
@@2ChannelListening After consulting with the owner, I choose the 1000's. They fit the space (What rear walls? THey nestle right in.) that I have and give me a very pleasnt and filled soundstage. If you are dealing with a small space, commodious bass supporting cabinets are self eliminating. My demands pushed me to purchase the Mirage mini's for the other channels and they are adequate for me. I supported the bottom with two subs, a Speedwoofer and a SVS 1000.
The RHS is QUICK and the SVS does the lifting down lower in my small home theatre.
If you want GOOD, not the greatest, loudest A/V ever (I've owned things like an FM-tuner only device that ran $2K in 1980. It died and NOBODY could fix it.) but reliable, non-fatiguing sound within a budget, this works. I am no longer a serious listener. I am not looking to be transported to the esoteric realm of absolute sounds. My estimate to do so is excessive to ME even though I can afford it. I'd rather go to Italy.
In my world, the best ability is reliability and I'll look seriously at Yamaha's new top of the line units to update my front end along with a Playstation or X-Box for my fixed media. So I will still pay thousands but it had better last. If not, why buy it?
My background? Was listening to HiFi in the sixties, became an electronic tech in the USAF, sold in and managed Stereo shops, subscribed to nearly every publication, owned Pioneer, Yamaha monster receivers, Polk SDAs, Martin Logans, B+Ws, etc. I'm not a hobbyist. I always bought value after my foray into High-End and gave up on bragging rights. In the long run (And I am old.) I derive satisfaction by being able to just plop myself down and everything works.
Now you guys shouldn't take this as a criticsm with that youthful hearing propelling decisions. I don't chase women anymore either.... now they look for me (sort of).
Great share Dennis, thank you for all this. I could say there are similarities in our path. If I didn't keep so many different components, I could easily sink serious money in a unified rig, but I also heard some very disappointing five figure systems and I like searching out the hidden gems below particular price points. Hence, my affection for ZU, Tekton, Unison Research and Peachtree to name a few. Cheers
I had a order from 3 years ago from Tekton that I still never received grills I paid for.
Well darn Tom, that's just unacceptable. Please tell me you have documentation of a requested refund?
@@2ChannelListening I never liked the speakers enough to have them setup long enough to care about the grilles. I sold the speakers not long after I bought them. I didn’t go through with returning them, because I had returned another set of Tektons a year earlier and I didn’t think it was fair to return another pair
What is your preferred speaker of choice? What did you like least about the Tektons, the model? I can tell you I did not have my Seas Pendragons very long. My (then) ZU Essence blew them away. Then I bought the Omen Def's!
@@2ChannelListening if you check out my TH-cam channel you will see I’ve had about a dozen or so speakers in the last 4 years. The Tekton pendragon monitors I had were very unimpressive and the woofers had a slight squeak to them. They don’t do a very good job with their sealed cabinets….they leak air. The Qln Prestige5 are the speakers that I’m currently impressed with
Rip Tektok 2024
lots of driver is OEM from china, Fountek is pretty famous for their driver.
True. Fountek is a nice performing tweeter.
Yeh I talked to Eric once and I wasn't impressed. He told me how busy he was and didn't really answer my questions. I'm still interested in his products but that put me off and I haven't bothered. I may in the future but might not. Sounds nothing's changed on that side of the business.
Well, if you've seen his latest creations, moving up-stream, we all know very well how that plays out. Another Red Ocean strategy.
@@2ChannelListening I'm unfamiliar with "red ocean strategy" could you inform me what that means?
I could assume it could mean he thinks by playing busy it might make me want his product more.
Just a shot in the dark.
This refers to a business that develops a product that neither disrupts the competitors nor creates new value proposition. Blue Ocean is the opposite. Eric started with some impressive low cost, high performance products, now he's trying to move into Wilson's and Focal's space.
@@2ChannelListening that's saying a lot. I've pretty much narrowed down my choices to tekton Moab, Tyler acoustic d2x, ohm Walsh 3000, Klipsch forte 4 or Cornwall 4 only space limits me, or building a set of gr research nx-otica. Do you have any experience with those and/or do you have an order in the way you'd order those choices? Or any other you'd add to that list of under $5000/pair speakers?
@@kohnfutner9637 Those are all great choice with such different personalities. I do not have experience with Danny's speakers, but I know several folks who swear by them. Given my experience and what I would love to spend extended time with, I would arrange your list as thus;
1. Tyler D2X
2. Walsh 3000
3. Cornwall 4
4. GR Research
5. Tekton Moab
6. Forte 4 (these wouldn't even be a contender against this list, if you can fit the Cornwall, no comparison, go Cornwall).
I have been seeing some Martin Logan Montis hit the $5k mark...that's a serious contender at this price point. I will say the bigger the Tekton, the less impressive they are, you need lots of space and to sit back a good distance for all the drivers to coalesce. I have not heard them in the right size room, so that's part of my low ranking. Good luck choosing among these, access and shipping cost will probably play a big factor, those Tyler's are beasts too. 👍
I agree! Tekton costumer service sucks! They do NOT communicate well at ALL. Took me 7 months to get my Lores which I understood but they only contacted me when I wrote and only wrote to me on their own once. The problem was they kept telling me they were coming but they weren't. This went on for 7 months. Zu was much better but I bailed on my order from them. Hopefully next year things will improve. I like the speakers for the price though but what a bungled PR job on Tektons side. Im going Zu next time.
Did you find the cap upgrade worth it?
Hello M, I certainly hope Tekton does learn from much of what has been voiced, they do continue to still offer a great product at a very good price point. If they were a restaurant, consumer response would be tougher to ignore. Let's hope they make some changes soon and improve upon this one glaring area.
Regarding the cap upgrades, are you referring to the Mundorf option in the Uruz, or the Clarity MR in the DW?
@@2ChannelListening Both! I was thinking about it for my Lores.
I have a very disappointing answer for you. There was nothing revelatory or even noticeably different with the ZU Clarity cap swap. They were already a giant leap forward over the original Omen I's, but a simple cap upgrade per se did nothing new that I could notice.
Regarding the Mundorf upgrade for the Uruz - I have never heard a base Uruz. The tweeter itself and the different crossover points already make it a much nicer presentation versus a base Lore in my book, I really just wanted the better Cardas binding posts. My experience has taught me that the cabinet structure and driver quality trounces x-over quality seven ways to Sunday. People in general just like the name brand components, makes for better resale value when the time comes. Sorry to burst a few bubbles out there in stereo land.
I will say, that if you do the math, you wont come up with 32 Hz not at 3db, not even close.
maybe 40, just sayin...
I played the test tones, I know what I heard in my room at +95db. Thanks.
Don't find the excuse for them...
First video I’ve ever watched from your channel ,coming from a radio background you’re affected voice and cadence is a bit of a turn off no one talks like that in real life just be yourself. Good luck.
Thanks for the tips!
listen at 1.5 speed...
@@twtwtw1 lol, I can accept that. Thanks.
both of these speakers are so badly designed its funny. they have no crossover or a way to high one, with laughable polar response and distortion as a result. a 10" must have an xo around 1500hz or so. not to mention the frequency response without a crossover lol
Thanks for your expertise Einar. Funny, I provided pictures of the crossover, guess its an illusion. And BBC speakers?
Wow, look who’s operating way on the far-left side of the Dunning-Krueger curve …!
@@pushslice deftly put sir.
Yeah yeah whatever, dude...
A 10"woofer should be crossed at 1500 or lower but this driver has a whizzer, so not applicable.
This is a Bad review. Shesh
Thanks 😊