Tekton Design Impact Monitor Review vs KEF LS50 vs Quad Z1 

LOL! Thanks, if you dare to watch my earlier vids, I try to make fun of myself a lot more, but it seems audiophiles take their audio seriously and I found out the hard way that people in the internet are mean. I do try to stick in a joke or two if I can get away with it hehe.

@@TheAudiofool you made me laugh a couple times. Thanks for being ballsy enough to take on the KEF LS50 and the Quad Z1.

They're definitely unique for sure, and regardless of the looks, they sound beautiful!

They are big and ugly

like spider eyes.... NNOOOOOOO

Thank you! There's always gonna be haters, but the Stereophile review will certainly help. I'm eagerly awaiting a level up version of this, maybe with beryllium tweets.

Sure thing. What other speakers are you looking into?

I have a set of double impact SC driving him with a PS Audio Stellar Stack. They are heavy beasts but I could not recommend them more!

Thank you! TBH though, I don't think any color would make it look any better; unless you really want the "eyes" to pop out; I actually wanted one in yellow at first, but that was before someone told me it looked like bee/bug. But I'm glad you don't find it ugly, at least I know I'm not alone haha.

@@TheAudiofool No getting around the ugliness: no veneers offered, only paint. Fortunately, my plan is for three Encores behind an AT screen, so their appearance doesn’t matter at all, only performance.

Yeah, I'd say that height would sound just about right for your listening height. As for speaker stands, you can use any that would weigh the same or heavier than the speakers so it will be harder to knockover.

You won't be disappointed!

They definitely are!

You mean which speakers I compared them to? LS50 and Quad Z1

@@TheAudiofool Sorry about that, I meant what size speaker stands were you using for the Tekton Monitor. It's such a big monitor speaker.

@@JG-gg9wk It's actually just a 24" stand and the central tweeter would be just about ear level.

How do you like them? Awesome.

If you have the budget for it, go for the best speakers you can afford.

I'm not the person to ask about low volumes, I always have the need to raise it to my listening levels ~at least 75db otherwise I'm never satisfied. As for Tektons with Solid State, I'm not a fan of tubes and I definitely love the Tektons with the Aegirs.

Thanks for watching! I make it a point to compare everything to my reference system - Rag/Ygg/LS50 regardless of price range. I do get what you mean and I try to compare it to other gears in the same level if I have something that will do. That said, I don't have reference gears at all price points yet, but hopefully, I'll be able to build something in the future.

I don’t know,when the LS50 came out it was a technological tour deforce and the darling of .. we’ll all the reviewers. Eric is a one man army of engineers, I think it was a fair fight.

It's a sales pitch that definitely speaks to me

Oh jeez 🤦I saw this exactly the time he was saying it.

Real funny! : )

Mabuhay! Thanks for the love! My panels were custom made by my installer, basically some acoustic foam enclosed in wood and covered with acoustic fabric.

@@TheAudiofool They look and sound great.

Thanks for watching! The S400 reminds me a lot of the Amphion Argon 3s which sound really sweet. Let me see if I can find a good deal on the Buchardts.

I have been extensively watching your videos after finding you a couple of weeks ago. These types of videos will get a lot of attention from the community in the long run! Keep up the good work.🤗 Bye the way, your listening room from what I can see is much better prepped for music than most of these Audio Clowns, no pun intended!😆😅😉😎

I actually like the look of them on youtube atleast. Anyway, one day you are going to wake up and have 100,000 subs. You remind me of Thomas and Stereo but much better produced. Look at Zeos. Your videos are considerably better.

@@bigjay1970 Thanks! Really appreciate the kind words!

@@TheAudiofool WOuld really be great to compare this against Bouchard S300. How does it compare to the Elac UB5 ?

You should hear them! They sound quite good for the price.

@@TheAudiofool Hi. Thank you very much. Could you clarify what you mean by reproducing the three bass notes in that first track in your tests? Thank you.

@@miguelbarrio Take a listen to SBTRKT's Trials of the Past. It has 3 bass notes from the start. Listen to it with good headphones and all 3 notes should be of equal SPL/volume levels. Ideally, the speakers should be able to do the last note at the same volume level but will be hard for most bookshelfs as it goes 41hz.

@@TheAudiofool Got it thx!

Oh wow! What speakers are you currently using by the way? Do hit me back once you get them, I'm also quite curious about their sub.

Audiofool I have LRC Mirage FRX-7’s, Focal in ceiling for rears and an SVS 25-31PCi

I wouldn't know if it actually does have anything to do it, but I do know that these Tekton's sound great for their price range.

I agree completely on your assessment of the Tekton’s appearance. I’m planning a dedicated HT build and plan to use 3 Tekton Encores behind an AT screen: who cares how ugly they are in that scenario?

The Rag should do great with the double impacts.The Rag can easily do 4ohms, and with the higher sensitivity of the tektons, loudness shouldn't be an issue except for really large rooms.

Yup, the KEF LS50s are something special. I put in the comparison so that someone who has one, or heard the LS50 before will have a better idea of how the Tekton sounds... all my vids have these comparisons to the LS50 as I use it as a primary reference. Btw, what amp and dac are you using with your LS50s?

@@TheAudiofool OK, thanks. I like the LS50 because they sort of disappear like some megabuck speakers (Wilsons, Kharmas, many high end ribbon/stat speakers like Quads, although not as well as these high-priced ones, of course.) I also like that they do not shout or become fatiguing, but they are not dull, like, for me, Harbeths can be (I used to have the SHL5 and felt it was masked or veiled). The LS50s throw an image very well to the center and front to back, and the images don't collapse into the left or right speaker as much as, well, "ordinary" speakers. The LS50 is not super-detailed or analytical, but there is enough detail to be insightful. Again, this is the Wireless version. They are just great connected to my Chord DAC. Thx agn for the great comprehensive comparison to the Tektons, which I have not heard.

Yeah, probably better with a hotter color in gloss

Ebay, and I got the spikes and grills from Tekton.

Thanks for the reply i was hoping there's a local dealer here , more convenience and warranty

That depends on your preference, I really like the vocals better in the LS50 so I'd go with that; but if you want balanced more 3d soundstage then the Quads are the way to go.

Did you mean the Impact Monitors? I'd say they'll be fine if you have around maybe 1 feet from the back and side walls, and plug the ports., but a speaker this big is usually better if it has a larger room to develop bass. If you mean the Double Impacts, yeah, they definitiely need large rooms in order to shine.

@@TheAudiofool Yes the Impact Monitors.I am going to demo the Elac Navis this week.

@@ca77721 nice. let me know how you find it!

The Quads are very neutral, but the highs are super detailed and amazing. I think it would good for watching movies if you have a sub playing low.

@@TheAudiofool thank you for answers. the kef ls50 are better than quad z1? if yes i can buy ls50 and with the rest of the money an exposure 1010 cd player. which one to choose? quad z2 plus 200 euros and the revel f35 or kef ls50?

@@raikkonenkmi The LS50 are better than Quad Z1 for vocals. For highs and a more 3d soundstage, the Z1s are much better. Personally, I think you can live with the LS50s if you listen more on vocals and acoustics, while Z1s would be better in movies and music with lots of instruments.

As far as I know, the central tweeter is the actual tweeter producing the highs in the Tektons, and the other tweeters around it are acting more like the mids so I'm not really sure how it would affect the sound. And my wife wouldn't call it a spider anymore.... she'd probably call it a nipple hahahah

The Tektons are slightly better over-all, tighter grip in the lower end, more detailed middle range, and highs have a bit more clarity. Zu Omen DWs are more fun though and hard to beat at the price.

Nope, just the pro style black

Can you tell me what kind of sound you like or your budget range so I can see what speakers I can compare it to? I think it's a great all around speaker especially at current prices. It's a little bit neutral which doesn't immediately grab your attention, but it has excellent clarity, cohesion, and imaging, and decent bass. It sounds very near to my Pioneers, and I probably would've gotten it at USD320 if I didn't already have the Pioneers. A few months ago, my friends and I had a shootout between: Dynaudio X16, UB5, Pioneer SPEBS73, Debut B6, Q350, LS50. Everyone preferred the LS50 primarily due to the vocals, but the Dynes and the UB5 were next line. Dynes bass were really low and grippy, but highs were a bit too harsh for some so the UB5s had more votes. Q350s are also quite nice and is a good lower priced substitute for the LS50, but bass was just really fat and loose and a bit too much even with the ports sealed (should be great with amps with tone controls or room correction). Pioneers were decent but sounded so similar to the slightly better UB5s. B6 was also decent and very good for the price, but simply outclassed by the competition. So yeah, I still hold the UB5 in high regard especially at current prices, but still depends on your listening preferences.

Thank you for your reply.

LOL. The reason I use them is because most audiofools have already heard them and so when I compare a speaker to it, they would have a better idea on what that speaker sounds. My wife loves these ugly ducklings so I can't sell it as well haha.

I bet they sound fantastic. I do want to try out the BE floorstander versions but I'm not sure I can handle speakers that weigh that much yet as I often move speakers up and down a flight of stairs to try them out in my living room, apart from my listening room. As for the looks, well, let's just say I do agree they are unique and that you should display their uniqueness despite the nagging of the wife hahah.

Thanks for watching. I had a target noisefloor and I had to cover about 60% of the room with panels apart from helmholtz and bass traps. I think it's done just the way I like it and i personally don't like diffusion.

The KEF is a bit shoutier and will sound brighter than the Impact Monitors and may sound fatiguing with some systems. The Tektons are warmer and have smoother highs.

I'm not sure what amp you're using but it should be fine if you don't listen at deafening levels.

@@TheAudiofool schiit vidar 2 is a class AB amp 100watts acd into 8ohms 200w acd into 4ohms 400watts mono into 8ohm

But has no rating for mono at 4ohm so would getting the 8ohm impact monitors be a better fit for these specs if I mono block this setup or would the 4ohm be more flexible?

@@waldoyew4247 I had no problems with dual aegirs so i think the vidar wont go into protection mode with these as well. that said, you can always just drive them with a single vidar.

@@TheAudiofool well the aegirs are 30 watts per channel in 4ohms but it is class a does class ab 200wpc make a big difference compared to a class A 30wpc?

Got that a long time ago from Uniqlo, not sure if they still have it.

So many people saying this, come out with something already then.

@@johnm3544 No doubt. Part of the fun would be working that out.

@@johnm3544 100% agree except I doubt I'd be able to design anything close ! Crossovers are my thing which is why Tekton's design is so intriguing. Tekton's whole philosophy and novel designs just strike a chord with me for some reason.

lol!

Small speakers, small cabinet, less driver surface area, less projected energy

Perhaps, but even so, we're talking about a 40lb speaker vs 18lbs so still not a fair comparison if you're just talking about bass weight. The Z1 is roughly the same price vs the Tektons, so it is comparable in that aspect. But really, I compared it to the Z1 because that was what I had in that price range.

I realize that but there is no way that small a speaker can give you the same footprint of sound. The Z1 is for folks who probably do not have enough room for a Tekton size double impact speaker. I would not expect the Z1 to be able to compete. Tekton on a pair of stands would take up just as much room as a floor stander. Maybe the Z1 is overpriced for what it is? I do enjoy your channel. It is tough when you have to compare by price versus size , more drivers , less drivers... etc..

@@45billyva Thank you. There is no doubt that the Tekton is huge and fugly, and the Z1s are one of the better looking speakers I've seen, so in that aspect, the Z1 is a lot better. For what it's worth, Z1s have fantastic highs and accuracy, so those looking for transparency will be better served by the Z1.

It was! LOL! It still did very well though.

LS50 + $400 Sub?

@@jungtarcph Or have four LS50's for the same price. I have a 5.2 surround system with only those speakers (and 2 - 8 inch subwoofers) in my room and it sounds like a concert. There is a fullness they don't hear if you are only using two speakers. It sounds awesome coming from all over my room, and with so much detail. But some people just want music coming from the front, so it's not for everybody. But I personally am in heaven!

It's like putting the beautiful kid who's great at drama up against the genius bully with 7 eyes

There are lots of speakers with multiple tweeters/drivers e.g. Mcintosh; perhaps it's just the marketing spiel that makes Tekton unique. But they definitely sound good, and I hope that one day you'll be able to hear one for yourself. Perhaps you can ask Tekton if there's an owner near you willing to have you listen. Omnidirectional speakers are hit or miss depending on the person, but always worth hearing. If by esoteric, you mean looking like pro speakers, them yes. I know the studio 530 but I had to google it to double check; first time I heard a speaker looked like a vag hahah. Cheers!

Haven't tried the S400 yet.

I don't have access to any maggies right now, but from memory, I didn't like the .7s vs the LS50s; while I like the airiness and holographic imaging of the .7s, vocals are a bit lean for me.

Someone who owns the 1.7i said the double impacts bettered them and especially on dynamic impact! Which is obvious with those drivers.

Thanks. I'm not really a fan of Maggies, but I'll see if I can find one for cheap.

In the vs LS50 part, I mentioned that if you're only after vocals, the LS50 is good enough as they're more or less in the same level (for vocals only). That's actually a praise for the Tektons as vocals of the LS50 are very very good, albeit like a flat recording. Tektons are superior in all other aspects except the looks.

none

It's actually fairly flat except for room mode, so I just had some helmholtz resonators made to reduce it, and you'd see them in newer videos with the same color schemes as the panels.

Thanks for the comment. I buy and own most of the equipment I review here (naim atom, rega elex r and hegel h190 was borrowed), and while I do hope that I'll get to be sent equipment for review, it's not happening yet. I actually have your dilemma since most of my stuff are from Ebay, and I rely also on other reviews for my purchases. All my videos have comparisons, and usually compared to the older stuff I reviewed and/or always to my reference rag/ygg/ls50 system. What I can advise you, is to watch and read a lot of reviews, and find the site/magazine that most describes your listening preference. As for my recommendation for best all around speaker under 1k/1.5k, would probably be the KEF LS50. This is of course assuming your room is not too large for it, in which case, I would recommend the Zu Audio Dirty Weekend.

Thank you. I really appreciated your time to comment back.

You can't usually tell if someone is a shill by their reviews which are always positive and stating this product is the best....for every new product. Audiofool is not one of those. He will criticise equipment and be sure to tell the negatives if he sees it. For an example, see his Buchardt S300 review.

FWIW, I’ve actually heard the Double Impacts and it was among the greatest sound demos I’ve ever heard: detail, imaging and soundstage all outstanding!

That's an interesting idea, something to ponder in the future. It'll be fun for sure.

Well, I'm sure you can contact Eric and see what he could do for you, and pay extra. The cabinets are built really well, yes they are boxes, but if you look inside, it's very well braced. The money goes to the stuff that counts and the paint jobs are excellent. They are large and contain many drivers for good reason. The man knows what he's doing. If you think the monitors are good for the money, you haven't heard anything yet, have a listen to the Moab model. Those are something special to listen to. Kefs don't even belong in the same sentence with these speakers.

I do have the grills, and I find the best color for all speakers to be the "hidden from your wife color" lol, but that's a bit hard with the size of the speakers.

Hahaha! Personally it's okay for me, and with the grills, it loses a lot of impact (pardon the pun) but it certainly does not look as decent as other speakers. Still, if you're going for the unique looks, then this is definitely uncommon.

@@TheAudiofool IMO, the surface mounted woofers make the speaker look a bit cheap, compared to the high-end boys. Nothing wrong with the looks of a symmetrical array of tweeters!

@@funkyfurballs1078 It looks very pro, and I'd rather have this, then have it raised 500-1000 in price to make it look high-end. Maybe an aluminum plate will make it as nice as the Reference 1, if only I had photoshop skills hahah.

You can, I did. It sounds way better off though, so it's always off when the wife's not around.

Hi Gilbert, I actually have sound demos for these 3. Enjoy! 000 Schiit Ragnarok + Schiit Yggdrasil + KEF LS50: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-UXIYk0zUx5E.html 001 Schiit Ragnarok + Schiit Yggdrasil + Tekton Impact Monitor: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-l1pp5RCweK8.html 002 Schiit Ragnarok + Schiit Yggdrasil + Quad Z1: ru-vid.com/video/%D0%B2%D0%B8%D0%B4%D0%B5%D0%BE-Mqv2dI9gEQs.html Keep in mind though that this is just for fun as the recording, encoding, playback environments will affect the final output, and should not be used as a decision tool for purchase.

It certainly does haha. I asked my wife if I should get grills for $75 and she immediately said yes hahah. She said it looked a lot better, but I still prefer seeing the 7 tweets; at least it makes it look unique rather than look like a pro speaker. It'll probably be seen in the next video. Thanks for watching!

The Audiofool I had to get the grille too for decor approval 😅 I like it without the grilles myself

Tell her to shut her ass up and go make u a sandwich

@@TheAudiofool Is there a significant change in the sound quality with the grills on?

@@evodude919 The highs are so slightly veiled with the grills on, so I usually take them off when the wife is not around

I certainly know this as I had planned to upgrade the center tweeter to Beryllium but I do refer to the outer ring tweeters as tweeters (which they are physically) and not as woofers.

What will you be using to drive these? I really wouldn't worry about it, as per Stereophile measurements, impedance is mostly 6 ohms with a few exceptions that go 4ohms max. So it's not difficult to drive. On the other hand, the BW606 actually goes lower than 4.

@@TheAudiofool I have a Pioneer LX52 rated 6-8 ohms. I am driving my 4 ohm Elac Unify UB5 with it and I had to use a big fan connected via usb on top of the heat-sink to cool it down properly as it was getting real hot at high volume. They sound amazing but the heat... I would prefere a 6-8 ohms speakers. This is the Amp: www.goodgearguide.com.au/review/pioneer/vsx-lx52/340926/specs/

@@pedecia It doesn't heat up with 8 ohm speakers? I also put fans in my receivers, as they always heated up no matter what speakers I connected.

Which terms were hard to understand? I'm trying to make it as easy to understand as I can.

Yes, the Tektons can do most kinds of music pretty well but you may need to get a sub if you like playing organ music. I may have been thinking about something else when I said that LOL!

How did you go about doing this? Looking to upgrade the caps as well.

I know Tekton offers crossover upgrades, but on the model I’m looking at (Encores) it’s a $2k option. Wonder if it’d be worth it?

Nope, none of the reviews on my site are paid for, and most of the gear I bought with a few exceptions where I borrowed from friends.

Some find it unique... maybe I should duct tape a piece of banana there, what do you think? LOL

I did. My wife. They are!

Thanks for watching. The Z1 and Impact Monitors are both $2000. They are also my 2k reference speakers. The LS50 is my reference speaker, because well, most people have heard the LS50 so if I compare another speaker to it, hopefully the watcher will have a better idea of how the speaker sounds.

​@@TheAudiofool would the pendragon monitor be better than impact? It has 10' woofers to 6.5 in the impact.

​@@robertobarros8491 Can't say for sure, at 31", it seems more like a floorstander so in theory should have more fluid bass but havent heard it yet nor seen pictures of the back to see if its ported. Specs sa 60hz up vs 40hz up of the Impact... so maybe ask Tekton directly.