[Endo2112]

Mr. Big:

On who's authority do you speak on behalf of Spatial Audio?? Perhaps because I work in a highly competitive space that I view competitors as exactly that, competitors. All this thread has done is offered another purchase path to potential Spatial customers which I still believe to be in bad form. Why wasn't it placed in the Open Baffle form as that's what it is about, it's not about Spatial Audio, who happen to represent this space. I will respectfully step back if Spatial thinks it's prudent and wishes to discuss their competitors.

Don

[Rocket_Ronny]

Maybe Tekton can make a great sounding OB speaker.  Something they failed to do with their box speakers.

Tyson, can you say what wasn't great about the Tektons that you heard Tyson? Their low mass mid section is said to be very good. My guess is the bass is too affected by the cabinet.

I will say I do like the design with the leather over lay, side wood accents, and metal bass, although don't like the cost at 7 k.

Rocket Ronny

[doggie]

All this thread has done is offered another purchase path to potential Spatial customers which I still believe to be in bad form. Why wasn't it placed in the Open Baffle form as that's what it is about, it's not about Spatial Audio, who happen to represent this space. I will respectfully step back if Spatial thinks it's prudent and wishes to discuss their competitors.

Don

+1. The only thing that is on topic in this thread is that it is "baffling" that it has gone on for 4 pages discussing a competitor's product. It seems disrespectful coming from a group that has been very supportive of Clayton's fine work ...which was central to Spatial's success.

I for one would be much more interested in learning more about the new Spatial team, specifically regarding who is now their principal speaker designer. It would be comforting to know that the new team will continue to be an innovative speaker company and not try to take on too many other projects at the expense of Clayton's original direction.

I love my X5's and had previously had considered them to be my end-game. I would feel much more comfortable knowing that Spatial will remain committed to innovative speaker design and support of existing owners. I look forward to a few more details.

[ric]

Funny how threads can go south.
I own a pair of M3TS and a pair of Tekton Electrons in a 2nd system. The Tektons are no slouches, but given that the Electrons use two 4" speakers for mid-bass, I find them to be a bit lean in that area. The bass is tight and overall they are very good sounding speakers. The polygon high frequency array is fast and clean, and is a very interesting design.
  Overall though, I prefer the M3TS, given their bass and midrange fullness and great imaging.
For me, the two are more like digital (Tekton) vs vinyl (Spatial) and I prefer vinyl.
   It will be interesting to hear someone's review of the Tekton OB, and at $7K that is out of my league (I paid $1200 for the Electrons, used)
  Happy listening!

[Mr. Big]

Thank you for that information. I owned DQ10s and did not know the shape mimicked Quad. They were not famous, at least not to me, when I bought them. I bought them because they sounded better than any other speaker in the stores I visited. And that was a time when there were more stores to choose from. That started me on a long journey of OB, planar-magnetic and electrostatic speakers.

DQ10 back in the day was a huge seller, famous they were and many audio lovers owned that speaker I have 4 audio friends who all owned DQ10 and still talk about them. This is why when I decided to sell my Quad ESL 63's a few years back the one speaker I considered was the Spatial Audio line, and the Sapphire M3's was my choice. I still enjoy them today and they sound even better today than when I 1st purchased them to add new cables, and power cords and update room acoustics. They give you what you feed them and they change easily by any addition or change you make and that is a sign of not a good speaker but a superb one.

[jachinboazicus]

DQ10 back in the day was a huge seller, famous they were and many audio lovers owned that speaker I have 4 audio friends who all owned DQ10 and still talk about them. This is why when I decided to sell my Quad ESL 63's a few years back the one speaker I considered was the Spatial Audio line, and the Sapphire M3's was my choice. I still enjoy them today and they sound even better today than when I 1st purchased them to add new cables, and power cords and update room acoustics. They give you what you feed them and they change easily by any addition or change you make and that is a sign of not a good speaker but a superb one.

I still haven't heard the Sapphire. I'd really like to A/B test it against my M3TM's. I'm also itching to heard the Caladans.

Have you gotten the itch to move beyond the M3's?

[Mr. Big]

I still haven't heard the Sapphire. I'd really like to A/B test it against my M3TM's. I'm also itching to heard the Caladans.

Have you gotten the itch to move beyond the M3's?

No. 40 years in this hobby have taught me one thing when it's good it is good, the speakers sound better than when I 1st installed them, and my old list of speakers is long so I am well past chasing my tail, now if I decided to change it be for change sake and it is for another panel speaker, not a box speaker, perhaps a rebuilt pair of Quad ESL 57's or another Spatial speaker, but no box speakers that is for sure. I owned them and heard enough to know they are limited in natural reproduction and many made today sound like all detail, missing the feel and soul of real music along with body. But they make the current trend of compressed over electronic-produced auto-tune vocals, just loud music sound good they are made for each other. Might as well wear earbuds to listen to crap like they produce today, for the most part, nothing real to it.

[jachinboazicus]

No. 40 years in this hobby have taught me one thing when it's good it is good, the speakers sound better than when I 1st installed them, and my old list of speakers is long so I am well past chasing my tail, now if I decided to change it be for change sake and it is for another panel speaker, not a box speaker, perhaps a rebuilt pair of Quad ESL 57's or another Spatial speaker, but no box speakers that is for sure. I owned them and heard enough to know they are limited in natural reproduction and many made today sound like all detail, missing the feel and soul of real music along with body. But they make the current trend of compressed over electronic-produced auto-tune vocals, just loud music sound good they are made for each other. Might as well wear earbuds to listen to crap like they produce today, for the most part, nothing real to it.

I'm ~30 years deep into the hobby and in pretty much the same spot. I had plans to upgrade to the X series before the big price bumps--maybe I'll eventually find a used pair. That said, I am very happy with the M3TM's.

I was originally running mine on my trusty old Marantz 4300, but recently dabbled in DSP with two Schitt Vidar monoblocks running via MiniDSP's SHD. ~300wpc because the DSP needs it. I've recently stopped using the DIRAC, and am now considering some DIY tube monoblocks of an integrated like the Rogue Audio.

The biggest flaw in my rig is the lack of an OB sub--which is what brought me across the new Tekton offering. I'm going to do a DIY OB sub at some point. Also, having another set of M3's would be fun for my 4300 quadraphonic amp.

[Daryl Zero]

Probably a great time to buy used. Just a quick look at the USAudioMart shows some good deals.

[Spatial Audio]

...
I for one would be much more interested in learning more about the new Spatial team, specifically regarding who is now their principal speaker designer. It would be comforting to know that the new team will continue to be an innovative speaker company and not try to take on too many other projects at the expense of Clayton's original direction...

It's good to see such a lively discussion regarding OB and new products in the market. One thing I have found working with Sam (Chief Engineer at Spatial) is that building a "good" OB speaker is not terribly difficult. Making a speaker that is exceptional and worth the price for hand-made quality is a whole new level of challenge. We have prototyped multiple models that measure really well and sound great but still lack that special something that makes us want to go back again and again. So, we keep up the development.

Introducing a new model to the market is something we take very seriously. When we do, know that it is something we have agonized over in terms of performance and build quality. As audiophiles ourselves, we know there are a lot of interesting and really good sounding alternatives and it's important that we offer something we believe is worth owning for a long time.
Stay tuned... we are getting really close and plan to show off at least one new model in Dallas at Southwest Audio Fest in March. Hope to see some of you there!

- David

[Mr. Big]

It's good to see such a lively discussion regarding OB and new products in the market. One thing I have found working with Sam (Chief Engineer at Spatial) is that building a "good" OB speaker is not terribly difficult. Making a speaker that is exceptional and worth the price for hand-made quality is a whole new level of challenge. We have prototyped multiple models that measure really well and sound great but still lack that special something that makes us want to go back again and again. So, we keep up the development.

Introducing a new model to the market is something we take very seriously. When we do, know that it is something we have agonized over in terms of performance and build quality. As audiophiles ourselves, we know there are a lot of interesting and really good sounding alternatives and it's important that we offer something we believe is worth owning for a long time.
Stay tuned... we are getting really close and plan to show off at least one new model in Dallas at Southwest Audio Fest in March. Hope to see some of you there!

- David

Thanks for an update. You are correct anyone can build a speaker many out there but how many are so special that they make you want to sit and listen for hours? Most today are designed for high Fi effect, you hear lots of forward highs (detail) and fat bass, but where is the body of the music instruments and most of all vocals, they are great for today's auto-tune vocals and over-produced production-driven music. To make my point you could buy a Quad ESL 57 over 50 years old design and most be shocked to hear how good music can sound the one speaker I purchased after 10 years with my Quads ESL 63's was the Sapphire 3's. They only get better as I have worked on my room acoustics and cables and setup. I joke they are Quad speakers but on steroids. Want to see how good your speakers are do what they did in the old days before computers, record live music and then playback what you recorded on your speakers you will hear if they are close to boy that sounds nothing like what we just recorded.

[jachinboazicus]

It's good to see such a lively discussion regarding OB and new products in the market.

Couldn't agree more. You guys and Clayton have brought OB up to the point that other brands are clearly feeling the interest and need to compete in the OB space.

Introducing a new model to the market is something we take very seriously. When we do, know that it is something we have agonized over in terms of performance and build quality. As audiophiles ourselves, we know there are a lot of interesting and really good sounding alternatives and it's important that we offer something we believe is worth owning for a long time.
Stay tuned... we are getting really close and plan to show off at least one new model in Dallas at Southwest Audio Fest in March. Hope to see some of you there!

- David

Its very clear that y'all take your product launches, product strategy, and R&D very seriously. Are you still operating out of the 'Lab' space off Bangerter? Any chance of coming in to hear the new speaker you mentioned?

[Rocket_Ronny]

The biggest flaw in my rig is the lack of an OB sub

You might want to investigate using a sealed sub for the first octave. Blending with ob is not a problem. YMMV


Rocket Ronny

[James Edward]

You might want to investigate using a sealed sub for the first octave. Blending with ob is not a problem. YMMV


Rocket Ronny

I use a sealed sub and I love the resultant sound. I’ve tried a few different subs- not all with the Spatials, and they were always ‘there’. This was the first one that ‘disappeared’.

[James Edward]

Sub- Hsu ULS-15Mk2,  speakers- Spatial M3 Turbo S

[jachinboazicus]

Sub- Hsu ULS-15Mk2,  speakers- Spatial M3 Turbo S

Thanks for the info. I've looked at HSU subs in the past, might have give them a try.

Are you running one or two subs?

[James Edward]

I had one for about a year, which worked very well, then added a second. The first got me 75% of what I wanted, the second was icing on the cake.

[jachinboazicus]

I had one for about a year, which worked very well, then added a second. The first got me 75% of what I wanted, the second was icing on the cake.

Two is better than one.

[jachinboazicus]

It looks like Tekton decided not to do the OB build. Can't find the speaker anywhere on their site and the originally link I posted no longer works. Odd. Must not have got many takers.