[jrebman]

If so, which ones, and what do yu think of them?

I've seen the monitor version with the Fostex FE-166, but ebay is currently showing another similar, but smaller version based on the FE-126/127.

Any thoughts welcome.

-- Jim

[Abby356]

I've been a frequent (daily) lurker for some time now as i consider myself in the learning stage with little knowledge based on my own experiences to share. The wealth of knowledge to be discovered on these threads is priceless. I do own a pair of the Tektons with the FE-103e's and feel that they are well worth the very reasonable price. Great veneer work (mine are cherry) and very good sound from a small footprint. They are much more "laid back" than my C&C Abbys (w/FE-166-ESR) which can probably be attributed to the lack of a whizzer cone and the notch filter (?) used on the Tektons. I currently use mine with an Onkyo A-9555 to try to get them cones movin a bit. I personally wouldn't hesitate to buy them again and have no plans on parting with mine. Thanks.

[Audiovista]

Hey Jim,

I have these



My first SD speakers and I love them - for less that $400 (shipping incl.) they are an excellent deal. Got them off ebay.

I find them just about perfect for jazz and male vocals, and very good for female singers. No deep bass, but what is there seems to be correctly reproduced (sin of omission, something I find easy to live with). Beaming does not seem to be huge problem with these boxes. Improvements are probably possible (phase plugs, supertweeters, etc.) but I'm not ready to start tweaking yet, the sound as-is is quite enjoyable.

Boris

[jrebman]

Thanks, guys.

Abby365, I'm curious as to how you got Abbys with the ESR driver -- when I first got my Abbys I asked Terry about them and he told me that they won't fit in the Abby as the magnet was too large.  Did yu get a custom job?  I'd love to have a pair of Abbys again for my office, and truly regret selling mine.

Boris, Well, I just won an ebay auction on a smaller version based on the FE126/127 -- the same one I mentioned in my first post.  The FE-165/166 version is just a bit too big for my desk, and these looked interesting for the price -- only slightly more than $300 shipped.  How many of those i82s do yu have left?  What are the dimensions, weight, and power ratings?

Anybody have any advice on which driver performs better in a BR cabinet? (though it may be an aperiodic alignment)?  I'll be talking with the builder about it as he gives you your choice of whichever one you want.

Looks like I'm getting back into the SET/SD thing a lot sooner than I expected.

-- Jim

[Audiovista]

Boris, Well, I just won an ebay auction on a smaller version based on the FE126/127 -- the same one I mentioned in my first post.  The FE-165/166 version is just a bit too big for my desk, and these looked interesting for the price -- only slightly more than $300 shipped.  How many of those i82s do yu have left?  What are the dimensions, weight, and power ratings?
-- Jim

Hi Jim,

Congrats - you will enjoy the speakers, just give them time to break in (some say 200 hrs).

The i82 is 5Wpc:
Size: W x H x D: 11" x5.5" x 12"
Packaged weight: approx 15 lbs

more details here


Best,
Boris

[Abby356]

Jim,
    the 166esr adventure was definitely not an easy one. After waiting/searching for almost a year a NOS pair finally surfaced on Agon and i paid "thru the teeth" for em. They do fit into the Abbys with some very,very, slight modifications to the inner baffle hole which I was able to do with a heavy grade sandpaper. The magnet on the 166esr is almost exactly the same size as the baffle hole which leaves no room for the wire/mounting points on the driver which protrude ever so slightly past the magnet. My eventual goal has always been to build the Fostex plan for the 166esr but in the meantime I wanted to break them in a bit. As far as the Abbys are concerned i absolutely love them . My "first love" in audio so to speak. They aren't perfect but what they do well, they do VERY well. My brother has a Zu Druid/mini Method set-up and on some music we both prefer the Abbys. The Zu's are definitely more well rounded but with a bit'o Ray LaMontagne, Ben Harper or Damien Rice I'll take the Abbys any day. Did I mention how sexy they are !!! Even non-music lovers will comment upon seeing them in my living room.

[jrebman]

Boris,

Thanks for the information -- not yet decided on the I82 vs. the PCL 82 full kit.  The first would be plug and play, but the second would offer a whole lot more opportunity for experimentation, which at this stage of the game is something I really want to do in a serious way, but on the other hand I just want to be able to listen too .

A365

Very nice that you could get those drivers in.  I myself wanted to try the new Hemp Acoustics FR6.5C drivers, and a short conversation with Jason confirmed that they would work well in the Abby, and perhaps slightly better (on theoretical grounds because e of a higher Qts), but I sold the Abbys before the drivers could be bought.

My wife was quite disappointed that I sold the Abbys, and as you say, many a visitor commented on how beautiful they were.  My father was the only person who did not care for them, saying they were the ugliest things he ever saw.  I just shrugged my shoulders -- what can you do?

So, what's the Fostex recommended enclosure for the ESRs?

-- Jim

[Helge Gundersen]

To the original question, I have the 167-version (custom with rosewood bubinga veneer and Cardas silver binding posts). They are just starting to come into their own, and my whole system is in transition as well (I have to get new interconnects, for one thing). It sounds promising, though, with my also relatively new Almarro A205A MkII. The speakers are certainly good for the money, like the rest of my system (except possibly the room).

You can buy any model on http://www.tektondesign.com. You can e-mail Eric Alexander and discuss your needs with him.

I found an interesting Tekton thread in the archives of the Klipsch forum.

[Abby356]

Jim, the Fostex recommended enclosure for the 166 esr looks surprisingly similar to some of the late T. Cain's boxes for the Sigma series drivers (BEN etc) and the one he did for lowthers (Alerion). It has a narrower look than the regular 166 plan and has a "stepped" look to the mouth (both top and inside bottom). I have never seen the design posted online anywhere but it comes as a photocopied "blueprint" with the esr drivers. There is a picture posted on another forum (fullrangedriver if i remember correctly) in the gallery section of an aesthetically modified pair that was built by someone with some serious woodworking skills. They are stunning.
     Regards, Daniel.

[jrebman]

Daniel (ah, you do have a real name ),

I've only heard the Ben series twice -- once at RMAF 2005, along with the Bailey sub, and another time at the local dealer's place -- the same place where I got my Abbys.  I have to say, at least at the time they didn't do it for me, but I'm hard pressed to remember exactly why.  Neither room was especially good for any kind of speaker, but a rear loaded horn can take some real work to get right no matter what the situation -- at least that was the experience I had in my room here.  Still, a good cabinet with appropriately matched amplification and those ESR speakers can, I'm sure, sound pretty great.

Just so you know, I'd love to go looking at pictures and blue prints and such, but I happen to be blind so they don't do me much good.

While I'm here, and before I head to bed, a little update on the Tektons:  I talked to Eric today about how the different drivers would work for my tastes and other parameters, and somewhere in the middle of the conversation we got onto the topic of his modified TQWTs -- in a similar vein to the Abbys -- and it turns out he has a pair of baby ones almost done and ready to paint, that he is going to let me buy in place of the small BR boxes for the difference in price.  They are about 42" tall and use the same FE-126 driver, and from all descriptions sound like they will be a better fit with my room, etc., so he's going to send me those instead.  These will also have no binding posts, and only a single small hole where they would be as I plan to hardwire the drivers directly to the speaker cables -- which will be of my own design.  Something I've always wanted to do, but really didn't want to do to a speaker that would potentially be for resale.  As long as they are more or less being built for me, I might as well do what I want with them.

Now I'm really getting pumped.


-- Jim

[Abby356]

Jim,
 your idea of running the cables directly to the drivers is one i have wanted to try myself but also hesitated for the same reason as you- resale. I will definitely try it on my first DIY speaker project as I have a couple of cables (mapleshade and anti-cable clones) that i think would be ideal for this. Please get back to us when you have a chance to listen to your new Tektons. I am anxious to hear your opinions...and your cable design ???  I apologize for my ignorance and will have to get much better with my descriptions of things that i take for granted.
Regards, Daniel.

[DavidS]

I have bid on a pair of 6 inch tektons on ebay.  Any suggestions about what kind of integrated amp might mate well with these speakers?  Lots of jazz but also some alternative rock in a small 11 by 11 room.

David

[Audiovista]

I think the speakers are great for jazz (and perfect for male vocals). They present fairly benign load. IMO just about any decent amplifier will do, which opens many opportunities for experimenting.

I tried solid state (NAD and even cheap old AIWA mini system), tube push pull and single ended and was never dissapointed. Always sounds a little different, but never bad.

I did not try a class D amp, but have no reason to believe that it would behave poorly. 5-50W should all work.

Boris