Floorstanding loudspeakers — Tekton Design THE PERFECT SET 15

Priced at USD 2,190 per pair, the Perfect SET 15 is one of the Full Towers from Tekton Design. As its name shows, it belongs to Tekton's Perfect SET family of speakers designed for single-ended triode amplifiers, and it combines one 15-inch driver with the company's patented high-frequency array. It shares its cabinet dimensions and weight with the Epic 15, which also uses a 15-inch driver.

Key specs that matter

One high-output 15-inch transducer works up through the midrange, and above it the treble comes from Tekton's triple-ring radiator array, arranged in a patented MTM layout. Tekton gives the response as linear from 36 Hz to 30 kHz. Sensitivity is 98 dB at 2.83 V and 1 m, and impedance is 8 ohms, which the maker chose for optimum single-ended triode performance. The speaker needs a minimum of 1 W RMS and accepts up to 300 W. The cabinet is about 1,054 mm high and 406 mm wide and weighs about 39.5 kg.

Engineering and use context

Amplifiers of the single-ended triode type, often built around output tubes such as the 300B, produce only a few watts and have a relatively high output impedance, so they need a speaker with high sensitivity and a steady load. The Perfect SET 15 answers this, and one watt is enough for it to play at moderate levels. The maker calls the treble section controlled directivity without a horn, and it follows US Patent 9247339, in which a group of low-mass domes arranged in rings replaces a single tweeter. The 15-inch driver gives a large cone area in a relatively short cabinet. Compared with the Epic 15, the Perfect SET 15 gains 3 dB of sensitivity but gives up some bass extension.

Pairing

A 300B, 2A3 or 45 single-ended amplifier of 2 to 8 W is the intended partner, while push-pull tube and solid-state amplifiers within the power limit can also be used. The steady load keeps the output transformer of a tube amplifier working at its designed impedance. In a room of about 20 m2, the large driver provides solid bass without a subwoofer. The wide cabinet needs space beside it.

Alternatives

The Tekton Design Perfect SET is the smaller model of the family, using a single 10-inch driver with 98 dB sensitivity and 8 ohms at USD 2,100 per pair.