Congratulations, have never heard the 2 series but have always been curious. I own CS6 and 3.6 and actually prefer the latter. It will be interesting to see what electronics and cables you choose. Be sure to feed them properly and you will be rewarded!
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Cabling is apparently my thing also - I have tried maybe 20+ pairs of speaker cables and almost as many IC's, all different price points. You know because you know Thiel, they have a very revealing, slightly lean, but extremely coherent sound. If mated right I have never heard a speaker with better timbre and tone to my ears. I do think lean is a slightly unfair description. They have such a clean midrange it can accentuated with cables or equipment with the same qualities. That IMO is why they can sound lean.
I am am currently using Kubala Sosna Fascination IC's (musical but clean), KS power cords which add clarity and no bloat, and Stereolab Diablo SC (small copper AWG, revealing yet musical - don't know how he achieved that, and very fast similar to Nordost. This is the best combo I have used. Although cables addicts like us can never say I am done haha...
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Unsound you are correct and good call out! Straightwire Maestro II is the most consistent match that I go back to alot - it is also my base to compare other cables. It does everything I like. I owned SW Virtuoso for a while but it was a little grainy compared to Maestro.
I also like and own Goertz M-2's, need new zobel networks, mine are broken. I tried the M-3's but the larger AWG seemed to make them more on the bright side.
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^classe and Thiel classic for sure. Congrats on knowing what you like and liking what you know!!! Rare amongst audiophiles. |
Unsound could write the manual! I have tried many locations for my Thiels and Unsounds is about where they sound best for me as well.
Experimentation with placement however is a must.
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Thanks Jafant, I certainly am!
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oblgny good strategy starting at the entry level for transparent cables. That is the best way to find the sweet spot in the line, and being a long time Thiel owner I have proven to myself over and over you do not need reference wire to make your Thiels sing better than most.
Keep us updated on your journey. |
Nice Steve I knew we would dig out another Thiel fan. I'll bet they sound great with the Manleys! |
Yes, Thiel is indeed gone - surprised they even kept the name.
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Thieliste - good chance. E-mail him at info@thiel.com
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Jetter said
"I have shied away from Thiels in the past because there was always their reputation (deserved or not) that they were hot on top and because of the massive clean power needed to drive them. But now that Jim is not around it seems that their is a renewed interest in the speaker, a reverence being paid t the genius."
warning: once you put a Thiel in your system you will always have one in your system! :^)
I have owned a 3.6 and CS 6 for many years and continue to be amazed. And it is also a misnomer that bad recordings will run you out of the room with a Thiel. Any system that's not balanced in a room not properly treated will do that!
The 3.7 is a great speaker, the only con I had was the aggressive price or I would have bought one. My wife wanted to buy them for my 50th birthday. I thought it was a great idea! I spent a lot of time auditioning the 3.7 but could not go for 14K since I was so satisfied with my 3.6 and had the CS6 in my sights.
The legacy Thiels are among the best values in audio - another consideration to get into the Thiel line - on second thought, all the high end ones are legacies - I mean prior to the dot 7's.
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Jafant said
"I tend to agree that Thiel on the used/demo market, simply, cannot be touched for the price vs performance ratio. Add to these facts that Rob Gillum is holding it down at Thiel KY for our legacy models and it is a no-brainer."
Great point Jafant - I just bought some new stabilizer pins (spikes) for my CS 6's from Rob.
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Thieliste
Do any of you experienced a full Nagra system with Thiels ?
Very interesting, I would love to hear that combo! |
Enjoy enjoy your new speaks! My fav thiel, I also have CS6 and prefer the 3.6 for all the reasons you mention.
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oblgny you are exactly right, once you live with the tonality and transparency of the Thiel sound other speakers just will not satisfy. I have ventured off campus more than once and the 3.6 always end up back in the system as they are now.
All speakers have tradeoffs, the slight leaness inherent in Thiels is easily overlooked considering everything else they do.....for me anyway.
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Norb, congratulations on some nice progress on your recovery. Surgery is a b*&^$h! Awesome you can enjoy some tunes this Weekend.
I'll bet that second system of yours does sound great. I came so close to buying the little 50 watt Forte - class A amp when they came out - the one that got away!
Prof - curious to hear your impressions on the 2.7 - still cranking my 3.6 after 18 years of service!
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I have used Thiels many years and always had high current solid state amps with tubes in the preamp. Currently using Mcintosh 501 mono’s with a pair of CS6 Thiels. Also occasionally match them to an old Classe CA 200. Both drive them equally well, have never used Class D’s.
I have however heard 3.7’s driven with a very modest NAD integrated amp, don’t remember the model, and it sound plenty robust to me.
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Good point prof perhaps a name change would have been better for the future. However, my bet is they were hoping for some residuals versus behaving more like a start-up. Now they have to figure out how to bring new consumers in, especially milleniuls. No clue how thats going to play.
Either way the Thiel we know and love is totally gone. They are just waiting for legacy brands and their consumers to fade away.
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Man! I have never seen the cupboards so bare on Thiels for sale on A'gon.
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My CS6’s are sounding particularly nice today! I switched cartridges, went from Transfiguration Proteus to my old standby Ortofon Jubilee. A little more heft in the midrange for the Thiels. The Proteus however is a champ at frequency extremes.
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Jonandfamily.....go Vols!
Could not have done any better than Jeremy Pruitt to pull us out of a decade of quicksand. SEC!
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I would love to hear Thiels with tubes, that is something I have not had the pleasure of experiencing!
I have never had "bright" in my room with 3.6 or CS6. I even had my 3.6’s at one point hooked up with KCAG and KCTG IC’s, cables that are plenty generous in the upper octaves and it was not a bright presentation, clean yes, bright no....clean and transparent with outstanding dynamics.
I have always had tubes in the preamp stage and room treatments. A tube pre is a match made in heaven, but will always be curious about a tube amp. I wonder if one would push out Led Zepp II the way I like it!
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Exactly Prof and that is why I don't believe I could be happy with another speaker long term. I would always have to a Thiel backup!
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Thanks for the invite Jon! As long as you are not a Tide fan! :>) I'll bet those 3.6's sound awesome with ARC!
3.6 is perhaps my all time favorite speaker even though I am using CS6 right now. I switch my 3.6 in from time to time.
Prof - nice, you sound like me. Always have a backup. I know you have some other nice speakers in your rotation also!
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Good question prof,
I don’t think the 3.7’s made as big an impact in the marketplace as it could have:
IMHO one reason is because of the untimely selling, then disolving of the business that hurt the franchise and kept it from growing outside of current devotees so soon after the 3.7’s were finally introduced.
Also pricing. I deperately tried to justify buying the 3.7’s since I had been a long time user of 3.6’s and waited impatiently, excited for them to come out. I listened extensively at 2 retailers with different systems and cables. I could not hear a big enough difference over the 3.6 to justify spending 12K. Thiel’s pricing strategy had always been more value until then.
And finally, tagging the 3.7 as the new flagship also signaled a new direction for the business. That was a strategy that turned me off a bit. As a long time user I would have invested in a new flagship under the 7 series or perhaps an 8 or 9 series. It signaled a downsizing to me.
Those are the reasons I do not have a 3.7 but instead have the 3.6 and CS6.
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Excellent news! Long live Thiel thanks to Rob. What a great small business story and here's hoping he gets lots of business!
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@batman I believe Thiel used Straightwire as their cable supplier for most models. Funny enough, I am using SW Mastro II SC with both my 3.6 and CS6. It is just a great cable that has beaten out many higher priced cables in my system, too many to mention in one thread!
Great synergy, not sure internal wiring has anything to do with it but a great match nontheless. I owned SW Virtuoso R SC for a while and preferred the Maestro.
I did a cable shootout using the Cable Company years ago when SW was still making the Maestro and determined it to be the best sub 1K cable in my system. Later, I ventured off into many way more expensive cables and always ended up putting the Maestro’s back in. Could have saved alot of dough....but at least now I know.
It is really the only time I have used the cable company to make an educated choice and it was time well spent.
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Alpha core goertz and thiel legacy speakers are one of the all time audio synergies. I have burned through many more expensive cables to come to that conclusion.
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Jafant, I have used 2 models, MI 2 and MI 3. I prefer the MI 2 model to the larger AWG 3 although the comparison might not have been fair. The MI 2 has silver spades and I ordered the MI 3 with Rhodium spades and I believe that termination is inferior and resulted in highs a bit on the harsh side.
The MI series is copper, I have never tried the AG models.
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jon I crank my 3.6's and CS6's. The 6's play louder, the 3.6 play plenty loud and are ever so slightly more transparent!
I hear you with your ATCs I have the old Polk 2.3tl's that I bought in the 80's that I refurbished. Fun to put them in sometimes because they play "listening to live music in bar" loud! Not nearly as good as the Thiels but fun.
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Great system Silvanik, my favorite all-time speakers!
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Agree guys on the heavy stuff. As we get older and “wiser” the heavy stuff seems to get...well heavier and less appealing. And injuries last longer!
I am convinced my Mcintosh 501’s caused my hernia. Probably not as hernias happen over time, but man they are heavy. Like Ronkent mentions, amps are the worse. The 501’s only weigh in at 98lbs but are so darn dense and compact it’s like lifting a boulder!
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ronkent whatever you do don’t marry her!
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I know what you mean jon about your 2 2s. I feel the same about my 3.6’s. I have never heard or owned a speaker that floats my boat the way they do.
I also own CS6’s, they are slightly more dynamic, play louder, but not better. Maybe not as good. |
Kimber 8TC is killer cable and is a great match for Thiel in my experience. Enjoy! |
+1sgmlaw love Classe discussions - I have had a CA200 for 20+ years and it still drives my thiels flawlessly. Would love to recap but I counted and can’t remember exactly but there are over 20 capacitors. Yikes!
Excited to see what Classe comes up with next. Sounds like the business is up and running.
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Happy New Year everyone. Thanks Jafant for keeping this thread rolling.
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Hi Tom - I own Thiel 3.6 and have for around 17 years and CS 6 for about 4 years. I switch them in and out every few months or so, right now using the CS 6.
The only amplification I have used are Mcintosh 501 mono’s and Classe CA200, both of which I am intimately familiar with since I have owned both for several years.
Both are interesting, the 501’s have an obvious control over both speakers. The Classe’s also have plenty of control, great midrange textures and are more open than the darker sounding Mac’s. The Mac's might have a small degree of refinement compared to the Classe, perhaps the addition current. Neither amp ever gives the impression of being “taxed” no matter how hard they are driven. And I have been know to drive them with some good classic rock, blues, and jazz.
My room is large, 18 X 40 and I get plenty of Satisfying SPL with both amps. I also switch them in and out every so often.
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Tom - the Macs are rated at 500 watts from each tap, I have tried all 3 and prefer the 4 ohm tap, interestingly, the 8 ohm tap sounds good too. Bass is a little smoother. The 2 ohm tap does have a little more texture in the midrange - I need to try it again.
I have not bridged the Classe as I only have one. Have always been interested to try it however and flirted many times with buying another one.
The ceiling is the most interesting part of my room. I used Rives Audio to build out my basement, hence the 18 X 42 foot size. We used the floor joists to build a giant diffuser by using blocking between joist bays, blocked at 15 to 40 degree angles in each bay. Over 380 blocks - I think my contractor wanted to hang it up when he read those plans! Then we treated and covered with cloth so the ceiling actually plays higher than 8 ft. There are 3 soffit areas, the first 2 are a combination of diffuser/absorption where the music takes place. The last soffit is geared more for absorption to deaden that end of the room.
I have a pool table back there. Great to lay stuff on and collect dust rather than actually play pool! LOL. The room really does sound great and was the best investment I have made in my system.
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rosami they are great speakers indeed, my favorite all-time. My pair are in backup mode right now, I am using my CS6's which do deliver a little more bass and dynamics. I have a rather large room. However, the CS6 is not quite as transparent throughout the frequency range, but just by a smidgen.
I have been through tons of speaker cables and I can tell you that you do not need expensive cables to enhance characteristics of the 3.6. There are several sub 1K cables that have worked better for me than many low to mid 5 figure cables. All depends on your tastes and your amp. Enjoy those great speakers!
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Erh....I meant 4 figure cables.
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Thiel lovers and leaders, I just swapped out my C6 for my beloved 3.6 for fun. I do this on occasion. I am retired so I can play with the system when I have the urge.
What a different animal! Just so transparent and open, not that the 6 is a slouch and once again confirms my preference to the driver scheme in the 3.6.
Keep up the good work Tom and Team Thiel! Reading and following with great interest as I will no doubt need to update my XO’s at some point.
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Cool Jafant - sounds like a great day! I still have my Classe CA200 amp and meridian Digital player I bought from HiFi Buys around 22 years ago when I lived there!
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