Wilson better than Thiels?

Brf is exactly right. I have a pair of Thiels and I love the sound. I had a buddy in the 80's and 90's that had the 2 2's and they sounded great in his home. I also had a buddy in the 90's that had the Wilson Watt/Puppies and his system blew me away. But whenever I heard the Thiels or the Wilsons in stores they were not nearly as impressive. In stores, Thiels always sounded harsh and the Wilsons sounded flat. So over the years I wasn't sure which way to go until I finally took the plunge and bought the Thiels. They didn't sound so great though until I changed amps, cables, source equipment, room, etc. I guess that is what makes this hobby so special.

So would I prefer the Wilson's over the Thiels? If money was not an issue, sure. But the difference is not enough to push me over the edge. I also know that everything in front of either of these speakers matters too.

It's just as everyone is saying- to hear these speakers at their best, you must hear them in someone's home set up properly with time and care. If I had not heard either the Thiels or the Wilsons in my buddies homes, I would not have given them a passing thought. I have heard each brand in a number of different stores in different cities over the years. They sounded good/bad but never to their full potential. Naturally, the stores are going to audition them with their front end equipment- good or bad. At least both brands typically warranted their own dedicated listening room vs. being lined up along the wall with all the usual suspects.

I have never heard Thiels with a tube amp. I'm guessing that since they need lots of current Thiels do not match well with tubes?

I'm sure Thiels can sound good with tubes- I'd love to hear that combo some time. But I bet they have to be some massive tube amps to get the full range like I enjoy. I found that the Thiels work much better with amps that have plenty of power and current. i.e. when the amp power rating doubles for each halving of impedence down to 1 ohm then it is capable of driving the Thiels.

I started out with a lesser amp and my new Thiels at the time just didn't quite do it for me. So, years back I took home the PL X350 from a dealer for an audition and that was it. I have been enjoying that amp with my CS6's ever since.

Of course the X350 was not cheap either. But it has so much power and current it can make just about any speaker stand up and salute. :)