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Class D amp driving Thiel

I was honing in on a 2 channel system and had seriously narrowed down the contenders until last Saturday. After not being impressed with a pair of B&W CM7's I was encouraged to listen to a set of Thiel 1.6.

It was amazing. Driven by a Bryston amplifier they had detail and precision with beautiful tonality. Yes, they did lack bass under 50 hz. But completely different and world's better than the Thiel's I owned and powered with tubes years ago. So now I have to rethink things. I have only a small shelf for the SB3 and amplifier and can't fit (or afford) anything above 30 lbs or 5 inches tall.

Maybe a second hand Krell 400xi would work but Krell's rap is that they can be bright and fatiguing. And I can't do anything bigger or costlier. While the Naim forum has good reports of Thiel's being driven by even a Nait 5i I am a little cautious based on my previous experience. As I learned the hard way you have to muscle up on Thiel's or they sound bright and nasty.

So, the thought of a class D amp came to mind. Small, light, and powerful. Though I haven't even heard one before (hard to find them in Chicago, believe it or not) my interest is piqued. But would it be up to driving the load I am contemplating without getting bright or harsh? Any thoughts but more importantly experiences are appreciated.
wdrazek
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drubin
3,240 posts
 
I drove 2.4's with Rowland Class D very successfully. The 1.6 is a wonderful speaker.
narrod
1,064 posts
 
Sounds like a horrible combination to me. That being said,
I'm not a fan of the Thiel house sound. I find that the initial detail becomes fatiguing after extended listening.
I would think the typical Class D amp will just make it worse.
jaybo
4,478 posts
 
i think the bryston would be the best match of all you've named. old school and balanced.
wdrazek OP
100 posts
 
Drubin: Thanks for sharing your experience. The 102 looks interesting. Did you use that or the 201 (or some other model)? I'll need to listen again to the 1.6 to see how I feel about its bass performance. Not that I'm a bass freak but it's always been my feeling that 42 hz (the bottom note of a bass guitar) is the least extension I would be comfortable with.

Narrod: I humbly disagree with you on Thiel. My earlier experience was negative but properly driven I found a lot to like. To each his own.

Jaybo: I liked the Bryston a lot. Unfortunately, it's $3k second hand. I'm not ready to go there. The B60 might work but it's only 60 per side.
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