What speaker after Thiel 7.2?

Chuck,
Another alternative thought to the 7.2 would be a used pair of CS5i's. They are a significant improvement over the 3.6. And, they are in many ways the best speaker Jim ever designed. The abundance of drivers, three 8" woofs, a 4" Kevlar, a (my memory fades here) 2.5 or 3" dome, and a 1" dome. The dome was remarkable having about 10x the typical excursion of tweeters of it's era. It had to be a dynamic tweeter to keep up with all those other drivers.
So you have a total of six drivers, giving this speaker great linearity, and what I call 'image density'. They can tend to be a but lean at about 70 Hz oddly (this is where the middle woof, which acts as a mid bass, lower mid driver) crosses over, and may have lobing issues, but nothing that judicious room placement can't help.
Even Jim, (sorry to tell people this publicly) admits privately that this (at least was)his 'favorite' speaker of his own design.
They can be had fairly cheap Chuck. I sold my pair for about $5K as I recall, and they were in beautiful Rosewood.
Remember there are two versions, the CS5 and the CS5i, the later standing for 'improved', and it was. The mid was better, and the woofs were much more hearty, with longer throw capability.
Good hunting.

Cinematic_systems,

I would appreciate your opinion of the Thiel CS 2.4. You mentioned you liked the 2.4 and I'm interested in knowing what particulaly you like or dislike. Also what type of music did you play when you had the 7.2 in your home? What was the associated equipment?

Lrsky,

It is all relative as you say, for me and my clients $14,000 is a serious investment. When people spend that kind of money I don't think they expect compromise, I don't think they want caveats and asterisks next to the performance of their equipment.

Yes many people will think the 7.2 is a good speaker until they hear some of the speakers on my list above then the bar will be raised once again. Then their opinion would change. I have demonstrated the CS7.2s to hundreds of people, most of them I did not know at the time and do not know today. Since you are beyond your limit I will spare you the general consensus of their opinion.

I never bought 7.2's Lrsky, they were traded in to me, I brokered them for people that's why I put owned in quotes. My point was my knowledge and experience with this speaker was quite thorough and extensive. I would stop explaining my position if you would stop trying to discredit what I say and that my knowledge is limited on this speaker.

BTW I made an assumption about who you are, we have met and talked on the phone. Yes the measurements are in credible as I noted (steady state), maybe some of the best bass at the price point. But as I mentioned before something happens to them when they are playing under dynamic conditions that make the timbre's change. Infact if you don't listen to them very loud and stick to audiophile jazz recordings these speakers will do the job very well.

Here is where my opinion intervenes, I find that too restrictive a pallette for a speaker that is $14,000. So evaluate my opinion based on that, if at 14,000 you expect that level of compromise then my opinion is irrelevant.

Chuck I like the CS3.6's very musical and until the 2.4's came about probably the best value for performance speaker in the thiel line. I may know where you can get a pair. A gentleman just upgraded his CS3.6's to ATC SCM150's and may be interested in selling them. I'll email you the details. Give me a couple days.

Please be kind, when evaluating others, for example, if you think I am above my limits, you obviously don't know that I put together a consortium of manufacturers for the 2004 show for Von Schweikert Audio, which included PS Audio, VAC, Acoustic Zen, et al, and we recorded Misty River every night with the help of Chris Huston, in a Live Versus Recorded show down, on Von Schweikert's $140K pair of VR 11's.
I really don't think you know me well enough to make your broad and sweeping statements as to what I am and what I know. Just more fodder for your presumptuous attitude.
The loudest clown is not the funniest you know.
I am sure you will be compelled to get the last word in, as it is your typical response.
Just remember, every time you think you know it all, something proves you wrong.

Lrsky

It seems odd to me that Jim Thiel would redesign/replace the CS 5i's with a speaker of an inferior design the CS 7.2's if he felt the original was a superior speaker. This is as I understand why he has not replaced the 3.6 because of his inability to build a replacement that exceeds their performaance. Although I have heard rumors that one is in the works.

I do know that my 3.6's are very sensative to placement and that they are very unforgiving to upsteam components. They also respond good or bad when I make replacement / upgrade decisions.

I do find it strange that there is such a variance of opinions concerning Thiel speakers in general. It seems people either love them or hate them. I maust have things setup pretty well in my system because I love my 3.6's and so does my wife who couldn't care less. I also know it isn't just me as I have a pretty good hear for music being a musician myself and going to several concerts (classical). But boy these 7.2's sure seem to get people motivated to express their opinions.

Talk about bad. I have listened to a pair of watt-puppies being driven through all Levinson electronics at a local dealership. Talk about sound that was non-musical and sterile; my gosh, I simply could not stand it. And were talking about $20k plus speakers and about $40k plus of electronics MSRP. But some people love them and swear by them. However; I am sure in the right enviroment they are very good. But not when I listened to them and that was on at least two occasions. I had to go back because I could not believe my ears.

Chuck