Are Thiel 2.3 much better than the 2 2's?

I have owned them both and both can sound good with the right components. I tried numberous amps Pass, Krell, Aragon, BAT, VAC with MIT cables but the 2.3s still had a bright edge to them. The BAT with a BAT tube preamp with MIT cables sounded the best. But in the end I could not live with the brightness. The 2.2s sounded more neutral but I would give a slight edge to the 2.3s. I have not heard the 2.3s with the new drivers which I have heard tames the high end. I moved to Audio Physic Virgos which sound great and can be found for about the same price as a used pair of 2.3s. Be sure you like the Thiel sound before you invest in any of their models

I sure do agree with Gjrad. I tried and tried to like the 2.3's - but the brightness was impossible. Put on a VERY well recorded cd and they are wonderful. But most cd's are not wonderfully recorded and the sound was so bright it almost became harsh after extended listening. I replaced them with Proac Response 2.5 and was thrilled the first listen and they have only gotten better. I am once again just enjoying the great music---no matter what cd I put on. I should have made the change well before investing in cables, interconnects, positioning, etc. that never seemed to work. It really is about the music---isn't it?

You should consider 3.6's, they are a big step up from the 2.2's. Mine aren't bright at all, I'm using cj pre and classe amp with silver ic's and kimber speaker cable. I have not heard the 2.3's so I can't offer a comparison. You can get a used pair of 3.6's for 2k or less - Thiel still makes them. Buy em and the quality of your source components will never out grow em... just an opinion...