speakers by thiel?

[mewisemagic 2]

anybody have any experience with them?

[SteveFord 1,131]

Not me but I know that they have a good reputation. 

Which ones are you looking at?

[mewisemagic 2]

some that my brother in law has and i don't know what model they are. but he is gonna give me two pairs

[peck555 366]

Lucky you, those are some nice speakers.

 

[Radioeng2 33]

anybody have any experience with them?

I've got a couple of friends with Thiels.  Plus had the chance to go and tour the Thiel plant in Lexington a couple of years ago...which is highly recommended BTW!!!

 

Thiels need power and quality upstream!  They recommend amps that double in power for each halving of impedance.  As in numbers like 200w into 8, 400 in 4 ohms etc.  Some powerful amps get close to doubling for the first halving, but most don't even for that first step let alone the next one.  A big Krell will for one...

 

They are very revealing of what you're feeding them with. If you use typical, sterile consumer electronics, then you'll think that Thiels are slightly harsh and...well...sterile.  If you find a overly warm tube pre to drive a so-so amp, then you'll think they are warm at times but can harden on some music.  They will just show you what your feeding them.    I've heard what happened when we pulled the average input terminals and put good a Cardas terminal on...you could hear a difference.  Upgrading the crossover caps, the same, it was obvious.  Changing speaker cables, you can tell the difference.  They will reveal preamp tube changes too if there is a difference there.

 

I've heard a upgraded Mac SS amp sound good on them.  A large Manley tube amp sounds really good.  A hotrodded Dynaco MkIII wouldn't run them until the bass (something like below 100hz) was unloaded to a sub, then the Dynaco monoblocks sounded quite good.

 

The smaller 1.5 and 1.6's don't push up to high levels and stay clean unless you unload the lowest bass.  The bigger ones do pretty good full range.  All (like all speakers) are at there best well away from the back wall and carefully setup for equal distance to the listening spot.  Pull 'em apart further and further until the center image goes away then come back a bit.  If the electronics are up to it, they'll image like a champ and the drivers blend together very seamlessly.

 

Have fun with 'em!!

 

Mark

 

[mewisemagic 2]

don't know what model they are,did not want too sound greedy by asking. they aren't moving into there new house till october. he also had some perrreaux pre-amp and amps, nakamichi amps (pa7 i think) and a dragon tape deck hope he is going to part with those too . they are having all built in speakers in the new house and dedicated control center in the basement, house is about 8500 sq. ft.

[Guest FrankieD]

Hey Mark, nice write up but you didn't mention Carver or especially Sunfire amps for those Theils.

 

Since I got my Sunfire 5400 I have no need for another amp. They are "bottomless" in terms of power.

 

I'm  driving a pair of Amazings and they are not the easiest speaker to drive but the Sunfire does it effortlessly.

 

 

 

 

P.S. Are you gonna be at the fest this year or do I have to get inferior CD's from someone else ?  LOL

[Radioeng2 33]

 

 

Hey Mark' date=' nice write up but you didn't mention Carver or especially Sunfire amps for those Theils. [/quote']

 

 I thought that was a given Frankie!!    I was just rippin' off some I remembered hearing run Thiels.  Another more modest rig that comes to mind now was the Creek integrated...4950(???) I think?  Did better on a 1.6 than you'd have thought.  But you're right....a Sunfire in particular oughtta just light up a Thiel nicely!!

 

  

 

P.S. Are you gonna be at the fest this year or do I have to get inferior CD's from someone else ?  LOL

Thanks for asking!  Not totally sure yet.  My wife doesn't have time off coming to use.  I do, but can't hardly get away.  Trying to get some time away this week and spent so much time taking care of stuff today that'd it have just about as well to have been at work! 

 

Going to try real hard to get there to CF!  Too much fun to miss!  Talking audio with the guys and listening is what I enjoy!  Have a new batch of music about 3/4th's cooked up as a matter of fact.  Need just a few more cuts that have that grab of being worth listening to...  Maybe just for you, I can find some kind of Preius drivin' music...  

 

Thanks for shoutin'....

 

Mark

 

[AudioJack 5]

I have heard these in dealer showrooms and in a few friend's homes.  They sound good and have a great reputation.

 

I think the Sunfire 300~2 might be a great match for your Thiels.  Based on the 1.6s taste for mellow tube amp power, I would use the "current source"  speaker post connections, rather than the voltage posts.

 

Please let us know how the bottom end sounds once you get these up and running to your liking.   .

[mewisemagic 2]

well, i got them last week. they are cs2's and yes they need more power than my little tube amp can give them, but other than that they sound good