thiel speakers have always been a difficult animal to tame. they are power hungry and their tweeters are, for want of a better word, too hot.
i have listened to 1.6 and 2.4 many times in centre circle and even in friend's house and i was always underwhelmed. i don't like the highs from the tweeters. i am not sure if it is because of partnering equipment, they never failed to annoy me.
today i listened to 3.7 and my impression changed totally. the 3.7 has superb tonality; it throws a great 3-D soundstage; it images superbly and what's more important to me - the tweeters are no longer as hot. the whole presentation is very natural, to say the least.
i write this without reading any technical specs on the 3.7. i would never let technology to influence my listening.
suffice to say, i like it.
centre circle: 03-77282686
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8 years ago
15 comments:
You are absolutely right there Maggielurva,
The Thiels has always been highly regarded because of its tonality ,and together with vandersteen loudspeakers ,they are considered to be amongst the most accurate design at any price...
And you are right again about the need for a lot of juice.I find that with theil;
1]Never use an intergrated amp.
2]Solid state high current amp work best
3]If thiel is to be the Romeo then Mark Levinsons amplifications is its Juliet.This is the perfect match for Thiels speakers IMO..
Just my 2 cents in sharing my 10 yrs experience as a Thiel owner
I fully agree with both Mr Zuckermann and Maggielurva;
Thiels make very accurate speakers and just like Vandersteen,feed them with the right amps[Mark,Pass,even ARC monoblocks-but not Krell]you get the set-up that could sound like you are in the madsstering studio..
.....yes,I am another satisfied Thiel owner
I own a pair of 3.7s and their sound is wonderful. They are also very easy to drive.
Also, time and phase coherent. What you put in 'em is what comes out. Unlike most all other speakers that 'color' the sound.
Would you buy an amp that changes the input signal? Same thing with speakers....
heard these in a couple of setups where the vendor matched them with Bel Canto ICE digi-amps, they sound pretty good. I feel these spkrs lean towards a more 'analytical' sound, and as what some of the other posters say, more in the vein of 'accurate' and 'neutral' sound.
1.Once you use Thiel,you rarely use something else.
2.Thiel Loves quality non-colored electronics.Mark Levinson amps are the best match,even the older designs.
3.Resonanace is not much of a problem with Thiel,but It need some space to breathe....Not to toe in .
4.As good as Kharma or any other High priced speakers.So uncolored and coherence with lifelike timbre..
I also think that The Thiel would sound good with Pass Labs-especially the more powerful ones.The Pass Labs sound is quite similar to the old ML design.
I have heard Thiel 3.6 at a friend's place quite a few years. Before the visit, I have been told numerous bad things about Thiel speakers. But I never heard the bright, lean sound that everyone seem to associate with Thiel. And the setup I listened to was mating the 3.6 with Krell MDA300 monos. I heard a very controlled bass with warm sound, good definition and dynamics. If I had to nitpick, I would say that the soundstage lack depth. And this is due to the restriction of the room rather than the hardware.
This sound is in complete contrast with the sound I heard at Centre Circle Audio. Actually I always get a bright, analytical sound when I listen to the setup in the CCA demo rooms. It does not matter what gear that has been hooked up, it still sound the same. So I think it is the room, not the gear.
I did had a brief listening session of the Thiel 3.7 when I was at Adelphi last month. I don't remember the gear that was connected to it but the sound was warm and inviting.
Ken,
could it be the cablings rather than the room?
Chris,
Not sure. Could be but I don't remember the cables used. It has been more than 5 years since I listened to that system.
But I do know that most Thiel speakers have to be placed facing straight ahead, no toe in which is eactly how the owner placed his speakers.
I toe in my ATC SCM100 firing at the listener.
absolutely correct Ken.
The Thiels and Kharmas hate toe in .It must be fired straight ahead.That is one of the most basic foundation of setting up thiel[and Kharma]
Thiel 3.7 review from TAS online now!!
Great review of a modern classic!
http://www.thielaudio.com/THIEL_Site05/PDF_files/PDF_reviews/CS37/TAS_nov08.pdf
"Thiels hate Toe-In"? That's not what the owner's manual says.
a sifu once told me the term "accurate" should not be used in sound reproduction. now, i am really confused.
zucker/ pk, perhaps you guys can briefly go through the procedures that concluded sound produces through the thiels is most or very accurate so that i can go tell that sifu that he waz wrong!
thank you.
A Thiel (or any speaker) is only as accurate as what comes before it. There is a reason for people being uncomforable with "accurate". The truth hurts.
The average audiophile is pretty blur when it comes to musical details simply because their system just cannot resolve. Do take note that you do not need all these fine details to enjoy your system and such a system may not even sound nice.
who needs accuracy then?
as long as i am enjoying the music through my 2.1 pc speakers system... eeeeee ha!
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