Gear Lust: Thiel Loudspeakers

I think it is something audiophiles everywhere know, but few outside this tiny community really understand.

Audiophile components, in order to get them to give you the realism we're all after, are like a beautiful but high maintenance spouse.  It takes a lot, I mean a lot to see their good side.  Treat them like the princesses they feel they are, and you will have the best one ever.  But one false move, and you are in the doghouse.

Let me illustrate audiophile versions with a couple of examples:

YOU are the starting motor ...

There is a turntable from a British firm called Nottingham Analogue Studios called the "Ace Space Deck."  You see, the designers felt that the biggest barrier to superlative performance was a motor that was too powerful to run the platter causing degrading sonics.  To this end they made the motor barely strong enough to turn the platter once it was set into motion by its owners hand.  Seriously, it will sit there all day, groaning and stressing until you give it a little turn to get it going.  By design.  And they are right ... it does sound pretty damn good.  But honestly ... this is high maintenance, high reward.  The people that love them gladly put up with it.

The Sutherland Hubble.  Sonic Nirvana, but you
do have to change batteries once in awhile

Another example is from an American Company that I dearly love and will own one of their products one day ... Sutherland Engineering.  Their motto is "Elegant.  Simplistic.  Minimalistic Design."  And they aren't kidding.  They figured out that since AC power supplies can generate noise, that their phono amplifiers would be powered by batteries.  And since switches can cause sonic degradation, the loading you have to put on a phono cartridge would have to be built in and installed by the dealer during the setup.  The product that put them on the map the "PHD" had both.  But if you peruse them, you will see that going down their route will have you minding a battery pack.  And again, as there are many paths to the top of a mountain, they are not crazy or con men - the stuff sounds fantastic and offers a relative value in astronomically priced stuff.  But ... again it is little sacrifices to convenience to gain sonic benefits that the aficionados are willing to put up with.  (And they aren't the only ones on the battery bandwagon ... Red Wine Audio even runs vacuum tubes from them)

Here at our blog, we're not saying this is the only path to sonic heaven, but a couple of examples to underline as normal what I am about to tell you.

Thiel Audio speakers are pigs to drive.

Thiel CS2.4 ... Devil in a Blue Dress

I mean real pigs.

The Thiel CS2.4's which are minor classics of their line (recently superceded by the CS2.7's for those that are keeping score), need a pretty decent amount of power to deliver the goods.  I started with a 140W stereo receiver that made sound, and I was very happy, but it wasn't until I slapped down a 400W powerhouse that they really showed the coherence and solidity they are famous for.  I eventually went to my current amp, which puts out an honest 300W (Not those silly 300W amps mass marketers trumpet - this is 300W of output power continuously in both channels all the time) - and never looked back.  We got great imaging, both incredible detail and naturalness to the music we play that I have never really heard.I think it is important to tell you guys that I listen at moderate volumes, so the average volume did not change much, if any, but the sound quality improved a ton when I had more power on tap.

And I have to say, if you are unwilling to give them the power and drive they need, you get congested, small, nasal and screechy sound.  No kidding.  But back the first analogy if you need a refresher..

Thiel CS3.7 (Subwoofer not included)

I'd also point out that they are transparent enough that you will know everywhere you chintzed and compromised upstream.  This is analogous to when your spouse is moving in and rearranging your furniture and throwing away the closet full of "gotta have" stuff you never look at.  It is infuriating until they show you their good side.  Then all is forgiven and forgotten, and down the path you go.  They will encourage you (as in sound mediocre) until you get the right driving lineup and sources.  Even the cables we used had to be tweaked - and we got more and better.  Talk about Princess and the Pea!

And you know what?  Both of us are absolutely in love with the CS2.4 idiosyncrasies and all ... and are also entranced by the big brother (sister?) to the CS2.4, the CS3.7.  It is supposed to be all that the CS2.4 was but more of it, and better clarity, imaging, bass, treble and openness.  But wants ever more power (up to 600W!) to have the astonishing clarity and dynamics they are known for!  And if we ever win the lotto, they will be on our "offramp" short-list.  Along with a power substation ...