Thiel 2.3 vs 2.4 the real difference

I was fortunate enough to demo the current version of the 2.3s and 2.4s in my dedicated listening room for over a week. I am using a ML 27.5 amp which is rated at 100WPC.

I found the Thiel 2.4s rounded off the sharp highs (maintaining accuracy) that the 2.3's had a reputation of. The bass goes deeper and remains tighter than the 2.3 as well. I would say that they still sit on the analytical side of the fence, but not to the same degree as they once did.

Good electronics are still a must.

The 2.4s are also easier to drive than the 2.3. The impedance curve is much nicer on you amp.

My overall assessment I think could be described as, the 2.4 did everything as least well as the 2.3, although on some material the 2.4s were better. The 2.3s never surpassed the 2.4's on any recording that I listened to. I ended up choosing the 2.4 over a nicely priced pair of 2.3's.

I did find that placement of the 2.4s was fussier than the 2.3s. It took me a while to dial in the 2.4s. The 2.3s didn't take as long.

Bunkeromantik,

You might be right on the amp power. I have not yet tried a more powerful amp. I am hoping to upgrade that piece some time this year. I also feel it might have to do with my room being somewhat narrow (12 feet), I was forced to use some toe-in which causes the tweeter to beam a little, and I think the 2.4s were a little easier to handle than the 2.3s. If you are pointing straight ahead like Thiel recommends, this may not be an issue for you.

I found that the bass wasn't more, but it went down deeper than the 2.3's, and I think the overall all bass region was more controled (not that I thought the 2.3 was sloppy by any means). I actually had to pull my speakers away from the back wall a little more to calm the bass down. I can't imagine that the 2.4 can't produce enough bass unless you are a big pipe organ fan, or you have a large room to fill.

The biggest thing I found with both speakers is that changing the placement, even slightly, can have a big impact on sound. If you are missing some sparkle, then try a slight toe-in using small adjustments at a time. One other thing that I forgot to mention is that I think it is an absolute must that your listening position is at least 8 feet away from the speakers on the 2.4's. I don't remember if that was the case on the 2.3s