I own the Thiel CS 3.6 speakers and you don't want to drive them with minimal power, because they won't sing. Plus, you'll get distortion if you push it. I first went the tube route, and today would go with a quality SS amp and perhaps an equally good tube preamp. I'm in the hunt myself for a proper amp for my Thiels for a system to be set up in my basement family room. Either way you go, your amp and your speakers must be optimized for one-another. A lesson that took me too long to get right.
Kenny
Kenny