Thiel Owners

Unsound...

I haven't been there in about 8 months or so, but they do indeed offer a lot of home theatre gear which, as you stated, is probably a hefty percentage of their business. Personally speaking I ain't no fan of home theatre nor surround sound. 

Last time  I was there they had a headphone "bar" upfront and some nice turntables as well. I suggested they start selling vinyl again, putting lp's in the window, etc. (I am a marketing genius, ain't I?). There's still enough 2 channel gear on display to make them worth my while. 

Audio Breakthroughs in Manhassett is also a nice place to consider. I bought my Bluesound Vault2 there. It's a tad funkier than SE but they're cool peeps as well. It's not very far from Manhattan and there's ample parking in the rear. They even list used gear here sometimes.  SE favors eBay for some reason although they used to list here as well. 

However, to trade in and buy SE has been my choice for the past few years. 

Funny:  I traded in a pair of Dynaudio Contours to help fund a pair of Totem Hawks a while back. I bought the Dynaudios from a fellow member in Manhattan a little earlier on. A day or two passed and I received an email from David explaining that his tech had gone over the speakers after hearing a knock in the cabinets - something I never noticed myself.  His tech removed around 5 plastic dinosaurs stuffed in the ports. 

Now I know why many listings here contain the "from a smoke free, child free home" disclaimer. 

At least there weren't any cigar butts...

I think you might find the Rogues to be within your wheelhouse - at least certainly pricewise. 

I had a  Cronus Magnum 100 w per side integrated and was quite content for a while.  From what I've read excellent customer care as well. I was THIS close to buying a pair of M150's locally when my house needed a roof or something...

Jafant...

Definitely not First Watt. The F6 offers the most power into 4 ohms which is 50 watts per channel which...may not be enough for your 2.7's.  You already know how quickly I moved from my FW M2 amp to the Pass X150.5. 

Like I've mentioned my listening level is very conservative and I very nearly purchased a new Pass 30.8 which offered 60 watts into my 4 ohm Thiels, but another X150.5 came up and I jumped on it. Based on my history I think the 30.8 would have sufficed but then...mo' power in reserve is mo' better almost all the time. I did not audition the M2 nor the X150.5 prior to purchase, either.  I purchased them based upon threads here, reviews, and word of mouth. 

R. I. P. Dave Brubeck, 91. 

One of the artists who's recordings marked the beginning of my appreciation for jazz, and the true art of the music itself.  Having been a typical rock fan for most of my teens, it was through a wacky high school English teacher's stereo that I first heard Monk, Charlie Parker, Brubeck etc., learning anew that jazz is literature, poetry, an unbridled form of expression which found a home in my music mind and has since never strayed. 

This is experience also began marked the beginning of my interest in hi-fi.  I'm talking my English teacher's tube equipment and the pair of Dahlquist DQ-10's  we listened through. 

My my condolences to Mr. Brubeck's closest friends and family, my sincere appreciation for the body of work remaining for us to enjoy ad infinitum.  A class act and a fine musician. 

All day today, "Live At Carnegie Hall."

jafant...

The Pass, like my Thiels, comprise the reference points for what is now easily the best system I've had.  I simply can't believe I could do any better spending significantly more unless, of course, I could move up a notch or two with either. It's not fanaticism, it's that the law of diminishing returns would seriously apply. 

The Pass does run warm, to the side of "hot" for some, but I'll say very warm. It sits centered atop my Salamander cabinet, so there's no concern about thermal buildup. I usually let the B. A. T. pre and the amp warm up for at least 15 minutes before listening, as doing so with the Primare/B. A. T. combo I had before definitely had positive effect. With the Pass it's just gravy. 

I know that Pass is one of your amp considerations. For me it's the best match for Thiel.  A colorless revealing speaker being driven by a colorless, uncompromising amp. 

Hard to top. 

dlcockrum...

Good question!  Allow me a day or so to collect my thoughts/reasoning on your question ...

Bill

If anything with using balanced connects I find the Thiels to be responsive to anything in the chain. (With the exception of my Pass/BAT I have cheap-seats Transparent cables throughout.) The Thiel bass eq has unbalanced connects so...had to settle. 

Funny story...I just purchased a pair of Dynaudio Focus 220 speakers for my girlfriend's new house. I had Dynaudio monitors before - in the same series. I hooked them up when I got them home for a test, and being able to use balanced connects with my amp/pre I was curious.  Duh. I forgot to take the Thiel bass eq out of the chain and those Dynaudios sounded like crap!  Then I remembered to remove it and use my balanced connects. BIG difference.  They ain't no Thiels but the improvement was palpable.  

As unsound previuosly suggested I am still looking for a second eq to have modded into balanced connects, one for each of my 3.5's, but that's a down the road endeavor. 

Anyway, if this little 'speriment offered me anything it was, once again, bringing out the best in a colorless amp with balanced connects to a tubed pre. If it made those Dynaudios deliver better sonics I almost shudder as to what might be enjoyed with my Thiels. 

I would be very hard pressed to go back to unbalanced connects for any reason.  My Pass and BAT VK3i loved the temporary hookup. There IS a difference between the cabling that is almost immediately apparent. Balanced wins. 

Wow.  I haven't looked at "new today" classifieds in a couple of days.  Have I finally found it????

Dave
Thanks for the link.  Bought it!

Deep thought...

I realized last night that what I've been doing to better enjoy these speakers has been subtracting elements associated with them to let them perform their best. 

It's been said that photography is removing elements, painting is adding them. Coming to appreciate the Pass for its articulate sonics after first appreciating the Thiels for the same, the rest has been incremental, looking for those small improvements the pair will reveal together. 
Adding better power, speaker, and interconnect cables, along with a power conditioner was subtraction, removing as much noise from the chain as my budget will currently permit. 

Unsound's suggestion that I seek an additional bass eq for my 3.5's and have them modded into monos with balanced connects is another avenue heading in the same direction - a better, cleaner signal for them, and a very worthy investment in a product I find extraordinarily difficult to best. 

The "less" a Thiel has to have tossed its way the better it will perform. Clean up the power delivered, invest in better cables, and you'll see the ghost of Jim Thiel smiling back at you. 

dave...

Prior, with a different preamp, I had purchased a pair of XLR/RCA connects to effect using the balanced inputs on the Pass to little or no effect - feh!

Currently I am using a Furman power conditioner, a "cheap seats" entry level model that noticeably improved things overall. Since I'm settled with the Pass and BAT combo, along with Transparent cabling, I'm watching the site for a better power conditioner. Any thoughts/suggestions here are certainly welcome in the $2k and under range. 

The issue at hand remains a constant, that the Thiels sound excellent with just about anything. My nephew has my first pair of 3.5's which - *gasp!* - he listens to through some Denon p.o.s. home theatre integrated, and damn! They still sound great. (Damn Millenials!)  His girlfriend is more willing to go 2 channel because of them, so there's hope. 

Cheerio!

@Tomthiel

They’re your’s.  Thanks! 

...and to all a goodnight. 

May the spirit of the holidays find you with health, family, and friendship.  Best to all!

Santa suffers from the same misconception that my entire family shares when it comes to buying wine or any electronic gadget for me at gifting time - they think I won't like it because I already have enough of either to satisfy my curiousity. 

However, I found a bunch of vinyl under the tree with my name on it this year. The new Stones, the new Jack White, and a few others. My soon to be twelve year old niece took no small delight in being instructed how to operate my gear, how to handle an LP, and how to appreciate the difference between digital and analogue. She's rather adept at cleaning the vinyl, too. 

Of course almost everyone else appreciated the sound from my Thiels and a few expressed interest in becoming Thielistas themselves. 

As the Zen Master said, "We'll see."

Happy 2017, kids!

unsound...

Not yet - too busy!

To robinbarbour's statement that once you have Thiel in your system you "can't let go..."

True!

My CS 3.5's are irreplaceable. They remain the one component that I've found to be my reference source without consideration for price up or down - especially up. Can't be beat. 

Even when an opportunity and finances present themselves for a move up the Legacy models line my 3.5's won't be sold or traded - they're THAT good. 

I also have a pair of Meadowlark Kestrels at my gf's house that continue to make me happy as hell.  Pat McGinty was quite similar in many respects to Jim Thiel regarding coherency and design approach to loudspeakers and they too represent bargains on the used market. If you can find a pair for your second system by all means scoff 'em up - damn good speakers overall. 

Thiel, Pass, B. A. T.;  I'm in heaven. 

Happy new year all,  I'm gonna blast "Fanfare For The Common Man" later this afternoon. 

I drive from NY to Boston to pick up my first pair of 3.5's for $850,  my second and current pair of 3.5's found me in deep New Jersey, but at $350 who am I to kvetch?

For my next upgrade into Thiel I will allocate a 5 hour trip, 10 both ways. 

They're worth it. Don't want nuthin' to happen to 'em when and if such an opportunity arises. 

PS:  I spoke with Rob at Thiel this afternoon regarding the suggestion made by unsound to modify my 3.5's equalizers - I have two - into balanced mono units.  While I'm still keen on going there eventually I'm putting the project on the back burner for now. 

I hasten to add that he is an absolute gentleman and it's very reassuring that those of us here can continue to have our legacy Thiels serviced. 
This serves only to make our purchases of them an even better investment - which they are. 

My speakers are smiling at me...

Psssst...

I haven't chimed in for a while but I have continued to follow this thread as a matter of habit.  It's a good one.

Jafant...
If you haven't yet decided on your amplification I will once again offer how fine a match my Pass Labs X150.5 is with my CS3.5's,  I've settled into this setup for a while and every time I listen to music I am reminded how long it took it me to get "here".  There is a lot of HERE,  here,  too.  (Your 2.4's are different than my 3.5's,  but I would keep Pass in the consideration column.)

Man,  this just works.

Thiels make everything sound better than expected,  but when you find the sweetspot as I have with Pass and BAT,  it's difficult to want to better anything.  I'll be following your lead with cable experimenting once I know what my tax return will be.  (Currently still with 100% Transparent.)

Okay,  maybe a different preamp just for the hell of it.

But NO replacement for the Pass,  and NO replacement for the 3.5's.  Heck,  I'm contacting Pass right now to see if its possible to upgrade the amp to .8.

Jafant...

As I've said before I start out low and move up the food chain as finances allow. I'm still with the base Music Link Transparents which are fine as is.  Frankly I don't believe that moving up will yield me any discernible improvements, at least in terms of $$ vs reward.  Not saying I won't but there's a limit to my madness. 

Jeepers, have I finally stopped spending?

Unmm, no!

Laughing, Jafant...
 
Audio Den is just around the corner from me - literally, a leisurely 15 minute walk from my house when the sun is shining. They became a Transparent retailer last fall. I'll be moving up the line at an equally leisurely pace this year since everything else is in synch. 

I truly haven't reason that makes sense to change a thing at the moment. I spent this weekend listening to Bill Frisell and some other excellent old school jazz and - wow. We got dumped 18" of snow so the opportunity presented itself after much shoveling and rock salt. 

Funny thing is that I just leased a new vehicle on Friday and I have to admit that one of my requirements was that it could accomodate that elusive pair of CS3.6 that I keep looking for. Or another Thiel model.  I'm obviously not done buying stuff, but until another up-the-line model of Thiel comes along - stars and finances in perfect alignment - my 3.5's remain my reference point. 

By the way, in case anyone was interested in learning if one can upgrade a Pass X150.5 to a 150.8, as I inquired with Pass directly, the answer is no. 

According to Pass they are completely different. 

I almost cried. 

But what the hell...that's the only thing that would make me give up my 150.5. 

Jafant...
I am actually going to stop into the Den tomorrow to see if they've upped their vinyl selection.  I'll inquire as to how deep they go into Transparent. 

Hope they don't have anything that I just gotta have...

R. I. P. McCoy Tyner. 
I was first properly introduced to jazz by a stereotypically whacky high school English teacher who loved Hemingway and possessed a pretty decent physical resemblance to him. One night after retiring from a local pub we went back to his house to listen to some non-juke box music. I don’t remember the manufacturer of his tube setup - it was matched - but the speakers were Dahlquist DQ-10’s. The first record we listened to was Charlie Parker, the second was McCoy Tyner. 
This was also my introduction to “real” tubed equipment; even though the console stereo in my house was tube driven, this was the first time I had ever seen an amp and preamp rig. Stereo!


I bring this particular episode of my often wayward youth into this thread solely because the sound left an indelible imprint on my brain. I was then a stereo receiver guy, into Zep, The Who,  the usual suspects mucking about at the time. 

The connection made between sonics and musicianship absolutely opened my mind to genres other than rock. Having a stereo that could do justice to music became something of a quest that would take me decades to fulfill. 

The first speakers to help me attain that?

Whoa...been busy as hell here. 

Anyway...

Audio Den carries the full Transparent line but doesn't stock every sku. I had a revelation about two weeks ago regarding the crazy pursuit of this enjoyable hobby. I came to the realization that while it has always been music first, I've been pretty preoccupied with equipment recently. (Say, the last two years.)

So I sez to myself, the hell with all the pieces, the wires, the procedures - lemme get back to listening. So...

I sold the BAT.  I sold the Pass. I sold the CJ. I sold the Theshold.  (Sound familiar, folks?)

Whilst I was at Audio Den checking out the Transparent cables they had a Simaudio Neo 340i integrated on a shelf. 100 watts 8ohm, 200 watts 4ohm and a phono stage and a dac and a bevy of other good things. I first heard this little piece (in comparison to my aforementioned pieces anyway) through a $16k pair of Wilson somethingorothers there and was pretty impressed.  Needless to add my Neo arrives next week. 

I mention all this because all I want to do is listen to my Thiels. Amps, preamps, CD players, servers, dacs have come and gone and no doubt will continue to do so but, these Thiels simply aren't anything I'm willing to sacrifice. 

Unless, of course...another pair arise

Jafant...

They were silver looking floorstanders. 

Yes, after having the Pass twice I just decided it was time to leave separates behind.  I was becoming too gear oriented methinks.  

I'm kinda nuts for doing so but...it's only a possession and I can return if and when I want. 

One button and ON!

ill keep you appraised of my upgrade path in cabling. 

Jafant...

It was the 400a model, 100 watts into 8, 200 watts into 4 ohms. It sounded uncannily similar to the Pass 150.5 which...made absolute sense considering the Pass association. 

Just too much stuff!

I just picked up my Neo 340i integrated yesterday.  Pretty impressive piece of gear. 

First impression...well worth the adventure. 

Extended listening to be determined...

This is the top model in the line which includes dac, phono, and remote. 

My 3.5's like it!

Jafant...

Reply to a few posts back,  no I never went about getting my 3.5's eq's modded into balanced mono operation because Rob @ Thiel more or less failed to see the benefit for me.  I still have 2 eq's so if one fails...  Besides, work has been consuming me since January - a good thing mostly!

Selling off my Pass is something you'd think I'd be regretting by now since I've had two and have mentioned my appreciation for its synergy with my Thiels.  I stand by that even without owning one now.  

Do I miss it now - replaced by the Simaudio Neo 340i integrated?  Not really.  Is it different? Yes.  I almost had a Pass 150 Int but it slipped away before I could commit. Aaargh. 

What eventually got my money is Simaudio's trade up program.  Depending upon the piece of equipment and duration of ownership they offer a credit toward a new piece of up too 100% for the old.  Not too shabby.  

Comparatively speaking the Neo is perhaps a smidgen more emphatic in the lower frequencies without sacrificing anything from the highs - not "bloomy" bass, but more notable.  The Thiels are well known for the mids and highs to begin with - according to many folks - and that's what put them in my wheelhouse to begin with. 

Perhaps the biggest difference I've been enjoying is the simplicity of using it. This is hardly a knock on separates which I may return to at some point, but I don't miss the "mission control" series of procedures one must undertake to listen;  conditioner, on!  Preamp, on!  Turntable preamp, on!  Power amp on !  Warm up sequence engaged...enjoy!

The Neo is an excellent amp for the 3.5's and I appreciate it more every day. The remote's volume control could benefit from a more delicate step in increasing or decreasing levels, but it's a small kvetch overshadowed by having a remote so I can relax even more.  I'm very into relaxing. 

IMHO what the Neo adds to my downsized system what my separates lacked is simplicity without a discernible, or at least a resounding difference in sonics. As I've said, "Thiels reveal!",  and what they reveal now is that Simaudio has excellent compatibility.  

Enjoy the weekend, folks!

R. I. P.  Chuck Berry...

Upon learning of his passing last night I began rummaging through my cd and vinyl collection in the hope of finding an album of his to spin in tribute. 

It wasn't long before I discovered that I don't own a single recording of his in my collection. 

Then I looked at the hundreds of albums I own again and realized,  oh yes I do. 

I finally located a pair of 3.6's in what appear to be acceptably good condition considering their age for $1450,  all including crating and shipment from Chicago.  Quite difficult to find in or around New York. 

My 3.5's are up here on the site, local pickup only.  

I'll be sticking with all Transparent cabling as I've been for the last few months. They're swell. 

Should arrive late next week. 

Woohoo!

Robinbarbour...

Yeah, pretty ridiculous the amount of changes, right?

So far as not having auditioned the 3.6's before buying them, all I can say is that I didn't have the opportunity to do so on my 2.3's nor the 3.5's.  Stumbling upon Thiel has proven to be one of the most fortunate happenin's in my audio life. 

I did a fair amount of reading about Jim Thiel and his work prior to my first purchase, and that's pretty much what got me.  I liked his overall sensibilities, and the various reviews I picked up here and elsewhere pretty much all contended the same opinion - great speakers at almost any price.  And since we're all now relegated to buying used ones only,  that sentiment resonates much deeper.  (No pun intended. )

My current spate of shifting equipment has not disappointed me - though it's been a tad ridiculous.  I am utterly confident that I'll enjoy them as I am utterly confident that whomever buys my 3.5's will as well. 

This Thiel kool-aid we're drinking is damn yummy!

golferboy...

I'm awaiting delivery on a pair of 3.6's after having two pairs,  at different junctures,  of 3.5's which as some folks here already know,  became my reference point for loudspeakers in general.  (I gifted my first pair to my nephew.)  I've just sold my 3.5's to make room for the 3.6's.  I'm literally watching the calendar daily waiting for the truck to arrive.  Hell,  I've even purchased a hand truck/dolly to get them into the house.  

And to think I have said that moving my 3.5's around once in a while is a pain in the ass...

SInce many of us suffer the same fate of having so few bricks and mortar high fidelity retailers around now,  I have purchased all of my Thiels used,  without audition.  The first time I hooked up my 2.3's I was so impressed that I literally stopped in my tracks.  Then the first pair of 3.5's became available - involving a 400 mile round trip to fetch them - and I was doubly impressed.  I sold those to get a pair of Maggies - which I also happen to hold in very high regard - eventually deciding that Thiels,  in general,  are Maggies with bass.  And not just any old bass, PROPER bass.  Musical bass,  with all the mids and high definition that Thiel and Magnepan excel in.  I am a zealot,  a Thielist,  I've drunk the kool-aid and can't help myself.

Recently I came to the conclusion that all of my purchasing/selling of associated equipment was detracting from my enjoyment of music,  or at least the simple act of tossing something on and enjoying it without nitpicking my system.  (Until a week or so ago it was a Pass Labs X150.5 SS amplifier,  a Balanced Audio Technology VK3i tubed preamplifier,  a Primare phono stage...and a few things I had lying about,  a CJ amp,  a Threshold amp...)  IMHO Pass Labs is a sweet match for Thiels.   Even though I doubt I ever came even remotely close to flexing the amp's 300 watt into 4 ohm capability,  the sound was incredible.  Clean,  articulate,  just like the Thiels.

I am expecting much of the same from the 3.6's.  I'll be driving them with a Simaudio Neo 340i integrated,  capable of 200 watts per channel into 4 ohms which,  methinks,  will be sufficient for appreciating the 3.6's.  I listen at VERY conservative levels.  The meter on the Pass rarely,  if ever,  even budged a smidgen.  Thus far the Neo has proven to be a pretty damn good amp with the 3.5's, perhaps not as "analytical" as the Pass but still within the parameters that I've come to gauge my equipment by.  

For the record,  and thanks to Jafant and unsound for their input on everything Thiel,  I went to all Transparent cabling a while back and have found that to be a great match.  ("Synergy", as jafant likes to term it.)  Hopefully I will settle down for a while and let the 3.6's earn their keep with the Neo - although,  as the past has taught me,  THAT's pretty unlikely.  The one thing I AM certain of is that the 3.6's will become my new reference for loudspeakers.  Whether or not I embark on an integrated amplfier shoot-out in the coming months is perhaps another post's story.

Besides,  that could be fun in this thread.

Any comments to care to share with your 3.6's is very welcome.

Happy listening  -  Thiels Reveal!

prof...

THAT'S IT!!!

Your statement on Thiel's bass being tonally correct is a descriptive that has eluded me from day one, felt, heard, but never able to put the words together. 

I've been in the wine business for 36 years. About 30 years ago we were tasting some 1986 Burgundies, everyone tasting, writing notes, slurping down oysters, discussing each in an open forum. I was something of a newbie then, perhaps six years in the biz. We were on a particularly aggressive label when one of the people put forth a comment regarding its bouquet, stating that it had notes of "sauerkraut".  THAT'S IT!!!

For years before that there was that SOMETHING my schnozola was communicating to my brain but my brain couldn't process into words. While I couldn't find the words to describe that, I looked for it in all the white Burgundies I would sample. It wasn't hot-dog sauerkraut, but a wisp note of something elemental in the mix.  That too became a reference point for me when tasting/buying white burgundies. I look for it any time I taste Chardonnay, even California ones. 

This is waaaaaay beside the point of what this thread/forum has had to offer, but holy shite!  That statement of being "tonally" correct was a pleasant revelation for me, as well as one that accurately describes the overall sonics that make Thiel so desirable,  and perhaps, offer to those thinking about a pair of legacy models just how damn fine they are. 

Sauerkraut for everyone!

Whilst I am awaiting the arrival of my 3.6's and the fellow member to pick up my 3.5's I have been working a pair of Acarian Alon ll's just for the heck of it - got 'em purty cheap from a bricks and mortar retailer/occasional seller here on the site. 

Fortunately I had a pair of Transparent bi-wire cables in my inventory/snake pit of cables left over from some previous 'speriment, so I hooked them up ...

They'd been in the store for over a year and they were a little dusty, dull-looking, but only needed a little cleaning and TLC that included about 6 coats of tung oil.  They show their age but now look swell. 

The store owner related that the woofer was designed to emulate the old Advent woofer - a very cool piece of history. 

They're a suitable stop gap between the Thiels coming and going.  They're definitely not "bright" sonically, the bass is tighter than I had anticipated, the mids are very well defined if not
as well defined as a Thiel - but they ain't Thiel so...

They're fun. They're temporary.  I'll probably toss em up here on the site when my 3.6 get here - at the same price I paid for them. 

saffron...

Since I listen to a fairly wide assortment of music I've purchased loudspeakers that I assume will be able to faithfully reproduce any genre I toss at 'em.  Such is not necessarily a truism, and lately with very few bricks and mortar hifi shops remaining, almost impossible to audition. 

Within my sometimes constrained/free wheeling budget the only speakers that continue to keep my interest are Thiels, and Maggies - in that order.  I've heard a few different Wilsons, B&W,
Focal and a few others that are well above my budget, but when I consider their price find it difficult to justify the expense. One cannot find a superior value in a loudspeaker than Thiel. 

So so far as their ability to handle multiple genres of music well, I've yet to find another manufacturer that does everything so well that by comparison makes it so damn difficult/impossible to part with. A little Aaron Copland, some Son Volt, perhaps an hour with The Hold Steady, followed with an extended visit with Thelonious Monk, finishing up with Herbie Hancock's Joni recording...

Cool beans!

jafant...

The real impression will be made when the 3.6's arrive. As for now with the 3.5's the Neo strikes me as being slightly warmer in overall tonality, perhaps slightly more emphatic in the bass region. Again, this being compared with the Pass X150.5/B. A. T. VK3i separates setup I had until recent. To say that I've barely broken the Neo in is an understatement - they suggest a more extended period than I've been able to muster thus far.  

The 3.5's require separates to be fully enjoyed with the bass eq employed.  I had a Primare A32 integrated that posed me with the same issue I have with the Neo - can't employ the bass eq due to lack of inputs. Nonetheless, once I raised the volume to a higher level than I normally listen at the Thiels were quite happy, 
immediately revealing how good the Neo is overall and, as I've said before, how Thiels reveal. 

The Pass attained the same sort of definition at a lower volume level methinks, but this is not for me an issue where I'll be moaning again about selling off a beloved amplifier. I have to believe that when the Neo is broken in I'll have less to think about comparatively and more to enjoy sonically/musically. Obviously, Thiel will take a lot of responsibility for this - they're just so damned good. 

I am so utterly familiar with Ginger Baker's "Cyril Davis" off of the album "Why?" that I use it as a reference point for evaluating my stuff. (There is also "Cyril Davies" off of "Falling Off The Roof" which is essentially the same tune performed differently.)  Being so attuned to either cut I believe is a fair method of reaching an opinion.  The Neo didn't miss a note - albeit at a slightly higher volume.  It was all present. 

Another point of pleasure is the size of the Neo. I no longer have to wrestle that 60 pound Pass when I tinker with cables, etc. I've increased the weight of the speakers however, from 70 pounds of the 3.5's to 107 pounds with the soon-to-arrive 3.6's. C'est la vie...I've actually purchased a hand-truck, covered it with insulation foam to position them!

Is that a "mod"?

Anyone else here with a lifestyle accommodation to keep Thiel rocking?

Woohoo - my 3.6's are arriving between 9:00 and 5:00 pm today via UPS freight.

As much as has been said about placing loudspeakers in general,  I got out a tape measure just to see how mine have been placed since I moved into this house 22 years ago.  It's a difficult room with a ceiling that slopes from 9 feet to 17 feet at the apex,  radiators all along the exterior walls,  one wall three feet from the left speaker,  the other wall thirteen feet from the right.  The floor is laminate with an area rug tossed in the center.

I don't have another option to place the speakers.  The left wall also has an air conditioner stuck in it.  Not only is the room a pain in the ass to furnish,  its a pain in the ass to position the stereo in the best place possible.  Trust me,  I've tried.

Anyway,  my speakers will be roughly eight feet apart and about twenty four inches from the rear wall.  I can't bring them out any further because it looks stupid,  and these things simply beg not to be moved via protests from my spine.  I've always had the drivers positioned just in front of the equipment cabinet's depth.  It's pretty much all I can do considering the physical space.

Much to my surprise and amazingly poor sense of space I listen some fourteen feet away from the speakers.  I have yet to find toe-in a necessity since the Thiels throw an impressive sound stage to begin with;  a few others I've had,  especially Maggies that require a GPS and a periodic table of the elements to position,  definitely benefitted from toe-in.

I'm like a kid waiting for the ice cream truck...

PS SIDENOTE...

Just to illustrate how very cool this site can be and how useful this particular thread continues to be,  I have to relate a short back story on my purchase of the 3.6's from Saturday Audio Exchange in Chicago.

Within a day of purchasing them I received a message from a fellow member who is fortunate enough to reside within an hour's drive from the store.  He spoke with the owner who related to him the pair's previous ownership,  further offering that they were in better condition than "as pictured" in the classified,  adding that I was getting a fine pair.

Unsolicited.  Out of the blue.  One Thiel owner to another.

Man,  this kool-aid is addictive.

More kudos to the guys at Saturday Audio - the speakers were over-the-top well packed, almost to the point of overkill. 

Save for some very minor slackening of the grill cloth and some signs of being moved on the bases they are in perfect condition.  Not even a hair line scratch on the cabinets.  Can't find a flaw.  Amazing good condition. 

First impression?  Believe it or not I find them to be slightly more emphatic with the low mids and bass,  the highs are excellent. 

Heck, they're Thiels. 

My reference tunes were all there - I even listened at a slightly higher volume than I normally do and I felt the air move with the bass like I hadn't with the 3.5's. I also find the bass a little "tighter" than the 3.5's, but "real" and uncoloured,  as were the 3.5's. 

I have no doubts that the Neo will be capable of driving them without stressing since my listening level is very conservative. All in all thus far I would offer that these certainly have a more sonic presence than the 3.5's, the sound seems to find a space about 2-3 feet in front of them. 

 $1099 plus shipping of $350 - maybe my best purchase yet new or used. 

More to follow with extended play over the forthcoming holiday weekend!

jonandfamily...
 
$1200 seems to be the price around where the 3.6's hover - and usually in lesser condition than the ones I just got.  That figure was pretty much my budget, or at least what I was willing to spend. When these came up I simply said "what the hell, stop waiting around  for the perfect storm" and pay the $&?!:@ shipping!

It's comforting to know that my ears are somewhat in tune with a musician's, especially when my ability to play an instrument has been at best a futile pursuit. I could lose my left arm and not miss it. 

That being said, I have fancied myself something of an artist for all of my life, yet another pursuit that has found me earning a living doing something else. When my girlfriend hears music she dances, when I hear music I think. She starts singing along, I listen to the interaction between players, wondering where the tune is heading, often amazed at the difference between where I'd be going and where they went. Good stuff. 

My first pair of Thiels were the 2.2's, and I was spoiled henceforth since then. I started buying here in 2013 and, goodness gracious, haven't been a sane person since. I discovered Thiel here, Pass Labs..the list is still growing.  With each addition and the subsequent subtractions I've appreciated more and more the difficulty in manufacturing a vision. I don't know a mosfet from a misfit, but I know what I like. 

I've gotta shut this off now - early morning busy day tomorrow...

I'll be discerning the date of manufacture the next time I look to swap cables or something, to move these 107 pound Easter Island totems right now is just too much to ask of my back at the moment!

By far and away the midrange on these vs the 3.5's is significantly different,  the treble is perhaps slightly less "etched" as well; mind you that neither opinion is anywhere close to being a negative.  Voices in particular are almost startlingly lifelike - just listened to some Simon and Garfunkel as though hearing some things all anew. Methinks the slightly larger cabinetry - 7 inches taller, 4 inches deeper at the base, might have something to do with the midrange emphasis over the 3.5's. Obviously, the drivers and crossover difference does as well. 

As did the 3.5's, the 3.6's absolutely excel with jazz.  I like trio and quartets for the most part. I've been digging deep into Monk as well.  

I'm thinking monoblocks already...

Kidding!  Enjoy the weekend!

Nokonor...  

Yeah. Even though the eq was relatively unobtrusive physically, just having one more cord to plug in kinda bugged me - but the sound was impressive nonetheless.  If I had the space to store them I would, you know, "just in case..."

Plus the 3.6's give me more latitude in finding a suitable integrated without the eq which often can't work with one - I like the setup   

Man, I'm feeling mighty pleased with myself here...

First a musician relates that my description of Thiel's bass reproduction was an accurate description of it, then another post says I nailed it when I stated I find Thiels to be Maggies with bass...THEN he goes onto relate that Jim Thiel also appreciated what panels do so well. 

I think Jim Thiel nailed it, as well. The two brands of speakers that have literally stopped me in my tracks have been Thiels and Maggies.  
Only.  I started with CS2.2 with Thiel, and the MMG series from Magnepan - in either instance once I hit the play button I had to spin around. I could barely believe how good they sounded. 

Obviously I opt for Thiel for many reasons. First, the bass, the clarity, the mids and highs that panels excel with and that Thiels leave nothing to be desired. 

I only wish that the "new" Thiel company could find this thread and find something in it to make them see that abandoning Jim Thiel's vision
is a woeful mistake. 

Great thread, great posts folks!

jafant...
My local bricks and mortar buds,  Audio Den located in beautiful downtown Lake Grove, NY - a town with neither a lake nor a grove - only recently relocated into a new space a little further away from my home.  Their new location is now a five minute drive from my house, whereas the old location was literally a nice little walk.  The move was necessitated by their needing a larger space to display/audition home theatre/automation equipment which,  by dint of the medium,  requires more real estate.  (Large flat screens,  yadda, yadda, yadda...)
To be clear, they haven't altogether abandoned two-channel weirdos like meself.  A little while back there was some mention of Ayre equipment in the postings and I was able to listen to an integrated amp through a pair of Maggie 3.7's. Swe-e-e-e-e-t.  This was...Octoberish 2019 or thereabouts - while we were imagining the winter to come that never showed up.

Recently,  I reconfigured my setup back to a monitors as,  once again,  financial difficulties have arisen.  I am selling my pair of CS2.4's in order to pay some bills and whatnot. (listed here on the site)  I'm pretty much giving them away in order to expedite a cash infusion.  C'est la vie.

I was recently able to procure a pair of Totem Rainmaker monitors to temporarily substitute for the 2.4's until such time that I will again return to Thiel.  This would be my second pair of this model,  and I also had two pairs of the Hawk model over the course of time that I've been a member here.  (Yeah,  yeah, yeah,  this site has totally ruined my life.)  They ain't Thiel by any stretch of one's imagination, but they are my preferred manufacturer when it comes to monitors and/or medium sized floorstanders.


I am using Transparent bi-wire cables with the Rainmakers which does improve the sonics somewhat over using the jumper setup.  These are rather diminutive in size so garden-hose sized cables can be problematic with keeping them stable on the stands.  (I know from experience having almost suffered losing my first pair with a Tara Labs garden hose.)  Tippy little things with thick cables...

While I await a prospective buyer for the 2.4's I just want to add that I've been toying around with Tidal and Qobuz through the 2.4's.  I don't know if its my imagination or what,  but the 2.4's clearly preferred Qobuz.  I like both services but I lean toward Qobuz for streaming because I was able to hear a difference between it and Tidal on my COMPUTER - an iMac 27" which ain't exactly built for high fidelity anything.  That observation remained intact when I played it through my stereo.  Qobuz has a more limited inventory of artists,  and experiences more frequent  bandwidth constrictions than Tidal, but I did detect a preferable difference.  I like Tidal as well and I am signed up for the highest rez subscription. I am still on the trial phase with Qoboz.  Tidal is $19.99 montly,  Qobuz would be $14.99.  Decisions, decisions...Apple's Music just plain outright sucks.  (And I'm a lifelong Apple freak)

I'm a bit off-topic here,  and not for the first time either,  but when I compare the online streaming thingies my observation that some have greater or lesser artist inventories ought to taken with a grain of salt.  I OWN more music than I could complete listening to before I leave this earthly plain,  so the differences between a bazillion artists on one service and a billion on another is pretty much inconsequential,  Any streaming service ought to be considered as a complement to everything we already possess,  not a replacement.  I was able to find a number of releases by Bill Frisell on Tidal that Apple Music did not have,  and a few on Qobuz that neither had.  It can pay to bounce around a bit.  And since decent commercial FM stations are pretty much obsolete,  streamers are a good way to discover new stuff.

Rock on Thielistas!

michaeljbrown...

It may well be that a lot more of the CS3.6's were sold than your 6's,  but could it also be that people are way more reluctant to give them up?  The only reason I sold off my 3.5's was to offset/fund the purchase of my 3.6's which,  as you can imagine,  was one of my better audio moves on the last few years.  The fellow member who purchased the 3.5's from me drove from Massachusetts to pick them up - and these were to be his second,  perhaps even backup pair lest his current 3.5's need repair.  Thiel folks are a stubborn lot,  ain't we though?

My Audiogon/Thiel addiction has had me checking out Thiels for sale virtually every day for the past couple of years.   There's still a pair of 5's up for sale that have been there for well over a year,  a pair of Cs5i's came and went on eBay,  then came and went again with no sale - at least to my knowledge.  With the legacy models being extraordinary bargains unlike any other brand,  I'm quite surprised that a secondary market hasn't proliferated.  There has yet to be a single person who has heard my system that isn't impressed as hell with the Thiels.

For now I am happy as a clam with the 3.6's,  and they,  like your 6's,  may find a mention in my will...I'll be cremated,  but not the speakers!

jafant...

A little update on your personal quest?  

miyu...

I don't find your AR/Thiel setup a mismatch at all. In the past I ran a couple of AR preamps, an LS2, then an LS2b, and an LS 3, and I found each to mate exceptionally with my Thiels. 

My listening levels are conservative to say the least.  My CS2.2's were played with a 35 watt per channel integrated amp - the beginning of my suffering from a chronic, then undiagnosed, case of severe audiophilia.  There is no cure, besides, the disease is fun. 

Remaining high on my list of manufacturers that seem to have an affinity for Thiel are Acoustic Research, Balanced Audio Technology, Pass Labs, Threshold. Of these my top choices are Pass and AR.  

I'm currently digging my Simaudio 340i integrated with my 3.6's, my quest to "dumb down" from all the wiring and procedural complexities encountered with separates. So far, so good.  

Turn it on, turn it up!

It IS so worth putting together a registry!

Thiel CS3.6,  # 3021 and 3022. 

jazzman...

A small number of b&m retailers remain throughout NY metro which is fortunate for moi in terms of visiting them, and having pretty much dropped in on all of them at one time or another, a nice little education in a lot of very good stuff. I would guesstimate that I’ve purchased 50% of what I was able to listen to over the years so it’s an equitable arrangement for everyone. 

Just thinking about my old setup for a while today which results in my leaning toward Acoustic Research preamps with Thiel over Balanced Audio Technology, PS Audio, Musical Fidelity, and a couple of passives I'd ran through the Pass amp. 

To my ears the ARC didn't color as much even though the other pre's mentioned couldn't be said to be "colored", either. Had the ARC pre's had a remote I may have never considered others. If - and I do mean IF - I decide to return to separates in the near or distant future ARC will be my choice in preamps.