Thiel Owners

beetlemaniaThank You for reporting on your Ayre AX-5. I poised the query to address integrated amps, as well as, separates. The notion was in the back of my mind last week during my time spent with the Pass Labs (very robust for a 150w into 8 Ohms) power amp. We all know that some manufacturers do not list 2 Ohm specs. Surely,  those great designers behind Audio Research, Ayre, Conrad Johnson, Parasound and Pass Labs,  test those loads on the bench.

Happy Listening!

profThank You for the PM.  I enjoyed reading your speaker shoot-out from last year. You auditioned quite a number of different loudspeaker brands. Very informative, insightful.  Happy Listening!

andy2Thank You for providing your expertise as well. Agreed, amp design as it addresses feedback vs no-feedback is pivotal for our speakers. I try nt to get too tied up in the manufacturer specs as well. Reading across other Audio forum threads, other Thiel owners are enjoying some of the lesser known power amps and/or integrated amps with success. Along the lines of designers not citing 2 ohm power ratings, I also find, peak current delivery in amperes (A) not reported.  John Atkinson of Stereophile fame and Paul Miller of HiFi News & Record Review fame do a pretty good job of reporting pertinent figures/ratings as discussed here.
Happy Listening!

tomthielThank You for addressing my query on right phase angles. I know that all of you guys are occupied with work and various other activities/interests.Looking forward to other contributors chiming in on their power amps outside of the Ayre, Classe', Krell, Mark Levinson and Pass Labs owners.Hope you are well today and enjoying your Hot Rod garage.
Happy Listening!

holco,Thank You for citing the specs of your Audio GD power amp. Those ratings are incredible! With those figures, I have no doubt about under-driving your CS 2.4 loudspeakers. I have really enjoyed reading about your cross-over upgrade project as well. Glad you are a member of the Panel.
Happy Listening!

On another related thread, desmond888 , is working on a cross-over project upgrade as well. You guys check out his progress as your schedules allow.  Very cool to have so many DIY guys making improvements and upgrades on an already Legendary design.
Happy Listening!

Today marks the 3rd Anniversary of this thread. In 2016, I started with post #1 from a fan's standpoint for Thiel Audio. I came to admire the design, form and function of these wonderful loudspeakers. The hope was to gather interest from like-minded Audiophiles. Well, it tuned out that there are more than a few of Us. Some have left to pursue other speaker brands while most of you guys are still here. This is a testament to Mr. Jim Thiel's hard work and passion for seeking nothing but the best in  presentation, sound reproduction. Several of you guys are experts on this brand exclusively.
Over time, I adapted this thread to catch all Music lovers from entry level, hobbyist, moderate, novice and expert. Recently, we have managed to attract electronic DIY and speaker building contributors. Moreover, there are occupational trades and professionals here. All of these attributes created an esteemed Panel. Talk of Thiel Audio crosses over into other audio forums as well. Those guys contact me away from Audiogon. I ask each and every one to join us here to continually improve this experience.I could not have predicted that two distinguished Gentlemen would notice this thread. Mr. Tom Thiel and Mr. Rob Gillum. Even though Rob is not involved directly, he has perused this thread. Tom has become a very active, all hands-on deck,  historical Asset. Thank You All - for your contributions, insight, impressions and listening experiences. The Audio Journey and Process starts here.

Happy Listening!

beetlemaniaThank You for the update. I am looking forward to the final configuration.Keep up the outstanding work!
Happy Listening!

kenazfilanWelcome! Thank You for posting the CS 5 ad. That would be a nice purchase for someone in the NYC area.  Happy Listening!

thosbThank You.  Happy Listening!

tomthiel
Thank You for the kind words. I, for one, am glad that you found us.
Once your end of the XO project reaches its final configuration, I look forward in meeting you later this year. Keep up the outstanding work!

Happy Listening!

Happy Friday- All.

esprits4s

Good to see you again. Thank You for posting your Amps w/ the CS5 and CS 7.2 loudspeakers. What other gear rounds out each system?

Happy Listening!

pwhinson
Good to see you again. Hope you are well and enjoying your system today. A few members of the Panel are using additional sub(s) to excellent results. Guys chime in here.

Happy Listening!

stevecham
Good to see you here. Thank You for chiming in on the subwoofer query.
Audioquest is a sonic match for Thiel loudspeakers. Hope you are well today and enjoying the music on your system.

Happy Listening!

beetlemania
this one is for you my Audiophile friend. Today, I spent a beautiful sunny afternoon in Buckhead Atlanta, visiting HiFi Buys. Owner Alan Jones has been in audio retail for 25 years and counting. In fact, he was the southeast Thiel Audio dealer/retailer until Mr. Jim Thiel's passing.
Alan has a very nice photo with Jim in his office. I have known of his excellent reputation from his days of operating Audio Alternative.
I wanted to audition Ayre electronics, which has been on my short list, for many years. I am glad that I waited because the current operation has much better sound rooms than the older establishment per Alan.
Specifically, the Ayre AX-5 Twenty peaked my interest. The rest of the system- Monitor Audio PL100 speakers, Ayre QX-5 Twenty digital hub, AudioQuest Niagara 5000 power conditioner (much needed in downtown Atlanta), Audioquest Hurricane and Tornado PC, Audioquest Castle Rock  72V SP, and Audioquest XLR 72V IC (green connectors thus I did not see the model name). 
No physical cd/sacd player  on-hand for this demo, although my next audition will include an Ayre DX-5, so I can really dial-in the combo. The DX-5 is the only spinner where Ayre stocks  spare critical parts (drives/laser assemblies/transports)  per the late Charles Hansen.
Now, the fun begins. Selections via ROON and Tidal included my reference title Jamie Cullum 'Twentysomething', various Ben Harper, Daft Punk, Kate Bush, New Order and The Rolling Stones 'Get Your Ya Ya's Out'.  The combination of gear and speakers was excellent. I was pleasantly surprised by the full range sound of the MA monitor speakers.
Excellent air, instrument separation, little to no distortion, was appreciated. Excellent bass and treble extension heard. The system was slightly warm of neutral all around. I detected zero dry, lean nor thin characteristics all around. Overall, an excellent presentation.
Today's goal was to evaluate the Ayre Integrated amp on a first time demo. I look forward to the next installment with Ayre's own spinner to compliment my massive cd/sacd collection. 
Alan concurred that Ayre is a sonic match for Thiel Audio loudspeakers.
Further, he stated that I could not go wrong with an integrated or separates from a current/power output perspective. Distance was around 8 feet from set up and volume was set to 30 (plenty loud for close proximity).

Happy Listening!

stevecham
Thank You for citing your power amp history- that is quite the list!
No doubt that PS Audio is making tremendous strides in many areas of Audio reproduction. Ask ronkent , as he is our resident PS Audio expert.

Happy Listening!

tomthiel

Thank You for weighing in on CS7 vs. 7.2 models.
Hope you are well and enjoying Summer.

Happy Listening!

beetlemania

my pleasure. I am really looking forward to the next session with an Ayre spinner. Alan did remark that any Ayre amp would not mate well to a Thiel CS5 nor 7.2 speaker. Much more current is required for those models specifically. I will try to get closer to "40" during next demo.
I rather enjoyed the presentation and sound yesterday.

Happy Listening!

tomic601
Good to see you here again. I look forward in reading more contributions from you soon.  Happy Listening!

thosb

stevecham is a subwoofer reliable source, as is, John Ellison over on Audio Asylum.  Happy Listening!

brayeagle

I have not forgot about you. I am still attempting to procure a Bryston 4B3 audition with a dealer/retailer north of Atlanta. Hope you are well today and enjoying your system. Stay tuned.

Happy Listening!

Thank You! Panel. It was a very good day indeed. The factor that impressed me most - Alan did not down-sell the Ayre integrated.
On the other hand, Alan did not try to up-sell the regular separates nor Twenty separates for a substantial monetary margin. We all know this is a rarity among dealers/retailers. A few of you guys have contacted me via PM to report a previous connection with Mr. Alan Jones going way back, in some instances. One thing is certain, this gentleman knows Thiel Audio loudspeakers.

Happy Listening!

pops 

my pleasure. We know that Classe' is a favorite match with Thiel speakers.  Meridian remains a digital favorite among many Audiophiles at large.  Happy Listening!

You guys facing inclement weather -stay safe and warm out there.

brayeagle
I am patient as well. I had planned a Bryston audition during the holiday stretch, but the dealer/retailer (Engulf Audio) did not show? Onward and upward. Stay safe and warm.

Happy Listening!

beetlemania

Thank You for the hot tip. The reading tells us that a 301 ohm resistor can switch out to a 619K ohm resistor. Is this where the extra 6db of gain results? Have you made this particular change to your AX-5 Twenty?
I plan to consult Alan about this matter during my next visit.

Happy Listening!

beetlemania
I see. I will combine a CD/SACD player which ever way I go.
I do not own any Vinyl. I wonder where the clipping point lies with Ayre separates? I will consider shooting out both integrated and separates on the next demo.  Keep up the excellent XO work!

Happy Listening!

Happy Friday! All.

tomthiel
Good to see you. Hope you are well and like beetle, having fun in your Hot Rod garage/studio, with your XO projects.  Keep up the outstanding work!

Happy Listening!

beetlemania
Thank You for posting the CS 2.4SE review by Jeff Fritz.
It serves as a reminder on my decision to purchase the SE above all other loudspeakers I auditioned from 2011 to 2014. To my ears, nuance, was the deciding factor. Hope you are having fun today with the XO project. Keep up the outstanding work.

Happy Listening!

frankm

Welcome! The 3.5 loudspeaker is a Panel favorite. New, old or vintage this thread offers something for every Audiophile. Take your time perusing as there is a plethora of information. Have fun!
I look forward in reading more about your system and musical tastes.

Happy Listening!

Happy Friday! All

holco
Your system looks very elegant. Those cross-over networks are beautiful- you have really raised the DIY bar, outdone yourself.  As your schedule allows, talk about the improvements in sound quality per musical tastes.
Sonic improvements for a certain test track or two, album titles...etc.
Bravo!

gwgjr31

Outstanding! Thank You for the follow up regarding your CS 7.2 loudspeakers. Good to read that Rob was in a position to rebuild the damaged driver(s) and make your speakers operational again.
What other gear including cabling is in your system?

Happy Listening!

gwgjr31

A very nice combination of gear as well. I have heard an ARC pre-amp w/ Mark Levinson power amps previously and enjoyed the synergy.
No doubt that your 7.2 loudspeakers are high current monsters!
Good to read about a cd player being in the mix.

Happy Listening!

vegasears
Very nice combination of gear. I do not believe that I have seen another Audiophile use McIntosh and VTL together? The B&W 801S3 is a fine speaker indeed.  Happy Listening!

ekohn00

Welcome! good to see you here. You have quite a collection of Thiel Audio speakers. Besides the Denon POA A1HDC, what other gear including cabling is in your system? Can you give the dimensions of your basement listening space?  There are a few members here using a home theater set-up. Guys chime in for suggestions.
I look forward in reading more about your system and musical tastes.

Happy Listening!

holco
Very nice- I am glad that you found at least (1) serial number. Describing the sound of any component can be challenging. Best advice is to talk about your fave piece of musical passage, at the least. Talk about the before upgrade characteristics then add after upgrade factors. Did imaging get better? Soundstage is deeper or wider? Musician(s) are solidly placed? Instrument texture or tone become cleaner/clearer.
Give it a shot!  Again, it is good to have you here as a DIY member of the Panel.

Happy Listening!

ekohn00 : corrected.

Happy Friday! All

holco
Outstanding! work.  Happy Listening!

Guys-I wanted to pass along this information for those of you who may be considering one of the new Krell XD product(s). Mr. Scott Ross owner of Atlanta Home Theater-  Roswell GA, is offering special dealer/retailer incentive pricing. He is another fan of Thiel Audio and feels that these new Krell amps are an excellent sonic match. Atlanta has proven itself to be a hotbed of Thiel owners and supporters. Incredible!

Happy Listening!

Happy Friday - All.

pwhinson
Good to see you again. I agree that your room is well damped, not overly damped to my ears. How does your speakers sound at 8 feet apart? Then 10 feet apart? I see that you arrived at 12 feet apart. The sweet spot for a pair of CS 2.4 loudspeakers is the original 8 feet apart. I suspect that one could adjust this measure to accommodate a larger room/space.
Happy Listening!