Thiel Owners

I've been a "lurker” on this site since February. Started on Page 1 and am currently on Page 103, Jan 23, 2019. I've been an A'goner since 2003, about when I installed my initial all ceiling-mounted 5.2 surround sound system comprised of first version Thiel PowerPoint 1.0's and two Velodyne DD-15 subwoofers.

I am 72, about Tom Thiel's age, and my audio journey started in the early 1970's. It has been fun! I intend to gradually fill in some blanks that touch on some of what I've read in the first 103 pages here, plus a Thiel-specific story in 2007 that may interest this discussion group. But first, a fast-forward to my current Thiel circumstances.

Waiting for me when I return first week of June from an off-shore sail aboard my boat (< my other passion) are a pair of Thiel CS 3.7's, a conrad-johnson Premier 17 LS2 tube preamp and a conrad-johnson Premier 350SA amplifier, all gradually acquired since February. None have yet been set up or even unboxed.

The Thiel CS 3.7's are very early serial numbers 33 and 34. They were shipped very carefully by the seller from Vermont in original Thiel boxes strapped to a wood pallet. Having read on this discussion thread that the 3.7's had more than one crossover iteration, I contacted Rob Gillum about serial numbers 33 and 34 and had considered having them shipped to his Coherent Source Service shop in Lexington from Vermont for inspection and refresh. Rob kindly replied to me as follows on March 1:

 “I am glad you found the CS3.7’s for sale. There was an upgraded crossover made for the CS3.7 at serial number approximately 517,18. The newer crossover was made on a PCB. The original crossover or Rev. 1, is the crossover in which you have purchased. The original crossovers (like yours) were done with point to point soldering, on a riveted masonite board. This is the crossover which I like best.

 Another update to the CS3.7 is through the coaxial driver (mr/tw). The original incorporates a silver basket and bezel. When we received the coaxes they varied in SPL, so we placed a small tuning resistor on each driver after testing to determine which was needed, to keep the SPL at a specified level. The new coaxes are black basket and bezel, and require a 2 ohm resistor, placed on each driver. All purchased drivers are ready to install.”

 Because the seller powered these 3.7’s with a high current Classe amplifier in use at sale, I’m confident about them so based on Rob’s reply, I chose to have them shipped direct from Vermont to Brentwood, TN where I live. I do know all boxes arrived in perfect shape = no fork lift penetrations etc.  Sort of crazy to have all that drool-worthy gear just sitting, but I do like to sail.

More to follow . . .

Chris 

Jafant,

Thank you for the welcome and more importantly for you having started/creaated this thread 5+/- years ago. It is a joy!

Tom Thiel’s countless contributions to this thread are so wonderful. Tom sharing so many details of the formation, guiding precepts, theories and mission of Thiel are absolutely fascinating.  In particular, Tom saying this somewhere in the first 100 pages of this thread was the TRIGGER for my account below of my own early audio journey. 

Tom Thiel - “It bears noting that Jon Dahlquist of DQ-10 fame came from aerospace and that he used 18ga twisted pair solid copper in teflon when the rest of the industry used ordinary stranded wire. Hmmm. 

My summer of 1977 revolved around identifying and sourcing wire and other components that ended up being 99.9999% pure, long crystal, low oxygen, etc. in teflon or varnish from ITT, developed for NASA. As far as I know, we introduced "wire" to the audio industry, or at least we didn't hear about "wire" from anyone else beyond noting Dahlquist's unusual choice.” – Tom Thiel

In 1972, I was a starving recent college grad from the Cornell hotel school.  I sort of helped, but mostly watched, a friend build homemade speakers from stock Radio Shack parts. I thought they sounded pretty horrible, but found the project fun. Somehow, I came across the first issue of The Absolute Sound and subscribed. In issue 4, the Dahlquist DQ-10 was reviewed, so I bought a pair. By 1975, I had purchased and myself installed a fairly elaborate after-market upgrade kit, which included replacement ribbon tweeters, different mid-range drivers and something called “polypropylene capacitors”, the latter somewhat esoteric for the 1970’s. I removed and re-installed all the speaker drivers so they mirror imaged each other. Crossovers of DQ-10’s are positioned on a shelf behind exposed midrange drivers. Then I damped the crossover and drivers with modeling clay and removed the woofers in order to access the woofer cavity where I damped the entire interior with modeling clay. Those speakers are still in my attic. As you might imagine they weigh a lot. Initially I drove them with pre-owned Audio Research SS preamp and gear. Later with a conrad-johnson PV-2A and dual Hafler DH-500 amplifiers, each of which I assembled myself from kits from zillions of parts and a soldering iron. I still have the Sota Sapphire turntable with Black Widow tone arm and moving magnet cartridge that was the system’s front end. All in original boxes in my attic.

 That DQ-10, c-j, Hafler, Sota Sapphire system somehow survived my multiple moves for several years as I general managed various resort hotels in Florida, Georgia, San Juan, St. Thomas and St. Croix USVI. By the mid 1980’s, marriage and raising children changed priorities and while I enjoyed that same system, my Audio-Video journey didn’t “re-activate” until 2003 with discovery of the Thiel PowerPoint.

 I hope I am not straining the patience of anyone reading this. The relevance will eventually revel itself.  A clue is that currently own 19 Thiel speakers! 

More to come . . .

Chris