Thiel Owners

I bought a pair of 3.6's in 1993 and have been enjoying them ever since. They make reproduced music sound like live music, and that's all you can ask of an audio system.  I've driven them with a variety of power amps over the years.  For many years, I used a Nelson Pass era Threshold SA/4e, a pure class A, 97 pound amp rated at 100 watts per channel at 8 ohm of pure class A power. They deliver far more at 4 ohm. I sometimes switch to a pair of Emotiva XPA-1 gen 1 monoblocs rated at 1,000 watts each at 4 ohm. 

gs5556 , I've owned my 3.6's since 1993 and still love the sound they produce. I did have to have the midrange and tweeter repaired on one of the speakers at different points. The midrange had a problem where something failed and thin wires kind of unwound and were protruding around the base of the phase plug. I took it to Audio Consultants where I had purchased it and they took care of having the driver repaired by Thiel and reinstalled. That was about in 2003 or so.  A few years later the tweeter in that same speaker pretty much fried. I spoke with, I believe it was Rob at Thiel and sent the tweeter in for rebuilding. He called me a few days later and we talked about what may have happened  He said the driver was pretty badly damaged and I mentioned the type of music I listen to. Contemporary Folk..basically acoustic guitar, vocals, that type of music, and nothing at any levels that are apt to over drive a tweeter. 

  He sent me back the rebuilt tweeter, but had me do a test before I reinstalled it. He said that they had had an issue with a specific component of the crossover failing, that would send a full range signal through to the tweeter. He had me do an ohm meter test on the resistance  being supplied by the crossover to the tweeter inputs. He said it should be 20 ohms.  Mine was .1 ohms, that's point 1 ohms....basically a dead short. That's why my tweeter blew, and the rebuilt one would have blown as well had I hooked it back up without having the failed crossover component replaced first.

  Rob knew exactly which component in the crossover needed to be replaced and I had that done, and the tweeter has worked perfectly ever since.  

   I do have two other systems in the house, both with Magnepan speakers, but my main system still has the Thiel 3.6's and I have no plans to replace them. 

My 3.6's are used in a system that can be configured in different ways. I have an Integra DHC 9.9 pre amp processor, when I want surround sound with my music, but I can go strictly two channel with a 1994 vintage Threshold T2 preamp. The Thiels are driven by either a Threshold SA/4e pure class A power amp, or a pair of Emotiva XPA1 monoblocs.  All connections between the preamps and power amps are done with balanced XLR cables. 

 I have used a pair of Velodyne F1500 r subwoofers with the Thiels since they were new as well. I use a 40hz crossover point for them, as well as for the 3.6's. My sources are either a Logitech Touch streamer for my digital server collection of lossless CD rips, an Oracle Turntable with Magnepan Unitrac 1 arm and a Shure V15-V mr cartridge, or an Oppo disc player.

I have over a thousand CD's ripped to my server, and I have a little bit of everything in there as far as type of music. My favorite music is acoustic/vocal contempory folk . I like songs with lyrics that have some meaning, and maybe deliver some sort of message.

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thoft62 posts10-27-2020 12:12amSo uh there’s a set of 3.6 for sale next state over. They’re asking 1500. It’s itchy.."


I've owned my 3.6's since shortly after they were released in late 1993. I still find their sound very very satisfying.  I sure would recommend them to anyone.  I did have issues with the tweeter and a midrange driver on one of the speakers...about 6 years apart. I spoke with Rob on those issues when he was still at the original Thiel, and had the drivers rebuilt and returned. They have worked just fine ever since. I've tried lots of power amps with them over the years and found that I've been most happy using a Threshold SA/4e pure class A, Nelson Pass designed amp. That combination just works really nicely. I've tried others, including an Adcom Gfa 555 Mk II, plus a pair of Emotiva XPA 1 moniblocks.  They all sound good through the Thiels, but I keep coming back to the Threshold.