tomthiel
Never a skipping record. Thank You for the update. A (big) corner has been turned indeed. I am looking forward in reading/seeing your Collaborator's listening room.
Fascinating progress.
Happy Listening!
JA - my news may sound like a skipping record, but from here it sounds good. The lab has only the SCS4s as the test mule due to tight space. Other models are in storage. I'm picking up a CS5i pair this month. The SCS4s have focused my efforts and increased productivity. The big, general lesson has been Jim's brilliance as a value engineer (in addition to his inventiveness.) A lot of funds can be spent on Thiel speaker upgrades to get very little musical upgrade and/or even sonic downgrade in some aspects. My task is to keep every ounce of Jim's solutions while adding qualitative upgrades at defensible cost. Real progress is being made. In particular, I have developed a hookup wire solution that keeps the solid simplicity of Thiel's traditional solid 18-2 in Teflon while further augmenting performance. This wire gig has been a very deep dive and the result adds high end air and ease as well as full range increase in clarity and dimensionality. Presently looking for a manufacturer willing to cope with its particulars. I'm filling my prototype iteration needs via hand-spinning with a shop-built contraption. Starting to hot-rod / repurpose an old-school spinning wheel to make first generation samples. This wire is also being tested in inductors, which may add value without the down-sides of foil coils. Stay tuned. Lots of capacitor round-robin has led to our own custom caps by Reliable. Trials have been definitive in favor of their 'segmented' (Multi-Cap) technology. The segment ratios represent new work. First small run for 4 pairs of SCS4s is expected next week for beta review by collaborators. The surface wavelaunch and port airflow technology keeps getting better. I'll get next generation samples this coming week for trials. Some cabinet stiffening schemes are getting mature. Both internal and external treatments will diminish chatter and raise vibrational frequencies to substantially reduce their impact. Later this month I'm looking forward to visiting a collaborator who has built a purpose-built listening room with my design input. We'll be tuning it and making future plans before the end of the year. It's been very slow going, but a corner has been turned and real goods and products are taking form. |
@jafant you got it! And happy Friday to everyone :) |
@jafant thank you and it's great to be back :) I'm running a Modwright preamp with upgraded Nuforce class D monoblocks with the Thiel PCSs. Great combo with them and it's a very natural sound. I pieced this system together a while ago and it's served me well. Now that I'm working from home I get to enjoy it much more as it's located in my home office. |
thoft - about drivers. I'll prepare a more detailed list but here's a general arc. Early (0 series) were all essentially stock drivers with small choices such as dust cap, surround type, etc. The 1983 CS3 had a customized Vifa woofer. Very interactive development, but stock parts. Through the 80s that process became more and more custom. The 1990 CS2.2 had all custom drivers, co-developed with and made by Vifa. Early 90s we developed our own capability which was used for rapid prototyping. Vifa made them from parts and technologies we developed. Those Vifa catalog numbers can be bought and/or easily cross-referenced. Our needs outgrew Vifa's (and anybody else's) willingness to produce our eccentric designs. 1995 onward we began making our own drivers in-house. CS6 woofer was (I think) the first all-thiel designed and manufactured driver. All the coaxes (after the 1990 SCS) were in-house Thiel design and manufacturing. In the 2000s, some of those in-house coaxes were made by FST / China. Same Thiel design, off-shore source. (SCS, MCS and PowerPoint coaxes). The '.7' star plane and radial wave drivers were designed and prototyped in Lexington, but (as far as I know) all made by FST. That's the broad-brush overview. I'll compile and follow up with a list if you wish. |
Nice pair of Walnut CS 3.7s, they have the lastest COAXES like the ones i have : https://www.audiogon.com/listings/lisb6j32-thiel-cs3-7-full-range |
The 7.2’s have finally arrived at home! Really impressive great looking, Morado finish, perfectly maintained, no a single dent or scratch, beautiful! The sound is beyond my expectations given my current listening room. I have tried some amplifiers to drive them, my loved McCormack DNA-2, wich is my long time reference, very good result , no dubt, and my recent discover, a real pro amplifier, the Crown I-Tech 9000HD, (1500Wrms/ch at 8 ohm, 3000Wrms/ch at 4 ohm and 2500Wrms/ch at 2 ohm)....do not laugh about this before you listen to it, it’s a I class amplifier (similar to D but with improved efficiency, patented by Crown) that push the bass depth, speed and dynamic beyond your imagination but without harshness or lack of refinement in mid high region. After a big delay for many reasons, finally I started since few days to realize a dedicated large room wich will be ready hopefully within the end of year to let my systems to sound at their best, a relaxing and comfortable room separated from my house in Tuscany countryside. It’s a pity that I could spent only two days with them, due to my job I had to leave to Indonesia for two weeks, anyway my short so far listening session has been enough to state that these artwork are definitely a decent step up above my 3,6’s. Can’t wait to get home back to enjoy again such fantastic sound experience! |
@rc1985 to follow up on what @duramax747 has posted; Jim Thiel sometimes ordered customized variations for his specific applications of what appeared to be off the shelf drivers. Using a stock replacement driver could be different from the originals used and might also create a mismatch. You might want to reach out to Coherent Source for more information, rebuild or replacement. |
The bass was deep in my room idk what to say to ya bud. @unsound |
I'm the original owner of a pair of CS 1.2's I'm putting back into service after years in storage. One speaker seems fine. but the other has the rubber surround separated from the cone. The rubber is in great shape, no deterioration like often found with foam, so is the fix as simple as glueing the two together again? If so any specific glue that should be used? I've also read Madisound has the original woofer available for $86, is this the smarter way to go? Thanks! |
Hello All! A long time lurker chiming in for the first time. In any case, this forum has been a real treasure for me, and I’d like to personally thank you all for your shared enthusiasm and research. I hope it goes on forever! |
Good morning! So I’ve decided to sell my CS3.7s because I don’t have the capital to spend on a more powerful amp, new preamp, or integrated amp. And I’m happy enough right now with my recently recapped ‘78 Sansui G7500 system. The oak cabinets are in great shape and speakers are as well. How much could I expect to get for my set? Thanks! |
tomthielactually can't wait to fire up these new babies, big expectations, I'll report here my impression compared to my 3.6's.....until my wife will fire me😅 At the end I consider music as huge part of my life and she knows, to be honest she respect my hobby and never complain me😁 |
jafant Yes, I know, this place is a gold mine for every serious Thiel's lover. I'm proud to enlarge my Thiel collection, even because my dedicate listening room is now finally under construction. It is a stand alone construction in my house area but enough far from it to let me to crank up the volume anytime if I wish. Living in countryside has pros and cons..... |