What CD player will warm my Thiel/Classe systm?

Just an update. I did buy a sub, the REL B-3. It is remarkable. The sound stage is much deeper and articulated. The bass is wonderful. I had little problem integrating, setting the cross over at about 50. For some CDs the sub volume needs to be turned up a bit, but it has made the 1.6s perfect for my room and my system. I would highly recommend this combination. Down the road I will add a better CDP, but right now I am a happy camper. Thanks for all the input.

Thankyou, Zaikesman, for such a thoughtful response. With 20/20 hindsight I might have chosen different speakers (an audio retail shop led me down this particular path, but that's a different story). My challenge now is upgrading around what I have, on a limited budget, but in such a way that the end result produces synergy.

My problem is probably best addressed by others who have the Thiel 1.6s and have a sense for balancing their strengths and limitations. (By the way, the Sony discman is not my reference for sound quality, just an analogy to commuinicate what I was trying to accomplish -- more bottom end on about half of my 500 or so CD recordings of jazz, many on small labels with less than pristine recording quality.)

After weighing all the earlier comments, I drove for an hour today to the nearest audio showroom. Unfortuantely, they did not have a Jolida CDP or other tube players to audition, but they did let me listen to a Velodyne subwoofer with some B&W 704s. I think the sub is what I really want next, as I can turn it on or up depending upon the nature of the recordings to add more low frequency response. Now my question is: which sub would be best with my system? The Classe that drives it is rated 150 watts/channel. My room is about 20 x 30 with a high ceiling. I have the Thiels about 12 feet apart and sit in an equilateral triangle to them. Even the salesman today agreed that my budget and needs probably don't justify $3000 for the Thiel SS1.

I'm thinking I will upgrade the CDP down the line (when the tooth fairy brings me more funds), but finding a sub that will work well with my existing system may get me back to the immediate goal of enjoying music instead of worrying about equipment. Any experience of adding a sub with these speakers? Need I be wary of crossover problems or boominess with less expensive subs?

So, thanks again. I'm learning.

Wow, if only I had you guys for advice in December! Unfortunately, I didn't know about Audiogon then. To sum up, I talked to four different sales reps at three high-end audioshops and remarkably none asked about the size of the room -- they asked what my budget was and then showed me what they sold: B&W, Thiel, Martin Logans and one other type I've forgotten. I chose the Thiels because in the showroom with some of my favorite CDs, they sounded the best. I bought the Onkyo at a high-end audio shop 10 years ago, so it is not quite Circuit City breeding.

To my wife's consternation, I immediately upgraded from a smallish NAD receiver and bought the Classe (enter Audiogon) to get more power and current to drive the 1.6s. Actually the speakers are positioned on each side of a brick fireplace, three feet out from back wall and toed in a bit. So they fire across a 20 foot distance at one end of the room. As Zaikesman surmised, it is a "greatroom," and the long side actually opens to a dining room/kitchen. The ceiling is about 12 feet high with beams and exposed wood, plus a hardwood floow with an area rug. There are large windows on two sides of the listening area. I just bought floor length cellular blinds for the glass doors on one side to soften the sound reflections. Furniture rings the walls, with no obstructions between me and the speakers. I have played a lot with speaker positioning, starting with eight feet apart and gradually moving them out. The room is so large that they sound best at 12 feet to my ears.

In reviewing past subwoofer threads last night it looked like a REL Strata-3 would be a good option, but I couldn't find one for sale on Audiogon or anywhere else in the US. I should probably begin a new thread in the speakers forum to ask for experience of the Thiel 1.6 with the REL, Velodyne, and any other subs that cost less than the Thiel SS1. If money were no object (I wish), the SS1 would be at the top of my list. I really can't afford to sell what I have at a loss and start all over, particularly if the addition of a sub will solve my problem. Thanks again to all.

Audphile1, what disc would you suggest. that sounds like a good idea concerning a test CD. Where can I order such a thing?

As regards inputs, I am only using CDs. I am still tweaking the sub, best results vary a bit by CD. I must say, however, to any and all owners of 1.6s, this sub is the missing piece. I considered Velodyne, Rel R-305 and R505. To my ears, the Britania series is more nimble and responsive for music, while I played a Harry Potter DVD last night and the effects were also pretty amazing.

What it adds to the entire range in terrms of depth and warmth has been surprising. The highs have become liquid on many recordings, taking the edge off the detail. the soundstage is more pronounced. I inititally set the crossover on the low side for fear of muddying up the Thiels, but no such effect so I have been nudging it up to about 60. I have the sub volume set in the twelve o'clock position much of the time, unless the bass is really shy on the recording, as in the above-mentioned Blue Note reissues from the 1960s, then I bump it up a bit.

I put Steely Dan's Gaucho on and the bottom end just pops -- no fatigue after listening for long periods.

The August issue of Absolute Sound has a nice review of the Rel Britannia series. I am surprised there has not been more discussion of it.

Interesting difference of opinion concerning the Jolida. What about the Rega Planet? It seems to be one of the higher rated players?

The term "warmth" may be as subjective as "bright." What I find is that my system as currently configured is pretty unforgiving of many recordings. When they are well recorded, they sound great. Others sound downright harsh at times. I know the Thiel 1.6s must be matched carefully, and the Classe has really helped. Maybe a new CDP won't be the missing piece? Thanks for all your input.

Forgive me for being a novice audiophile, but what is minimax?
I don't have an equipment rack. My components sit side-by side atop a TV cabinet that weighs about 200 lbs and is quite stable.
Perhaps an analogy will help: This morning I put a Blue Note Cd (Herbie Hancock) into my little Sony discman with Grado headphones. To hear Ron Carter's bass I turned on the "mega-bass" feature, and voila, it sounded great. Then I played the same music in my audio system; of course it has better sound stage and clarity of detail but it was lacking the presence and "oomph" in the bottom end. Unfornately, there is no "megabass" to switch on. Maybe this is what wlutke suggested above, and this is the nature of the CS 1.6 speakers. Would a subwoofer be the missing ingredient, rather than changing out my CD player? The Thiel SS1 costs more than my speakers, so that is a bit daunting. This may be a question for the speaker forum, but integrating all the pieces is certainly a challenge. Thanks again.