Wilson Sophia II vs. Thiel CS3.7

Anybody? Let's get some feedback! What do you think?

Thanks for the responses. I suppose my original post was too long and specific, any general comments are welcomed, especially given the fact that the Thiel CS3.7 is new and not many people may have had a chance to directly compare the two.

Unsound, I like both lines too, hence all the questions!

Tom, thanks! Your comments are spot on and have substenance. The Quatros are also on my mind, but having heard 5As with Antique sound labs, I admit I wasn't impressed.

Stevecham, interesting! However listening to Wilson's, I don't get the impression they're engineered improperly. Admittedly, the Thiels did surprise me more than the Wilsons, here's why:

In my brief auditions of Thiel and the Wilson, I've been struck by two different things from each speaker:

The Thiel was utterly coherent and seamless.

The Wilson sounded to me extremely precise and crisp.

I felt like the Wilson's could be capable bigger, more articulate sound. BUT, the Thiels top to bottom consistency and balance was more compelling and somehow more musical than the mechanical precision of the Wilsons.

To go into further detail, the Wilson's treble had the slightest amount of grain which becomes fatiguing after a few hours, the Thiel's had a less noticable treble (perhaps less pronounced or perhaps less grain or perhaps just better integrated with the midrange woofer). The bass was deep, impactful and envolping on the Wilson's, but the Thiel's had slightly better resolution and articulation. The midrange on the Wilson's was a little more transparent and energetic, while the Thiel's was more rounded and ever so slightly warm.

Given the price, I'd rest easier spending my money on the Thiel, depite the massive price increas from $9,900 to $12,900 within a year of their debut. However, the Sophias IIs, being more transparent, could possible fly to heigher heights than the CS3.7s with top shelf components when closest reproduction of source material is the goal.

Again, these opinions are based on relatively brief auditions, and while I do plan on a more in depth listen sometime, I'd love to hear some additional thoughts...

Thanks for the responses everyone.

Elberoth2, your impressions are very helpful, given you have directly compared the two. Someone asked about imaging capabilities, I'd be interested to hear which one you found to be a better imager, and which one had a wider and deeper soundstage.

Regarding the hot or white treble of the Sophia, the tweeter was modified along with a stronger cabinet and some other features between version one and two, so the brightness may have been mitigated between the two versions somewhat. Do you think your Audio Research components put the Sophia 2's very revealing treble in better light?

Also, any comparisons with the Avalon?

Since I'm off topic, Tom, what specifically did you like about the new midrange in the Quatro Wood over the original? And other differences, bass, treble, timbre, tonality, dynamics, transparency, soundstaging?

Fjn04,

I know what you mean! That's why I was so specific in my first post about asking for opinions only if you feel you really have auditioned each speaker properly and in their best light. I'll definitely have to visit my Vandy dealer again and give the Quatro Wood and 5a a listen again with different electronics.

Patent,

Thanks for the link. Jim Thiel's catch phrase about the 3.7s "Be Amazed" is fairly appropriate. The 3.7 did surprise me, as I mentioned earlier, with a seamless sound that clearly is a result of technical advancements made to driver integration and implementation.

For the best deal, used is a great option for older models, but since the Sophia 2 and Thiel 3.7 are expensive even when used, buying from a dealer makes the most sense, you get a warranty and dealer assistance with set up, synergistic components, etc...

Keep those comments coming!

Anyone else audition these two loudspeakers?

Just to update the thread. I went with Wilson Sophia 2s for many of the reasons listed above, but mainly because I felt the Sophias respond more audibly to equipment changes. This translates for me as a more transparent speaker, one that can be adapted and tailored sonically as I see fit over the years. The Sophias are also easier to drive which opens up more doors as far as amplification goes.

In addition, with the right backup equipment, I felt the Sophias had a more beautiful singing voice, but not in a euphoric sense. The Sophias have a more lifelike "you are there" voice than the Thiels I thought. They are also extremely coherent and well balanced, especially in the important lower midrange/midbass. The speakers had the ability to disappear better than the Thiels and create an amazingly spacial and stable soundstage. Finally, this speaker has all the resolution one could ask for, but also gave weight and body and texture to the music which I found to be a very rare quality in most loudspeakers.

The Thiels are almost as amazing, but I had a chance to pick up the Sophias from an authorized dealer at the same pricepoint as the Thiels, so budget was no longer a factor, only my personal preference between the two...