NATURAL CHERRY VENEER

When I add a center channel speaker in a month or two, I assume it will be a few months lighter than my mains. Will they eventually reach a final shade and stay that way, or is the center channel doomed to always be a little lighter than the shade of the mains?

Bmpnyc, since the darkening process slows down over time, your new center channel speaker should catch up. No guarantee on the final match, however, since we're dealing with a natural material. Different trees, different varieties from different regions, different species -- all can produce differences in grain and color. Chances are the match will be very close. If not, you just enjoy it with pride as a "feature", not a flaw! It's an interesting contrast to the precision and consistency we want from our sound systems.

Thanks chungjc, Intersting observation, it took me a couple of days to accept that the particular grain pattern of my speakers was "mine" and not defective because of its'"imperfections". I sure get picky these days, but I guess that is OK when spending 2-3k.

Yeh, bmp, imperfections -- quirks -- give the wood character. Just like quirks can give character to music-- but not music reproduction systems. -------- Mezmo, for a light scratch, the crayon thing should hide it well. Or rub in some oil-based pigment, like what comes in tubes for oil painting, or is lying at the bottom of a can of oil-based wood finish before you stir it up. You could rub in some matching penetrating oil-based finish with fine steel wool to smooth out the scratch a little, but if you're new at this test your technique and aptitude on a non-critical area first. If your ding is a dent, you can raise the surface of the dent by laying a damp facecloth over it and applying heat with an iron -- IF it's SOLID wood. If it's veneer, I'd be afraid of loosening the glue. Try on a dented scrap of wood first to decide if you want to proceed with the real goods.

Thanks for the scratch and dent fixit tips, all. Very helpful. I'm talking the veneer on some Thiels. I asked the folks down at Thiel what they thought, and figured to add their reply to the discussion as well, so here's the official line: "Natural cherry is tough to touch up. Depending upon the severity of the damage, you may be able to cover it up with a little lacquer. I can have some sent to you if you want to try. We recommend using Endust to care for the finish of the speakers. It is a cleaner that does not contain any silicones or waxes. We do not recommend polishes that contain silicones or wax as they will eventually dull the top coat." Thanks again.