2. amps-preamps
  3. 1333909767

Need info on amp rec. for these Thiel cs2.4's

Ok, this is my last attempt before I have Crutchfield take the speakers back.

let me say that when things on these speakers sound right it trully is amazing. On most other average CD recordings though the speakers sound tends towards the brighter side. I just recently purchased a NAD M51 DAC and it helped and is a first rate piece of equipent - I have a review on Audiogon if your interested. However, while Im generally happy with the speakers I think either I need to change the amp or get a CJ preamp - ET2 (or similar). Im using the NAD to drive the Amp (a Vincent sp331 - 150 @ 8 ohms and 300 at 4 ohms) directly so no preamp at this time. I hooked up my friends 5082 Adcom for kicks and the treble is good there, but there is no space or dimension to the music. Thus my thoughts on changing the amp. Its flat. He also has a VTL 2.5 preamp that helps by the virtue that it is a tube piece and helps plump up the mids while softening the highs (thus my thoughts of CJ preamp). However sticking a piece of equipment in between the source and amp seems like a backwards step.

Im dedicated to at most $3500 dollars to bring the system in line for the hights. Problem is I have nowhere near me that I can go to listen to the equipment before purchase so its all online for me, so I'd need to be able to puchase it that way. Im not a big fan of used but I could go there if necessary.

Some thoughts on amps:

Channel Islands d200 MKII
Parasound Halo 21

Preamp thoughts:

CJ ET-2
Rogue 99

What my thoughts on what the amp should do is be warm, solid state, not emphsize the highs obviously, balanced or unbalanced, and have at leat near if not more that 300w into 4 ohms. I've heard dampening is important with Thiels but not sure what the numbers mean.

Please any thoughts would be appreciated on my situation here.

My urgency in this is I have till May 17th before I need to tell Crutchfield to take them back.

Now I do really like the speakers and I know many people will tell me to do just that - they are so close to being "there"! But let's use that as a last resort on info here b/c I know I have that option.
last_lemming
czbbcl's avatar
czbbcl
1,752 posts
 
I ran a pair of Thiel 3.6's with first a cj MF2500A and then a cj premier 350 both worked great and were ss offerings from cj. I used a cj premier 16II tubed preamp in combination with the ss cj amp and the presentation of was very smooth and detailed. I would recommend that route with the 2.4's.

Chuck
last_lemming OP
638 posts
 
I actually own an old MF2100, but its not powerful enough for the Thiels. However if I remember the MF series is a MOSFET powered amp, thus a D class amp. Someone correct me if I am wrong on that. A lot of people snub their noses at D class, but when I used my CJ on my old Vandersteen 2CE's they sounded good to me. And now im going to try these Channel Island d200 MKii Monoblocks, they are D class too. Let's hope they are suppose to have a warmer sound, which I hope will mate well to the Thiels. They also have a >1000 dampening factory that should be good for the hard to drive bass.
unsound
7,329 posts
 
Your cj MF 2100 is not a Class D amp, it's a class AB amp.
last_lemming OP
638 posts
 
Ok, I remember seeing this:

http://www.conradjohnson.com/It_just_sounds_right/a-mf2100.html

that is why I thought it was class D, I thought all MOSFET was class d. My mistake.
mezmo
516 posts
 
Curious to hear how the Channel Island monoblocks treat you. Had some Rowland 201s (class D monoblocks) on my 2.3s for a spell, and liked it just fine. Class D definitely elicits some strong reactions. As it's a relatively new way of going about high-end amplification, I suspect that there were some early efforts that weren't that swell and turned a lot of folks off of the idea. By all accounts, however, the technology has continued to improve. The Rowlands I have were relatively early, and I understand that things have only gotten better. Hopefully the Channel Island kit will be just what the doctor ordered. Certainly look promising to me (which is worth exactly nada, but anyway). Enjoy.
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