Theta v.s. Sim Audio

Hello...First, I am a dealer for Simaudio.

These are both excellent choices and you really can't go wrong with either one for THEATER applications.

However, if your system will be used for HT AND 2-chan listening, my choice would ABSOLUTELY be Simaudio. Simaudio has essentially taken all of their 2-chan products and used them as a base design for their theater products.

For example, the Titan is basically a multi-channel W5 (because of the larger power supply, the Titan actually sounds better to my ears than the W5). The Attraction is a theater processor with P5 analog stages.

Regards...Mike - Father & Son Audio

I had the 3.6's for a long time.
they are great speakers... HOWEVER, you need to feed them lots and lots of power to get them to sound good. Or should I say, the more power you feed them, the better they will sound.

I have used/heard the 3.6's with many amplifiers. Including the W-5 and Theta amps. For HT either would be OK. HOWEVER, if you into 2 channel, there are MUCH better amps for driving the maggies than the W-5 and Theta amps.

Amplifiers that can make the Maggies sing:

2 Plinius SA-100 mk3 amps in MONO
1 Plinius SA-250 mk4 amp
2 Plinius SA-250 mk4 amps in MONO
PASS 350X amp or higher in the PASS series
LAMM monoblock amps (solid state)

Do you see a trend?

Basically you need amplification that has amazing current and power to get the most out of the maggies. Most 100-200wpc amps just do not drive the maggies nearly as well as a more powerful 500+ wpc hi current amp.

I once compared the W-5 to 2 Plinius SA100 mk3's in MONO driving the Maggies. There was no comparison. The W-5 just could not get the kinds of dynamics out of the Maggies that the Plinius amps could.

My suggestion would be to get an amp/amps to drive the maggies, and get other amps to drive the other channel. Frankly the rear and side channel amplification are not that important as HT goes. I have experiemented with using high quality amps for rears, and it made LITTLE difference if any at all. The cinter is a different story. The center is a channel that a lot of sound comes out of in HT.

Frankly, I sold my maggies in an effort to get a more dynamic speaker. I have the Vienna Acoustic Mahlers which I use for my 2 channel and L/R in my HT setup. The Mahlers are a much better HT speaker than the Maggies. I think the Mahlers do everything as well or better than the Maggies in two channel except the midrange (and they are just a hair behind the maggies in the midrange.

My 2c.

Keith

I own the Sim trio, never heard the Theta gear. The Theta gear has way more futures, bells and whistles. I don't know what the feature/performance trade off is. Sim is so balls to the wall, they are too cheap to make a different chassis for the pre/dvd player. I guess a buck saved their goes inside, or so the theory would have it.

The Sim gear is quirky at times. I don't know if this is a trait of other high end gear. The amp is a sheer monster, I have the 7ch one. I am nuts for buying this thing, but the guy that created it is really sick. Runs very cool if this really matters, longer life ect. in theory. I can't clip the thing, not sure if I really want to. When the speakers start to give, game over.

I know DVD is a big waste of money, with the newer chip out next week deal, but man... This thing has a very, very good picture. Really close to HDTV feeds.

I think the Sim stuff is for the really sick hardcore freaks out there.... Myself included

Marty

Thanks for the informative posts. I totally agree with Keith that the Maggies need LOTS of power. I guess that I would not do myself justice in the long run if I take the cheap way out with one 5 channel amp. Maybe I will look to the used market as well.

Never heard the Theta. I have the Sim Titan and it replaced
a Bryston 9b. As good as the Bryston was, the Sim is better across the board. Gobs of power and very smooth! I will be keeping this amp for a long, long time.

Jose.