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Thiel CS2.4 to what?

I'm getting the itch to upgrade my speakers (Thiel CS2.4). Nothing really wrong with them, they image like crazy, is like a clear window into the music, but I sometimes feel they are a bit too "reserved" and missing the joie de vivre. Looking for something that instills more life.

Rest of the system is PS Audio DirectStream Dac driving a pair of Bel Canto Ref500M. Front end includes a PS Audio PerfectStream Transport, a Auralic Aries streamer, Clearaudio turntable with PS Audio NuWave phono. All cables are Cardas.

My room is a semi-dedicated room (sharing it with my office, which is in an alcove off the listening room). I do have a sloped ceiling on the front wall (it's a finished attic), about 16' wide and 14' deep. Some acoustic panels to tame reflections.

Budget would be in the range of $4-6000 above what I can get for the Thiels (thinking about $2k as they are in awesome condition and has the upgraded maple finish). Basically, what would you recommend that is similar to the Thiel, but has more dynamics and a bit less sterile.
128x128audiojan
audiojan's avatar
audiojan OP
406 posts
 
@btg88, it's not absolutely necessary, specially with the 2.7's, 2.4's or the 2.3's, but it sure doesn't hurt. I would first make sure you have an amp that can deliver lots of current and is stable down to 2ohms... the 2.4's dip pretty low and it's not an easy load for an amp.

You can easily spend MUCH more on the front and and the amp then on the speakers and the Thiel's will still not be the limiting factor.
btg88
21 posts
 
audiojan, the amps I am considering are the Bel Canto 600 Ref monos, Parasound JC1 monos, Pass Labs 150 INT, Benchmark AHB2 run in mono. I'm strictly a non-streaming digital guy, so front end will be PS Audio DAC and Transport.
jafant's avatar
jafant
19,814 posts
 
audiojan
Thank You for the update.  Happy Listening!
audiojan's avatar
audiojan OP
406 posts
 
So on a whim I listened to a pair of Audio Physic Avanti 3 (not really a whim as my buddy has a pair of AP Virgo 2's) and the Thiel CS2.4's are now moved into storage. The AP does everything as well as the Thiels, but are smoother (without losing details) and I have never experienced speakers that can simply "disappear" like the AP's can. I'm VERY happy with them.

It's a shame to keep the CS2.4's in storage (although it's in a finished attic, so not much of a storage per se) so I will get them up for sale. The only thing I had to give up with the AP's is that they're in Cherry, not the Maple that makes the 2.4's look so darn awesome!
prof
3,474 posts
 
audiofan,

I’m a long time Audio Physic fan - have had in my room or owned the Virgo 2, Libra and Scorpio models, as well as having heard plenty other audio physic speakers. (I auditioned the latest Avanti as well this year).

I agree, the AP characteristic of disappearing as a sound source is intoxicating. They are very hard to beat. The only speakers I’ve had that do as well (aside from my MBL omnis) were my Thiel 3.7s. The 3.7s disappeared pretty much as fully as any AP speaker I’ve heard, if not more all the way to the bottom.

(But they were visually/ergonomically too big for my room so I sold them and keep my Thiel 2.7s, which soundstage really nicely but don't disappear as fully as the larger 3.7s).

For my money, the Virgo 2s had a magic tone that AP never quite recreated. The problem for me was always their bass - it was a bit coloured and wooly in a certain region that I could never get rid of.

What I love about audio physic speakers - especially in the old days - is that they managed the hard trick of totally disappearing, maintaining incredibly fine detail, yet doing so with a warm tone that really gave a convincing warm sparkle to acoustic guitar, a woodiness to wood instruments, etc.

They are a truly great speaker brand. And frankly the Audio Physic Codex is one I’ve wanted to hear, and I had urges to grab the Audio Physic Avantera speakers advertised on audiogon a while back.



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