Thiel Owners

Hi Guys - I’m excited to report that I’ve become a card-carrying member of the CS2.4-owners’ club. Picked up a nice pair a few weeks ago (2006 production in Cherry finish) and have been doing some serious listening and comparing them to my 21-year-old CS3.6s.
I’d previously reported that my 3.6s need work, but they’re still listenable and I think I’m able to "listen-through" the problems since I’m so familiar with them.
This is the first time I’ve had two sets of speakers at the same time and I’m liking it. After listening to both models, I’ve come to some conclusions. I know this isn’t news to those who’ve owned and already compared both models, and I know a lot has already been said in this forum about these comparisons, but I’ thought I’d add a little of my own perspective after my admittedly short time spent comparing both models.
Bottom line for me: Both models share obvious Thiel strengths but each excels in a different way, so deciding on which to keep will be tough. To my ears, the 2.4s provide better definition and superior imaging. They’re tighter in the bottom end and I hear small details with the 2.4s that are difficult to hear on the 3.6s. If I switch to the 3.6s after listening to the same song on the 2.4s, I can then hear the details that the 2.4s more easily reveal, but those details pop out on the newer model and the placement of individual instruments and voices is more pinpoint on the 2.4s.
On probably 90 percent of music, the 2.4s are satisfying and a real pleasure listening to. But there’s a big caveat: the lack of that bottom 1/2 octave on the 2.4s may be a deal breaker for me. Listening to vocals, jazz, Blues on the 2.4s is just sooo good, but...listening to John Rutter’s Requiem (Reference Recordings) on the 2.4s is just disappointing. Switching back to the 3.6s, and getting that last 1/2 octave of bass, the feeling of those low organ pipes and sense of space that the lower half-octave brings is just so superior on the 3.6s. The larger speakers have a sense of ease that the 2.4s just do not provide on that type of music.
So - since I don’t want to do subs, I’m torn between two speakers.
I was somewhat disappointed to learn that Tom T. is working on crossover updates on other models prior to starting work on the 3.6s; I think crossover updates on the 3.6s have the potential to increase the resolution and be really significant on this older model, but it seems like it will be quite some time before the updated crossovers are available.
I’m thinking of updating the caps on my 2.4s (per Rob G.) to get them sounding their best (short of rebuilding the whole crossovers) --and then enjoy those until the update for the 3.6s is available.
So I think I have a plan to go forward - but am still anxiously awaiting that 3.6 crossover update!
Best ...

Rosami - thank you for your cogent synopsis.
On the bright side, I do have a pair of 3.6s in the HotRod Garage. So that model is more real than hypothetical. Also, the subtle knowledge I am garnering from my experiments applies to all models. It is incumbent on me to ascertain that my upgrades and recommendations are optimized in all ways, including cost efficacy. It is all too easy to pour lots of money into the works to get less than optimum price-performance.

This project has many aspects and elements. I am making headway, but nowhere near wake speed.

rosami

You speak as if you are helping resolve uncertainty with my dilemma.  For the past couple of years, I have been considering purchasing 2.4s to compare to my 3.6s, and my concerns are the same as yours. I am totally seduced by the low end of my 3.6s and I do not want to face the challenge of purchasing and properly integrating 2 subwoofers. I’ll patiently wait for future upgrades for the 3.6s. 

Jon

Jon - you guys are expressing the fundamental quandary, sometimes stated as ’Mother Nature is a -----’. The laws of physics can only be bent so far before they dig in their heels. The model 3 (as in 03) was developed with very good bass as a principal design goal. Serious engineering gives that 10" driver quite a bit of oomph and, coupled with a well-tuned passive radiator, it produces pretty satisfying bass response in normal rooms at normal levels. Although Thiel is not associated with Great Bass, in fact Jim valued it highly. The Subwoofer Project grew out of how to produce Great Bass properly integrated with Thiel speakers and the room.

The CS2 came more than 8 years later, at the request of dealers and audiophiles who wanted more nimble delicacy, and were willing to give up some bass to get it. An 8" woofer and smaller midrange have advantages in lower mass and break-up and pushing less air. Purity is considerably easier for the 2.
The 3.6 Renaissance can’t change that, but we can address and improve some deficiencies. We can stiffen the few cabinet vibrations; and we can provide cleaner signal paths via higher quality passive components. They will be cleaner and more transparent.

But when the dust settles and the same level of upgrade has been applied to both the 2 and the 3 series, the 2s will still win the purity contest and the 3s will deliver more bass.
The 6s and 7s use more drivers to cover the same audible range, and both deliver better bass than the 3s and potentially better delicacy than the 2s . . . at higher cost.