Thiel and tubes

Thiel's impedance falls very low. Therefore with tubes you won't have bass no matter how powerfull tube amps you will have.

Marakanetz: Your generalization about difficult impedance doesn't apply equally to all Thiel models. My own 2.2's, for example, have a quite flat curve centered around 4 ohms and little problematic reactance, so appropriate tube amps have worked very well. And the 1.6 is not a difficult load either. (John Atkinson's Stereophile test measurements show the impedance stays above 5 ohms throughout the bass, while above the bass it looks to average between 3.5 - 4 ohms with a mild phase angle and a flat curve shape, with a higher-than-spec estimated sensitivity of 94dB. The 6.5" lightweight aluminum woofer should also not be hard to control.)

Having said that, 10 watts is very low-powered for most speakers in most rooms, and although I don't know anything about the specific amps mentioned, I think that even in a moderately sized room at least 40 watts would be better to have, and would recommend double that if possible (or as a minimum for a larger room). But tubes as a catagory are not at all out of the question with these speakers, and I know that from having listened to the combination at nominal output powers of 45 and 80 tube watts in what was really a too-large-for-the-speakers room.

One of the most involving systems I heard in the past year was a pair of Thiel 3.6 (I think) driven by a Rogue Zeus power amp/Rogue Magnum 99 preamp. Front end was an Electrocompaniet CD player.

Over the past few years, I have kind of walked away from both brands, but the synergy was most surprisingly spectacular. I didn't think it could work either...

Trelja

The Zeuss I believe is 200wpc at that power rating tubes work great with Thiels. Very involving with lots of detail and a deep wide soundstage. It is not that Thiels do not work well with tubes; they do. Thiels just need large amounts of quality power from either tubes or solid state to perform their best. Tigerpooh was asking about 10wpc and my thoughts are that simply is not enough tube or solid state for Thiels.

Chuck

Trelja: That impresses me, because I know you're a hawk about loose or one-note reflex bass, and the 3.6 *is* kind of difficult in the bass, and not known as much for successful pairings with tubes. Equal credit must go to the Rogue I'm sure...