Thiels or Von Schweikerts

Cause if we tell you the name of the game boy, we call it ridin' the gravy train.

Never heard the VS. I am a happy CS 2.2 Thiel owner. Most places I have heard them they always seem to do everything right. To my ears they just have the sound i'm looking for. Happy Hunting.

I know the CS3.5, CS3.6, and VR4-JR speakers intimatly from listening in many systems, including my own. Thiels can sound harsh, aggressive, and over analytical with the wrong equipment. I hate them with Audio Research electronics. But with the right equipment they have incredible detail, dynamics and imaging. VSs can sound boomy, rolled off, and boring with the wrong equipment. They NEED the High Definition of Audio Research to come alive. Only then can they provide their musical warmth with the detail that audiophiles seek. Thiels require careful equipment matching to present some warmth; VSs require the same effort to avoid sounding boomy and rolled-off. But they bouth can sound absolutly fantastic with the right equipment. Of course, this is my opinion from my listening experiences.

Did I read in one of the responses that Adcom electronics will be used with one of these speakers? Well, this would change my whole approach to answering the question. With an Adcom amplifier any Thiel or any VS will vividly show its weaknesses and hide its strengths. In other words, either choice will sound bad with this amp. The Thiels will be thin and aggressive, with very little hint of their capabilities in the areas of dynamics and imaging. The VSs will be dull and boomy with no sign of their ability to sound like real instruments. For ANY speaker, the right amplifier is paramount in importance. I would say that any good speaker can sound bad with the wrong amp and any good speaker can sound great with a well chosen amplifier. Don't bother auditioning these speakers with Adcom. You will not get a sense of what they do well with this amp. It will only become a choice of which sounds less bad. There probably are some speakers that would be well served by an Adcom, but not the two brands mentioned in this thread.

Warjarrett,
I could not agree with you more. You pretty much nailed it. Adcom amplifers, though decent quality mid-fi amps, will not do it when driving Thiels. This has been my experience. In fact I have never really heard any system with adcom power amps truly sing. It's just not in their designed nature.
I have had very good results driving the 2.2s with McCormack amps and Aragon 8002.
I do not agree with you on the ARC / Thiel match, as I have the ARC LS 15 tube preamp and I have never heard such beautiful results in my room. The gentleman I bought my 2.2s from drove them with ARC VT 100MK III's and has reported spectacular results.
There are several folks with ARC solid state (100.2 in particular) that have reported similiar stories with the mid-sized THiels. Some ARC solid state models, perhaps are not a good match with Thiels. It is unfortunate that you have had this negative experience with ARC and Thiels.