Upgrade Thiel CS3.6 to CS6??


I am thinking about bidding on a pair of Thiel CS6 speakers in bird's-eye maple, and would like some input from those of you familiar with these speakers. I have owned a pair of CS3.6's for seven and a-half years and I've been generally very pleased with their sound. Can anyone out there tell me what I can expect to gain in terms of sound and performance by upgrading? Do the CS6's have bi-amping/wiring capabilities? My current amp is a Mark Levinson No. 23.5 which is what I plan on using should I get the CS6. I'd imagine that should be adequate as it is capable of delivering 400 WPC continuous into a 4 ohm load. I also have a Mark Levinson No. 27.5 that could be used in a bi-amp setup if the speaker is capable. My listening preferences are extremely diverse and include rock, folk, classical, jazz, "adult alternative".

My other concern would be room size and the restriction to a fairly near-field listening position. My room is somewhat odd in its layout. The dimensions are: 13 feet wide and 22 feet long. The caveat is that the room opens into a foyer and is interrupted by a staircase that cuts off about half of the back wall. In other words, half of the back wall is 14 feet from the front wall and ends at the stairs, while the other half of the back wall is 22 feet from the front wall and extends into the foyer. I hope that made sense. Because of the staircase and foyer, I must sit about 8 feet from the front plane of the speakers. I keep the back edge of my CS3.6's about 30 inches away from the front wall and the center axis of each speaker lies 40 inches from each side wall. The speakers are 75 inches apart when measeured from the center axis of each. Is my room too small to accomodate the CS6's? Please keep in mind that I will likely be moving into a different home in the next 1-2 years (with definite plans for a dedicated larger listening room), so I could live with the current suboptimally sized room temporarily.

Thanks to all and happy listening!!

Mark
mstram
I have actually owned the CS6, also the 2.2, 2.3.2.4 , 5.0 and MCS 1. The CS6 is a great speaker, requiring less amplification than the 7 or 5 series. The 6's have better bass than any of the 2 series, and aren't as difficult to set up as the 5's. The 6's were my favorite Thiel. I found them to image well and offer the most satisfying experience with just a pair of Krell 250 monos as amplification.  My room was 22" by 26", but I had the speakers about 9' apart and sat about 13 feet away. I don't think your room would cause a problem at all. Good luck!
I agree with Prof and michaelbrown regarding the CS6.  That has been my speaker for a while and I also kept my 3.6 because I believe it is one of the most exceptional speakers I have heard.

The 6 is an easier load than the 3.6 and I have found speaker placement with the 6 requires more detail and effort than the 3.6.  Perhaps one of the reasons some have not found the same success with the CS6 is the acoustics of the room and speaker placement.


I agree with Micheal.  I have CS6's and they performed best for me with Krell or like amps. 
All Thiels are ultra-sensitive to room, setup, and accompanying upstream gear. My bet is that almost any of the floorstanding Thiel models all the way back to the 3.5 can be made to sound better overall than another based on how well one has been "accommodated" vs the other.

Dave