Thiel Owners

Thanks jafant for finding and posting contact information for Rob Gillum's
Thiel speaker service company. My mint condition 1986 Thiel CS2's  continue to please to no end. Come the day they need attention I know who to call...:) 

38" ear height is design target.

I imagine there must also be a target distance to the listener, as well, that corresponds to the 38". In Soundstage’s measurements of the CS2.4, they measured at 2 m which is their standard. But the height was a manufacturer-specified 30" from the bottom of the speaker (presumably w/o spikes).

Thiel recommended a minimum of 8’, preferred 10’, extended to 12’. Measured at 3 meters.

The spikes add minimal consequence at the recommended seating distances. Much of the spike length was intended for carpet height piercing. 
For some the energy drain into more vibrant floor boards will negate the spikes advantages.

From the manual for the CS2.4:

Optimum phase and time alignment is provided only for a seated listener who is eight or more feet away from the speakers.

There is no mention of ear height, which is very important for the first order filters (ie, vertical dispersion).

Measured at 3 meters.

That's >twice as far as Stereophile in JA's open air arrangement and 1 m more than Soundstage in their anechoic chamber. Do you know if Thiel had an anechoic chamber? Or did they measure outside? Must have elevated the speaker well off the ground if the latter.

Comparing Stereophile and Thiel measurements (published in Audiophile Journal archived on the Vandersteen website) it's quite clear that Thiel measured from farther away. Not only do the Thiel measurements indicate much flatter frequency response, the waterfall plot is much cleaner than suggested by Stereophile, with a clean initial decay even in the upper midrange.