Int Amp for Thiel CS 3.7


I need some advice on choosing the right Int amp to drive a pair of Thiel CS 3.7
Here are some that i can think of : Hegel H360, Modwright KWI 200 SE, Karan KA-I 180 MK2 and others.

Thieliste
128x128thieliste
Theiliste,  this is a hard question, these are all fantastic pieces amoung the best in the world.

T+A has a number of advantages over the other pieces if you are talking the PA 3100 aside from just the sound.

1: The T+A PA 3100 can come with a fantatic phono card which is a world class phono stage for $1,800.00

2: The T+A PA 3100 can also come with a unique room correction/eq card to tailor the sound to your room.

3: The T+A PA 3100 can be upgraded by adding an outboard power supply for even better performance.

4: IT HAS METERS!  Who doesn't like a nice set of meters?

Sonically the T+A is a bit on the warm side, the Gryphon gear tends to be a bit darker sounding.

The Vitus gear to our ears also tends to be a bit on the darker side of neutral haven't heard the latest version. 

The Gryphon and Vitus can have built in digital which is a big cost saving. 

These are all exceptional products for the money that can challenge many of the best separate amp/preamp combos, the T+A PA 3100 is really the company's separate PA 3000 amp and Preamp in one chassis. The performance is very close. 

Next step would be to audition in your home these pieces.

Dave and Troy
Audio Doctor NJ 


@thieliste   I agree with @audiotroy in his post above. The only way to truly determine what will work best for you, is to try the amps you are interested in, in your own system.

Early in this thread, I made the recommendation to consider T+A and specifically the PA 3000 HV, because used or demo units can be had for less than your budget and I believe they will deliver what you are looking for. Used or demo may be more difficult with the PA 3100 HV since it is a newly released component, and is likely to come in above your budget, even in used condition.

I recently went through a lengthy and thorough evaluation of a number of amps in my own system and the T+A PA 3100 HV was my clearly preferred choice over my Pass (separates), Lyric Audio, Mastersound, and Ypsilon integrated amps. A trip to NYC/NJ fell through which unfortunately meant I was unable to audition the Gryphon 300, Vitus SIA-025, and Grandinote Essenza integrated amps in dealer setups.

I also had the opportunity to listen to the Thiel CS 5i speakers driven by a mix of Ayre and Krell amplification in @dlcockrum 's system. Having heard these speakers in person makes me comfortable recommending the T+A amplification components for your CS 3.7s.

I also second @audiotroy 's description of the T+A components.

If you have specific questions, feel free to ask here or PM me.

All the best with your search.
I finally have a T+A distributor in my country since april 2018 so i will try to get in touch with him and see if it is possible to demo this gear.
The Luxman L-509X looks beautiful but i'm not sure it has the juice to drive properly Thiel 3.7s.
Thanks Dave for the information, your making me curious about this T+A brand lol