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Give up on Thiel 3.6 or try another amp again ?

These speakers sound amazing sometimes, especially on small-scale, well recorded material (regardless of genre).

I tried a PS Audio HCA-2 and an Aragon 8002, neither of which sounded particularly good. I'm now driving them with a pair of 90 wpc Quicksilver mono tube amps. I know this is against conventional wisdom, but I like them more than the previous amps as long as I keep the volume moderate.

The problem is that the speakers don't open up and bloom as I turn them up for either large-scale classical or rock music, but rather get hard sounding. It could be the small room overloading, but I suspect it's the amps running out of steam.

Ideally, I would have an unlimited budget to power these speakers with a huge, clean solid state amp. Sadly, I have pretty much no budget at all, so I'd have to sell the Quicksilvers to finance a new amp. This would leave me with $1200 or so for a good, high current, high wattage amp.

I was thinking a used Parasound A21 might fit the bill, but there aren't a whole lot of other options in this price range that seem optimum.

Truthfully, I am starting to think it would more make sense to explore other used speaker options; as nice as the Thiels sound at times, they may simply be too impractical given my financial constraints. Perhaps a pair of Vandersteen 3A signatures or a new pair of 2ce Signature Mk. II? Perhaps the Gallo 3.1s?

What would you do if you were me?

btw, the rest of the system consists of a Quicksilver linestage and a Rega Saturn CD player. Thanks!
jonathan1257
somsel
14 posts
 
I have the 3.6s also. I originally tried driving them with a Sony TA-N80ES. They sounded OK but there was still obviously room for more.

I picked up a second TA-N80ES. The owners' manual does not seem to recommend bridging the amp for low impedance speakers - the 3.6 is a nominal 4 ohm design.

But, I tried it anyway and they work fine. While bridged, they seem like 500 wpc amps for a one kiloWatt system!

Best of all, both of the power amps were purchased at $100 each! While I'm confident that a pair of Parasound monoblocs or Mark Levinsons would do a better job, for $200 I'm VERY pleased.
nordic587
45 posts
 
Ckoffend and Warnerwh have very valid points justifying careful consideration. Thiels are revealing not only of all electronics and cabling "upstream" but of program material as well. Room placement and sound dampening have a clear influence. I have a lesser pair of vintage CS 2's. I know I could improve the sound by having them in a larger room, with optimal placement away from walls, other furnishings and adding sound dampening where needed. It is true they can throw a vast soundstage and accurately represent program material.
clifwst
2 posts
 
I actually went a completely different route. I live 100 miles from Lexington, and travel each week to visit my daughter.

After getting a set of 3.6's, I stopped by Thiel and asked if bi-amping was possible.

The reply was two fold,

1. They didn't recommend it, nor would they hold to the warranty if a change like this was made for speakers still under warranty.

2. Then they told me exactly how to do it.

Google the phrase;

Bi amp, Thiel CS 3.6

and My Audiokarma posts should be on the first page.

The change was very easy for me, and I am enjoying the best of tubes along with the best of Krell.
bradluke0
163 posts
 
Hi all ! If it were me I would treat the room 1st , GIK Acoustics are good to work with . If the same problem persisted I would go with smaller Thiels . Matching the speakers to the amp is important , matching the speakers to the room is paramount .
solobone22
82 posts
 
I have 3.6 and 2.7.  Neither of them work great with the Bel Canto REF600M amps.  The Bel Cantos however work great in a Wadia 121 --> Bel Canto --> B&W CDM1SE for an office setup.  Usually run that from a computer with ASIO drivers and Foobar.

The 3.6 are currently being run by a Krell TAS.  After talking to Krell they state that the theater amps aren't rated for 2 ohm loads so I'm looking for an FPB or a pair of 400e monoblocks.  I've heard the FPB are a good match.  Anyone tried the Evolution series?
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