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Taming bright Thiels

I have been attempting for months to find a way to tame the brightness on my 2.2's. Ended up with a crudely simple short-term solution after much tube and cable rolling and equipment fussing (System is Theta separates, ARC LS2b preamp, Rowland 1 amp, Harmonic Tech cables).
I experimented with taping thin material suspended in front of the midrange driver to produce roughly a couple decibels acoustical attenuation in the 1Khertz to 3khertz region from each channel. (I experimented with 1- and 2- ply tissue, cotton cloth, etc.)
What a magical difference. My wife immediately asked for a listening evening, something she hadn't done in over a year.
So I wrote to Thiel (many times) and asked if a low-value resistor wired in series with the midrange driver would have the same effect with less likelihood of side effects.
While they responded to every query promptly, they absolutely would not give any information on any possible modification of the speaker to attenuate its overly bright character.

Anyone attempted such a modification? Results? Caveats?
hug
michaeljbrown
146 posts
 
I need to add "Quality" power to my post. A quality (not cheap) amplifier with power and current. Krell, Classe, Pass, Mark Levinson, etc.
I had an EAD PM 2000 which sounds really nice as well, even though it doesn't quite double down. I sold my rig to a friend, consisting of a PM2000 and Thiel 2.4's, and I walked in his place the other day and I thought, "Damn, that sounds good! " 
jafant's avatar
jafant
19,844 posts
 
michaeljbrown

I am looking forward to next your next system and contributions over on the Thiel Owners thread here.  Happy Listening!
jafant's avatar
jafant
19,844 posts
 
stringreen

Absolutely! Any Thiel speaker will reveal goodness and warts of any system.  Happy Listening!
jon_5912
605 posts
 
I know this thread is ancient but I'm having a hard time letting the claim that the 2.2s are bright go.  They aren't remotely bright.  I'm having a hard time believing that anyone, ever, thought they had an overly bright character.  Compared to what?  
last_lemming
639 posts
 
I'll give you a relatively inexpensive amp that has a flat resistance over 8,4, and 2 ohms and  high current - the Parasound A21. I use one with my 2.4's. 
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