Thiel Owners

Dan, I don't have a buy recommendation, but I might add some perspective. The 2.7 is the newest design and shares the wavy plate coax with the 3.7 - which is Jim's world-class, swan-song breakthrough. A company could be built on that driver. That said, the 2.7 will move perhaps half the air of the 6 (anyone could do the math, I have not. Calculate comparative driver areas including the passive radiators). The 2.7 also shares the curved plywood walls of the 3.7.  It operates closer to the 3 more-so than previous model 2s.

The CS6 is larger and fills a larger space. I was told at the factory that Jim considered the 6 a better speaker in some ways than the 3.7. Thiel discontinued it for a leaner product line as they struggled to contain costs. The CS6 has fewer electrolytic caps and none in the signal path, and is on our upgrade radar before the 3.7 or 2.7. Rob Gillum would know if the particular serial numbers are the original 6 or the 6.1, and what changes were made. (And you could tell us those details.)

Happy Hunting.

dancastagna,

I'm a bit unclear about your post.  Do you mean you already have the 3.7s and 2.7s, and yet are contemplating buying yet another pair of 2.7s...or the CS6?   Do you mean you are running your current 2.7s with solid state and want to try Thiels with tubes, but in another system?

I've had the CS6 and the 2.7s (and 3.7s) so here is my perspective:

The CS6s are the larger speaker, and sound it.  They go deeper and are more weighty in the bass than the 2.7s and even the 3.7s.  And the bass is amazing on the CS6s - no other speaker had such weighty, dense yet controlled bass in my room, and only the 2.7s and 3.7s compared (the 3.7s being the most tonally controlled in the bass, but a bit lighter and less dense/punchy in the bass than my memory of the CS6).

The CS6 cast a very big and really well focused soundstage, with that particular image density that stuck in my mind for many years after, and it's one reason why I went back to Thiel.  

Though I'd say the 3.7s cast an even more impressive soundstage, and the 2.7s somewhat comparable to the CS6.   In terms of bass, the "center of gravity" moves upward somewhat in the 2.7 vs the CS6, similar to how it does compared to the 3.7s - more about mid-bass punch than low bass slam.

When certain orchestral climaxes occurred, or in songs with great bass dynamics, the CS6 could produce that "rolling bass under your feet" sensation more than the 2.7s can.

Tonally, the CS6s were ravishing on my CJ 140W/side tube amps, with excellent bass control.

My one real caveat with the CS6s is, as I've mentioned before in this thread, in ultimate terms they sounded a tad reductive, instruments sometimes not quite as big/full/rich sounding as can be had through other speakers. It would play out especially when, say, sax or oboe would play in to the higher registers.  Or far-mic'd instruments in an orchestra could be a bit more tiny and thin sounding.   

It sometimes felt I could perceive a slight suck-out in upper midrange, especially one that altered slightly with listening position, and it seems this was mentioned in John Atkinson's review and measurements as well, in Stereophile.

What I hear with the last coax design in the 3.7s/2.7s is a more refined midrange in terms of sheer coherency and richness.  I don't get any of that reductive quality and they sound perfectly coherent and even top to bottom. 

Still, if we are talking comparison of the 2.7 with the CS6, there are certainly things to be said in favour of the CS6.  The scale, depth and power of the sound for instance.  

If you already have the 2.7s and want more Thiel...it seems to me the CS6 could be a nice adventure to try something a little different.

It is kind of a tragedy that the 2.7/3.7 coax isn't being produced any more.  I've thought about it and it seems the theoretical ideal would be if Vandersteen would buy the Thiel name and produce a few models.  Since it's a first order company as well the expertise would be there and the different house sound would maybe take them out of direct competition with each other.  I know the Tyler Acoustics guy is in KY.  He's a box builder, he could probably replicate any of the older Thiel boxes.  Not sure about the 2.7/3.7.  I'm just dreaming.

Jafant...

Thanks for the welcome. I've been lurking here for a while and in fact, found out about the CS2.4 cap upgrade here, so thanks to the contributors for that. The 2.4s replaced my CS2.0s that I originally acquired in 1990. I replaced the drivers in those twice, but seeing that drivers for these were no longer available, decided to get the 2.4s, and I'm very happy I did. The cap upgrade and outriggers from Rob GIllum were icing on the cake.

The CS2.4s are the center of two interlinked systems: an 'analog' system that includes a McIntosh C26 and (2) McIntosh MC 240s which I originally purchased in 1969 (and use a 80w mono amps), and a 'digital' system (mostly for theater use) built around a Classé preamp/processor (SSP800) and Classé amplifier (CA5300). Two Thiel PowerPlane 1.2s and an SCS center channel make up the rest of the theater system, though I confess I'm on the lookout for a nice MCS.

There are a belt and direct drive turntable connected to the 'analog' system, and a CD, BluRay & laserdisc(!) player connected to 'digital' system, though I can also play the turntables through the 'digital' system. It's complicated, but what good is a hobby if it isn't expensive and take up a lot of time?

My musical taste is mostly classical music from the 18th to 20th century, especially piano and chamber music, though I also love orchestral works from Mozart to Mahler and beyond. I like serious jazz from Louis Armstrong to the Art Ensemble of Chicago, especially Coltrane, Dolphy, Davis and many others.

When I started this hobby in the 1960s, I was into what was called 'HiFi'. I never really made the transition to the 'high end', though I certainly appreciate what it has meant to sound reproduction over the last 30 years.

jserio

Welcome! Glad that you found us here. I look forward in reading more about you and your system.  Happy Listening!