Thanks gents.
Tom - that's so phenomenal...I figured from your handle that you'd been part of Thiel at some point, but wow - that's really great. Would love to learn more about the upgraded performance. How would you describe that performance? (I will indeed read further back in the thread...there's a lot there!)
My PP 1.2 LCRs...let's see. This is the second HT I've had them in (moved house some years back and took the whole set up with me). They're really remarkable. I've never really used them as 2-channel monitors because I've always had a separate, dedicated 2-channel rig elsewhere, so I can't comment on their performance as such. But, they provide an amazing HT experience. Crisp, clear dialog, reference levels but never an ounce of fatigue, great at localizing sound when called for in the soundtrack, great at blending/disappearing when a broad soundstage is called for, and of course take up no floor space and don't call attention to themselves on the ceiling above my display. I've had them in a wide, deep room, and currently in a narrower, shallower room. Nary a complaint. Paired with a James sub...can't recall the model, but a beast of a thing with I believe a 15" driver. Weighs a ton. Shakes the house.
In the 1st iteration and much of the 2nd iteration until recently, I drove the Thiels with a 7-channel Theta Dreadnaught (3 of the 200wpc modules, 2 of the 2x100 wpc modules) fed from an Integra pre-pro. The Theta is a monster, but we recently chose to rationalize and prioritize space and aesthetics in the room (I should probably list the Theta for sale). We're down to 3 sources (a TiVo, an AppleTV, and an Oppo UHD player) vs. 6 until recently, and...drum roll please...driving the speakers is a Marantz 8012 receiver.
This may cause outrage, or accusations of being deaf (possible), but, not only would I say that there's no compromise in the Marantz vs. the Theta + Integra, I would say it sounds *better* though in fairness the Marantz has a really great room correction system whereas the Integra had none. And, the Marantz has the latest codecs whereas the Integra did not. So, not entirely apples-apples, but there it is.
Better how? Dialog intelligibility is even stronger, and the sound seems warmer (though was never bright before, so maybe I just like warmer). It's also a simpler set up which helps the family...no triggers getting out of sync, fully up to date front end electronics, etc.
Now, the PP 1.2's are not the "legendarily difficult to drive" 3.6's, so maybe that's why they play so nicely with the Marantz. But in a lot of ways they're my favorites precisely because they're so great but essentially invisible.
