Thiel Owners

Hi,

I follow this thread now and again and have a question that is a reality check. Bear with me.

There is another current thread about the differences that can be heard between a $1,500 and $10,000 DAC. Of course, the conversation got around to needing to have the equipment to hear the difference; the consensus seemed to be the difference would be primarily in the high frequencies.

I have Thiel CS5's and think they are good enough to hear these types of differences; as any time I change out gear I can tell a difference.

My question to other thread followers here would be: Would you agree with me?

I am asking because I have not heard that many different speakers in my home and was fortunate early on to acquire the CS5's at a good price so sometimes I wonder if that is all clouding my judgement.

Thanks for listening,

Dsper

Shite.  

I almost returned to Thieland a week or so ago when I offered $500 for a pair of CS3.5 from a seller within driving distance.  I had just sold off the Meadowlark Kestrels to another member here and couldn’t believe my good fortune finding a LOCAL pair of Thiel. We arranged a pick up time, agreed to cash, all set.  He even had the original cartons.  

The following morning I called the seller to tell him I was on my way, that the trip would take about 45 minutes.  He said, “I sold speakers.”  I replied, “yes I know, we spoke yesterday about picking them up today, remember me, Bill?”  Silence.  “Yes, yes, I remember, but I sold them.”  I asked him if he still had the speakers thinking that, hoping that there was something neither one of us was clear about. 

Nope. He sold the out from under me. 

C’est la vie.  

I had also also sold off my Bluesound Powernode 2i to help offset my purchase of an Audio Research DSi200 Integrated. Received it from TMR, perfect shape.  Original carton, all the desired usual suspects.  Couldn’t wait. Wouldn’t you know it that a pair of new Maggie MMGi’s came to bear within shirt order. NOS, still wrapped in the shipping carton.  Used price - hard to beat. 

I hook up the integrated, hook up the Maggies, take my usual spot in the living room, toss on Ani Difranco’s “Evolve” album and await goodness.  

Now I’ve had, including this pair, 5 pairs of Maggies. I’ve had ARC separates, too - I have a pretty good idea of what either is capable of providing sonically.
I’m listenin’ but I ain’t hearin’.  The sound is...lacking. No depth, no space. I turn it up a tad believing that maybe the amp likes to flex a muscle every now and again, kinda like my pair of 3.6’s that showed best at levels I don’t normally listen at. Nope.  I put the disc on infinite repeat believing the amp, as I’d read about, likes a long burn.  Nope.  Still...lifeless. I’m flummoxed.  

I spy in the A’gon classifieds a Belles 250i integrated for less than half of what the ARC cost me.  It’s in Joisey, close enough, so I make an offer. It’s accepted. I deal with one of the nicest guys I’ve met here on Audiogon - The integrated arrives the next day.  

Voila!  The Maggies are being profoundly Maggie. Except for the rather anemic bass I was hearing the kind of clarity I had been anticipating.  The Belles is a truly remarkable integrated.  It’s a hybrid, employing a tubed pre - which I’ve pretty much done me-self over the years with various setups.  

This is is the best integrated I’ve ever owned. 

Now...I’m watching the ads again for Thiel.  There’s a few 2.3’s around at acceptable asking prices. 

Almost back...it’s been painful. 

oblgny,

Many of us are familiar with the sometimes odd and painful realm of selling and buying equipment.

I sold whole bunch of equipment over the last year (much of it shedding components I haven't been using).  


When I was selling my Thiel 3.7s I had a guy who said he absolutely wanted them, we had a deal, he was going to the bank for the money, had rented a van to pick them up.  Had the date set for him arriving to pick them up.

Then...radio silence.  Completely awol.

Lots of puzzling behavior out there.

Fortunately I ended up selling my Thiels to an absolute "pro" buyer - great communication, did everything he said he'd do on time, a painless sale.  


I always seek to be one of those buyers as well. As forthright as possible.

prof...
 
I sold off a bunch of my gear last due to a wholly unanticipated, devastating blow to my finances.  The upside to having good stuff is being able to sell it off and use the funds to pay off things. Ugh. 

The list of equipment I’ve bought and sold over the last few years is almost embarrassing.  (Damn you, Audiogon!)  The majority of it all bought and sold here on the site. As I had to attend to the mess that visited itself upon me, I had to whittle down my priorities and - forgive the pun - face the music.  The Meadowlarks referred to in earlier posts came back from my girlfriend, I somehow squeaked out enough to buy the Bluesound Powernode 2i.  I’ve had that Oppo CD player around for quite a while. It was...sufficient.  

I incorporated back in October 2018. Amidst all the legalities I encountered, getting it operating has been a lesson in circumnavigating...everything!

I don’t fault the gent who sold the 3.5’s out from under me. It’s perhaps the second time in years of doing this that a transaction went south.  

There’s another pair of 3.5’s that have been on a site for two years - stating available pickup in New York. I contacted them and was told they are still available. But alas, they’re in Florida and always have been. $1000 for them plus shipping?  Methinks not. At least not now. 

I’ve been lucky in the past regarding “local” Thiels for sale, and I’ll keep my eyes open. My nephew, to whom I gifted my first pair of 3.5’s years back, is getting married in the fall. Unfortunately his future wife has pretty good ears and she loves them.  

I’m watching a pair of 2.3’s - which I had before.  I liked those a lot. 

Sheesh...I went on a bit here!

tomthiel

Oh yes, now I remember the HP review of the O3a. After I heard Thiels for the first time, at Havens and Hardesty, I stumbled upon that recent issue of TAS and read HP's review of them. What I remember most was that his choice of words described with amazing accuracy what I had heard. I have never read, before or after HP, another reviewer's words that so vividly described sound. It reinforced my excitement about the "image specificity" and "disappearance of the speakers' location" that he described. So, there were no speakers in the world that could satisfy me after that pair of experiences: hearing them and reading HP's description of them. Plus, the cabinet shape and wood finish was just gorgeous.

Luckily for me, a rich guy in Laguna Beach went througn speakers like I drink water, and he had the hots for "Kindel Phantom" speakers instead of his Thiel O3a, so they were almost brand new when I bought them from him. Of course now, we all know he was crazy, because Thiel speakers are still cherished by all of us here, whereas Kindel speakers are long forgotten by everyone.

I visited him a few more times after that. Soon after his Kindel speakers, he sold those for Spendor SP-1 speakers (another still HIGHLY remembered and GREAT speaker), but sold those also almost right away. He could simply never be satisfied. And to this day, I am greatly satisfied with the O3a that I bought from him, and still listening to them.