thosb...
Wow, it's been quite the while since I've owned the 2.3's I'll do my best to lend you some idea...
When I moved up from the 2.2's to the 2.3's I perceived a richer midrange overall. The highs were also more, for lack of a better description, defined. The 2.3's also seemed to project into my listening room - my living room - further. It was an upgrade in everything that was good with the 2.2's.
The last Thiels I owned before obtaining these 2.4's were the the 3.6's. At that time I was enjoying a Modwright KWI200 Integrated amp, 200 watts 8 ohms, 400 watts 4 ohms - way more power than I'd ever need. (Even though Thiels and Maggies are supposed to be "power hungry" I never had an amp or integrated that had more on tap than the Modwright did.)
Thus far, I am finding that these 2.4's are sonically closer to the 3.5's than they are to the 3.6's. At modest volume level these speakers simply sing, there's really no better description I could offer. The 3.6's DID enjoy getting more juice tossed their way in order to open up the soundstage that these 2.4's provide in spades at my modest levels. I am finding that the sweet spot is tighter on these than the 2.2's, 2.3's, 3.5's & 3.6's. Right now I'm still playing around with positioning them to obtain the best results.
What I've gotten with every Thiel model I've owned is a reminder how colored, and artificial sounding so many newly manufactured brands sound by comparison. A very valid point about Thiel is that they reveal everything they receive, solid amplification with ample current is more important than mere watts per channel. To my humble ears I was most pleased with Pass Labs amps, Balanced Audio Technology, Modwright. Of these three it was Pass Labs, period. The B.A.T. struck me as more reserved, more conservative, the highs didn't present as well as they did with the Pass Labs. The Modwright was in every respect a solid performer, but again, to my ears, it didn't match the Pass Labs in detail.
Just before I obtained my Belles 250i integrated I was using an Audio Research DSi200 integrated - a switching amp, or class "d." This did not match at all well with the 2.4's. To my ears it sounded like the amp was straining to be heard and, true to Thiel in general, that's what I heard. When I obtained the Belles and wired it up the difference was immediate and palpable. My newly acquired Thiels became Thiels again.
The ads I've been seeing for 2.3's seem to be hovering between $800 and $1100, which is a pretty low point of entry for such a good speaker system. They're truly remarkably refined loudspeakers. The only other brand of loudpeaker I have such high regard for is Magnepan - and Jim Thiel once expressed his appreciation for planars himself.
One of the BIGGEST differences between the 2.4's and all the other models I've owned is where the cables get connected. ON THE BACK! Woohoo! No more laying the speakers on their side to make the connections, no more lifting 70+ pound cabinets to secure them and snaking the cable through the small tunnel. This is ALMOST the reason to consider the 2.4's. It also makes for swapping cables easier if you're into that.
Wow, it's been quite the while since I've owned the 2.3's I'll do my best to lend you some idea...
When I moved up from the 2.2's to the 2.3's I perceived a richer midrange overall. The highs were also more, for lack of a better description, defined. The 2.3's also seemed to project into my listening room - my living room - further. It was an upgrade in everything that was good with the 2.2's.
The last Thiels I owned before obtaining these 2.4's were the the 3.6's. At that time I was enjoying a Modwright KWI200 Integrated amp, 200 watts 8 ohms, 400 watts 4 ohms - way more power than I'd ever need. (Even though Thiels and Maggies are supposed to be "power hungry" I never had an amp or integrated that had more on tap than the Modwright did.)
Thus far, I am finding that these 2.4's are sonically closer to the 3.5's than they are to the 3.6's. At modest volume level these speakers simply sing, there's really no better description I could offer. The 3.6's DID enjoy getting more juice tossed their way in order to open up the soundstage that these 2.4's provide in spades at my modest levels. I am finding that the sweet spot is tighter on these than the 2.2's, 2.3's, 3.5's & 3.6's. Right now I'm still playing around with positioning them to obtain the best results.
What I've gotten with every Thiel model I've owned is a reminder how colored, and artificial sounding so many newly manufactured brands sound by comparison. A very valid point about Thiel is that they reveal everything they receive, solid amplification with ample current is more important than mere watts per channel. To my humble ears I was most pleased with Pass Labs amps, Balanced Audio Technology, Modwright. Of these three it was Pass Labs, period. The B.A.T. struck me as more reserved, more conservative, the highs didn't present as well as they did with the Pass Labs. The Modwright was in every respect a solid performer, but again, to my ears, it didn't match the Pass Labs in detail.
Just before I obtained my Belles 250i integrated I was using an Audio Research DSi200 integrated - a switching amp, or class "d." This did not match at all well with the 2.4's. To my ears it sounded like the amp was straining to be heard and, true to Thiel in general, that's what I heard. When I obtained the Belles and wired it up the difference was immediate and palpable. My newly acquired Thiels became Thiels again.
The ads I've been seeing for 2.3's seem to be hovering between $800 and $1100, which is a pretty low point of entry for such a good speaker system. They're truly remarkably refined loudspeakers. The only other brand of loudpeaker I have such high regard for is Magnepan - and Jim Thiel once expressed his appreciation for planars himself.
One of the BIGGEST differences between the 2.4's and all the other models I've owned is where the cables get connected. ON THE BACK! Woohoo! No more laying the speakers on their side to make the connections, no more lifting 70+ pound cabinets to secure them and snaking the cable through the small tunnel. This is ALMOST the reason to consider the 2.4's. It also makes for swapping cables easier if you're into that.