Thiel Owners

@thieliste, re: your 11/24/2020 post:
Thiel Owners | Audiogon Discussion Forum
IMHO, what improvements the Thiel CS 3.6’s had over the Thiel CS 3.5’s amounted to 2 steps forward / 3 steps back. Where as the flat co-axial drivers in the CS 3.7’s were a major(!) improvement forward. Still when all (!) is considered; I think Thiel’s CS 3.5’s were Thiel’s best product. When I say all, I’m including ROI or more plainly value. Lets compare:

Thiel CS 3.5’s last sold for $2850 up until 1992
Thiel CS3.5 loudspeaker Specifications | Stereophile.com

Thiel CS 3.7’s first sold for $11,000 in 2006
Thiel CS3.7 loudspeaker Specifications | Stereophile.com

Considering inflation between 1992 and 2006 would make the
Thiel CS 3.5’s cost in 2006 = $ 4,067.03

USD Inflation Calculator - US Dollar (1956-2020) (inflationtool.com)

Now, if one wanted to retrieve all the musical information available on one’s recordings, unlike the Thiel CS 3.5’s the Thiel 3.7’s would need to be supplemented with subwoofers. Let’s use a pair of Thiel’s own bottom of the line Thiel SS1’s, original 2003 cost of $2800 each adjusted for inflation in 2006 = $3046.10

USD Inflation Calculator - US Dollar (1956-2020) (inflationtool.com)

Thiel SS1’s X 2 = $6092.20

That alone costs more than the 2006 inflationary cost of the Thiel CS 3.5’s

When added to the original cost of the Thiel 3.7’s:

Thiel CS 3.7’s: $11,000
+
Thiel SS! X 2 : $6,092.20
____________________________

Total: $ 17,092.20

Or more than $13,025.17 than the 2006 inflationary cost of the Thiel CS 3.5’s

And that doesn’t include the cost of amplification:

Jim Thiel mostly used the Threshold S 500 amplifier for the Thiel CS 3.5’s. Lets use the last version sold; the Threshold S550e which sold in 1989 for $6300 adjusted for 2006 inflation for a cost of $10,289.13

USD Inflation Calculator - US Dollar (1956-2020) (inflationtool.com)

Jim Thiel mostly used the Krell FPB - 600 amplifier for the Thiel CS 3.7’s. Lets
use the Krell FPB - 600 C which sold in 2000 for $13,500
adjusted for 2006 inflation for a cost of $15,867.10

USD Inflation Calculator - US Dollar (1956-2020) (inflationtool.com)

Which would be an additional $5,555.97 in amplification cost,
which when added to the extra costs of the CS 3.7’s with 2 Thiel SS1’s over the 2006 inflation adjusted Thiel CS 3.5’s = $18,603.14

Thiel CS 3.7’s = $11,000
Thiel CS SS1 X 2 =$ 6,092.20
Krell FPB-600C =$15,867.10
________________________________

Total $32,959.30

Thiel CS 3.5’s =$ 4,067.03 -
Threshold S550e =$10,289.13
________________________________
$14,356.16
___________

$18,603.14

Now the Thiel CS 3.7’s combination will outperform the
Thiel CS 3.5 combination in most every way; ease of placement, freedom
from lobing, ultimate loudness, (and with the subs especially
in the bass region), and much, much more,... except time and
phase coherence, and foot print where the Theil CS 3.5’s despite their 20 year age disadvantage still have the edge. Still, the CS 3.5’s wouldn’t be too embarrassed by the comparison. If one wanted to do something similar with the current state of used prices, I think the advantage would be probably proportionately even greater for the Thiel CS 3.5’s.
Considering everything; I think the CS 3.5’s were Thiel’s best product.

Interesting I’m curious what about the cs6 or cs7? I’ll probably keep the cs 3.5 and get the 3.7 for the other system. What were your impressions on the cs3.5 on adcom amps vs the others?

@thoft, I assume your addressing me? IMHO, the CS 6’s were something of a poor value. Similar to the CS 3.6’s in range, though with much greater ease and dynamics, but at nearly twice the cost, again IMHO, a poor value. YMMV! The CS 7’s were one of Thiel’s best. But, and I might be in the minority here, I preferred the CS 5i’s. But the CS 5’s amplifier requirements are, let’s put this politely; demanding.
I had an Adcom on long term loan (a couple of months), and heard them on a lot of gear. While I admired them for allowing those on a budget to use speakers that might otherwise be out of reach due to amplification budget requirements. They were up to the job that was previously only available from more expensive (and sometimes much more expensive) amps. Ultimately the Adcom was amongst my least favorite amps. I found them to be dry, grainy, flat. and lacking dimensionality. I noticed that as long as it was in my system, the less time I spent listening to it.

What adcom did you have and what was the pre amp? I currently use the 5800 with 18 mosfets per channel and a huge toroidal. Runs incredibly hot and with the luxman at least it sounds excellent with great dimensionality. I feel like adcom pre’s are the adcom amps downfall despite the adcom pre amps literally made to be paired with them. Also what would your input be on me getting a used musical fidelity tri vista 300 for thiels? Saw someone on YouTube using it with their cs7’s 

I used an Adcom SLC 505, a B&K CS115 and a c-j PF 2L with the Adcom 555 II. At least one of the Adcom pres was highly rated, and considered something of a giant killer. I never heard a Musical Fidelity product that I would consider buying.  Isn't the MF Tri Vista an integrated? Are you planning on running one integrated into another integrated? Most high end pre's use separate power supplies, and the same holds true for ultra deluxe power amps. Having all that circuitry so close to each other allows for the transference of RF, EMI and ground issues.  Does the Tri Vista use those canned tube nuvista devices. I remember reading many years ago that MF claimed that they had big surplus of them, but that was a long time ago. I don't know of anyone else that might stock those rather unique devices. I'd check, you might be SOOL should you need replacements. Would you need to send the unit back to England for repairs? I have to admit I have a bit of prejudice against MF. Shortly after Stereophile was sold to a major holder, for a few months the magazine looked nothing short of a monthly catalogue for Musical Fidelity, pages and pages of MF ads with intermittent reviews of many MF products. Suspicious to say the least!