Thiel Owners

cascadesphil

Thank You for the detailed follow up. This is a killer spinner spec-wise.

Happy Listening!

3.6 Owners on The Panel -

which power amps are you guys enjoying?
ARC and Bryston are top runners. Any other considerations?

Happy Listening!

Krell and Pass Labs are top runners as well.
Any other brand over-looked?

Happy Listening!

I have been happy with my long-time "Thiel friendly" McCormack DNA 1 (with SMc Audio upgrades). It provides sweetness and excellent midrange detail. Soundstage presentation is also 1st rate. Wide, very deep, and gives the impression of the music appearing to be at once a "whole" presentation with each instrument or voice being heard as completely distinct and apart from the others. The top end is articulate but not overly analytical or forward. The bass improved with the addition of the SMc Plitron transformer option, but this is no 100 plus pound monster amp. I would describe the bass as tuneful and accurate but slightly lacking in the chest-thumping slam and weight department compared with the really big amps with overbuilt power supplies and extra heavy-duty metalwork- Think Krell, Levinson, Moon, Pass, Classe & Bryston, etc. However, it does the double down trick with really impressive current capacity and drives the hell out of my 3.6es. 

https://www.stereophile.com/content/mccormack-power-drive-dna-1-power-amplifier-1992-measurements-pa...

In addition, these amps can be customized by SMc Audio to fit your system or needs. Steve McCormack has many decades of knowledge (wisdom!) gained by experimenting, careful listening (to systems and customers), and refining a brilliant design architecture. In my experience, McCormack is an excellent pairing with Thiels of the 3 series and smaller variety. I do not know how a DNA 1 would drive the larger 6es & 7s, but for my 3.6es (3.7s here and unboxed but not installed) it is glorious. McCormack made some bigger amps that might do the trick on 6es & 7s or I suppose you could have SMc configure DNA monoblocks.

I do not have audio memory long enough to completely recall the last time I heard Thiels with another amp. However, I do remember Classe as being very good, lush, and smooth sounding. I did hear 3.7es with an Ayre front end and amp that sounded a bit flat and emotionless, but that was a very long time ago in a demo room with 3.7s that might have been just out of the box.

Anyway, you may want to give McCormack a try. Oh, and if you hear any top-end edge, try a tube preamp. I have an ARC Ref 3 that helped open up the sound stage and beautifully refine the top end. Happy holidays and happy listening.  

yabe1951: others here have heard from me -- some years ago now -- of Steve McCormack thoroughly upgrading my DNA 0.5 to optimally drive my CS2.3s.  A complete success, that was only bettered when I started using CS2.4s as I still do today.  

   The same Plitron transformer in the smaller 0.5 makes for power doubling 125/250/500 wpc into 8/4/2 ohms, absolute stability into 1 ohm, an alleged 60A peak current.  He put in a few other tweaks specific to my 2.3s, as well as his established upgrades he was using at the time for a 'revision B+ Gold' designation.  Steve knows his design cold, and can optimize any of his amps for nearly any preference or load.  My avatar is the internals of the reworked amp, if you can possibly make it out.

   This was completed in 2006, and just recently this amp, at a high-end audio shop, was the best-sounding amp of five modern $5k-$16k power amps, driving a pair of Aerial Acoustics 7T speakers.

   To me this is sort of old news, but your post confirms I shouldn't take what I have for granted!