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Thiel model 3.7 - nice speaker.

All, I was updating my set-up, and listened to a bunch of speakers...again. What I wanted, is a FULL range true sound stage product. I have Vandersteen Quatro Signature II woods right now. Yes, the do full range, but don't have that realistic sound stage and impact that the best (expensive too, I found out) speakers have.

Through all my listening, the speaker that surprised me the most, was the Thiel 3.7. I've listened to the more expensive ones, but this smaller model is impressive sounding. If someone took my Quatro's away, and then said, "go buy a 10K speaker", I think the 3.7 might be it!.

Why? OK, the bass is thin, but smooth and never seemed bloated. True, it lacks SLAM but then many smaller floor standing speakers lack slam (move lots of air). So the bass if good sounding if not as deep as my Quatro's. Moving up to the mids and highs, the coaxial mid / tweeter is really impressive in resolution and detail without seeming harsh. Get the mids right and it can cover a LOT of sins. But, a slightly truncated bass isn't a terrible sin. This speaker does a LOT right. So if I could live with just a little less bass, and wanted ONE (stereo)or TWO (mono) high current amps (3.7's like power) to run things this is a NICE speaker. The imaging is solid, if not smaller sounding than my woods, but it is probably cleaner, too. So a trade is made, full range Quatro's over what I hear as A class mids and uppers. It isn't night and day, but it IS better. Nothing is night and day at 10K.

True, the designer of this product passed away, but near as I can tell the DESIGN exists and is no worse for wear. My 801's played for thirty years before a tweeter gave-up the ghost and isn't available.

The thought of 3.7 with a sub crossed my mind, but this gets stupid expensive (sub and amp is big bucks). If you HAVE them, it is probably a cheaper upgrade then a sell and replace, though. Still, I thought that this is probably the BEST Theil speaker I ever heard. It is not, to my ears, too bright or thin. Male vocals, which are hard to get right, are just right. Those who have this speaker long term, what do you think?

I ended up with DynAudio Confidence C4 series II Signatures since the price is the same as the 3.7 with subs. The real estate footprint is smaller overall (C4's go up, not out in size), too. The C4 sound stage is life size with slam and full range sound. Mids and highs are exceptional (the price was exceptionally high, too!). But, this speaker is limited to a bigger room (my room is ~14 feet wide x 39 feet long x 8.5 feet high).

Still, I have to tell you all, listen to the 3.7 before you "listen" to all the off-handed comments about Thiel speakers. This one is a gem in my book; smaller, easy to place, superb smooth detail, solid imaging and great openness at low levels (live in an apartment?). It all depends on how you balance your sound dollars. The Quatro is still a magnificent FULL RANGE speaker - one of very few. Being honest though, the Thiel 3.7...I could live with that speaker too!

No other speaker new speaker I auditioned other than the C4 impressed me like the Thiel 3.7. And the 3.7 will compliment a smaller room, with superb detail, and at 75 dB SPL listening (oh it went loud).

So what have owners and listeners "heard". If you heard other Thiel models, or are parroting the party line...go listen before you chime in, please.
rower30
yyz
98 posts
 
I love the Thiel CS3.7. The bass is not as massive as in my former Revel Salon1 but the Thiel is a pretty amazing package for the price and I like it more than the Salon. I like it over all the speakers I heard in the 20K and under range. I am going to buy this speaker soon. I have heard the CS3.7 with a Thiel sub ($5000 I think) and I hated the combo. There could be several reasons for this but I was happy I liked the lower priced speaker over the speaker + sub.

While I wait for a place with more living room space I bought the Thiel SCS4 which has the same tweeter as the 3.7. The sound is not harsh but very nice for a relatively inexpensive monitor ($998/each). I have paired the speakers with a Bryston 4B-SST and I have not complaints about the harshness of the sound. There are many posts in A’Gon about Thiel being harsh and Bryston also being harsh. You would think both together would be unbearable based on comments here.

In the past I have sold off speakers I found too harsh (rookie mistake buying those decently rated speakers). But the new Thiels tweeters are not that way at all.

The new stereophile has an article that mentions other speakers in the Thiel 3.7 class that the reviewer(s) would consider to own.
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samzx12
1,220 posts
 
The 3.7 and newer Bryston amps are not harsh at all. Can't say that for previous generations of both ;)
rower30 OP
211 posts
 
No, I was referring to the 3.7 bing a little thin below 40 or so (that deep "feel: bass). Yes, the Quatro has crazy good bass with the amplified subs internal.
james63
534 posts
 
Rower30,

I pretty much agree with you on your 3.7 thoughts. I do not however fined them thin and my guess is you have gotten used to some extra bass from your Vandersteen Quatro Signature II. Every Vandersteen I have heard has had the bass goosed by the owner (nothing wrong with that by the way, I like my bass too). Anyway the Thiel have enough bass for a mid sized room but will sound thin is large rooms. They are some of the most dynamic speakers I have heard, they seem very quick to start and stop every note.

I would give the Revel Ultima Salon II a try as well. Used they are about the same price as the 3.7 new. They are also flat and dynamic but have better bass weight (but no more punch). The highs are cleaner on the Salon 2 but you do lose a little bit of the midrange magic that the Thiel has going on IMO.

It is too bad Jim passed... From what I understand he left drafts for Thiel to make a 7.3 but knowing Thiel it will still be a long time before we see a model come to market.
rower30 OP
211 posts
 
No, I run my Quatro's dead flat per the EQ data. The eleven band equalizer smooths the room signature peaks and dips, it doesn't eliminate it. Simple laws of physics say a box the size of the Quatro (3.7 is about the same volume) and about the same efficiency and X-over design, isn't going to play as deep with just the box. You need some serious help (two x two hundred watt class B ampplifiers in the Quatro's case!). So the Quatro isn't magic, you pay to play, a BIG box or active and carefully matched amplification.

I ended up really liking the Dynaudio C4 series II signature. Oh yes, a BIG tall box with lots of volume. There is no good way around this physical reality. They go "up" instead of "out". But volume it still is!

Passive radiators can help tune volume in a small band in smaller boxes but you lose tightness as a trade. The 3.7's are far and away the best application I've head that use a passive radiator. Its so good you won't miss the last 10Hz all. THAT is why it is so good, they made what bass the apeaker does do perfect. Quality over quantity.

I auditioned the same music sources I use every day on my Quatro's, and deep the Quatro's go in my solid basement room. But the Theil 3.7 is one nice sounding speaker, in the 10K range I have the Quatro wood and the 3.7 as my top picks so far (they knock out a lot way above that, too!).

The C4 series II is serous money to move up to, or the Revel Salone studio 2 and the like. To get that FULL size soundstage and bass depth AND with impact, you need a large box. The price of the C4 II pretty much stops me in my tracks from the likes of a Vandertseen Model 7!
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