Thiel Owners

I'm an old-timer in this business and so "cabled-up" way back in the mid-eighties, buying used Monster M1000 (their top-line) interconnects in many lengths.  Liked them very much, although I only compared them to about four other brands.  So over time I have grown two complete Thiel systems strictly with these cables, other than for speakers where I use WaterCables (the Monster speaker cables seriously degraded the sound of my Thiel 3.5's.)  

These Monster's calling cards were audiophile cables long before the name showed up in Best Buy.  The M100's new in the '80's were around $200 for a one-meter pair (most of mine were bought used at about $100 a pair.) Their calling card was three woven layers around increasingly larger dialectrics, and Monster says they were "phase coherent".  Don't know about that, but they do have depth and width of soundstage, as well as naturalness and coherence on individual instruments, and every improvement I've made in components has been audible, so they don't seem to be masking anything.

Anybody else had experience pro or con with these?  Tom, I take it from your comments that you haven't.  Did Jim or Thiel corp ever try them?

beetlemania,

I may be coming into your 2.4 saga late, but when you mention sub reinforcement, why do you go Vandersteen? Rather than Thiel that have very well matched subs - particularly via speaker level PX crossovers? I have at least 6 different subs that I have tried to integrate via line level input. The current system with PX crossover is by far the most natural and completely integrated I’ve heard. Granted, there is zero support when the amp eventually gives out. Is that your motivation?
 

harrylavo

Good to see you here. Thank You for sharing your Cable history. 
I started w/ Monster Cable in the late 80's myself.

Happy Listening!

@snbeall Finding a stereo pair of Thiel subs with the appropriate crossover is a tall order. And, yes, lack of amp service is an issue (I think Rob Gillum only services speakers). Finally, the Vandersteen room correction is very appealing (although I would have to send my integrated amp to Ayre for an internal crossover). But this is academic as I’m not seriously considering this move. I am aware of my system’s minor shortcomings and enjoy it nonetheless. Immensely. I mean, it’s not like it sounds broken.

:)

beetlemania,

tomthiel and Rob have said they lack the schematics for any of the active electronics (at least until the bankruptcy is settled - the hope being that they might turn up once they can sift the ashes). This includes all of the sub amps. The amplification stage itself was OEM’d out toward the end (BASH?) so might be serviceable. The secret sauce of Jim’s room boundary circuits is a different story. I happen to have a SS-1 whose original amp died and was replaced with the latter USS amp plate which (I am hoping) will be serviceable.

That said, can you point me to page number where your 2.4 DIY work is discussed?