Thiel Owners

silvanik - surrounds are very critical on tweeters. I don't remember whether those are rubber or a synthetic elastomer, but stiffening could be an issue. Your REW measurements shouuld tell you quite a bit, especially via FFTransforms to give you time domain information. If you can get higher than 20K, do it, since that tweeter goes to 28K and then some and that ultrasonic range might yield hints.

That UltraTweeter was used in the 2.2, 3.6 and 5. Madisound has the companion fiber moving kit, which is said to drop in without XO changes. Birger Jorgensen of Vifa, who codesigned that with Jim, took great care for the fiber and metal domes to behave as similarly as possible. One of these days there will be a replacement, but that motor will house the fiber dome if you need one sooner.

Tom

tomthiel

Thank You for the update on Mr. Rob Gillum. I would like to read more about Walter Kling. Is he alive and involved in Audio? Retired?

I hope that you are well and ready for Thanksgiving next week.

Happy Listening!

tomthiel

Thank You for being a valued member on the Panel. And addressing silvanik's 3.6 tweeter (driver) query.

Happy Listening!

Tom, thanks again for your valuable hints. I can extend the sweep up to 24K that's the limit in REW signals generator, I will do it as for your suggestion. I'll take the measurements separately L and R channel in order to compare the result, maybe the issue I think to have is only in my head....hopefully!

Awhile back someone asked about Thiel binding posts, for which I don’t remember seeing an answer. From my limited perspective: In the beginning we used a post with minimal metal (rhodium over brass) and plastic caps. We got a lot of flack for "cheap binding posts", which in fact they were not. In the CS5 development in the late 80s we revisited those posts and chose them again rather than larger beefier, gold-plated ones. That was before we realized the hazard of eddy currents caused by greater cross-sectional area relative to the input and out wires. As we worked with Finite Element Analysis, eddies in voice coils came to light and we changed from aluminum to nomex. But it seems those lessons were not applied to binding posts, but I wasn’t there and can’t comment on whether attention was paid.

I see a progression to beefier posts in later models. My CS1.6s look like gold on brass via the file test.

My present work identifies the binding post as significantly upgradable. I developed a CDA101 (best available) 5mm bolt connector, but am getting some GR-research tube connectors for test, which should be better yet. They place the wire ends almost touching while adding very little bulk with a thin tube of CDA-101 copper. They look like what I would have designed if Danny Ritchie hadn’t beat me to it.

I have learned that signal path integrity matters quite a bit.