Thiel Owners

We first discovered eddy currents in the steel baskets of the O series. When we auditioned the phase coherent version we heard weirdness, but the phase-correct / time incorrect third order slopes 'erased' the weirdness. We thought it was mechanical / vibrational, but all the epoxy we could pile on the basket didn't help. It turned out to be magneto electrical eddie. Aluminum baskets cured it. Later we tried aluminum voice coil bobbins for their thermal conduction. Eddies were purely electrical, but problematic nonetheless.

This wavelaunch stuff I've been working with lately is a manifestation of the same effects in the realm of surface propagation and boundary layer turbulence. And, of course, the binding posts. Jeff Roland first brought that problem to my attention. They had put huge output posts on their amps seeking better performance and a marketing ploy. They failed sonically. 

Yep, same file cabinet.

@theaudiotweak,  It was you, I checked my old receipts, don’t ask me why I still have receipts from the early 90s. I appreciated your assistance. You also were able to provide me with brass point stands for my Thiels, you knew someone that made them. Thanks.

Anthony

Hello Anthony, Glad to know we are both still around.

The points I supplied you were most likely Audiopoints a product line that I have long supported and do till this day. If the points are attached to a metal platform you have a Sistrum platform now called Rythm platform.  Both have brass points with a select geometry facing up and down attached thru the channels of the platform The company name is now Live-Vibe Audio. Let's keep in touch. TomD

@tomthiel thank you for the in-depth analysis of cable options for the 3.7. Morrow sounds interesting but it looks like they are hard to get here in Europe. I think I stick with the idea to look after some Straight Wires. If I buy used ones even the top-tier Straight Wire Crescendo or Serenade are in reach.  

I believe Jim Thiel was using Straightwire Maestro’s before moving on to the Goertz speaker cables. Both can be found for relatively inexpensive prices on the used market.

The Goertz cables models/gauges choices will depend upon the power output of your amplification. As @tomthiel previously touched upon the Goertz cables can put some amplifiers into self frying oscillation. This can be avoided by using Goertz own small, fairly inexpensive “RC networks” (zobles) at the speaker binding posts. Should you go with the Goertz, I strongly (!) recommend you use their RC networks. There is no sound reason not to.

As different as these designs appear, they share some characteristics. Both keep the positive and negative poles in constant close proximity with Teflon barriers. Both have somewhat similar technical properties of low inductance / high capacitance. FWIW, to my ears, despite their very obvious differences, they sound more alike than different.