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Current Thiel and Aerial owners-- please comment..

After ten happy years as an Apogee owner, I've got the itch for a change. Unfortunately, my wife also has the itch for a change, so I'm under a bit of duress. Anyway, enough complaining and on to the questions:

As you can see above, I've been out of the speaker market for some time. I've got fond memories of both Aerial and Thiel from my speaker shopping days 10 years ago. Accordingly, I'd like to start my new search with them. My current short list is Thiel 3.6 and 2.3 and Aerial 7B and 8B. If you own any of these speakers, I'd like to know what speakers they replaced and what they did that your old speakers didn't.

I'd also appreciate some set-up information. My wife's biggest gripe is that my Apogees are 42" from the front wall and she's tired of walking around them (no jeers from you single guys, you'll get yours :-) ).
128x128macdonj
pardales
652 posts
 
I owned and loved my Thiel 2.3's. I used a Sonic Frontiers Power tube amp to power them. They sang. I recetnly sold them because I don't have room for them in my new home. I am considering the Thiel PCS or Powerpoints (and a sub) now. Just to give you some perspective, the only other speaker I ever owned prior to the Thie's were several differnt pairs of Magnepan's. Now, I just can't seem to get away from Thiel. I third the opinion that you need to drive them with a quallity front end and quality amplification.
artmaltman
769 posts
 
You need a lot of very clean, warm sounding power to make Thiels sing. It can be worth it. For some reason, Cardas Golden Cross speaker cables (that one model in particular) are a match made in heaven for Thiels.).
Art
rgodin
85 posts
 
I had full-range Apogees and sold them knowing that there had to be something better out there. I spent several years and more money than I want to admit looking for that speaker. The only thing that came close to the transparency, detail, speed and imaging of the Apogee was the Martin-Logan CLS-IIz. I’ve gone full circle and come back to an Apogee full range ribbon speaker. Sometimes you need to try different things to realize that you had what you wanted all along. Expensive trip, same destination….
mjdraper
4 posts
 
I demoed both the Thiel and Aerial extensively. I settled on the Aerial 10Ts. I have them coupled with Sim Audio's W5 power amp and Sim's P5 preamp. I have a Thule 150B CD player. The Aerials were much warmer and involving sound than the Thiels - even with solid state. I think that the 10Ts are still a superb speaker and can be had at a good price. If the are placed close to a wall I recommend plugging the port. I bought 2 port plugs from Dynaudio which work well. Aerial (or any rear ported speaker mfg.) should really supply these with the speakers as most of us cannot put the speakers well out into the room. I love my system and feel no need to change - as for now!
jafant's avatar
jafant
19,718 posts
 
While I have not auditioned the Aerial 10T/20T models, I was not impressed w/ Aerial. Something was amiss during my demo time compared to the Thiel loudspeakers.
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