Thiel 3.6's - Stereophile measurements

It is mandatory that your listening position with Thiel floorstanders be at least 8'-10' from the speakers. Otherwise the drivers simply will not blend. This is a consequence of the first-order crossover.

Measure the actual difference from speaker to your head, a triangle - some people make the mistake of measuring from the center of the 2 speakers - 10 to 11 ft measured this way works best in my room.

I recently picked up a pair of CS3.6's in used, but excellent condition. I can hear no midrange suck whatsoever, and my typical listening position is 9-10' from each speaker. In fact, I would call midrange accuracy to be one of their strong points, along with imaging, and an uncolored presentation. At 14' back, you should be very happy with them, unless your room is very large, in which case you may want to consider the CS6's.

Before I bought my 3.6's, I also auditioned the new CS2.4's and the 1.6's (both of which I auditioned with and without subs). Yes, the newer models have greater focus than the CS3.6's, but I found that I appreciated the more laid back and full sound of the 3.6's - especially considering that my system is a tad on the bright side.

Also, as I recall, in a subsequent, and fairly recent Stereophile issue, one of their reviewers revisited the 3.6's and stating that he did not hear the midrange suck that the '93 reviewer found.

I would suggest that you consider looking at some of the used CS3.6's that are out there. Many appear to be in excellent condition, and Thiel is quite generous on extending warranty repairs in situations where the speakers have not been abused. IMHO, the CS3.6's are a real bargain, considering the frequency range, neutrality, accuracy, and incredible imaging. And again, their customer support is excellent, even on used gear.

Happy hunting, Tom.