Thiel CS6 to Von Schweikert VR4 JR - Am i Crazy?

hi bundy, just another opinion - I know you listen to mostly vinyl now so you might be buttoned up there,but to reiterate some posts above, your digital source is not going to get you where you want to be. I disagree with Jafox, I have Thiel 3.6's and my system is warm, Thiels can be warm. I've got CJ premier 14 tubes and Macintosh monoblocks with all MIT cabling and it is a very unfatiguing system, sometimes a bit too far on the warm side, especially with mullard 6gk5 tubes. My meridian front end 200/263 is long in the tooth but very analog like and that is where it all starts. you also need alot of room for thiels to breathe, I'm fortunate that I do. Sometimes I find placing your thiels closer together, say 7 to 7.5 feet warms up the presentation and makes the stage deeper. This is contrary to alot of opinions with thiels, but if your room is not dead on you have more room interaction with a greater spread and a more diffuse and bright presentation - at least in my setup. Good luck with your decision.

Jerry

Thiel 3.6 was one of the warmest sounding Thiels made, quite different than later models, and from the Thiel 2.x series.

If the 3.6 is considered one of the warmer sounding models, then no wonder Bundy is wanting more here. I guess it all comes down to what our reference point is to warmth.

If you live in Minnesota and it's 55 degrees in March, that is considered warm. But people in Phoenix were complaining it was cold back in Feb when the temps were 75.

For me, warmth implies more body and presence in the lower mids with great harmonic richness. There's added weight to vocals and piano notes that are so very lush and rich. This is the Magnepan speaker. This is the Cardas Golden Cross (too much in fact). This is the ARC LS5 line stage and VT130 amp. This is the Manley Reference Dac. This is the Koetsu cartridge. This is NOT the Thiel 3.6 speaker!

My Thiels (3.6's) through a very large deep soundstage and are not harsh or bright in any manner; not fatiguing in any way. I have simply not experienced what Jafox is describing. Are they detailed yes without a doubt this is another aspect I like about them. I hear everything the music has to offer. For electronics I have a Conrad Johnson Premier 16lsII and a CJ MF2500A power amp, of which I just sold, an SCD-1 for the front end and all Audioquest cabling Anaconda and Volcano. If your 6.0's are not giving you the dimensionality you are seeking then it is the electronics not the speakers. Just my opinion.

Chuck

I'm sorry Jafox but I must still disagree, I have what you mentioned with my set-up. The 3.6 is reputed as one of the most nuetral and uncolored floor standing speaker, logic would suggest what goes in must come out - that has been the case for me. All of my electronics and cables lean towards a warm, rich harmonic tone in the lower and upper mids and thats what the 3.6 delivers. I have had other components in my system, even kimber KCTG and KCAG and admittedly it was over the top a bit and was slightly fatiguing. I have also had other dacs that were a little too much of what initially seemed a good thing. Really, I've probably been lucky matching up my components but I've always stuck with the same brands for the most part, just moved up the line. Thiels are alot of work no doubt but well worth it when matched up to your satisfaction and placed properly in the room.

Jerry