Does a Class D amp match well with Thiel Speakers?

Mapman, Tommy: I was not trying to create an opposition between listening to live music and listening to audio. Nor was I arguing against detail, "air," sound staging, or any of the other terms we use when evaluating an audio system. But what I was trying to say is that what I value most about my system, i.e. the moments which I wish would occur more often, are those when I'm listening at home, and rather than being conscious of the detail, etc., I suddenly sit up a little straighter because for a moment (usually with solo voices) it sounds like the singer is actually in my room, and I go "wow, that's amazing." So in fact I'm agreeing 100% with Mapman when he says that detail and the rest, done well, achieve a bit of that benchmark of the live performance; I'm just happier when they are working their magic at a sort of subconscious level. And I haven't forgotten where this thread began, with a question about class-D amps and Thiels. As I said in my first posting, my combination of class D ARC amp and tube ARC pre, with Maggies (since I have no experience with Thiels) does, on occasion, provide that little bit of that magic; it is very possible that other combinations may provide that magic even more consistently.

From the subconscious perspective of listening to music, I concur and should not be a homework assignment. With certitude, I like the 'let the music flow' attitude while immersing in the audio delight experience. Indeed, I appreciate the feedback about the Class D ARC amplifier with difficult to drive speakers as it is working well for you. Conversely, most audio dealers do not want to embrace Class D (assuming because most do not sell the product). With all sincerity, a good audio amplifier should not be designated to 1 particular class, especially in the year 2011! Oh, by the way, we all are getting just a bit older than yesterday and think where high end audio will be in 2050 and beyond. Will Audiogon still exist or will it be......gone.

I'll agree that toss everything in the pot and it either works or doesn't work in the end.

Detail, imaging, dynamics, etc. are all just means to an end.

" I'm just happier when they are working their magic at a sort of subconscious level"

This is design philosophy expressed by Simon Thacher of Spectron in his article:

http://www.enjoythemusic.com/magazine/manufacture/0708/index.html

and I believe also expressed by Ralph "Athmosphere" in his white papers when he describes the role of very low level of odd order harmonic distortions in music perception...

The entirely opposite road was taken by David Wilson, who 10-15 years ago had recording studio and he built for himself recording monitor WATT. It was extremely sensitive to detail as very good recording monitor should (no emotional involvment here - you change something and then you listen the results). A few friends asked him to build WATT for them too and it is how Wilson Audio - famous speaker manufacturer was born. I always had to tame earlier WATT/Puppy with old Conrad-Johnston warm tube pre/power amplifier: it was wonderful, wonderful combination [ well, except neither amp nor speakers could reproduce sympnonic creshendo but its another story)

Wilson was making Wamms way before the Watts.