Davidspeed, Thiels are not rolled off at the top like some other speakers, as such, with bright associated equipment they will sound bright. As for "hard to drive" that depends. Thiels usually don't vary much with regard to impedance load, so in tht regard they are not hard to drive. Most newer Thiels drop below 4 Ohms for a good part of the time, and will require an amp that provides ample current. Older Thiels like the CS-2's (6 Ohm nominal/ 5 Ohm minimum) and 3.5's (4 Ohm nominal/ 4 Ohm minimum) were more forgiving in that regard.
Best electronics for Thiel CS3.6 ?
What, in your opinion , are the best preamp/amp combinations for driving the 3.6s for under $5000 the pair new or used. I'm upgrading. There's a lot of stuff out there I have not heard (recent Audio Research stuff for example). I'm hoping to create a short list based on your input! Thanks in advance. I'm currently looking at Audible Illusions 3A and Bryston 4B-SST. I listen to LPs regularly so line stages will nmot do w/o a phono reccomendation too.