Jim Thiel has passed.


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I've never owned a Thiel product, but his customer service is legendary and his respect universal. Customer service is not even a zero sum game for a manufacturer and the loyalty of his customers and the accolades he earned from neurotic, OCD audiophiles speaks volumes about his character. His life's work provides great enjoyment to many and will ensure that he will not be forgotten. My condolences to his family. I hope they get some comfort from the kind words expressed here (hopefully, someone will forward them a link).


I met Jim Thiel in 1982, while searching for a new pair of speakers. While considering a pair of Snell A1's I just wanted assurance that nothing else was around that was as good or better for the price. A new 'upstart company' from Lexington, Kentucky kept coming up. I read the reviews and became pretty much fascinated by the raves of a company in my back yard, only 70 miles away.
On a lark, one day I called THIEL Audio, to see if I could talk to Jim Thiel personally. To my surprise, with little fanfare or delay, he came to the phone almost immediately. He was quiet and relaxed and friendly, and at the mention of Snell, he was effusive in his praise of the product which surprised me. Then I asked a question which literally changed my life, "Since your speakers aren't sold here in Louisville, how could I hear them?" He immediately offered to give me a tour of the factory and demo the speakers if I could come by Friday. "We'll stay as late as you like; be sure to bring music you know with you." It was records back then, so I took several.
True to his word, we toured and listened. Jim's brother Tom helped with the audition, and Kathy Gornik the President, were on hand to discuss impressions of what we heard. Needless to say, I was smitten--not only with the speakers, but Jim, Kathy and Tom. On leaving, I told my wife, "I want to be in business with those people somehow, someday. At that time I was the Vice President of an Air Freight Company and doing well, so it probably makes no sense to anyone, that seven months later, I had opened an Audio Store in Louisville, featuring THIEL loudspeakers, conrad johnson, and many other names not known to Louisvillians. We sold literally hundreds of pairs of THIELS.
Frequent dinners with Jim and Kathy proved to be one of the best perks of owning my own business. In private, Jim was charming and a great conversationalist on virtually any topic, though we usually discussed theory and design.
In 1991, after a ruptured appendix put me in ICU, I awoke one day to a phone call and door knock simultaneously--the door offered flowers from THIEL and the call was from Jim and Kathy, wishing me a "Get Well"--they had timed the whole thing out. How wonderful that was that they were so thoughtful.
The illness which laid me up for two months, was the death knell for my small mom and pop store.
I became the Director of Marketing for a national Group Purchasing Organization in Healthcare for about 5 years--missing audio every single day. After the company was bought out and I received a golden parachutte, I began consulting from my home, swimming in my pool and enjoying life, but still missing Audio. Then one day, a voice mail came in. For those of you who've never talked to Jim, he had this interesting 'singsong' voice, which was really inimitable. The message said this:
"Hi, Larry.....(long, long pause) This is Jim Thiel... (pause) I was just wondering if you'd like to be our Director of Marketing here at THIEL?"

There's an old saying that 'You don't want to get to know your heroes too well, because they'll dissapoint.' In this instance, it couldn't be more untrue. While working for Jim, I came to realize that all I had known of him was just the tip of the proverbial iceburg. As a boss, instructor, professorial teacher, he was, sincere, honest, honorable and kind. Truly one of the most gracious and humble people I've ever known--as well as being confoundingly intelligent.

I hope that somewhere in the vast cosmos, that Jim is creating the perfect loudspeaker, with technologies that only he could conceptualize, and that everyone has perfect hearing, and the music is everyone's favorites--and, that he's giving afternoon seminars every day--and that finally, I can understand 'most' of what he's trying to teach us.
I miss you Jim. The world is a poorer place in your absence.

My first foray into 'high end' audio came from listening to a pair of Thiel CS2s (and 3s) at a high end store called Audition in Birmingham. AL around 1986. I immediately fell in love with the wonderful sound and craftsmanship of the speakers. Being originally from Kentucky, I called when I was in the area and asked if it was possible to tour the factory. They honestly seemed as enthused as I was to let someone see the pride in their work. It was a very nice tour and speaking with Mr. Thiel was a true education. He will be missed I'm sure not only in the high end audio world he helped create but by all who knew him.
Theil CS2.0 were my 2nd step into high end. I later upgraded to CS3.5s (or 3.6s don't remember) and enjoyed the speakers tremendously. Jim did a lot to bring Audiophile Nirvana to many at a great value and and an extremely well made product. He will be missed. I loved the quality wood finish on his cabinetry and simple setup. Jim will be missed. My condolences to his family.