Thiel Owners

jafant...

The real impression will be made when the 3.6's arrive. As for now with the 3.5's the Neo strikes me as being slightly warmer in overall tonality, perhaps slightly more emphatic in the bass region. Again, this being compared with the Pass X150.5/B. A. T. VK3i separates setup I had until recent. To say that I've barely broken the Neo in is an understatement - they suggest a more extended period than I've been able to muster thus far.  

The 3.5's require separates to be fully enjoyed with the bass eq employed.  I had a Primare A32 integrated that posed me with the same issue I have with the Neo - can't employ the bass eq due to lack of inputs. Nonetheless, once I raised the volume to a higher level than I normally listen at the Thiels were quite happy, 
immediately revealing how good the Neo is overall and, as I've said before, how Thiels reveal. 

The Pass attained the same sort of definition at a lower volume level methinks, but this is not for me an issue where I'll be moaning again about selling off a beloved amplifier. I have to believe that when the Neo is broken in I'll have less to think about comparatively and more to enjoy sonically/musically. Obviously, Thiel will take a lot of responsibility for this - they're just so damned good. 

I am so utterly familiar with Ginger Baker's "Cyril Davis" off of the album "Why?" that I use it as a reference point for evaluating my stuff. (There is also "Cyril Davies" off of "Falling Off The Roof" which is essentially the same tune performed differently.)  Being so attuned to either cut I believe is a fair method of reaching an opinion.  The Neo didn't miss a note - albeit at a slightly higher volume.  It was all present. 

Another point of pleasure is the size of the Neo. I no longer have to wrestle that 60 pound Pass when I tinker with cables, etc. I've increased the weight of the speakers however, from 70 pounds of the 3.5's to 107 pounds with the soon-to-arrive 3.6's. C'est la vie...I've actually purchased a hand-truck, covered it with insulation foam to position them!

Is that a "mod"?

Anyone else here with a lifestyle accommodation to keep Thiel rocking?

Prof,
How far apart do you have your 3.7's, and how close are you? I have my CS6's 8ft apart and I'm 12 feet back. I've tried other positions, but this seems to suit me. Speakers are about 56" out from rear wall.

Thanks Fellas, I'll keep my eyes open for some 2.7, 3.7 . they sometimes show up on craigslist in Twin Cities.
I noticed a lot of you like maggies, As I sit here 5 miles from factory although I loved the 4 prs I had I just had to give up on them as dynamic range was not there for Symphonic . Loud ain't the same thing .

michaeljbrown,

My 3.7's are:

7.10 inches apart.  Face mostly straight ahead.

6 1/2 feet from speakers to my head.

And they sound even better if I lean in a bit more.  I keep wanting to go more nearfield :-)

BTW, as to setting up: With the Thiels, as with just about every other speaker I've owned, I prefer not to have them toed in toward me.
Of course the more toed in they are, the more focused the image and the more brilliant the high frequencies become.   But what I perceive is a brightening sort of across the whole sound - sort of like there is a whitening applied to everything.  It's exciting to the ear, but to me individual timbral qualities start to actually homogenize somewhat with this bright scrim sprayed over everything.  As I toe out that "whiteness" starts to dissolve, the deeper tones of, say, an acoustic guitar, come more into view, the sound gets a bit fuller, the imaging more rich and spacious. 

But I don't like a "dark" rolled off sound - I like a believably extended airy top end.

So I play with toe in and my distance from the speaker to maintain a believable sparkle (e.g. acoustic guitar, drum cymbals etc) but also get that richness of higher midrange info.   This is also where moving closer to the speakers comes in to play.  From a greater distance, you get more "detail" by toing the speaker in, getting that high frequency energy.  But, again, to me it sounds more "hi-fi."  As I move closer to nearfield, yet toeing the speakers outward, I'm not getting "hyped" type of detail of bright frequencies, but rather I'm reducing room induced influence and hash, getting closer to the recording, and therefore hearing that super low level detail in the recording.  So for instance, a recording of acoustic guitar will be more relaxed, fuller, with a more natural sense of detail where I just hear the sound of fleshy fingers plucking strings as I would real life, not "hi-fi."

But, it's not for everyone.  I think you get the greatest dynamics, "punch" and bass depth when further away from the speakers.  Fortunately the Thiels are by nature pretty dynamic, and keep a lot of that character even when moved close.

Hey fellas ,
How much of the magic would I lose with 2.3'? I see there is a pr locally .