Thiel CS 3.6 amplifier selection Monarchy SM 70?

Masi61, an update, but first a correction--The SE-100 is no longer available, and the SE-160 and SE-250 poweramps are the hybrids.

The SM70 Pro is a stereo amp that's bridgeable via the RCA or the XLR/balanced input. In stereo it's 25WPC into 8 and 40WPC into 4 Ohms. In mono, it's 80 into 8 and 120 into 4. Also, Mr. Poon has come up with an ingenious (to me, at least) way to wire a biampable speaker to the 2 channels, so if the 3.6s are biwireable, you'll have 80 watts available into 4 Ohms per speaker. You get 2 brand-new amps for $1176 plus shipping. I recently listened for a week to a pair of SM70Ps driving my 89dB-sensitive, 4-Ohm, much-improved Audio physic Avanti IIIs. I thought they sounded quite fine--WARNING...I'm NOT a golden-eared audiofile--but I was still wanting a little more power even tho I do not listen at high levels. So I ordered a pair of...

...SE-160s for $2400. This is the hybrid amp that uses either a 6922/6DJ8 (and lots more) or a 12AT7 (your choice, at least for a while) and a MOSFET output stage, is biased class-A to c. 50 Watts (and that's LOTS of bias current!), and has NO negative feedback whatever. It's rated at 160 Watts into 8 Ohms, 320 into 4, and it's stable into 2. The reviews indicate it sounds a little better overall than the all-solidstate SM70P.

We'll hear what we hear, and I'll post again after they've been running a few days.
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Initial impressions of the SE-160s are quite positive. They're not edgy as far as I can tell after a week; overall they sound quite good. I've compared different 12AT7s in them htis WE and have heard some differences, but all tubes were satisfactory and musical.

I had been driving the Avanti IIIs with 12-Watt SET monoamps, and is spite of the low power, the combination sounded very good. Saturday a friend and I were listening and heard a cymbal simply explode out of the orchestra as I've never heard before. I guess having enough power does make a difference. :-)
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Ok, maybe I'm out of my league as far as my ears to yours, but I'm using an NAD 375BEE integrated Amp rated at 150W at 8&4 ohms, (and higher at 2 ohms) and with a ton of head room on my CS3.6s and they sound amazing at almost all volume levels. I've been told tht they'll lack detail with this amp, but to me it's a great combination.

You'll find many more choices at a $2000 price range than you will at the $1000 price range... Thiel's are a two edge sword... (and yes, I'm a Thiel owner, CS2.4's), they reveal lots of details, and well, they reveal a lot... For music this is good (to my ears), but for equipment this may not be good... Basically, you will know instantly if the equipment can't keep up with the speakers. For about $2000, I would look at Classe, Mark Levinson, Krell. You're not going to need lots and lots of power, but you will need lots and lots of current and something that is stable into a low load.

WOW Perfect timing! I just hooked up my Thiel CS3.6 to a newly acquired Krell KSA 150.I'm very contented. the sound is not fatiguing, very open and the base very tight The current preamp im using is a Krell HTS so I'm in the market for a nice preamp to smoothen the edge considering Audible illusion, ARC and even Bryston BP25(not to bad for the money)It's all true what they say about the Thiels needing class A circuitry and this my friends never disappoint you! I used Krell FPB 600 before with thiels and wow what a mate that was! Sold them(needed the cash and had no time to listen, kind of lay low at that time)then back to Krell KSA powering actual 220wpc into 8ohms and with the 2ohmer impedance(Thiels are notorious in this level) 400+ wpc. I AM A VERY HAPPY CAMPER :)Just want to share this experience! Good luck!