duramax747 - My experience auditioning the CS5i with you was enlightening. I had always believed that it was better than generally reported, and attributed the discrepancy to room and amplification. You demonstrated that truth in spades. Jim developed the 5 when our best model was the CS3.5 retailing at $2450/ pair. He stated that anyone buying a $10K speaker would have the budget for an appropriate amp. But its load and resolution were so demanding and unusual that driving it well was rarely accomplished.
I place the majority of that problem at Jim's feet. That's for another discussion. In our audition I tried my pair of Benchmark AHB2s. The presentation led me to say I was embarrassed to have been so high on those little amps. They continue to be my reference lab and mastering amps, but far from capable of driving the CS5s.
The entire presentation with your big amps was stunning, even though the room was not yet complete and the system was not curated for the CS5s. They are very good indeed.
Regarding the baffle - it was a tour de force, but might have been even better. My design decisions were based on an assumed sell price around $15K/pair. Among the trim to reach their release price of $9300 was the baffle. It is lovely - ground marble in polyester resin with a fully polished black epoxy gel coat - think yacht hull. The design baffle included 3 different stones with 3 different grit sizes such that the binder resin was cut by over 50%, resulting in a quieter structure. Also, its subtle visual complexity was brought out via a translucent gel coat. In dim light it looked black, in brighter light it shone. I have the formula.
The full pair veneer matching that you appreciate was executed on all our models during my 20 years running production. I enjoyed the statement. I also rotated new manufacturing candidates through the veneer shop to assess their approach to aesthetics, complexity and improvement through practice.
Our progress toward Thiel Renaissance has been 'glacial'. So slow as to appear stationary, but quite large in its scope. I eagerly anticipate the results of your 'cap pod' trials. You can work the system far harder than I would ever dare.