Thiel - Inventors and Tinkerers All


I just got back from Spring Break amid the horse farms of Northern Kentucky of all places. While there I took a tour of the Thiel speaker plant. I was struck by several things.

First was the warmth and friendliness of all the people there. Thank you, Sherry, for taking time out of your busy schedule to escort me and my family around. We were treated as honored guests, rather than just some guy who owns a few of their speakers. I especially enjoyed the listening seesion at the end. And seeing, if not hearing, the prototypes of some cool new speakers. (Room acoustics hadn't been dialed in just yet.)

Next was the extreme attention to detail and craftsmanship. It was easy to see why they cost what they do.

Finally, there was the pragamtic approach to increasing productivity and quality. If they can't find a way to buy a solution they need, they invent it. Like the machine that measured, cut, and stripped the braided wire for the crossovers. The "Eva Saver" they called it. After the employee whose hands they rescued from carpal tunnel syndrome.

I'd love to hear from others' experiences with plant tours. A sort of busman's holiday for audiophiles. :o)
kinsekd
Thats a beautiful thing,now all they have to do is get
their speakers not to sound so tizzie!
What can you tell us about the prototypes you saw?

Taters, the 1.6 is definitely not tizzy sounding.
Drubin I second your comments in regard to the 2.4's I listened to as well. Definitely not tizzy sounding.

The prototypes, if they make it to market, should have a very high wife acceptance factor. They look way cool, yet they can disappear into the decor.

If the Thiel guys are as smart as I think they are, they will team up with some of the plasma tv manufacturers. (Assuming they haven't done so already.)