Thiel CS 1.6 vs ???

[danrhiggins]

I am about to enter into the real of higher fidelity music after years of going without. I can't afford the high end stuff but want to get the best I can for my budget.

I will be listening primarily to classical (Baroque, Renaissance) and light jazz. 2-channel only although I guess I may need a subwoofer. I will not be using these for surround sound or movies or rock and roll.

I listened to the Thiel C1.6s in an audio store and really like them. Also listened to some PSBs (I think) and was not as pleased with the sound. Someone has suggester Energy but I have not hear a set. Also listened to some Vienna Audio which I liked but not in the same store as the Thiels.

So, for my needs and the desire to keep my speaker budget around @2K (overall budget around $3500-4000) are there any other speakers I should seriously consider?

Thanks!

[Florian]

Well Sir, if your into the Thiel CS 1.6 then forget about Energy, little B&W's or Axioms etc... They are all good for what they are but have not much to do with music in my book.

*Yes, the rest of you can call me a snoob and take a stab.... thats my opinion.


The 1.6 has 90db efficency and a fairly even impedance responce so try a tube amp on them if you like them. Others i would audition is the Maggie 1.6 (depends highly on your room), Hales *can be found used*, Ayon, and Avalon.

What drivin electronics have you planed, what is your room size etc...?

A curious music fan

-Flo

PS: The Thiels are time and phase cooherent which is very good, and may i suggest you try to find a Duntech or Dunlavy also.

[drseid]

Definitely agree with the Ayon recommendation (if you can find any of their speakers anywhere near 2K/pr.). Loved the Butterfly floorstanders, but they are 5.5K/pr. I think they just came out with a new mini-monitor called the Gecko that might be in your range.

A time/phase aligned speaker that I can easily recommend is the Green Mountain Audio Callisto... These are out of your budget new (they retail for $2,900/pr.), but if you can find a used pair under 2K, they should match up with your preferences well, IMO.

Other possibilities are the Opera Audio Consonance Eric-3 at $1850/pr. new. The Eric-3s are small, thin floorstanders that sound very nice, if not just a tad bright on top (rare to find this high a quality sound in a floorstander under 2K to my ears) and finally the Tyler Acoustics Taylo Reference Monitors at $1600/pr. new (love mine... I used to use them as mains with an ACI Titan sub handling the bottom end -- now they are my rear 3 channels for HT).

---Dave

[topspeed]

Start by perusing this thread (http://forums.audioreview.com/showthread.php?t=10906) which has some terrific recommendations for speakers in your price range.

For what you listen to, I'd consider the Maggie 1.6's Flo mentioned, although in contrast I think you should consider auditioning the B&W 704's as the majority of classical music is mastered on B&W's. I don't particularly like the 704's myself, but then again I don't like the Thiel's either. Nothing wrong with either, just not my cup 'o tea, and I wouldn't presume to make the decision for you.

Other speakers you might consider are Dynaudio, Martin Logan, JM Lab Cobalt or Profile series, Von Schweikert VR2's, and Paradigm Studio series. I'd stay away from Vandersteen, Sonus Faber, and Canton and they are darker and more laid back in tone, qualities I wouldn't consider beneficial to the types of music you like. That said, feel free to prove me wrong :).

Hope this helps.

[Dusty Chalk]

Other speakers you might consider are Dynaudio, Martin Logan, JM Lab Cobalt or Profile series, Von Schweikert VR2's, and Paradigm Studio series. I actually really like this list, although I wasn't aware that ML had anything in this price range. Especially Dynaudio (I was just reading a reviews of the Audience 72SE in Absolute Sound, whose retail is just outside your price range, but perhaps you could find a floor model, or find a dealer who actually negotiates on price), JM Lab, and Von Schweikert.

I would also add Totem and Tannoy to that list, I think.

Although you really can't go wrong with the Thiel's -- they're fantastic speakers.

[Jimmy C]

...a high-end speaker, but I would put these in the "very picky about everything" category.

IME, they can sound too hot if the software isn't mastered well. If you brought along your music and loved the results, great. And considering the size of the cabinet, I always wanted more bass.

Flo mentioned using tubes - I agree. I don't buy all the BS about Thiels needing two ton amps to sound their best. To me, they were most musical running off A.R.C. I would like to hear them with a reasonably priced tube integrated.

Vienna Acoustics is probably the polar opposite of Thiel... I can't imagine someone vacillating between the two. Both credible within their price range, but different animals.

Whatever floats yer boat...

Ya'll report back now, ya hear?

[Feanor]

...

I will be listening primarily to classical (Baroque, Renaissance) and light jazz. 2-channel only although I guess I may need a subwoofer. I will not be using these for surround sound or movies or rock and roll.
....
Thanks!

Anyone who listens mainly to baroque, rennaisance, and jazz has got to hear the Magneplanar MG 1.6QR's before making a decission. For these types of music they just better, IMO, than the likes of PSB, Energy, Paradigm, (not that I'm not Canadian :) ), B&W, or just about any "box" speaker. You will not need a subwoofer, but you will want an amp capable of 100 watts/ch. into 4 ohms. Some placement restrictions apply but these aren't as onerous as some people make them out to be.

The Thiels are certainly worth a listen too, if only for the contrast.

[Pat D]

I am about to enter into the real of higher fidelity music after years of going without. I can't afford the high end stuff but want to get the best I can for my budget.

I will be listening primarily to classical (Baroque, Renaissance) and light jazz. 2-channel only although I guess I may need a subwoofer. I will not be using these for surround sound or movies or rock and roll.

I listened to the Thiel C1.6s in an audio store and really like them. Also listened to some PSBs (I think) and was not as pleased with the sound. Someone has suggester Energy but I have not hear a set. Also listened to some Vienna Audio which I liked but not in the same store as the Thiels.

So, for my needs and the desire to keep my speaker budget around @2K (overall budget around $3500-4000) are there any other speakers I should seriously consider?

Thanks!

I haven't heard that particular model but Thiel has made some very fine speakers. It measures quite well, too, and you would probably be quite happy with it. The CS1.6 is definitely a 4 ohm speaker but it is also fairly sensitive, about 91.5 dB, so it should be no problem for most any good amplifier. As with any fairly sensitive speaker, make sure that the electronics are quiet enough that you will not hear any electronic noise in normal listening.

http://www.soundstagemagazine.com/measurements/thiel%5Fcs16/

Which PSB model did you hear? The Stratus Silver-i is quite nice and has real deep bass response. It is considerably less sensitive and does best with a fairly good sized amplifier.

One of my favorite speakers in your price range is a standmount, the Paradigm Signature S2. At 88.5 dB, it's sensitivity is high enough to not pose a problem with any good amplifier of reasonable power. They have a neutral, spacious sound, and I find them very easy to listen to.

http://www.soundstagemagazine.com/measurements/paradigm_signature_s2/

Others have mentioned a number of other high quality speakers and I would advise listening to some of them, if for nothing else than to assure yourself that you ahve chosen wisely.

You have mentioned the possibility of a subwoofer later. Most of the speakers mentioned have useful bass down to 40 Hz or so and so should be pretty satisfactory for the types of music you prefer while you are saving up for a good subwoofer.

[danrhiggins]

This discussion was great and very helplful. It reminded me of how many speaker options there are and how unique they are. They each seem to have their own "personality" and, like people, we also like some more than others.

My concern about the base led me to listen more closely to the Vienna Audio Mozart speakers. A bit more expensive but not as expensive as the higher up Thiels. The Mozarts are a 3-way and seemed to do very well in the studio. So I ordered a pair.

Here is my setup - for now. I have 30 days to take it all back if I don't like it.

Primare i21 2-Channel Amp
NAD C542 CDP (on order - I'm using a Pioneer Elite DV59AVI DVD in player in 2-channel mode for now)
Vienna Audio Mozarts (on order - I'm using some borrowed Definitive Technologies BP7004s for the next few days.)

This is my first major investment in audio equipment. I spent more on the cables than I have spent on a speaker in the past! But I am already impressed and I expect it to only get better.

And I'll hang on these forums as I enjoy the "dialogue"!