Speaker Asylum: REVIEW: Thiel Audio CS 1.6 Speakers by jaybar

Model:	CS 1.6
Category:	Speakers
Suggested Retail Price:	$1,995
Description:	speakers
Manufacturer URL:	Thiel Audio
Manufacturer URL:	Thiel Audio

Review by jaybar ( A ) on January 18, 2004 at 10:14:01
IP Address: 208.59.195.219

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for the CS 1.6

My room presents very significant challenges for any speakers. It is:
1) L shaped
2) Concrete and cinder block construction, which retains bass
3) fairly narrow with bookcases that reduce effective width and pose edge diffraction issues
4) Also our LR and has cats meandering about.

We wanted Floor standing speakers with:
1) Fit easily into the Decor
2) Visually integrated into the room with the ability to select finishes that matched other furnishings.
3) Were reasonably stable with jumping cats.
4) Were reasonably easy to place in a narrow room (worked well 6-6.5 feet apart)
5) Could be easily driven by the Ayre Integrated and
6) Work well with Cardas Neutral Reference speaker cable and Cardas GR IC's and power cords

I have these speakers for almost two weeks, so they are still breaking in.
Nevertheless, I find them truly exceptional and remarkable for the Price ($2395 in maple).
These are the first speakers that I have had in my very difficult room that simply do not call attention to themselves. Highs, mids and lows are perfectly integrated.
High frequencies are delicate and transparent with a marvelous sense of decay. The tweeter is very smooth. I find none of the Thiel brightness of previous models such as the 1.5. Relative to other speakers I have had in my room (Sonus Faber Signum, Dynaudio 1.3 Mk II, Dynaudio 1,8 mk II), the Thiel CS1.6's on first expose, appear to lack involvement and "jump". This is because the midrange and lows are not as emphasized as they are in other speakers. All aspects of the frequency range are very well balanced. Nothing calls attention to itself.
Increased midrange/upper midrange presence and bass impact is fun, and can give a speaker a sense of greater involvement, but in my opinion is not natural. I this sense, listening to the Thiel CS1.6's can be an adjustment, since there are little or no frequency irregularities that would otherwise call attention to the speakers. The music is just "there" with a sense of natural flow and ease, which in the long run is very compelling,
Compared to my previous speakers (Dynaudio 1.3 mk II), the Thiels lack bass weight/bass impact. However, the bass of the Thiels is far more articulate and tuneful and informative in my room. My room, because of its concrete and cinder block construction, tends to hold onto bass so that the more damped bass of the Thiels in my room is both far more natural. I am no longer distracted by the bass as I was with the Dynaudio 1.3's. The bass, while very well integrated in my room, can appear even tighter and more tuneful with different cables. Using the same equipment, yielded significantly tighter bass at the dealer with Transparent Audio Super/Ultra cable than with Cardas cable in my home. Whether I can attribute the differences to the Cable or the room or both is hard to say.
Sound staging and imaging are the best it has been in my room in years. I have the Thiel's 33 inches from the back of the speaker to the wall behind them and they produce a phenomenal sense of Sound stage depth. This places the speakers 42 inches from the woofer to the wall behind and 36 inches from the woofer to the side walls (this is closer to the wall behind them then we were able to place the Dynaudio 1.3's thus allowing us to reclaim a bit of the LR). At this point, I am still experimenting with positioning (sometimes I think I have too much depth) Moving the speakers even a few inches closer to the wall can markedly reduce depth. I am also alternating between slight toe-in and facing straight ahead. At this point, I have them straight ahead. Sound stage width is wall to wall when the recording has the capacity to display this.
The speakers are 6 feet apart and I am sitting slightly more than 8 feet from the speakers. Measurements are from the woofer. I was surprised how well the speakers image when placed this close together which is necessary in my narrow room. Image separation suffers slightly which is to be expected, but less so than with other speakers i have had in my room. I gain greater specificity, increased depth and more realistically sized images (singers are not 4 foot wide). Sound stage height is realistic for a speaker of its size. When the recording calls for it, images appear above the speakers.
In short, a variety of different placements, while yielding different imaging/tonal balance have produced good results. It has been far easier to place the Thiels in my room than my Dynaudio's of Signum's.
In summary, these speakers are a miracle of integration, transparency, detail, sound staging and musical naturalness that are not equaled by anything that I have heard near to their price.
Worthy of serious consideration.

Product Weakness: None so far.
Product Strengths: Transparency, nauralness, integration, balancing of lows/mids/highs, imaging, ease of placement.

Associated Equipment for this Review:
Amplifier:	Ayre AX-7
Preamplifier (or None if Integrated):	NONE
Sources (CDP/Turntable):	Ayre CX-7/Rega P9 with DV17D2 mk2 and DVP75 phono stage.
Speakers:	Thiel CS1.6
Cables/Interconnects:	Cardas NR Speaker Cable/Cardas GR IC's/Ayre(Cardas) Signiture IC From CDP to Integrated.
Music Used (Genre/Selections):	Jazz,Chamber, baroque.
Room Size (LxWxH):	23 x 12 x 8
Room Comments/Treatments:	L shaped. Right wall only 13 feet. Area Rugs on walls and floors, bookcases, heavy drapes.
Time Period/Length of Audition:	2 weeks
Other (Power Conditioner etc.):	PS Aufdio Ultimate Outlet, PS Audio Juice Bar
Type of Audition/Review:	Product Owner

Product Weakness:	None so far.
Product Strengths:	Transparency, nauralness, integration, balancing of lows/mids/highs, imaging, ease of placement.