Thiel CS 7.2 Manual

Speaker System
THIEL CS7.2
AWARD WINNER
ISSUE NO.129, WINTER 1998/99
JAPAN
Each unit consists of: 12-inch cone woofer, 6.5-inch cone lower midrange, 3-inch cone upper
midrange, 1-inch dome tweeter. Crossover frequencies: 250Hz, 1.2kHz, 3kHz. Impedance: 4
ohms. Sensitivity: 86dB 1w/1m. Weight: 168 pounds. Dimensions (inches): 14w x 19d x 55h.
Price: 2,680,000 yen/pair (approximately $24,000 U.S.)
All-around top of America’s
high-end. An accurate, clear
sound delivered on a scale
where it really comes alive.
Comments from the COTY/Components of the Year judging panel:
COMPONENTS OF THE YEAR
Asanuma: If you look at the big picture,
you can see that Thiel speakers, just as
we previously discussed with Avalon,
definitely fit into the category of High-
End speaker makers. Indeed, Thiel falls
within the category of a major
manufacturer.
Yanagizawa: They’re at the top.
Asanuma: That’s right. Perhaps the
reason so many people have turned to
them is due in part to the neutral sound of
their speakers. In fact, even if you look at
each of the speaker’s characteristics,
their sound is universally at the top.
Inoue: This company is very good at
doing several things well.
Asanuma: They seem to put forth an
independence in design.
Yanagizawa: They really are a
progressive manufacturer. But, there are
numerous companies out there that are
progressive.
Asanuma: I believe that the term
“Proficient in Sound” was used to
describe Thiel.
Inoue: From another perspective one
might say that they have some very
Japanese characteristics.
Sugano: Oh really? When you think
about it, that’s probably true.
Asanuma: Unlike past American
speakers, they don’t have a wild
appearance.
Inoue: They have an orderly beauty.
Kamisugi: They also have the sound of a
top product.
Asanuma: Yes, they are moving in that
ultimate direction…..indeed, I must say
ultimate—for when you think on a scale
of the entire world, the CS7.2 is it.
Sugano: That’s right. Indeed, the
designer Jim Thiel’s priorities are, first-
off, time coherence. In other words, as
we discussed at the very beginning, these
are speakers that have strength in stereo
imaging, partly due to cabinet shape. And
the CS7.2 epitomizes the success in this
kind of thinking. It symbolizes a coherent
speaker.
Yanagizawa: It is a really high-quality
speaker.
Sugano: If we are looking at it as a time
coherent speaker, then we must look at
placement in relation to time, and must
also focus on the sound source in order to
assess the coherency.
Kamisugi: All of the speaker’s
components, including the drivers, are
manufactured by the company.
Sugano: A while back, the company
began building their own drivers, but
there were a few areas that didn’t appear
to be going so well. But recently, they
have demonstrated their true value.
Yanagizawa: That’s right. The drivers’
cones are metallic, and they have
improved the drivers other areas as well.
Inoue: They have used a number of
elements in the crossover network, and
have become proficient at eliminating
frequency peaks and dips. This is greatly
reduced in the CS 7.2. By having many
of the crossover parts out of the signal
path, this gets rid of distortion. By doing
this, I think that the technology is
praiseworthy.
Yanagizawa: It has a sense of liveliness.
Inoue: We said it was accurate, but the
sound is very clean, it sounds alive.
Indeed these are marvelous speakers.
Asanuma: They almost have a life of
their own.
Sugano: But, if you use a cheap amp, the
sound is lost. You really need a powerful
amp that can handle Thiel’s specialized
bass system.
• Thiel represents the top of the
class among America’s high-end
speaker manufacturers. For
designer Jim Thiel’s ideas to
become reality, drivers are now
being produced in-house. This
latest speaker is very good, the
work is thorough, and they have a
very distinct sound. The
characteristics of these speakers
are a correct and clear
reproduction.
• In America, it is a rarity to find
a speaker manufacturer that
builds both the driver and the
cabinet, as well as performs the
design and assembly of the
product. But Thiel is one of these
rare manufacturers. One does not
perceive any distortion or noise
while the sound is clearly
reproduced. With its clear sound,
the CS7.2 creates a fascinating
world and its design and sound
are such that one can really look
forward to selecting an amplifier.