AudioSalon - scotlands first and foremost hi-fi dealer since 1979

THIEL 3.7 Coherent Source Loudspeaker

World’s best loudspeaker? Could be it!

This is one of the High-End’s most eagerly-awaited product designs ever and they are now at The Audio Salon. Although it is the long-announced replacement for the company’s level 3 product in a hierarchy of 5, factory sources hinted that while Kathy was not looking Jim committed a lot of the company’s resources and the project became instead a pursuit of perfection. Only the 3.7’s dimensions were restricted so she wouldn’t notice anything amiss.

Course she soon realised what was happening and in typical candour the company is broadly hinting the outcome by posing the question, is this the best Thiel yet?

I’m going to raise the bar and ask, is this the best loudspeaker yet?

Jim Thiel is without doubt in the very small handful of world’s most talented and experienced loudspeaker designers but he has the advantage of very advanced rational-scientific logic and of applying it to most aspects of his designs including the vital components, especially drivers.

The 3.7 is a flagship or signature speaker in the important sense that it is not designed to mask imperfections and despite it’s amazing value at £6500-£7000 per pair inclusive of UK vat, it probably belongs in systems of much higher price brackets. After less than a day running in it is certainly very superior to several leading rivals above £20k. Compared to the new Quad electrostatic speakers, on the home strengths of mid range purity and speed of transients, here is a moving coil speaker that you don’t need to A/B compare to transfer the medal. There is no question about it.

As a consultant, I admit to confusion at present; some modern trends persuading me that loudspeakers should use much more than half the budget in an optimised system. This one breaks the rule.

IN BRIEF, they also break the rule of speakers being either warm or lean; yin or yang. That is a huge breakthrough much of which stems from the work on developing the present levels one and two products (1.6 and 2.4, respectively). These speakers prepared us for harmonic accuracy that would come … or did they?

In a sense, nothing prepared us for perhaps the most accurate loudspeaker I have ever heard. It’s breathtaking! Neutrality, soundstage, timbre, transparency, layering, depth of image, depth of bass, speed … there isn’t a box that ticks less than nine out of ten. And that is, perhaps, unprecedented. A few years ago I was tempted to keep for myself an expensive Kharma loudspeaker which achieved this kind of musical presentation but it was extravagant to invest in a brand outwith my franchise family. I’m glad I waited. I love Kharmas but I now have a lot more for a lot less.

One of the things Thiel refused to compromise was on the delay. Sure it’s been a frustration and an embarrassment but at a product lecture Jim Thiel showed us some challenges about the ambitious technology which took them time to get right. Thiel is one of the few true high-end companies who launch a product when it is 100% ready and then concentrate on consistency; not tweaking.

Boy, is this product finished.

One of my initial tests is a mono signal. It tests phase accuracy and matching. The 3.7 is the best mono soundstage ever; neither “phasey” (bloated) nor “lost” (thin and deep). The next quick test is electronic music designed to occupy three-dimensions; again, I’ve never before heard such sounds coming from above, behind and at the sides of the listener.

After only four hours of use the advanced musical tests now have to be postponed for at least 2 – 3 weeks. The factory states 300 hours breaking-in and I can confirm a long process because from cold they were terrible; after each hour considerable improvements were clear. Another world record, then: sounds like the speaker in need of the most break-in. I expect this from highly accurate products. Accuracy isn’t necessarily for everyone, or for every system, but when it’s called for, patience and skill is required.

I WILL HAVE TO BE PATIENT as they break in. I am astounded by customers who break in products intensely. One customer told me he left a (solid state) amplifier on for four weeks while he went abroad. Surprise: he hated the sound when he got back and dumped it on the market—an amp which everyone loves!! It was soon snapped up by an observant bargain hunter. In a year you may jog 400 miles, but if you run from Glasgow to London it’s not a good idea; you’ll be dead before arrival.

Now a great thing about the 3.7 loudspeakers is they look just as gorgeous when the system is not playing music. They definitely take on the Italians and arguably they win. Imagine: mere Americans and they design looks!  It is very hard to choose a wood finish because they all look great. Thiel don’t get cabinets made to a price. They are cabinetmakers; not joiners, not even boxbuilders. Craftsmen. And it’s obvious. The dark woods blend with the black metalwork; but I chose a light finish, Birds Eye Maple, to go with the Ayre Reference system on BCD stands for the modern, uncluttered look. I hope this system will be an antidote to the audiophile racks and wires look I think should be consigned to the past. I want high-end to look nicer than an iPod; maybe bigger, but prettier!!!

The baffles and the drivers of the 3.7 are beautiful; in fact a last minute change to make the Origami of the 10” bass driver and passive radiator diaphragms identical make it very impressive. However the speaker is designed to work with its grilles on, and in my design-conscious high-end system, I will take the designer’s good advice. No, I can’t hear the grilles, either.

And here the report must end until the speakers are run-in. And no, I won’t be slamming them 24/7 with customised tones for four weeks; I’ve waited long enough that gentle nurturing are called for to mature them finely. Already, they are very enjoyable but clearly brittle, opening up by the hour.

The CS3.7 sets a new benchmark in high performance loudspeaker performance.

The CS3.7 is designer Jim Thiel’s passion realized. This revolutionary design delivers an unprecedented purity of sound for the most realistic sound reproduction possible. Incorporating all newly developed drivers and cabinet, the CS3.7 is an engineering marvel that achieves a level of performance not available before at any price. Hear the CS3.7...and be Amazed.

Drivers
The CS3.7's drivers represent state-of-the art technology and engineering. Unique short coil/long gap motor systems dramatically reduce distortion; very rigid aluminum diaphragms eliiminate resonance coloration for exceptionally uniform frequency response; long excursion motor structures provide greater output capability for realistically high volume levels; and copper rings are are used for magnetic field stability to greatly reduce distortion from secondary effects.

Crossover
The CS3.7 crossover is a true first order acoustic type that provides the utmost in spatial and depth imaging performance as well as overall realism. This is the only type of crossover that provides complete accuracy of amplitude, phase, time, and energy, and therefore the only type that does not distort the musical waveform. Proper application of this gradual-transition type of crossover requires the use of more expensive drivers with wider frequency ranges than are required for use with common quick-transition crossovers but the benefits also include improved uniformity of the speaker's output in all directions.

The CS3.7 crossover is meticulously engineered to achieve extreme tonal neutrality and is constructed with extensive use of polypropylene and custom polystyrene capacitors.

Cabinet
The CS3.7's aluminum cap, machined aluminum front baffle, and 15-layer ply cabinet walls to practically elminate unwanted vibration for utter tonal neutrality and exceptionally realistic imaging.

The cabinet plays an enormously important role in the quality of music reproduction and so the engineering of the CS3.7’s cabinet incorporates several innovations that contribute to the speaker’s stunning clarity, its utter tonal neutrality and its exceptionally realistic imaging.

Finishes: