Thiel CS2.3 Product Support Bulletin

The following review in reprinted in its entirety from the review that Anthony H. Cordesman submitted to Audio just before it closed. It
has been given to us to reproduce in its original form and represents the personal views of the author. Anthony Cordesman is now a
senior reviewer for The Absolute Sound.
The Thiel MCS-1 Home Theater Speaker:
Too Good For Surround Sound?
by Anthony H. Cordesman
I
am tempted to begin this review with the statement that the Thiel
MCS1 is too good a speaker for surround sound. This is the kind of
snotty remark, however, that ignores the fact that high quality movie
soundtracks deserve high quality speakers as much as music. It also ignores
the potential of surround music—a potential that has become much more
real from demonstrations of surround sound SACD. At the same time, such a
remark does dramatize the fact that the MCS1 is an exceptionally musical
speaker for the money as well as an exceptional speaker for a home theater or
surround system.
Accordingly, the real reason that that I have decided not to begin this review
by saying that the Thiel MCS1 is too good a speaker for surround sound is
that saying a Thiel speaker provides outstanding musical performance for the
money simply isn't necessary. Audiophiles already know that Thiel has long
been one of the top speaker manufacturers in the U.S., and it was almost
inevitable that Jim Thiel would build upon his experience with stereo to
design products for surround sound.
The MCS1 sells for $2,200 a speaker. It is a relatively compact 10 x 12.5 x 28.5 (w x d x h) inches, and weighs 61 pounds. This is
relatively small for a stereo monitor, although "big" by left and right satellite, center channel, side channel, and rear channel
standards. The MCS-1 comes in a wide range of finishes, stands are an available for vertical or horizontal placement, and it comes
in a wide range of finishes. As is the case with all Thiel speakers I have encountered, it is built in-house, and the woodwork and
finish are superb. Aside from the fact that the MCS1 is magnetically shielded, and is designed for stand mounting, it has the same
...the MCS-1 is an
exceptionally musical
speaker for the money, as
well as an exceptional
speaker for a home theater
or surround system.
design that is also used in the Thiel PCS and CS2.3. This technique allows the elimination of the midrange/tweeter section of the
electrical crossover network as the drivers' structure provides a mechanical crossover. Thiel feels this design allows drivers to
achieve better time coherence. Such drivers can provide superior time alignment because the sound sources of both drivers are in
the same location, and therefore the outputs of both reach the listener at the same time.
The two 6.5" woofers have short coil/long gap, copper stabilized motor systems, cast aluminum chassis, and 2.2 pound magnets to
increase output capability and efficiency. Thiel feels the use of a short coil/long gap voice coil design causes the intensity of the
magnetic field acting on the coil to be constant during movement. Normally, the driver's the magnetic field changes in intensity as
basic components and design features as other products in the Thiel line.
In spite of its small size, it is a three-way system with a dome tweeter, midrange,
and two woofers. All of the drivers in the MCS1 use aluminum as a diaphragm
material because Thiel feels it has much higher stiffness and compressive strength
than conventional diaphragm materials, and reduces cone break-up, diaphragm
resonance, and "ringing" in each driver's operating range. It is a dual ported
system.
The 1" metal dome tweeter is coaxially mounted in a 3.5" metal cone, short coil/
long gap midrange. The two drivers' diaphragms share the same voice coil, a