I saw the Thiel TT1 some time back at Sound Decisions, the local dealer for Thiel. The company has with a change in management and ownership, taken a very different direction with it's products. I made an appointment with Sammy Low, principal of Sound Decisions to have a quick listen to the TT1 sometime later.
Description
The TT1 bears little physical resemblance to past models. The TT1 is a four drive speaker in a slim rear ported enclosure. High frequencies are handled by a 1 inch titanium dome tweeter, while a 4 1/4 inch fibreglass cone handles the midrange. Low frequencies are taken care of by two 6 1/2 inch aluminum cone woofers.
Frequency response is stated as 39 Hz to 30 kHz (no limits stated), while in-room sensitivity is rated at 90 db. Impedance is specified at 4 ohms nominal and 3.67 ohms minimum.
The drive units are not Thiel's in-house designs - according to Thiel's official website, the woofers are produced by Scanspeak to Thiel's specifications.
Physical dimensions are 40.1" (H) x 10.2" (W) x 10.0"(D). Each speaker weights a healthy 58 pounds.
The list price of the TT1 is S$7,900 per pair.
Sound Quality
If you are a fan of the late Jim Thiel's work, you probably already know that the TT1 does not attempt to follow his key design objectives, i.e. a time-aligned and phase coherent design. My first "high-end" speaker was the Thiel CS 1.2 (definitely high-end to the wallet and ears of the young school going person as I then was), and I subsequently bought a CS 1.6 and a 2.7 (which I still have today). I decided it would be best to approach this speaker with an open mind, rather than to evaluate the TT1 as a continuation of legacy models - it clearly is not, and neither is it trying to.
The TT1 was setup for me with a Bel Canto digital front end, and an AVID turntable rig. Amplification was handled by a VTL preamp and monoblock amplifiers.
Earlier Thiel models had a tendency to sound clean and transparent. You could never accuse them of sounding fuzzy, nor euphonic. They were true to the source, warts and all. With careful setup, and suitable partnering equipment, they were holographic and delivered amazing amounts of detail. When you got it wrong, they could sound lean, harsh and flat.
The TT1 is voiced very differently. Mid-bass had a warm and rich bloom to it, while the midrange was velvety smooth. The top-end had the right amount of life and expression, ensuring that the recordings are reproduced with a certain amount of air and sparkle.
Soundstaging and imaging were good, with a comendable portrayal of instrument placement and the recording venue. The TT1 sounded pleasant at all times, maintaining its composure as the volume was increased.
On the downside, deep bass was lacking (not surprising given the limited internal volume of it's cabinet). I also felt that the TT1 took the approach of trading off accuracy for musical enjoyment. This is not necessarily a bad thing and will suit owners who just like to sit back and enjoy their music, instead of trying to hear exactly what was done by the recording engineer.
Conclusion
At the end of the audition, I felt that the TT1 was worthy of serious consideration, and delivered quite a lot for it's price tag. No, it will not please the fans of legacy Thiel products. However, it will please the person looking for an affordable, well-finished and easy-on-the-ear speaker.
Sound Decisions
1 Coleman Street
#04-49/62 The Adelphi
Singapore 179803
Tel: (65)6733 8227
Fax: (65)6733 8229
www.sounddecisions.com.sg
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