ASSOCIATED EQUIPMENT
The CS2.4 is a very high quality sound reproducer and will benefit from use with the best associated equipment. Since it
is extremely accurate, it will reveal sources of distortion generated elsewhere in the system. For example, distortion
resulting from poor recordings or inferior electronics will be reproduced accurately. Also, the quality of the interconnect
cables and speaker cables will significantly effect the performance of the system.
POWER REQUIREMENTS
It is important to have enough power to play at the level you desire without distortion. If high sound levels are desired, the
CS2.4’s are designed to be used with amplifiers rated up to 400 watts per channel (into 4 ohms). If you play the speakers
more loudly than the volume the amplifier can cleanly produce, the amplifier will produce overload (clipping) distortion.
The sound will become compressed, strained, and in extreme cases, obviously distorted. This distortion is actually non-
musical
additional
energy
and since it is concentrated in the high frequency region where the speaker is least able to
handle it, tweeters can be damaged in extreme cases.
Keep in mind that sound
quality
is usually much more important than sound
quantity
. There can be large differences in
the sonic performance of two amplifiers of equal power, and this is more important than large differences in power. Most
everyone will be happier with a 100 watt amplifier of high sonic quality than a 200 watt amplifier of mediocre sonic
quality. For this reason, we feel there is no substitute for listening in making your amplifier decision.
The question “how much power do I need?” does not have the simple answer most people expect because it is not
determined only by the loudspeaker’s efficiency, but also by the volume desired and the size of the room. If all three
factors are average, about 100 watts per channel is required. Each factor can raise or lower this amount by about three
times.
1) Usually, people who “don’t like music loud” can decrease their power to about one-half. Also, people who like music
loud should increase their power by 2 times or more. Most people fall within a normal range.
2) A speaker with a low efficiency of 84dB/W-m will require twice the power of an average 87dB/W-m speaker and one
with a high rating of 90dB/W-m will require only half the power of an average speaker. The CS2.4 is of average
efficiency (87dB) and therefore requires an average amount of power from a quality amplifier.
3) A small room will need less power for a given loudness level than a large room. A very small room of 1000 cu ft (11'
x 11' with an 8' ceiling) will require about half the power of an average size room. A large room of 6000 cu ft (20' x 30'
with a 10' ceiling) will require twice the average power. If the listening room is connected to another room by a large open
area, the required power will increase, but not by the amount of the combined room volume. If the room has a “dropped”
ceiling with light panels, the ceiling will be almost transparent acoustically and the space above the ceiling should be
added. If the panels are heavy they will act as a more normal ceiling.
With all this in mind, a person who doesn’t like to play music very loudly and has a small room can get quality sound
with as little as 100 watts whereas a person who sometimes likes to play loudly and has a large room may need 400 watts
or more.
CABINET FINISH CARE
THIEL CS2.4 cabinets possess a high quality lacquer finish that is both beautiful and very durable. Any furniture care
product such as Pledge, Johnson’s, or Endust can be used to keep the cabinets clean.
GRILLE
The CS2.4 grille is attached magnetically to the front of the speaker. The grille is designed to not produce diffraction so
there is no sonic reason to remove it. If you do need to remove the grille, carefully pull the grille frame away from the
front of the speaker. When replacing the grille, line up the grille with the baffle’s inlay edges.
The grilles can be cleaned of dust by using an upholstery attachment of a vacuum cleaner. To prevent damage to the
tweeter, take care not to push the cloth in toward the top of the grille.
