Thiel Audio has announced their newest Coherent Source® loudspeaker, the CS2.4. The CS2.4 is a three-way, floor-standing dynamic speaker system designed for highly realistic sound reproduction in home music and video sound systems.
The new speaker should be in stores in February 2003, with a suggested retail price of $3,900 per pair (US). It will be available in a wide variety of wood veneer finishes, as well as an elegant Painted Black.
Improved Coincident Driver Array
One of the CS2.4’s most innovative design features is an improved coincident tweeter/midrange driver array where the two drivers’ diaphragms share the same voice coil. This innovation utilizes a mechanical crossover between the midrange and tweeter diaphragms that allows the elimination of the usual electrical crossover network.
The new array was first used in the Thiel model CS2.3. Its design features powerful neodymium magnets to improve efficiency and a redesigned magnet venting system to reduce unwanted resonances.
“By eliminating the need for a second driver magnet structure and an electrical mid/tweeter crossover,” says designer Jim Thiel, “we can achieve a level of performance normally reserved for higher priced speakers.”
The design of the mechanical crossover also contributes to the speaker’s improved phase coherence and uniform frequency response. The coincident driver mounting results in perfect time coherence between the tweeter and midrange driver, regardless of listener position, improving imaging and transient fidelity.
All-Thiel Built, Low Distortion Drivers
The CS2.4 drivers, all built at Thiel, feature aluminum diaphragms and very low distortion short coil/long gap, copper stabilized motor systems. The new 8-inch, long excursion woofer features an improved diaphragm and is coupled with a newly designed 7.5 x 11-inch passive radiator to deliver high output bass, improved low frequency tonality, and dynamics down to 33 Hz.
New Style Cabinet with Optional Outriggers
The CS2.4’s new cabinet takes on the sleek styling introduced with Thiel’s two-way CS1.6. The 42-inch tall CS2.4 features a magnetically attached grille on its sculpted front baffle, heavy-duty gold 5-way binding posts accessible on the lower rear of the cabinet, and four sizable gold stabilizer feet. Optional aluminum Outriggers are also available for the CS2.4 at a suggested retail price of $250 per pair U.S.
Time and Phase Coherent Design
As with all Thiel loudspeakers, the CS2.4 is completely time and phase coherent for much greater sonic realism than is found in conventional designs. Thiel’s Coherent Source technology achieves the elimination of both time and phase distortions that cause alterations in the reproduced musical waveforms of most loudspeakers. Eliminating these distortions results in enhanced realism, clarity, transparency and immediacy as well as improved imaging and soundstaging in both the lateral and depth perspectives.
Phase coherence is achieved by utilizing a sophisticated first-order electrical crossover system in conjunction with unusually wide bandwidth drivers. Time coherence in the CS2.4 is achieved by the coincident mounting of the tweeter and midrange drivers, and the placement of all three drivers on a baffle that is sloped at the correct angle to cause the sound energy from each to reach the listener at the same time.
Specifications include a frequency response of +/-2 dB from 36 Hz to 25 kHz (33 Hz to 37 kHz, -3 dB bandwidth), a sensitivity of 87 dB @ 2.8 V-1m, phase response within +/-10 degrees of minimum, and a 4 ohm nominal impedance. The cabinet’s dimensions are 11 inches wide, 14 inches deep, 41.5 inches tall, and the CS2.4 weighs 70 pounds per speaker.
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