Thiel CS5 Vintage Speakers - Top of the Line from Thiel

Free Shipping on Most Electronics - Excludes Speakers and Items Requiring Freight - Contiguous U.S. Only

General:
The CS5 was introduced in 1989 as Thiel's best loudspeaker. Some consider them to be the greatest Thiel speakers EVER.

Featuring a whopping eight active drivers per speaker(16 in total), they're quite capable of filling a large space. They're  also 180 lbs each! Easily one of the coolest looking speakers from the era with their wedge shaped design and beautiful finish. 

In testing we found them to have a detailed yet non-fatiguing sound. In addition we thought their soundstage was really impressive. Reviewers at the time also wrote about these features along with praise for their overall performance. 

Larry Archibald of Stereophile: "the CS5 is an extraordinary achievement in speaker-making. In quite a few respects it is the best loudspeaker I have heard"

This particular pair of CS5's are in excellent shape and were clearly taken care of since new. As there is no notable damage to the veneer. As close to a new set as you will find from a speaker this age. 

Included with these speakers are their original spikes, wood polish, owners manual, and literature when introduced.

SkyFi Cosmetic Notes:
Incredible condition given their age. Only some small hairline scratches on the front baffle.

Ownership:
Single Owner

Connections:
Speaker binding posts

General Sound:
Big beautiful musical sound with little fatigue.

Cosmetic Condition:
8/10 = Very Good. Excellent front faceplate, one minor flaw on chassis side or top. See our detailed rating description here.

Working Condition:
Working perfectly and tested in our lab and listening room.

Included:
Just the Unit

Shipping:
Please note these speakers are exempt from any SkyFi Free Shipping promotions.

These speakers will ship via truck freight securely wrapped and strapped to a shipping pallet anywhere within the lower 48 states for a flat $900.

We'll pack using our custom SealedAir Instapak expanding packing foam and shipping boxes that are reusable should you need to move with the speakers in the future.

If you're outside of this area simply contact us for a quote as we ship worldwide. Local Courier also available for an additional fee depending on distance. Local pickup available.

Packing:
Will be packed using our highly developed in-house process and custom packing materials.Original MSRP:
$9,200.00

Specs:
Floor-standing, five-way, six–drive-unit, "Coherent Source," moving-coil loudspeaker. Drive-units: two 8" Kevlar-cone subwoofers, 8" Kevlar-cone woofer, 5" Kevlar/foam-cone lower-midrange unit, 2" metal-dome upper midrange unit, 1" metal-dome tweeter. Crossover frequencies: 50Hz, 400Hz, 1kHz, 3kHz. Crossover slopes: first-order, 6dB/octave. Frequency response: 23Hz–20kHz ±1dB. Phase response: minimum ±5°. Sensitivity: 87dB/2.83V/1m (equivalent to around 82dB/W/m, given the low impedance). Impedance: 3 ohms (2 ohms minimum). Recommended power: 100–400W

Dimensions:
64" H by 13" W by 17" D

Weight:
360 lbs.

Approximate Age:
1990

Recommended Cables:
Kimber Kable - Speaker Cables - Good

Kimber Kable - Speaker Cables - Better

Kimber Kable - Bi-Wire Speaker Cables - Best

Testing Process:
Our speaker evaluation process starts with a visual inspection of all drivers. We are looking for damaged or deteriorating woofer surrounds, dented tweeter domes, and cone damage. We also inspect the speaker connection points for loose or broken connectors.

After the initial visual inspection we connect the speakers to a reference amplifier with our preferred test tracks. With the speakers placed with proper distance we listen to each driver to make sure that they are producing the intended frequencies with no signs of distortion or rattle.

During listening tests with test tracks we check for proper stereo imaging and bass response at various listening levels. If there are any audible signs of issues, the speakers are taken to the bench where we perform a frequency sweep to isolate the issue so that it can be resolved by component repair or replacement.

Our subwoofer evaluation process starts with a visual inspection of all drivers. We are looking for damaged or deteriorating woofer surrounds, cone damage, or rubbing voice coils. We also inspect the input connections for damage.

After the initial visual inspection we connect the sub at our bench and perform a sine wave sweep from about 200 Hz down to around 10 Hz. During this sweep we are listening for excessive rattle or other signs of improper function.

If the sweep passes we then increase the input level to evaluate how the woofer performs at high output levels. If the woofer has built-in crossover adjustments or multiple connection options these features are tested at this time.

We complete the subwoofer evaluation by feeding the unit with an audio signal in conjunction with our house music system to see how it responds to low frequency content in real world conditions while paired with a full range system.