CES 2007–Lexington, KY: 2007 marks pioneering loudspeaker manufacturer THIEL Audio’s 30th year in the high performance audio business (www.thielaudio.com). From the humble beginnings in product designer and co-founder Jim Thiel’s garage in 1977 with the first THIEL speaker, the model 01, THIEL has grown into one of the leading companies in high performance audio. THIEL now designs, manufactures, and markets a product line of 15 loudspeaker models for both home music and video sound systems to over 30 countries, designed and built in a 35,000 square foot manufacturing facility with over 35 employees. THIEL has enjoyed a 30-year history of numerous prestigious product and business awards, as well as overwhelming critical acclaim from the most respected audio critics.
PIONEER IN LOUDSPEAKER TIME AND PHASE COHERENCE
Jim Thiel’s belief that dynamic type loudspeakers have no serious inherent limitations led him to a career of improving dynamic speaker performance. “Jim’s early design work helped pioneer the principles of time and phase coherence in loudspeakers by the use of time aligned drivers and phase correct crossover networks,” says THIEL president and co-founder, Kathy Gornik. “In addition to the significant overall improvement in sonic realism, these Coherent Source principles contributed to the development and recognition of modern imaging performance in loudspeakers.”
Jim Thiel’s designs have also incorporated innovative engineering techniques to reduce cabinet diffraction with the use of rounded baffles, lowered driver distortion with innovative motor structures, achieved more accurate frequency response with stiffer and specially shaped diaphragms, and reduced unwanted enclosure resonances with heavy cabinet bracing and through the use of cabinets materials like aluminum, concrete and marble. Jim’s research into subwoofer designer yielded three patents incorporated in THIEL’s award-winning SmartSub line of subwoofer systems and product awards include 22 International Consumer Electronics Show Innovations Design and Engineering Awards.
NEW CS3.7 AND SCS4 CONTINUE THE THIEL TRADITION OF INNOVATION
THIEL is continuing its tradition of innovation with two new models in 2007, the SCS4 and the much-anticipated CS3.7. “My goal in designing the CS3.7 was to achieve a level of performance greater than any previous product,” says Jim THIEL. “To achieve that goal the 3.7 incorporates all we have learned, and every innovation we have developed over the last 30 years, and adds to that several exciting, newly developed solutions to some of the most difficult challenges confronting the loudspeaker engineer. It is this pursuit of the highest possible sound quality that motivated me to begin THIEL. And it is still my passion.”
The new SCS4 is a remarkable bookshelf-sized, versatile, full-range LCR uniquely suited to deliver outstanding front, rear, or center channel performance regardless of listener position or speaker location. The SCS4 is an excellent example of THIEL’s engineering success in being able to offer high performance sonic reproduction in small sized or with on and in-wall models equivalent with the its line of floor-standing loudspeakers, giving THIEL a equally strong presence in the custom home electronics market.
Advocates for promoting high performance audio in the consumer electronics industry
Beyond the confines of Jim Thiel’s lab and testing facility, THIEL president Kathy Gornik, responsible for the company vision, policies, and marketing strategy, has also dedicated tremendous time and effort over three decades towards promoting the high-end audio community through her leadership in several industry organizations. Kathy was reelected Chairman of the Consumer Electronics Association (CEA) for 2004 after serving in 2003 and currently serves on CEA’s Executive Board. She is also a past Chairperson and current Vice-chairperson of CEA’s Audio Division as well as the founder and first Chairperson of the High Performance Audio subdivision, a CEA group she helped to create.
For a complete company background paper, contact Micah Sheveloff, WIRC Media Tactics 203-795-3141 or wirc1@earthlink.net
CELEBRATING 30 YEARS OF HIGH PERFORMANCE IN 2007
THIEL Audio Products Company is a privately-held engineering-driven organization that performs research, design, and manufacturing of loudspeakers for the highest quality home music and video sound reproduction. Our products incorporate a variety of technological advancements in driver design, acoustical construction techniques, and crossover design. All our work is directed toward one end: to provide the most realistic sound reproduction possible. THIEL manufactures fifteen loudspeaker models; the surface-mount PowerPoint 1.2; in-wall PowerPlane1.2; in-ceiling HigherPlane1.2; flat-panel video display speaker ViewPoint; SS1, SS2, SS3, and SS4 subwoofers; bookshelf-sized SCS4 and MCS1; and the floor-standing CS1.6, CS2.4, CS3.7, CS6, and CS7.2, all ranging in price from $2,390 to $16,000 per pair.
