THIEL CS 1.6

Pre owned. In good condition. Show slight signs of wear on the top surface. Supplied with original packaging.

The Thiel CS1.6 loudspeaker represents the direct evolution of the renowned CS1.5 model, inheriting its design philosophy but featuring an entirely new structure. Every element has been re-engineered to deliver superior performance and a more refined aesthetic. It is a two-way floorstanding system with a sloped front baffle, designed to ensure perfect time alignment between the two drivers and a more natural sound emission.

The front panel, precisely sculpted using CNC technology, replaces the previous flat surface and integrates the grille into a shallow recess, secured with concealed magnets that preserve its elegant and clean appearance. Beneath the woofer, a long vertical slot framed by a finely machined flare serves as the reflex port. Its particular geometry is designed to minimize air turbulence and maintain consistent frequency response regardless of whether the grille is in place.

The 6.5-inch woofer, entirely designed and manufactured by Thiel, uses a 3-inch voice coil that drives the metal cone closer to its perimeter than in conventional designs. This configuration increases cone rigidity, pushing unwanted resonances to higher frequencies and ensuring cleaner, more precise reproduction. The neodymium magnet is housed within the voice-coil former, providing natural magnetic shielding. The 1-inch tweeter, also with a metal dome, employs a short coil with a copper ring to reduce distortion, operating in a long magnetic gap. The dome is slightly recessed into a front plate with a shallow flare, which enhances its on-axis sensitivity to match the woofer’s efficiency, while slightly limiting dispersion in the top octave.

As is traditional for Thiel’s “Coherent Source” designs, the crossover is a first-order, phase-optimized type that, combined with the sloped front baffle, ensures that the outputs of both drivers reach the listener’s ears in perfect synchronization. The sturdy rear-mounted binding posts replace those positioned at the base in earlier models, making setup cleaner and more convenient.

When positioning the loudspeaker, some care is required to achieve the optimal balance between the various sound elements. The bass range initially sounds slightly restrained, but placing the speakers closer to side walls reinforces the low frequencies while emphasizing some brightness in the upper midrange. Pulling them farther from the walls produces a clearer, airier sound with reduced bass but exceptional image precision and stability. Angling the speakers toward the listening position yields a more natural tonal balance, refined highs, and excellent spatial depth.

Thanks to its compact dimensions, precise construction, and competitive price, the Thiel CS1.6 loudspeaker is an ideal choice for small to medium-sized rooms, offering a coherent, detailed, and musically engaging listening experience, particularly when paired with components featuring a smooth and natural tonal character.

Technical specifications:

• Type: two-way, magnetically shielded floorstanding loudspeaker
• Drivers: 1" (25 mm) aluminum-dome tweeter; 6.5" (165 mm) metal-cone woofer with 3" voice coil
• Crossover frequency: 3 kHz
• Crossover slope: first order, 6 dB/octave
• Frequency response: 50 Hz – 20 kHz (±2 dB)
• Phase response: ±10 degrees maximum
• Sensitivity: 90 dB/W/m
• Nominal impedance: 4 ohms (minimum 3 ohms)
• Recommended power: 50–300 W
• Dimensions: height 902 mm, width 229 mm, depth 292 mm
• Weight: 17.3 kg each