Thiel ss1 Brochura
N E W R E V I E W S
theater room? Check out the baby of
the group, the 55-pound SS1, which
uses a single 10-inch woofer. Each of
the drivers features an oversized mag-
net to minimize distortion when the
dinosaurs’ footfalls are rattling your
fillings. An integral 1,000-watt digi-
tal amplifier provides the power for
the SS2, SS3 and SS4 while a 500-
watt amplifier drives the SS1.
the group, the 55-pound SS1, which
uses a single 10-inch woofer. Each of
the drivers features an oversized mag-
net to minimize distortion when the
dinosaurs’ footfalls are rattling your
fillings. An integral 1,000-watt digi-
tal amplifier provides the power for
the SS2, SS3 and SS4 while a 500-
watt amplifier drives the SS1.
These subwoofers minimize the
effects of room acoustics without
resorting to time-consuming micro-
phone measurements or extensive
signal-processing trickery.
resorting to time-consuming micro-
phone measurements or extensive
signal-processing trickery.
The
SmartSub’s onboard electronics com-
pensate for “boundary” wall reflec-
tions that create uneven bass
response.Your installer just enters the
distances from the SmartSub to the
adjacent side wall, and to the wall
directly behind the sub. Even if your
installer mounts your SmartSub flush
in a wall, he or she can use the
boundary compensation to get ruler-
flat bass. But then again, SmartSubs
are unusually handsome and are avail-
able in a wide variety of gorgeous
wood and painted finishes, so you
may not want to hide this subwoofer.
Although the largest model, the SS4,
should be adequate to fill even large
home theaters with bass, extravagant-
ly spacious rooms are best served by
multiple SmartSubs.
pensate for “boundary” wall reflec-
tions that create uneven bass
response.Your installer just enters the
distances from the SmartSub to the
adjacent side wall, and to the wall
directly behind the sub. Even if your
installer mounts your SmartSub flush
in a wall, he or she can use the
boundary compensation to get ruler-
flat bass. But then again, SmartSubs
are unusually handsome and are avail-
able in a wide variety of gorgeous
wood and painted finishes, so you
may not want to hide this subwoofer.
Although the largest model, the SS4,
should be adequate to fill even large
home theaters with bass, extravagant-
ly spacious rooms are best served by
multiple SmartSubs.
If you are lucky enough to own
large main speakers that produce sub-
stantial bass, your installer can simply
hook up the SmartSub like any other
high-quality subwoofer, with just a
single cable running from your sur-
round-sound processor’s LFE output
to the SmartSub. But since most of
today’s home theater systems rely on
small “satellite” speakers, Jim Thiel
stantial bass, your installer can simply
hook up the SmartSub like any other
high-quality subwoofer, with just a
single cable running from your sur-
round-sound processor’s LFE output
to the SmartSub. But since most of
today’s home theater systems rely on
small “satellite” speakers, Jim Thiel
designed the SmartSub SC1
Integrator to finesse the transition
between the satellites and the
SmartSub. The combined talents of
the SmartSub, the Integrator and any
set of high-quality satellite speakers
will produce the sort of exquisitely
balanced performance you would
expect to hear from a set of towering
full-range speakers.
Integrator to finesse the transition
between the satellites and the
SmartSub. The combined talents of
the SmartSub, the Integrator and any
set of high-quality satellite speakers
will produce the sort of exquisitely
balanced performance you would
expect to hear from a set of towering
full-range speakers.
The slim, silver, microprocessor-
based Integrator takes the guesswork
out of subwoofer adjustments. In fact,
the Integrator offers no standard sub-
woofer controls such as volume,
crossover frequency and phase.
Instead, your installer just presses a
few buttons on the front panel to
input information about your speak-
ers and amplifiers—12 parameters in
all—and the Integrator does the
math. The Integrator’s memory can
also store up to five groups of set-
tings, so you can have bass tailored to
fit your mood: boosted “party” bass,
enhanced ultra-deep bass for action-
movie DVDs, reduced bass ideal for
late-night soirées, and smoothly artic-
ulate bass for acoustic music.
out of subwoofer adjustments. In fact,
the Integrator offers no standard sub-
woofer controls such as volume,
crossover frequency and phase.
Instead, your installer just presses a
few buttons on the front panel to
input information about your speak-
ers and amplifiers—12 parameters in
all—and the Integrator does the
math. The Integrator’s memory can
also store up to five groups of set-
tings, so you can have bass tailored to
fit your mood: boosted “party” bass,
enhanced ultra-deep bass for action-
movie DVDs, reduced bass ideal for
late-night soirées, and smoothly artic-
ulate bass for acoustic music.
An all-metal remote lets you select
the Integrator’s presets from your easy
chair, or it can be controlled by a
touchscreen remote, such as a
Crestron or AMX. Connectivity
options include speaker-level inputs
as well as complete sets of XLR and
RCA line-level inputs,
chair, or it can be controlled by a
touchscreen remote, such as a
Crestron or AMX. Connectivity
options include speaker-level inputs
as well as complete sets of XLR and
RCA line-level inputs,
so the
Integrator should work in any sys-
tem. Thiel Audio also offers the PX
Series Crossovers, designed specifical-
ly to match the SmartSub with Thiel
main speakers.
tem. Thiel Audio also offers the PX
Series Crossovers, designed specifical-
ly to match the SmartSub with Thiel
main speakers.
The purity of the SmartSub’s bass
stands in sharp con-
trast to lesser
trast to lesser
designs’ turgid bass throbbings. The
clarity of SmartSub’s unerring bass
response may initially sound like a
lack of oomph to some listeners, but
extended listening sessions will con-
firm this subwoofer’s grace under
pressure. Its ability to sculpt nuanced
shadings of a plucked standup bass or
to unleash the almost unlimited
power of the earthquakes, tidal waves
and massive floods coursing through
The Day After Tomorrow DVD is
unparalleled in my experience.
clarity of SmartSub’s unerring bass
response may initially sound like a
lack of oomph to some listeners, but
extended listening sessions will con-
firm this subwoofer’s grace under
pressure. Its ability to sculpt nuanced
shadings of a plucked standup bass or
to unleash the almost unlimited
power of the earthquakes, tidal waves
and massive floods coursing through
The Day After Tomorrow DVD is
unparalleled in my experience.
Beyond the obvious benefit of
superb bass reproduction,
the
SmartSub adds a wonderful sense of
spatial depth to the sound of my
Dynaudio Special Twenty-Five
speakers. I am aware of the increased
dimensionality even on CDs and
DVDs that are not particularly bassy,
and when I turn the SmartSub off,
the sound is smaller, flatter and less
interesting. My CDs now approach
the dimensionality I associate with
5.1-channel surround sound.
spatial depth to the sound of my
Dynaudio Special Twenty-Five
speakers. I am aware of the increased
dimensionality even on CDs and
DVDs that are not particularly bassy,
and when I turn the SmartSub off,
the sound is smaller, flatter and less
interesting. My CDs now approach
the dimensionality I associate with
5.1-channel surround sound.
Thiel’s SmartSub is on the cutting
edge of technologically advanced
subwoofers that achieve excellent
performance even if they are not
installed in that “just right” place in
the room. Bravo!
subwoofers that achieve excellent
performance even if they are not
installed in that “just right” place in
the room. Bravo!
■
PRICE: SS1 $2,900, SS2 $4,900, SS3 $6,900,
SS4 $8,900, SmartSub SC1 Integrator $4,400
PX02 $350, PX05 $500
PX02 $350, PX05 $500
■
CONTACT: 859.254.9427, thielaudio.com
S P E C I A L T Y F I L E
By using the Integrator’s six front-panel
controls to input parameters such as main
speaker type and wall proximity, an installer
can easily fine-tune any SmartSub’s sound.
controls to input parameters such as main
speaker type and wall proximity, an installer
can easily fine-tune any SmartSub’s sound.
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