Speaker manufacturers Thiel Audio took over Boardroom suite at the Alexis Park for their display. In the main boardroom the demonstrated a home theater system comprising three MCS-1 speakers upfront and a pair of PowerPoint surface mount speakers on the ceiling in the rear. Low frequency effects were handled by a pair of Thiel's new subwoofers, the SW1. Source equipment details were unavailable, but audio performance was excellent as one would expect from Thiel Audio. I was particularly impressed by the PowerPoints at the rear - for the audiophile looking for wall or ceiling mounted speakers which will not compromise audio performance, these must be high on the list although they are pricey at $1,300 each.

The new Thiel SW1 subwoofer was also impressive for a design of such a small size (10" W × 20" D × 21" H, weighing in at 100lbs each), and indeed it will be competing with subs many times larger. The SW1 is expected to have an MSRP of between $5,000-$8,000 for one sub cabinet and accompanying crossover/controller.

The source material playing while I was in the room was the helicopter scene from The Matrix, which I have seen and heard many times before. The Thiel speakers were more than up to the task of reproducing this somewhat difficult material. The only disappointing feature of the Thiel demo was the video display, which looked far to green to my eye, even for The Matrix.

Also on display was Thiel's flagship CS7.2, MSRP $13,500 per pair...

...and a cutaway model the CS3.6 which clearly shows the thick front baffle, internal bracing and port design (MSRP $4390 per pair). []