THIEL Audio Celebrates Landmark 30th Anniversary

It is always rewarding when you can associate products you can be proud to own with genuinely nice people who build and market them. THIEL is in this very small camp of companies. It is difficult these days for American electronics companies to successfully compete against the mega-conglomerates from Asia, but THIEL has done so--- and quite successfully for thirty years now, as 2007 marks THIEL Audio’s 30th year in the high performance audio marketplace.

From humble beginnings crowded into co-founder Jim Thiel’s garage back in 1976 and participating in their first-ever CES in 1977, THIEL has evolved over three decades to become one of the premier suppliers of high performance audio components around the world. Today, fifteen diverse models of THIEL loudspeakers are proudly freighted to over thirty countries spanning the globe—all designed and built in a 35,000 square foot facility located in Lexington, KY. Over the past thirty years, THIEL has been recognized with an almost uncountable number of prestigious awards for product innovation and performance, as well as outstanding business acumen—not to mention overwhelming critical acclaim from the most respected audio critics.

Jim Thiel’s early research helped pioneer the principles of time and phase coherent loudspeakers through the application of phase-correct crossover networks and time-aligned drivers. Jim Thiel’s designs have also incorporated innovative engineering techniques in order to reduce cabinet diffraction and resonances through the use of rounded baffles, heavy internal bracing, and the employment of such materials as aluminum, concrete and marble. Innovative driver design and assembly techniques have resulted in reduced levels of distortion and more accurate overall frequency response. Jim Thiel’s extensive research pertaining to subwoofer design has yielded three related patents, all incorporated within THIEL’s award-winning SmartSub® line of subwoofer products.

THIEL continues its tradition of innovation with two new loudspeaker models for 2007—the SCS4 and the much-anticipated CS3.7. The floor-standing CS 3.7 incorporates groundbreaking driver design with a hybrid enclosure made of both elegantly sculpted wood and aluminum. The new SCS4 is a remarkable bookshelf-sized speaker uniquely suited to deliver outstanding front, rear, or center channel performance regardless of listener position or speaker location. Its high efficiency, magnetic shielding, narrow shape, and exceptionally accurate reproduction make it perfect for traditional music system or movie soundtrack applications.

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.

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. Its products incorporate a variety of technological advancements in driver design, acoustical construction techniques, and crossover design. All THIEL work is directed toward one end: to provide the most realistic sound reproduction possible. THIEL manufactures over fifteen loudspeaker models ranging in price from $2390 to $16,000 per pair.

I speak from personal experience: Jim Thiel and Kathy Gornick are two fine people who produce and market some of the finest audio equipment you can obtain anywhere. You cannot survive in this business without superior people and superior products…and after thirty years, all I can say is congratulations, and here’s to thirty more!

John Lentz

Editor’s note: For an earlier Best Stuff commentary on Thiel audio, please go to: www.beststuff.com/audiovideo/all-american-thiel-a-company-profile.html