[James Tanner]

HI All,

Report from Stereophile on the other system at this years 2009 CES.  This one was Bryston and Thiel.

Posted Tue Jan 13, 2009, 5:29 PM ET — By John Atkinson

Thiel's PR wonk Micah Sheveloff grabbed me as I walked past the room in the Sands Convention Center Thiel was sharing with Bryston. "You've got to hear the new CS2.4 Special Edition." As Wes Phillips had been mightily impressed by the original CS2.4 ($4900/pair) when he reviewed it in November 2005, I looked at my watch. Enough time. I went into the dem room.

The CS2.4SE costs $8000/pair and only 150 pairs are being made. It differs from the original version by having a cost-no-object complement of very high quality polypropylene and custom-made polystyrene capacitors, and is been finished in a hand-selected Birdseye Maple veneer stained a deep red.

It sounded as good as it looked. With "Superman's Song" from Crash Test Dummies, played back from a Music Vault source feeding a Bryston BDA-1 D/A processor ($1995), BPA-26 preamplifier, and pair of 7B-SST monoblocks ($7990/pair), and with the lowest octave (below the mid-30s—the CS2.4SEs were run fullrange) reinforced by a Thiel SS2 subwoofer ($9800), the sound was simply superb.

(Other items in the system included Wireworld cables and a Torus RM-20 AC line conditioner.)

james

[vegasdave]

I agree, the sound was superb...and the biggest bang for the buck @ CES.

[Oyama]

What does the BPA-26 preamplifier retail for?

[James Tanner]

What does the BPA-26 preamplifier retail for?

Hi,

$2,495 for the BP26 and $1,400 for the MPS-2 power supply for a total of $3,895.00

james

[Oyama]

What does the BPA-26 preamplifier retail for?

Hi,

$2,495 for the BP26 and $1,400 for the MPS-2 power supply for a total of $3,895.00

james

Thanks James!

I sure wished it came with a HT bypass. I just may hold out for the SP-3 instead.

[95Dyna]

Hi James,

The Thiel setup you have described with the 7B's was very interesting to me.  Thiel's 3.7 is high on my list as an eventual replacement for my Infinity 9 Kappas.  Does the SE version of the 2.4 without subs sound significantly better than the standard 2.4  or was it the augmentation by a pair of S2's that made the demo so special?  Also, do you think this is a better sounding setup than a subless 3.7 configuration?

Bill

[James Tanner]

Hi James,

The Thiel setup you have described with the 7B's was very interesting to me.  Thiel's 3.7 is high on my list as an eventual replacement for my Infinity 9 Kappas.  Does the SE version of the 2.4 without subs sound significantly better than the standard 2.4  or was it the augmentation by a pair of S2's that made the demo so special?  Also, do you think this is a better sounding setup than a subless 3.7 configuration?

Bill

Hi Bill,

I would go with the 3.7's.  As good as it was I preferred last years setup.

james

[James Tanner]

MEMO: To All Bryston Customers
SUBJECT: Nice feedback from Home Theater and High Fidelity Magazine from Bryston/Thiel Demo at CES
 

CES 2009 Report from Piero Gabucci
Home Theater and High Fidelity Magazine

"My wrap-up of the show is with what I think was the best audio demo that I heard. The Thiel – Bryston room was sublime auditioning the special edition CS2.4SE at 8,000/pair which cost nearly double the CS2.4 at $4,900/pair. What you get besides Jim Thiel’s signature on these limited production units is hand finished Birdseye maple, and high quality polypropylene capacitors and high cost crossover design. Alongside the CS2.4SE was a pair of Thiel SS2 subwoofers.

The demonstration was actually from Bryston VP of Sales, James Tanner. His equipment melded with the Thiel using his BPA-26 preamplifier / BDA-1 processor combination and Bryston’s 7B-SST monoblocks.
 
Give some credit to Torus for their power conditioner and Wireworld cables because the room just sounded great!"