Thiel’s Multipurpose SCS4 Bookshelf Puts Out Big Sound

Kentucky-based Thiel Audio has lived happily within the rarified air of specialty audio for more than 30 years.

The company has sought, with the help of a few high-profile distribution deals, to reach a broader audience the last few years.

The multipurpose SCS4 bookshelf speaker exemplifies that trend as a cost-approachable entry point into the company's product line.

Features

The two-way SCS4 stands nearly 18 inches tall and is 8.5 inches wide. Its dual front ports flank the company's magnetically shielded coaxial driver array, which is centered within an aluminum baffle. The driver array features a 6.5-inch woofer with metal diaphragm and a 1-inch metal dome tweeter.

Here are the speaker's ratings:

• Frequency response is 47 Hz to 20 kHz (+/-3dB)
• Impedance and sensitivity is 4 ohms and 88 dB, respectively
• Power handling is 30 watts to 200 watts

Easy to Work With

The SCS4 can be used for various in-room applications, including stand-mounting and in-cabinet.

I used the SCS4s in a two-channel system that included electronics from Bryston, cabling from QED and an iPod, setting the speakers on 36-inch stands, about 7 feet apart and 9 feet from my listening position.

I tweaked the speakers' toe-in and concluded the set-up by moving them slightly closer to the back wall. The binding posts of the SCS4 are big and sturdy, which makes the speaker easy to work with.

Sound Exceeds Expectations

The SCS4 sounds a lot bigger than what you would expect from a bookshelf. High-points included the weight it rendered on cymbal crashes and a prominent mid-bass that extended evenly through its low-range capabilities. The SCS4 also displayed spot-on midrange and lower treble accuracy.

I listened to music from Ozzy, Sugarland and Sheryl Crow. I was pleased with how the speakers imaged and resolved dense recordings like "You Lookin' at Me Looking at You" from Ozzy. I could hear the guitar solo pulled up to the front of the mix with a second guitar playing the melody line underneath, in its own space.

Complete, Affordable Package

The Thiel SCS4 is the complete package for anyone wanting to get into high-performance audio but is a little short on cash.

My only reservation is that Thiel speakers typically present amplifiers with a hard load. It will be important to pair the SCS4 with an amp capable of delivering current on demand. (I used the Bryston B-100 amp.)

Be patient through the break-in period. Thiels don't truly round into form until they have 200 to 300 hours on them.

MSRP: $990 each