Value = $ / (Sound Quality Units)

I get an e-mail about 2 or 3 times a month that goes like this:

Dear THIEL,
When I was a young chap, I bought a pair of [choose your classic THIEL], but on my wedding night, my lovely new bride helped put it and my Mark Levinson stuff in the closet she chose just for my stuff. She's so thoughtful! A closet just for me.

Anyway, now that my kids are in college, my wife felt it was an appropriate time to send me packing. She did give me everything that was in my special closet (now I know why it was there to begin with) which includes my THIELs!

Since only my cash earnings hidden from divorce court are resisting my ex-wife's call for alimony, I'm a bit strapped. My [THIEL model above] doesn't sound quite right after being drop kicked out the door, and I fear the worst. Do you think it's worth me trying to fix these old dogs or should I just buy new speakers?

Sincerely,
Singh Glatlast

The answer is almost ALWAYS that the speakers should be repaired. In terms of dollars spent per units of sound quality, it is practically impossible to expect that the same several hundred dollars spent on restoring CS2s for example could get even nearly equivalent sound when spent on new speakers. Seriously, it's really hard to make audiophile speakers for $600 per pair. Even if a few hundred bucks doesn't buy you glossy new cabinets for your old THIELs, it will probably get them sounding like new.

So, if the above sounds like you (sans satire), I strongly encourage you to get your old THIELs back up and running. with few exceptions, your system will sound far better because of it.