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Post by Johnkenn on Aug 8, 2013 21:50:35 GMT -6
First thanks to littlesicily for literally sending me an instruction movie  This was my first foray into passive monitors. The whole argument - and price - of a separate power amp scared me away for the longest. "Dood, you haven't heard your speakers until you've heard the latest $4000 Brystons..." But, I bit the bullet. I'm coming from Focal Solo's and before that, Focal Twin 6's - and I had never actually HEARD the ProAcs before, but had heard all the raves about them. So, I picked some brand new ones up off of CL...and tried them with a cheap, $300 (borrowed) Hafler P3000. Unbelievably good. The clarity is just amazing. And this is with the cheap ass power amp. I can hear that the bottom isn't as full as it should be and Littlesicily said he experienced the same thing with a cheaper amp...He said it gets solved with the right amp (which I'm about to buy off of the bay for $600). Anyway, I could use this amp - but I know me - knowing that it could be better would kill me. Anyway, they are just fantastic. Natural (except for the highest top end that I attribute to the amp), and SO revealing. Clarity is absolutely the word that comes to mind. I know all of this sounds cliche, but this was my experience...I opened a mix I had been struggling with and boom - no problem. Absolutely hearing things I wasn't hearing with the Solo's. Listening to them both, side by side, the Focals sound veiled in comparison...The ProAc's just sound more realistic - more natural - less fatiguing. I started a thread on Gearslutz several months ago named something like "Does anybody not like Focal"...While they sounded pretty, they could sound "plasticky" and somewhat un-natural. I couldn't tell you why, but I just wasn't loving them. Man - these are the exact opposite. I might be driving to Chattanooga to pick up an amp...can't wait to hear them sound even better. Very happy ProAc owner right here! |
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2013 21:55:39 GMT -6
I am looking for a second pair of near fields. Maybe avantones but I need to get the shitty big knob out. HATE my A7s but work on them for that very reason.
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Post by Johnkenn on Aug 8, 2013 21:58:23 GMT -6
Just because you hate them doesn't mean your mixes will sound better. The Solo's were a step up from the A7's...a big one...The Twins were like big, loud solo's with way more mid info. Strangely, seemed like less bottom end. The ProAcs are just a completely different beast. Punch, depth...
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2013 22:00:38 GMT -6
Oh I know, but it took me unbelievably long to learn them well. I'd never unload them outright until I'm up to speed on a new pair. I assume they don't make the pro acs active?
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Post by Johnkenn on Aug 8, 2013 22:03:42 GMT -6
No. But I paid $1500 for the ProAcs and gonna pay $600 for an amp...The Solo's are $2600 new and the Twins are $3600...And these ProAc's just slay them.
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2013 22:06:22 GMT -6
Nice that's not a bad deal at all. Like I said I really something to add to what I got. Maybe I'll grab the barefoots and slowly phase out the a7s
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Post by Johnkenn on Aug 8, 2013 22:26:40 GMT -6
You don't "grab Barefoot's"...They're $7000
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Post by Deleted on Aug 8, 2013 22:58:21 GMT -6
Life is too short to suck. Nothing is urgent right now, I want the dangerous monitor st
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Post by cenafria on Aug 9, 2013 2:46:42 GMT -6
I feel choosing speakers is the most personal decision in audio recording. What really works for one person might leave others confused. And you don't know for sure how they are going to sound until you hear them in your room. And then it takes time to know them. Buying speakers is difficult!
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Post by Deleted on Aug 9, 2013 4:15:50 GMT -6
John, Can I ask which amp you bought ?
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Post by Johnkenn on Aug 9, 2013 6:00:12 GMT -6
I'm going to pick up a McIntosh MC2100 today...
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Post by Johnkenn on Aug 9, 2013 7:39:57 GMT -6
That's not to say the Hafler didn't sound good...that combo sounded better than the Focals for me...
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Post by Johnkenn on Aug 12, 2013 7:15:49 GMT -6
I ended up with an Emotiva xpa-2...Sounds fantastic...!
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Post by Johnkenn on Aug 13, 2013 16:40:12 GMT -6
Let me just say - I've been doing a little mixing on these and it's just amazing. Wow.
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Post by littlesicily on Aug 13, 2013 23:39:16 GMT -6
I ended up with an Emotiva xpa-2...Sounds fantastic...! Very cool John. I'm eager to hear more about it. |
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Post by Johnkenn on Aug 14, 2013 6:22:03 GMT -6
Posted this in the other ProAc thread, but I'll post it here too... So - just to follow up on what I ended up with: About the XPA-2 - it's 70lbs. That's heavy...maybe that's why this thing is so powerful. It's got TONS of headroom. In fact, I don't want to be in the room when it runs out of headroom, because it would be dangerous. Highs are crisp and clear, not pinched. Mids are present - maybe a bit forward. How is the XPA-2 effecting the bottom end? Honestly, I couldn't tell you because I'm not familiar enough with the ProAc's through other amps...but I'll say this - it sounds really good. In comparison to the older Hafler I was using as a placeholder - all of the pinchy, top end "distortion" is gone. The XPA-2 has enough power and headroom that the frequency spectrum remains unchanged as you crank it up...and I haven't made it very far. This thing brings the volume. I took a tour on itunes (compressed encoded music anyone?) with both the Hafler and the XPA-2...I spent MUCH longer with the XPA-2. Listening to some of the top ten songs right now. "Blurred Lines" - fantastic mix. Sounded great with the Hafler. Sounded fantastic with the XPA-2. Punchy...sooo much more clarity and headroom compared to the Hafler. "We Can't Stop" - This was a mix that I could really hear the shortcomings of the Hafler. There was just something painful in the top end. The XPA-2 absolutely solved that - not painful anymore - just too much top end. YMMV...There's a Miles Davis cover of "Round Midnight" that was really painful with the Hafler - I mean ear-hurt. It was still prominent on the XPA-2, but muuuch more manageable. Switching around to Paul Simon, Katy Perry, Frank Sinatra, Gregory Porter, Allison Krauss, Nat King Cole, modern Country (that was hard)...all just beautiful. The amp really allows the ProAcs to shine - and I'm hearing such new detail that listening to music is like listening for the first time again...Oh - I didn't know it sounded like that...Really hearing mixes now. I know littlesicily has a McIntosh that he loves...and supposedly, they may have more bottom end, muscle in the mids...I have no idea. Maybe we can convene and compare. I would love to know...but he's coming to me - I ain't moving this thing. |
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Post by littlesicily on Aug 14, 2013 6:33:00 GMT -6
What's the price range of that amp, John?
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Post by Johnkenn on Aug 14, 2013 6:33:27 GMT -6
$899
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Post by Johnkenn on Sept 3, 2013 18:59:19 GMT -6
I'm really loving these monitors...They are extremely revealing in the mids...but not mid forward. They are as-revealing as the Focal Twins without being honkish. I feel like I can hear the results of the tiniest tweaks of Q in my EQ's...Super natural on top. They were absolutely a step up from the Focal Solo's IMHO - more natural than the Twins (which are great speakers.) I'm getting fantastic translation - better than I've ever gotten. I highly recommend.
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Post by tonycamphd on Sept 3, 2013 19:26:36 GMT -6
JK, hows the fatigue factor? can you last longer between breaks on a mix sit?
thanx
T
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Post by dandeurloo on Sept 3, 2013 19:42:11 GMT -6
ProAc are cool. I have thought of getting a pair many times.
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pma
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Post by pma on Sept 3, 2013 22:48:29 GMT -6
Less fatigue was the reason I bought mine. Had genelec before so it was a huge step.
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Post by littlesicily on Oct 8, 2013 14:31:21 GMT -6
I recently had a studio designer over to help tweak my room acoustics. His first comment was, "well, I see you're already ahead of the game with those proac 100's".
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Post by lolo on Oct 8, 2013 19:28:42 GMT -6
The ProAc's are prob in another League.
But i received my Neumann Kh120's last week. They are fantastic. Loving them so far. Revealing stuff
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Post by dandeurloo on Oct 10, 2013 8:10:26 GMT -6
I have proac's showing up tomorrow.
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