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Proac 2.5's-something not quite right- ideas?

Ok Audiogoners I've just recently required a pair of Proac Response 2.5's.
My system is Ayre CX-7,Ayre AX-7-using custom made balanced interconnect (tried Cardas Golden Ref.happy with this)and Vantage Marina Speaker cable(bi-wire)-my old speakers were Proac Studio 150's.
My sound before was excellent-worked with my wide musical tastes,subtle and detailed when required and enough oomph when playing Rock or Electronica.
Typically I though my speakers were the weak link and have always wanted to hear/own 2.5's.

What I am hearing with the 2.5's is a jump in scale of presentation and more air/detail around instruments,on certain recordings it sounds really great on others something is missing,the smoothness and clarity I associate with the Proac sound.
The second problem is the scale of the bass,it may just take adjusting to and whilst it doesn't sound overpowering in terms of the overall recording (vocals/details etc. are still there)it really does seem too much for home listening-more like a gig or club experience.
If I put the 150's back in,the bottom line is they sound more musical overall.

I don't believe it's my room which is large-18 feet wide by some 30 plus feet long-I have 3m high ceiling -whilst speaker placement makes a slight difference (I've been messing about with that)it is not a major influence on the general effects.
I've also tried ceramic tiles on my carpet with the speakers on top-again not a major difference.
Everything in my system has been checked-the speakers are set up per instruction and the replacement effect of the 150's proves nothing is amiss imho.

I have several theories as to what might be wrong-the only previous owner only listened to Jazz and Classical and not at as loud levels as I do-the speakers have not been used in the last two years.
So if run in/break in is a factor (I've only got about 8 hours on them)can I expect the missing resolution to come into focus?
Can I expect the bass driver to change?- since perhaps it has never been fully tested with fast/deep modern bass.
Does my increased listening volume mean more break in was required anyway?

My biggest fear is the scale of the 2.5's is not to my taste and that they are so revealing that I am hearing a grain in some recordings that I didn't hear before.

I've read enough about these speakers to know some how I'm not getting what I should and I instictively know on many of the tracks and CD's I'm playing that I am not getting the enjoyment I was before despite some more space and detail.

Thoughts?
ben_campbell
charliee's avatar
charliee
180 posts
 
Jsbail,
Theta Dreadnaught amp, Supratek Syrah pre amp, VPI Aeries
table with Graham arm and Shelter 501 cart., Cary 306/200 cd
player. 4 runs of Harmonic Tech. Pro 9 speaker cable, Ridge
Street Audio interconnects, etc...

The Mani II's are easily more resolveing than the 2.5's. When I put a pair of W.E. 350b's in the Syrah the Totems really showed their stuff.

I am not trying to put down the Proacs, I loved those speakers, thats why I bought a brand new pair. I intended to keep them for a long long time. But when I compared the two,
it was no contest, I took the loss on the Proacs, and kept
the Mani II's.

artk's avatar
artk
33 posts
 
Getting back to Ben's ProAc's. Your room does not compare to Charliee's. Your room is 18x30 with high ceilings vs 18x18. You have considerably more cubic feet. Just because you are getting the volume you need does not speak to the amount of loss your experiencing. I really do believe that the room is the issue. The ProAc/Totem discussion was interesting. ProAc's are one of the finest speakers I've ever heard especially mated with Naim gear. I haven't the pleasure of hearing Totem's, I will now make it my business to.
ben_campbell OP
1,169 posts
 
Artk-logically why would the loss matter in the room when I was using smaller speakers before?
That doesn't make sense to me....at all.

I may be wrong but I think Opalchip was really on the money with his assessment.

Perhaps the speakers have run in a little but I'm no longer hearing the differences I remember-the mid-bass and bass thump no longer seems as strong.....I do believe as Opalchip predicted my brain has adjusted.

However putting the 150's back in will be interesting and I may do that once I've lived with the 2.5's a tad more.

At this stage my gut reaction is that the 2.5's are better than the 150's-scale and detail but perhaps (and that is just a perhaps) that they haven't quite lived up to my expectations.
gunbei
2,327 posts
 
Ben, I've never heard the Studio Series. What you're describing seems to be more a slight difference in flavor rather than a revelatory improvement.

Do you anticipate any tweaks or future component changes to compensate for the new presentation?
ben_campbell OP
1,169 posts
 
Gunbei-I'm holding off changing anything at the moment as I still don't feel 100% sure of how I feel about the 2.5's-in real terms I've spent quite a short time with them.
I do believe I am very likely to stick with my components.

It's been a confusing journey so far but whilst I've been confused slightly in the past (not to this extent by a major system change for a while)I do believe in time I will be sure of how I feel.

Certainly one Audiogoner found the Studio series warmer.

I do to some extent regret posting so soon on this but it may be a worthwhile experience to share.
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