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ProAc sound with SS vs tubes

Folks

I am close to buying a Proac D20R. I listened to them at the dealership yesterday, driven by a low power PrimaLuna tube amp, and was totally gobsmacked by the glorious midrange. When I get them, I will be driving them with something very similar - an EL34 powered 40w/ch tube amp. So I have a feeling they will perform close to how they sounded at the dealership!

The one caveat was that at the demo, when I played a bass-heavy electronic track and pulled the volume up, the bass started to get flabby and the port started "huffing". I don’t know if that is the technical term, but it felt like the speaker was losing grip on the bass and starting to lose control of the lowest frequencies with the synthesized bass jabs losing their timing. The track was Algae & Fungi, Part I - by Biosphere from the album Cirque, in case anyone is interested.

Based on that, my question is: is this something that is inherent to the speaker? I plan to switch my tube amp to a SS of significantly higher wattage soon. I am thinking either Ayre-V5xe, or the Hegel H-20 or one maybe even a Plinius-SA102 or SA-103 if I can find one at a reasonable price.

Can any Proac owners tell me if the bass response will tighten up with more power and a SS amp behind the speakers? Or is this a limitation of the D20R’s design that it’s bass response will not be well controlled with tracks that are bass heavy and highly rhythmic?

Thank you so much!
badri
jea48
4,423 posts
 

The one caveat was that at the demo, when I played a bass-heavy electronic track and pulled the volume up, the bass started to get flabby and the port started "huffing". I don’t know if that is the technical term, but it felt like the speaker was losing grip on the bass and starting to lose control of the lowest frequencies with the synthesized bass jabs losing their timing. The track was Algae & Fungi, Part I - by Biosphere from the album Cirque, in case anyone is interested.

And when you pointed that out to the salesperson he/she said what?

Was it the fault of the speakers or was it the fault of the amp?

Did you try the speakers connected to another amp? Same results?

Will the dealer let you take the demo speakers home on the weekend just before he closes for the day and bring them back on the morning of the day he reopens, so you can hear them in your room connected to your system? Many dealers will write it up as sale with a note on the receipt saying full refund on return if returned by (date) in the same condition the speakers left his store.

badri OP
69 posts
 
@jea48 The dealer did say that it was most likely the amp running out of current. Which makes sense - since I have not heard too many people complain about ProAcs being bass shy.

That said - I would love to hear from other D20R owners or people who have tested it - if they have encountered anything that concerns them about the low-end control on these speakers.
cmach
193 posts
 
Hi Badri,

I auditioned the D-20R’s with my Manley Snappers. We ran them
in Ultra Linear (100W) and Triode (~30W). I actually preferred them
in Triode mode. The sound was more open and balanced in my opinion.
I ultimately ended up with the D-30R because it was about as big a speaker I could comfortably fit in my room. I run them in Triode mode
and still have dynamics to spare. A few things to note about Proac’s,
is that they do need time to break in. They can sound a bit tight and I recall the bass being a bit loose. At about 50 hours I started to hear noticeable improvements.
They also need space to do there thing. Too close too the wall and bass can be over powering and sloppy. The D-20R put on a good show and I was impressed with what they can do, especially at the price.
nicotico
187 posts
 
There are a few things at play here. Proacs like tubes. I believe a solid state amplifier would tighten up the bass, but you might lose some of the magic in the mids, and overall, get a less "relaxed" sound. A more powerful tube amp (50~60 watts/ch or higher) will most likely solve the issue of the amp running out of current that you experienced at the dealer. Also something else to consider - the amp at the dealer - did it have more than one set of output taps and which was being used? Assuming the amp had more than one set of output taps, switching to the lower value may provide more control in the bass. Lastly, my guess is that the D-20's strong suit is not bass-heavy electronic music, and you may have been pushing the speakers to their limit. Also, need to consider any differences in the room at the dealer vs. your listening room.
rothwea
45 posts
 
Proac's like tubes. Good quality tubes. EL-34 tube amps are not well suited to bass heavy electronica. QuickSilver Mono88's or Mono 120's (running KT-150's) are a fantastic match with Proac and would suit your music preferences. Bass control will not be an issue and you'll get a quality & beauty of midrange that 95% of SS amps will not attain. The comment above about run in time is also spot on. Proac's need a lot of running in to show their true colours.
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