I love Proac, and wouldn't knock them (their finish alone is an industry standard!!). But if you need a small and narrow floorstander instead of a stand monitor (if you have a medium sized room, rather than a small room), you should audition the Paragon Acoustic's Radiant, $2850. It beats the competition, IMHO, like Joseph Audio and Aerail Acoustics. FOR NEARFIELD IN A SMALL ROOM, the Response 2.5 will be better, BUT IT COSTS 60% MORE. I do think the Radiant beats the Response 1SC, unless you only listen in the extreme nearfield (less than 5 feet from each speaker).