Upgrade from Proac Response 1SC?

Part of the problem is that its a difficult speaker to upgrade from. They're so unique its hard to look at those speakers from an upgrade/downgrade perspective. I can't think of another company that makes a rough equivalent to the 1SC. Maybe Living Voice vs full size ProAc's, but I don't think they make small speakers. Maybe you can list some specific qualities that you need to improve upon over your 1SC's, and start there.

Also, maybe you should consider keeping the ProAc's and upgrading something else in the system. The 1SC's being driven by my VAC 30/30 sounds exceptional. Moving to an amp like that, and possibly a matching preamp can do a lot for the system. Dynamic contrast, image size and scale, depth, are all things that can get better without even changing the speakers.

I have a pair of near mint Proac Response 2.5 sitting in a closet in burr oak that I might consider selling.
Since buying a refurbished pair of Quad esl57 I just don't use the Proac's anymore. A good home for them would be nice, since they were so good to me.

Any interest just let me know.

I'll give you $500 for them plus whatever the shipping is.

Cooper52,

As an owner of many Proac speakers, past and present, I have a few thoughts to share with you.

I have owned Proac Tablettes, Studio 1, Response 2, Studio 140, Response 2.5 and currently the Proac response D-40r. So that is a lot of Proac speakers, and needless to say I also like Proac speakers.

I responded earlier and indicated that the Response D-30r would be a significant upgrade with a great sound similar to your current speakers. I mentioned that a local dealer had a pair of demos, but those are now sold.

I also think the Response 2.5 mentioned by Yashu would be an upgrade, particularly in the bass region. the response 2.5 has great low bass extension, but is not very efficient and does require some power. I used a pair of Quicksilver V-4 monoblocks (120 wpc) which was a great match.

I bought a pair of Harbeth Compact 7Es-2 and tried them, but they did not do it for me either. I have also heard the Devore Fidelity Gibbon 3XL, and I thought the bass extension was lacking.

I have not heard the Merlins so I can't comment.

If you can find a pair of of demo or used Proac Response D-30r I think you would like them a lot, and you might also consider the Response 2.5.

Best of luck in finding the right speaker for you.

Jim Perry

Further update, seven months later: I got the chance to hear two more speakers, one for an extended (week-long) in-home trial. The first of these, which I heard in the store, was a pair of Totem Element Fires, ordinarily out of price-range but because they were used, the dealer was letting them go at a (for these) real bargain price. I was very impressed with their 3-dimensional imaging and their rock-solid poise. They maintained very fine resolution across a wide range of musical genres and at pretty high volumes, far louder than I would play them here at home. What I DIDN'T like about them was their rather recessed sound and seeming lack of warmth in the midrange, not to mention that they're not exactly pretty to look at. Thus I opted not to try them at home. The other speakers were Sonus Faber Cremona Auditors (not the "M"s) which on first impression did a number of things really well. They presented a very finely resolved stereo image though more two-dimensional than the Totems. Their overall sound, warmer but a little more forward, seemed to suit my taste better, so these I brought home to live with for a week, and this is is where I began to hear the Cremona Auditor's shortcomings. The first thing I noticed (apart from how different their personality is from my Proac Response 1 SCs) was that they didn't present an effortless sound at all. They seemed to need a lot of pushing to get them to speak (even though they are nominally as efficient as my ProAcs) and my wife, who NEVER has an opinion about these things, immediately declared them "dull and muffled." "I like the other ones better," she said (meaning the ProAcs). Also, the Cremona Auditors could get a little congested with certain kinds of sounds, like choirs with strings or dense orchestral passages. Lastly, they could occasionally exhibit a slight "papery" quality with certain kinds of music. However, I should also include here the things I did like about them, namely their honesty with voices, their warm and musical midrange, good bass extension and their stylish appearance. A little more sparkle would have been welcome though. So, the search continues...