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Reference 3a mm de capo vs. ProAc Response 2

So here's the conundrum. I've got a Fisher 500c- 35 watts of vintage tube power (with several mods done to it-namely updated power supply and signal path) and currently have a pair of Vandersteen 2ce's. Not the best match, due to the Vandy's moderate efficiency, though still nice. Not especially dynamic and a bit congested on the frequency extremes.
So in search of a better speaker to match the Fisher, I've done lots of research on Reference 3A's and Proacs, which I'm told both work well with tubes.

So please, have any of you listened to both of the speakers in the title? If so, how would you characterize their strengths and weaknesses? Which did YOU prefer and why?
As for my tastes, I enjoy old school R&B, 50s-60s jazz, classic rock, some pop, bluegrass, reggae, folk. Not really concerned about classical. And my source is an Eastern Electric MiniMax CDP. No vinyl (yet).

Thanks a bunch for your valued opinions! Lincoln

PS- yes I'm working hard to arrange a listen to both of them myself, but Tucson, AZ, is a bit removed from lesser known brands. :)
lincnabby
dopogue
1,773 posts
 
Lincnabby, I'm almost as puzzled by this as you are. A good friend designed and built my SET amps (845 output tube, EL34/KT77 driver tube, 6N7/ECC31 input tube, solid state rectification) and swears the output is 12 wpc. They sound very powerful, though, probably due largely to the huge transformers he used (no, he's no longer building them). I have a pretty large room, 18 x 40' with an "L" off one of the 40' sides. And as far as I know I've never clipped the amps. BTW, they replaced Conrad Johnson Premier 12s (140 wpc) because they sound much more open, dynamic and detailed than the CJs did.

As to whether your Fisher would handle the Gallos, I think so, but I can't say for sure.
lincnabby OP
56 posts
 
Very interesting, Dopogue.
I've encountered another strange twist. John Ruttan, suggested I try out a Vandersteen X2 50k high pass filter capacitor. It plugs directly into my amp's input between it and the CDP, and will limit bass output some, but he says it will dramatically increase transient response and take some of the load off of the Fisher. It's a $60 experiment, so I figure what the heck?! Perhaps that and a matching Vandersteen sub (again John Ruttan's suggestion) will take me to the promised land. We'll see. I'd still love to audition ProAcs or Ref 3A's, but so far the opportunity has eluded me. If anyone out there in Audiogon land knows someone in Southern Arizona who owns either of the above speakers, please let me know! I'll be happy to supply them with scotch, wine, beer, whatever, for their hospitality!
dopogue
1,773 posts
 
I should have mentioned that the Ref 3 woofers have dual voice coils which are intended to be driven separately and that I have the Gallo scbswoofer amp on the 2nd voice coils of mine. There are two sets of speaker inputs but the Ref 3s are NOT biwirable -- the second set goes to the second voice coils. So my SET amps don't have to handle anything below 40-45 Hz. Dave
klip's avatar
klip
23 posts
 
Tell please What is the difference in sound ProAc Studio 100 -ProAc Response Two- ProAc Response D Two..would be very grateful.
ladok's avatar
ladok
96 posts
 
I have owned both and still have a pair of the ProAcs. Cory Greenberg wrote an excellent review of the Response 2 way back in the early 90s in Stereophile, basically saying they were the cure for the wimpy state of high-end speakers at the time. I bought a pair then and I agree totally. They are alive, have an ideal tonal balance, can do boogie or refinement, and work well with tubes. The Ref 3a also had its charms but there seemed to be a small area in the upper midrange/lower treble that I could not tame, perhaps some type of impedence interaction with my tube amps? I have not tried the ProAc with another stand besides the Target R2, Greenberg did and was convinced the Target was the way to go. I think the ProAcs would be a speaker you could live with for a long time and have lots of fun with.
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