ProAc DT8 vs D20R

i think your room size and the fact you have the dt8’s too tight against the front wall is creating midbass overload and thus you feel you want more imaging, clarity in the midrange and deep bass impact

the dt8 are a d’appolito design so 2 midbass drivers one each side of the single dome tweeter, and while i have heard them myself i understand in the proac line they are voiced more towards warmth than the higher speakers in the response line

going to a d20r will likely be a step up as the bass dispersion will be better controlled with the single bass driver and the ribbon tweeter has a more sophisticated sound than the soft dome in the dt8

another option is to go with a standmount like a d2r or tablette model and a rel sub... that may be the best solution for your room, and will provide the best imaging and least midbass bloat

before changing speakers i would suggest you try to move the speakers another 6 inches closer into the room, away from boundaries... it should have an impact on the tonal balance and imaging

good luck

I have had almost all Proac speakers over the years - seriously! I still have pairs of  2.5 d38 d 3.8 d80 and d100. If you like the Proac "sound" the differences between speakers are there (obviously as otherwise there would be no point)  but improvements are progressive as you move up the price chain (as you would expect), apart from the 2.5 which is a stand out "go for" quality wise and price wise. So my own conclusion that works for me is that you spend as much as you can and work at that model at your price point. You should be happy regardless

First of all, why are your existing speakers 14" from the wall? Is that where they perform optimally or is this position for aesthetic reasons such as room furnishings, WAF, etc.? If you cannot place the speakers where they sound best, it will do no good to purchase better ones in the ProAc line. Instead you should be considering speakers which work well in a room your size and near the wall. I would suggest that before you spend any money, experiment with speaker placement first, it can make a huge difference in the areas you are looking to improve upon and costs nothing at all unless there are matrimonial restrictions involved.

Got no options with the speakers placement! Thanks for the advice.

I have owned a lot of different ProAc speakers and currently own the D-40r.

I think there are two significant improvements in some of the older models.

The ribbon tweeters IMO are much better than the previous dome tweeters. The bottom porting has made the speakers easier and more flexible in placement.