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Who's heard the new ProAc SM100's?

marvin1882 said:
Thanks for that. I'm pretty sure either the SM100's or the curved ATC SCM19's will be my next and final speaker. My feeling is it will be the SM100's but nearer the time I would like to try both at home over an extended period of a few weeks. I am a big fan of the ProAc Studio range and I generally prefer it to the Response range. I have tried the Response D2, Response D18, Response 1.5, Studio 130, Studio 140, Studio 110, Studio 100 and Studio 1 MK2. My favorites were the Studio 130 and the Studio 100, both driven by a high powered MF A1008 solid state/valve hybrid integrated amplifier.

Most of my listening is to up-tempo music - complex electronica/dance music, dub reggae, soul, funk, psychedelic rock, modern jazz etc. The Studio range seems to better handle these genres ime. The Response range is better suited to simpler, more traditional forms of music imo. Acoustic and vocal music sounds superb via the Response range, particularly when driven by quality valve amplification. They are less successful at getting the best from fast, complex and dynamic music; sounding a little too laid back, slow and colored with rock and electronica for my tastes.

Do the SM100's appear to thrive and perform at their best with more power when compared to the 118's? Are the 118's impressive sounding from the off and the SM100's perhaps more attractive over the longer-term? Is the response of the SM100's flatter sounding than the 118's and is the tweeter/high frequency response more rolled off or is it about the same in your experience?
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I'm with you on the differences regarding the Response and Studio range. I have 90% similar genres as yourself so can reflect from an informed position. I listen to the likes of Clark/Autechre/Aphex/Plaid/Plasitkman/DeepChord/Monolake etc etc. And then stuff like Ane Brun/Agnes Obel/Modern Folk.. then onto Classical Modern/Neo-Classical from the likes of Max Richter/Alvo Noto..... , with a bit of Marilyn Manson thrown in just to mix it up a bit!!

Regarding amps, the 118's worked perfectly with my previous naim 172/155XS pre/power so power isn't an issue with those. The SM100s came after so I've only tried them with my SuperUniti but they seam very easy to drive. The SM100s actually present the HFs better/clearer with more detail but somehow manage to sound relaxed and smoother. Neither 118s or 100 ever step over the mark here. What is different is the MF and LF, as mentioned previously. I'm not sure how this is the case (I suspect its the new crossover and paper cone), there's more detail, speed and transients at all levels but manages to sound completely at ease doing so. Not sure if they're as 'flat' as the ATCs but then they aren't boring..... I've owned SCM20SLs twice now, and listened to SCM19s a number of times, the 20's never stay with me long as I soon find them tiresome, at low volume levels theres virtually no LF. It's not pleasant always having to assault your hearing, some genres are better played at low volumes and this is where the SM100s win hands down for me. All I can say is get yourself a pair for home dem, proaudioeurope.com offered me a healthy discount.
 
Ayya Khema said:
gracias!!!
in your opnion, wats their best under 5k model to try?
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The D30R is a wonderful speaker; just too much bass for me. If your room can cope I'd urge you to try it. That and the SHL5Plus were the only speakers under £5k I heard that I was really impressed by, but the D30R most of all.
 
Ayya Khema said:
gracias!!!
in your opnion, wats their best under 5k model to try?
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It would depend on your taste in music, your preference in amplifiers, the size of your room and your general taste in audio.

What ProAc are very good at, almost regardless of model, is a seamless integration between drivers (unsurpassed in my experience), a natural mid-range, spellbinding musicality with very good open sound staging and imaging capabilities. On the minus side, they are not the most detailed speakers available and the Response range is somewhat coloured, making them better suited to vocal and acoustic music in particular where they are capable of creating real sonic magic.
 
marvin1882 said:
It would depend on your taste in music, your preference in amplifiers, the size of your room and your general taste in audio.

What ProAc are very good at, almost regardless of model, is a seamless integration between drivers (unsurpassed in my experience), a natural mid-range, spellbinding musicality with very good open sound staging and imaging capabilities. On the minus side, they are not the most detailed speakers available and the Response range is somewhat coloured, making them better suited to vocal and acoustic music in particular where they are capable of creating real sonic magic.
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That sums it up nicely IMHO, when I discussed my genre preferences with Stewart Tyler he said the SM100s might be better suited plus they'd take more punishment.
 
I borrowed the Studio 100s from a friend for a month a while back.
Boom-tchizzz-boom if I remember correctly.
 
tuga said:
I borrowed the Studio 100s from a friend for a month a while back.
Boom-tchizzz-boom if I remember correctly.
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I have been listening to all kinds of music with Studio 100's for years with many types of amplifiers. IMO they are very fine speakers, in fact a little better than Studio 1's, Super Towers, Response 1SC's, and Tab.Sig 8's.

I now have Dynaudios with Esotar2 tweeters that are more linear and detailed but not as musical and easy to drive like ProAc's.
 
TLS said:
I have been listening to all kinds of music with Studio 100's for years with many types of amplifiers. IMO they are very fine speakers, in fact a little better than Studio 1's, Super Towers, Response 1SC's, and Tab.Sig 8's.

I now have Dynaudios with Esotar2 tweeters that are more linear and detailed but not as musical and easy to drive like ProAc's.
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The new 1" ProAc/Seas Tweeter used in the SM100s reminds of the Esotar unit. I Like the Dyns but find the rear porting an issue for me.
 
Cereal Killer said:
The new 1" ProAc/Seas Tweeter used in the SM100s reminds of the Esotar unit. I Like the Dyns but find the rear porting an issue for me.
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I have just enough room for rear ported S25's but I have to experiment with placement everytime I change sources or amplification to get a good balance.

Paper cone midranges and woofers will always sound more natural to me so I wish I could have all in a single loudspeaker! The more you try with different speakers the more you realise it's all about compromises...

Thanks for the SM 100's link.
 
S25s have stood the test of time and are great speakers. They have this month released S40s.. https://www.dynaudio.com/home-audio/special-forty/special-forty. And there's also the Amphion Argon 3S's which seam to be going down a storm. http://www.amphion.fi/en/products/argon3s/

The more I learn and understand the differences between the 118s and SM100s the more I think it is the paper cone that sounds sooo good and the new HF unit being beautifully natural/neutral, works seamlessly together. From what I see of the cross-over (in the photos) its a simple HQ 1st order design with ProAcs own coils and caps.

I agree, when choosing a speaker you have to decided which compromise works best in your environment. For me, living a slightly transient life style, its placement.
 
I'm using Studio 148's as my main speakers and love them to death.

It's so nice to have a speaker that does everything right including playing loud in a big room, having great bass and yet still having that wonderful midrange and imaging.
 
Shame about the port on the bottom, not sure I could live with that.

TBH I've never been too impressed with their floorstanding efforts, to me the magic has always been in their smaller standmounts.
 
matt j said:
Shame about the port on the bottom, not sure I could live with that.

TBH I've never been too impressed with their floorstanding efforts, to me the magic has always been in their smaller standmounts.
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Have you tried/heard the D20 & D30Rs?
Personally I much prefer ported designs. Tried closed speakers a number of times and although good, never manage to stay in my system for long.
 
matt j said:
Shame about the port on the bottom, not sure I could live with that.

TBH I've never been too impressed with their floorstanding efforts, to me the magic has always been in their smaller standmounts.
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I have to say, this has always been my experience with ProAc as well. The stand-mounted models on properly designed high mass stands (this is very important) ideally Target or Atacama HMS, generally out perform the floor-standing models and put out sufficient levels of low end for the majority of typical UK/European rooms.
 
marvin1882 said:
I have to say, this has always been my experience with ProAc as well. The stand-mounted models on properly designed high mass stands (this is very important) ideally Target or Atacama HMS, generally out perform the floor-standing models and put out sufficient levels of low end for the majority of typical UK/European rooms.
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I'm looking at the HMS2.1 ATM fully loaded they're 55kg, verses the R2s which are only 37kg in comparison. Apparently the HMS series were designed with ProAc's assistance. The HMS 2.1 for the SM100s & D2s and HMS1.1 for the Tablettes.
 
Cereal Killer said:
I'm looking at the HMS2.1 ATM fully loaded they're 55kg, verses the R2s which are only 37kg in comparison. Apparently the HMS series were designed with ProAc's assistance. The HMS 2.1 for the SM100s & D2s and HMS1.1 for the Tablettes.
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Good choice! The 2.1's look superb with the SM100's. A perfect match both sonically and visually.

Choosing the right, high-mass stands is very important with ProAc.
 
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