Having nothing much to do after the worldcup I decide to upgrade my speakers. OK a phone call to CMY, spoke to Calvin and zeroed in on the ProAc Tablette Ref 8 and the new ProAc Studio 110. So much I've read about the Ref8, so much good review about this tiny wonder. My package came at 7pm just as promised, and both the ProAc are now sitting on my living room. I've 3 days to audition them over the weekend.
1st speakers to get the honour, the Studio 110. First impression of this speaker, it looks like one of those you find displaying in Pasar Road. I'm being honest, it doesn't for one bit look the price you've to pay. My Audiopro Black Pearl V2 at least get the piano black finishes, which are so luxurious compared to this. And the dust cover looks really cheap, These British are really serious it serves its purpose professionally keeping away dust with no safety benefit or other fuctions whatsoever included. Again it look like one of those made by our local car accessories shops covering your car door 6.1/2" seperates. I'm beginning to suspect the origin of manufacture.
Ok powered up my amp and load Stacey Kent - Under the Blanket of Blue (Forgive me for boring you with the same few CDs, but I've always audition with this gang of mine which I'm being very familiar and I desperately need to catch the differences to justify the 2.1/2 times extra price factor). Volumn at 18, somehow it sound too low which is the volumn I usually played and my neighbours usually giving me her smile a temper behind it. Up the volumn to 20 and her voice, gosh so much texture, so much feelings, so alive. I was immediately impressed. The sound are balance, so flat across the frequency range, you dont get spikes anywhere. Up the volumn to 23 and you can feel her breathing.
The immediate differences compared to the Black Pearl are balance frequency across the bandwidth. I cant enjoy a lot of CDs due to uneveness (frequency spike) and quite a few CDs have gone to my KIV drawer. But now with the Studio 110 I can finally reaudition them. Begin with Lakme - Dome epais le Jasmin, my Blackpearl used to give me headache when her voice soar, I can swear seeing a pair of metalic tweeter floating in front of me torturing my ears. It was irritating and I needed to lower the volumn which sacrifices a lot and spoil the meaning of listening to the song at all. And then came Kiri Te Kenawa - Dove sono, her voice sounded like an angel floating so gracefully. I was hooked, I told myself this is a must have speakers for me and cooking up tales to deceive my wife. My mind spinning with excuses.
The Studio 110s vocals are simply gorgeous, so full of emotions. So time for classical, Anne Sophie Mutter Tchaikovsky concerto for violin and orchestra in D major op35. The Studio 110 rendered her violin again with emotion, I can close my eyes and project her in my living hall playing, I honestly don't know how to describe it but the sound of her wooden violin warm strings are so realistic and alluring. I played the whole piece 3 times that night. Being my favourite piece you can imagine how happy my face was when its so darn perfect. When the whole orchestra springs alive you can hear all the different instrument in the back ground and Sophie standing on center stage. The staging is superb but no deep soundstage compared to my audiopro as promised by John. Maybe this is due to speaker placement so I've to experiment this some other time.
Then comes the 2nd ProAc, I opened the box and took out the ProAc Tablette reference 8, the colour is horrible. And place it on my speaker stand. I sat there wondering with very little confidence, will this speaker perform? Its SO tiny! 1st song Jane Monheit - Taking a chance on Love, this tiny box sounded big. Not just by its standard but by universal standard. What strike you most are the speed of these little chihuahuas. Then a few more songs from the same old few cds I've tried earlier and there are differences between them.
No matter how I tried placing, the soundstage sounded smaller. Stacey Kent - It never entered my mind, the saxaphone welcome somehow sounded small and light. I admit it could be my imagination as I've prejudice against it. Not much difference in vocals, but more on musical instrument. Imaging is far more superior to the Studio 110, the placing are spot on. The high are a little brighter and also music comes alive after volumn level 25. Vivaldi at volumn 28. So after 5 hours, I decided the Studio 110 are more of my taste and preference.
Well 3 days over so fast and this morning I ended up at CMY, seduced by the Studio 110, I part with my cash. I told John I don't wanna step into his shop no more. Its an evil place. But right before leaving I caught a glimps of the Richard Grey power supply unit. Looked at John with a smile and well I can see a review on this power unit coming very soon.
Equipment use for this test
CD: Marantz CD7300 Amp: Primare I21 IC: QED SilverSpiral Cable: QED silver Anniversary Bi-wire
Please take note that this review are base on my own experience and experiment at my apartment with no room treatment except for the big foot stool at the corner to iron out the extra bass boom, if you're interested on any of the speakers here you should do your own audition at your own place. Coz only yourself will know what strike your sweet spot.
I fussed with placement for quite sometime to get it exactly right. Striking the balance between good, deep bass and the to-die-for sounstage and imaging takes time and care but you will be rewarded. The system would probably benefit from a better cd player in the future. If my Audio Refinement CD Complete Alpha were still on the market I would recommend an audition but in it's absence the Rega Apollo is (for me ) the second best in the price range.
For me the Tablette had a little better midrange but lacked the overall balance of the Studio 110. BTW you'll grow to love the looks. Mine are cherry and the wood looks very nice by candlelight.
I looked up your thoughts on your newly purchased ProAc's after a note from Art.
Good stuff, glad you are enjoying your new speakers.
Having grown up in the UK, and following this hobby ever since I was a child in fact (a long long time ago now!!!), I have several times heard ProAc speakers in various dealers. I have never had the pleasure of using ProAc's at home though.
But as I commented earlier, I am yet to hear a ProAc speaker that I did not like the sound of. All seem consistently good.
In any case, thank you for taking the time to post your impressions, and thanks for the nice photos of your equipment.
P.S. I am suffering major world cup withdrawl symptoms also. I have been watching the Tour de France, so that is helping me stay awake at nights, now the world cup is over.
I noticed something interesting watching the TdFrance. If you mute the TV, and turn off the incessant albeit well intended prattle of the commentators, and play some suitable music on your hifi (e.g. Tour de France by Kraftwerk, or the new Muse album....).
Suddenly you brain starts to pick up a lot of visual clues that you missed, when you were expending mental energy listening to the commentators. You start to SEE how fast these guys are going (approx 60km/h on the flat), and even when going uphill (at 10-20 km/h), you notice the awesome speed and consistency of their cycling cadence.
In addition to this, sans commentary, you notice, the grimaces in the faces, and how much pain is involved in a 200+ km stage in the Pyrenees mountains, during a southern French summer.
Drugs or no drugs, these guys are all heroes in my opinion.
A hero on drugs?! I can appreciate the dedication of the atheletes, but hero is a stretch. Hero is a strong term, one which I save for people who dedicate and sometimes sacrifice their lives for the furtherment of others.
Good bike race this year, 5 yellow jersey changes so far.
Nothing to do with the topic, but I have to agree with Nuck about the term "hero". It is a contentious issue with me. Sorry Rav, a hero to me is a person who acts selflessly to benfit others. I take my hat off to all people who can push themselves to become top of their game whether it be in sports, business, academia, politics and so forth. But heroes, no way. This term is used far too loosely imho, and its oft misuse can be a real insult to the true heroes of our society - past and present. Sorry for the soapbox interlude here.
Not wanting to be disagreeable I left the "hero" part alone. I think the rest of Ravi's obsevations were quite astute.
I'm not much of a cycling fan as it makes American team sports look "clean". The totality of what I've read about cycling puts it right up there with boxing.
At one time I was quite an avid cyclist and enjoyed it immensely. Unfortunately my health no longer allows it. I need to work on that perhaps.
Nuck, I agree with that list but must add the caveat that in the case of MLK his appetites were legendary as well.
Well off to shower....large family gathering (my wifes) in a hillbilly town near the Cascades, precisely where a black does not want to go on his day off....wish me luck.
On the same note... I always enjoy the diversity we share here. From Ravi(the Polish guy) to Art(the asian fellow) to Frank(from Isreal) and myself(Macaulay, obviously Balkan), and the Australian Icelanders, it is always a pleasure to share the globe in search of musical enjoyment.
I think we should run the UN and promote musical commonality as a peacekeeper.
Well I made it back from hillbillyville in one piece. It's scary up there. Thanks for the well wishes...it was my mother-in-laws 86th birthday party and she's about as sweet and wonderful (redundant but worth it) a person as I've ever met.
Shirley is blind, has an exotic disease which keeps her constantly dizzy, has severe headaches, and is almost immobile. She and her pensioner husband, a p.o.w. from Changi and the Burma railroad in ww2, have little money yet support children around the world through care plans. And like your Reba Art, she always looks to see the beauty in everything and everyone around her. Imagine what a world it would be if we were all like these great people.
Oh, and they have an adopted aboriginal child. My wife, when she was young, would always get a kick out of seeing people's expressions when she introduced her black sister. Today, thank goodness, it rarely raises a brow.
Little to do with ProAcs I guess, except these have always been pro-active people.
