ProAc D20R Speakers

Iconoclast posted:

Pyrrhon posted:

Good news! I played yet more with position of my proacs and discovered that the side wall deteriorated the sound on the right speaker. My room is asymmetrical. I'm still a believer in small details and position. The bass is not constant to my ears over time. Lately it was more powerful and rumbling and I can't explain those shifts yet. Makes each listen a surprise

I've noticed that also. Different days, different sound. Mostly the bass being lacking or booming. I have yet to figure out if it's the Naim, the Proacs or my mood/ears that are changing. I did however seem to notice a correlation between weather (heat, humidity) and the sound. Maybe Proac drivers or something in Naim amps are more sensitive to these changes.

Main power, weather, mood, hearing. I really cant tell either.

Im having a much better experience on vinyl overall because the mids and highs are so good I tend to not focus on the bass anymore and dont play that loud so it does not boom. My tube phono preamp really took my listening to somewhere else where bass is a bit out of my focus. 

I went to the D28 because I really liked them at my dealer, and he was on the lookout for me when a customer upgraded and these came available.

Heard the D20Rs at my dealer a couple of weeks ago and they sounded great. Of course, they were on the end of a 500 system so they also sounded probably about as great as they are capable of sounding!

DRMARK; What did you you think of D30R vs. D20R and vs. D28 then?

Chag -

Never heard the D30s. Heard the D48Rs a long time ago on a 500 system (at my dealer again.)  Of course it sounded phenomenal. And I have never been able to do a side by side comparison on the D28 against the D20R.

If I strike it rich I'll give it a try and let you know!

Congratulations ! ProAcs & Naim seem to be a good match.

I had my new speakers ProAC D20R delivered yesterday afternoon.  Naturally, i unboxed them and connected them straight away.  Then i started reading the manual.  Guess what, there is a strong advice not to connect them straight away, but to leave them standing in the music room for a few hours first.  Ok, i only played some some classical jazz (Jacques Loussier) at low volumes, but does anyone know the reason for this advice?

The manual further says that they should run for a week or two before one can consider a serious audition.

But first impressions:  What a wonderful, sweet, open, sound i am getting.  They have been playing for a good 14 hours by now.  The ribbon tweeter (i think) is ready straight away, i doubt it needs much breaking in.  It's like birds of the forest.  The bass is definitely deeper than the PM1 (the ones i am replacing), but you can tell it will take a bit more time to settle.  To be fair there was never going to be any comparison with the PM1.  I knew the moment i replaced the NAP-100 with the NAP-250DR, the PM1's had to go sooner than later. 

What really amazed me though is the soundstage.  I haven't experienced this before, but on some songs you can place the instruments and the singer in the room in specific spots.  You lose the speakers, effect.

I will come back after a week or two, for more updates.  But now i just love it.  My NAP-250DR has come to life, and you know what? It will get better.  It's A kind of Magic as Queen say.

Well done Naim and Tyler.

Paristhea posted:

I had my new speakers ProAC D20R delivered yesterday afternoon.  Naturally, i unboxed them and connected them straight away.  Then i started reading the manual.  Guess what, there is a strong advice not to connect them straight away, but to leave them standing in the music room for a few hours first.  Ok, i only played some some classical jazz (Jacques Loussier) at low volumes, but does anyone know the reason for this advice?

The manual further says that they should run for a week or two before one can consider a serious audition.

But first impressions:  What a wonderful, sweet, open, sound i am getting.  They have been playing for a good 14 hours by now.  The ribbon tweeter (i think) is ready straight away, i doubt it needs much breaking in.  It's like birds of the forest.  The bass is definitely deeper than the PM1 (the ones i am replacing), but you can tell it will take a bit more time to settle.  To be fair there was never going to be any comparison with the PM1.  I knew the moment i replaced the NAP-100 with the NAP-250DR, the PM1's had to go sooner than later. 

What really amazed me though is the soundstage.  I haven't experienced this before, but on some songs you can place the instruments and the singer in the room in specific spots.  You lose the speakers, effect.

I will come back after a week or two, for more updates.  But now i just love it.  My NAP-250DR has come to life, and you know what? It will get better.  It's A kind of Magic as Queen say.

Well done Naim and Tyler.

The reason they tell you to wait a short time is so the components of the speaket have a chance to acclimate to the temperature of your listening room. 

ProAc was responsible for one my very favorite systems - I had Response 2.5s driven by a LP12/Geddon/Aro/Troika/Prefix/52/250.  Wow.  The only system I ever owned that was better at all was the same system with active SBLs.  Double wow, even if it wasn't as beautiful sounding as the R2.5s. 

My D20s are now  6 months old. This Friday  a local retailer will be doing the Naim F Connector on the speaker cable and the following week I will be adding a new Chord 2Qute Dac.  In fact my entire system bar the Turntable and stageline is brand new.

The sound from the speakers is fine and I am pleased with them, as I am with the entire system.  The sound stage is amazing, with the speakers 18" from a back wall and 26" from side walls.  Every instrument seems to have a place in front of me, with vocals in front of them.   I have fallen in love with music again.   I cannot get enough of Chris Botti and that trumpet.

Hopefully the F connector arrangement and adding the Dac will add to the music.  

God I love this life of music and HiFi.

I would just like to thank PaulH and MikeB for the advice they gave me regarding having the jumpers replaced with the Naim F Connection.   I have just had this completed today and I find the sound is more enjoyable.   Definitely more clarity.    No more boomy bass  just a sharp snappy sound.

Thank you guys.

Well done Staffy.

But your previous post to your last, did not suggest that you had a boomy bass, in fact you had stated that you were so pleased with your music.

My question to you would be what was the effect of the F-connector versus the jumpers supplied by ProAc on the D20R, with your latest equipment?  Why would there be a difference in sound, if it is different?

Proac make great speakers. However I found after working through Jim Smith Get Better Sound that I'd had them in the wrong place for years . It's hard work and not that easy to follow but I'd recommend his approach. Even if you end up having to put your speakers in a less than ideal position at least you will have an insight into what your system is capable of.

Hi Merrydance.  With the progression of time and usage that boomy bass lessened.   The other day I altered the Chord speaker cable to the F connection.  I did not expect a great deal immediately...but wow.

Their was a marked difference in clarity of vocals.  Not bright but more clear with added dynamics.   The bass was whip like sharp, no longer hitting you in the chest.   Sound stage a little more defined.     I dont know why altering the cable and taking the jumpers out of the equation  would make a difference but boy it did.   Not massive, but non the less  you knew it was different.

I also noticed that the volume control dial had to be increased by a small percentage in order to to achieve the same sound levels prior to altering the cable.    Someone with more experience and a better science background might be able to shed light as to why that should be.

I am pleased I carried out the cable transition.    In a couple of weeks I will be adding a Dac.

Staffy, may i ask what is your equipment please?

I thought it was on my signature and displayed.   If not here goes

Rega Planar 3  TT

ProAc D20R Speakers

Naim CD5XS

Nait XS2

Naim Flatcap XS Power Supply

Hi Staffy,  If you want the forum to see your kit & other details then best to enter it into your profile.    If you have it in signature, that only shows when you start a thread,  its not included on replies

Staffy, what cables and rack are you using? Would you please post some pics

I am not sure where the signature should appear, but i can not see any, thanks for the reply.

Mike-B posted:

Hi Staffy,  If you want the forum to see your kit & other details then best to enter it into your profile.    If you have it in signature, that only shows when you start a thread,  its not included on replies

Where exactly in the profile?

Now updated my Profile.  Will get some pics  uploaded soon.    My interconnects are either Naim original that came with the devices or Chord interconnects.  The speaker cable is Chord Odyssey 2.   I have a Rega Klotz interconnect at the moment which is about 15 years old this is connected to the Chord 2 Qute Dac and the amp.       Sounds pretty good as well.

The rack I use is just a piece of furniture I picke up or should I say the wife picked up for around £150.    4 x 4" solid Oak legs and a 2" thick top shelf for the TT.  3 20mm shelves for the Naim stuff and the back is open for heat dispersion not that there is any.

Just connected the Chord dac today.  Great clarity and sound stage.  Lots of dynamism in the music.........and a tad to much Bass again.   Hope it goes after a few days playing.

Chris Botti and Cinema Paridiso  are like a magnet to me at the moment.  Just cannot stop playing that trumpet player.

Paristhea posted:

Where exactly in the profile?

In the System Details .......  or because that section does not allow your to have lines & paragraphs & to play with editing,  if you would like to make it a bit more fancy then put it in Biography.

Are the details showing now Mike.

Sure iz   .......