ProAc for my room size

I'm going to go the other direction on you and recommend you not rule out the D20Rs which I had home in my 16'x14' room with vaulted ceiling and some bass treatment. Easy to position with no want for quality bass. I got the sense anything bigger would have overloaded the room for bass, though some reports are the 30 are better controlled. I haven't heard the 48 or 30 at home, though I did demo the 30 vs 20 at a dealer. Just suggesting you may not need to overspend or let a healthy budget drive your choice.

You really do need to try both in your room.

If that is not possible, I would go with the D30RS in your size room, as the D48R would be too much I suspect.

If budget permits, try the K6. They work terrifically well in my room which is a similar size to yours, as did the D20r I had previously. I didn't bother auditioning the 48 or 30 at home, both of which, according to my dealer, need a significantly bigger room to accommodate the bass.

As ever, home demo is the only answer!

You could also look at a pair of "previously loved" D28s...mine do the job handily in a space larger, higher, and more open that what you describe. In that size room, the Response D2s would also probably work, although if you are talking D30R/D40R, then i suspect you might not be up for a stand mount.

Thanks much for your feedback. The nearest ProAc dealers are at least 6 1/2 drive. So no chance that I can get a home demo. I am not interested in a stand mount. The only stand mound that really got my attention were the TAD Micro Evolutions. But they cost a lot and do not have the bottom end of the floorstanders from ProAc.

For owners of D30R/D20R - how far are your speakers from the back and side walls?

When the Naim dealer demonstrated the D30R to me, they were circa 60cm from the rear wall of the room.

Best regards, FT

If you still able to find the new old stock at the ProAc dealer for the D30R (with carbon fibre bass driver), then I strongly you go for this obsolete model. For room 18'x15' it may just nice or slightly bigger room for the speaker. For me, the ProAc Carbon Pro 6 (obsolete model) will just excellent for your 18' x 15' room. Good luck.

[@mention:1566878603891419], that distance seems too close for the D30R and I am sure they would load the room.

[@mention:1566878603918550], I am trying to understand - why are you recommending the older model over the newer model? I cannot stretch my budget for the Pro 6/K6.

Hi Milpai

i ran D28s for about 3 years in a very large room, circa 13m by 8m, and they filled the room comfortably, power by SN1 and Hicap. This was when I lIved overseas, the room was marble/stone floors, concrete walls etc. Speakers about 0.8m from the end wall. Well controlled bass, although perhaps a bit too warm for some. 

Now live in the uk, with suspended wooden floor etc., and have changed out the D28s for D30RS, which I've had for nearly a year, I think I was one of the first to take delivery very. Room size about 25 Ft by 14 Ft. In this room the D30s are much more controlled especially in the lower registers, very little bass bloat or overhang compared to the D28s in the same room. The ribbon tweeters in the D30 are sublime. I run them about 0.8m from the wall and they are very well behaved. Very happy with them. Recently upgraded to Naim 282/250DR with which they sound heavenly.

i haven't heard the D40s but did hear the D38s a few years back in a similar sized room to yours and they were simply way to big for the room, they just didn't sound good, D28s in the same room sounded preferable.

Hope this helps...

paul

milpai posted:

[@mention:1566878603891419], that distance seems too close for the D30R and I am sure they would load the room.

Speakers will always excite the main resonant frequencies of a room - it simply isn't possible to prevent it.

This had me wondering so I checked - my D28s are about 0.76 meter from the back wall...and I don't find the bass "bloated" in this particular room; in fact the reason I moved from Response D2s was because of the need for  more bass in this open area layout with 12 foot ceilings.

[@mention:36201736971392588], you are correct about the loudspeakers exciting room modes. But I believe if you move the speakers away from the wall, the "boom" would be much less.

[@mention:1566878603948763], I forgot to mention that my room is fairly treated and I plan to put a couple more bass busters in the corners. Honestly with the Quad 21L moved 5 feet into the room, the bass is pretty good. And I don't have the bass busters all the way to the ceiling.

[@mention:1566878603998370], Thanks for the feedback. I am wondering why your speakers were only 0.8 m from the end wall? Personally I love a deep sound stage. Hence I try to max out the distance behind the speakers. This does 2 things - even out the bass and have a deep sound stage. It also gives you the "space" between the musicians and creates that holographic image. Not sure if I explained myself correct here.

All, just wanted to let you know that I got feedback from multiple dealers that, with my acoustic treatments in place and the way I position the loudspeakers, the D48R should not overload the room. For my very first post on this forum, I tried to post the link to my system. But I got an email from admin that I should not be posting such links. My system is on audiogon and my user name remains the same.

milpai posted:

[@mention:36201736971392588], you are correct about the loudspeakers exciting room modes. But I believe if you move the speakers away from the wall, the "boom" would be much less.

The degree of coupling to the fundamental room modes is a cosine function of the ratio to the room boundaries.

So if you move a speaker into the room the degree of coupling to that room will fall, but not as much as you might expect

5% into the room gives 99% coupling
10% into the room gives 95% coupling
20% into the room gives 81% coupling
30% into the room gives 59% coupling
40% into the room gives 31% coupling
50% into the room (i.e. dead centre of the room!) gives 0% coupling

So even moving the speaker 1/5the of the way into the room (i.e. 1m away from the wall in a 5m long room) still gives less than a 2db reduction in the degree to which the speaker excites that room mode.

Unfortunately, the answer to your question depend on YOUR room.   Unless you can get a dealer to arrange a home demo you are shooting blind.

[@mention:36201736971392588], thanks for the explanation. I was not aware of that fact.

[@mention:1566878603945427], unfortunately this is not possible, since my nearest dealer is 6 1/2 hours away.

BNN posted:

If you still able to find the new old stock at the ProAc dealer for the D30R (with carbon fibre bass driver), then I strongly you go for this obsolete model. For room 18'x15' it may just nice or slightly bigger room for the speaker. For me, the ProAc Carbon Pro 6 (obsolete model) will just excellent for your 18' x 15' room. Good luck.

Interesting BNN. I would be curious to know in what sense you prefer the former D30R to the newer D30RS and its pulp cone that is meant to mitigate that bloat? 

Chag -

Hi Chag,

Carbon Fibre drivers give more musicality sense & better bass response to me rather that other drivers type in ProAc speaker model. It also has slight sweeter midrange. If you able to find the new old stock of D30R (Carbon Fibre), please compare with the new D30R, I think you shall understand what I try to mention here. Good Luck.