I have heard both proac and usher and felt that the Usher beat the Proac in every way. I bought the last pair of mini-dancer 2 BE in the country. |
Have you checked with USA importer, Modern Audio for locations or dealers?
U.S.A. Modern Audio
1 410 486 5975 modaudio@aol.com |
If I do decide to go with the ProAc's I'm thinking about buying them from a UK dealer and have them shipped to the US. We don't have a local ProAc dealers, and I think I could save a significant chunk of change even after paying a ton for shipping.
I believe the warranty is still good, but I have to go through the UK dealer or ProAc directly to get repairs done. This seems like a minor issue since I don't have a local dealer anyways.
Has anyone here gone this route and what are some of the pros and cons?
Thanks in advance! |
Usher isn't claiming the domes to be pure diamond domes. Here's some info from their site:
"...laminated diamond-metal-diamond structure, which consists of a proprietary metal alloy base layer coated with an amorphous diamond-like carbon layer (pure diamond is carbon atoms arranged solely in sp3 bonds; amorphous diamond-like carbon has mixed sp3 and sp2 bonds to achieve its desirable properties) on both sides. The base metal layer of the Diamond DMD dome tames all the diamond layers' unfavorable sonic traits and brings out the best of both materials."
There are many excellent tweeters available regardless of material used. The Usher BE tweeter was easily one of the best tweeters I've heard even though it was mostly titanium. |
Nice "looking" speakers but if you do a little research I seriously doubt they're using berylium OR diamond drivers given pricing I've seen
Smells to me more like the HD Radio advertizing which some may think to be High Definition rather than Hybrid Digital...
Same for Usher using BE and DMD monikers? |
Mc4b, I think you definitely will need to listen for yourself. In the past, I was choosing between Proac and Martin Logan and ended up with ML. This was several years ago. Usher was the speakers that finally convinced me to switch back to dynamic speakers from electrostatic. However, I have not heard recent Proac speakers so I am not sure what they are like now. DMD definitely has lots of detail but is very very easy on the ear. I love the old BE tweeter but DMD is exceptional, in my opinion. |
For what I listened till now, I prefer the ProAc D28. |
Mc4b, the new models with DMD tweeters are a little slow getting out in Canada. I was able to get a pair of the Mini Dancer 2 Diamonds for a customer of mine, and even new out of the box I really liked what I heard with the new DMD tweeter. I really liked the old titanium/BE tweeter a lot, but from what I could tell on short listen, I'm liking this one better. My business partner felt the same way too.
In my system, I had been using the Mini Dancer One BE and sold them in anticipation of the new ones, but the MD1's with the DMD tweeter will only be available in Canada in June. Just on brief listen though with the Mini Dancer Two Diamond, I would agree with the statement regarding the DMD tweeter having more detail but in a relaxed manner. I certainly don't think you'd have anything to worry about at all. This tweeter will be very easy to listen to without fatigue, IMHO. I already felt that the old titanium/BE tweeter was fantastic, but when I heard the new DMD tweeter I was pretty excited at what I felt was going to be a definite improvement without any drawbacks. |
Didn't mean to jump to conclusions, Suteetat. Never heard the DMD tweeter, but when I hear claims about more detail etc, I worry about too much. Only way to determine is to hear for myself, hopefully soon. |
Hmmm... I actually thought that the new DMD tweeter is sweeter, fuller, more romantic sounding than the old BE tweeter. I had DMD tweeter replaced my old BE tweeter in my BE-20 a couple of months ago. |
Everest_audio, just wondering... Have these new Dancer's started shipping to dealer in the US/North America? What's the hold-up? |
The Dancer series going forward will all use the DMD tweeter. |
I had a business trip to Taiwan so visited the Usher flagship store in Taipei while I was there. I had one of the very first pair of Usher BE-718 way before it was discovered by the rest of the world, I enjoyed them for nearly 2 years before I sold them due to a move.
can't remember if Usher will continue to offer BE tweeter, if my memory served me right, Usher will... |
Thanks Semi - Do you know if the BE tweeter will still be available from Usher? Or will all new Mini Dancers come with the Diamond? Also, where might I ask did you hear them... seems to be hard to find. |
I did hear Mini Dancer 1/2 with diamond tweeter.
I thought top end extended a bit higher, a bit more airy, and a bit more neutral. compared to BE tweeter, BE possess a sweeter, richer, and more romantic tone while diamond is more neutral and faster.
depending on your taste, I like both but lean toward BE since Usher BE is already very transparent, extended, and airy when compared to other top tweeters. |
In regards to the diamond tweeters, you want may to read through the following thread:
http://www.audionervosa.com/index.php?topic=2091.0
Here's one quote:
"The new Diamonds are better... somehow finding a way to be more resolving, while at the same time being more relaxed. The Be tweeter is very good... but the Diamond was more to everyone's liking." |
Thanks for the input everyone. I think it's still a toss up until I get to hear both Ushers and D28/D38 in similar setups.
By the way, has anyone heard the new Usher diamond tweeters? More "detail" usually means "screaming highs" and listener fatigue to me. |
I have owned smaller (D15) and older (R3.8) ProAc, I have also owned smaller Usher (BE-718) though I have only heard Mini Dancer 1 & 2 in show room both with diamond tweeters.
If ProAc still keeps its house sound, a bit warm, a bit sweet, and a bit dynamically constraint, I think Usher will sound quite different. Usher is more dynamic, bass has much more weight and heft. I assumed you heard the BE version, that tweeter never sounds harsh unless it was not driven correctly. BE tweeter is signficantly more resolving, it rivals top tweeters out there so front end equipments are important.
One thing I will point out, I do find Mini Dancer 1 more coherent than 2 and that's usually the case for single midrange/bass driver speaker. unless you have a huge room, I will stay with Dancer 1. |
Man, you guys don't make this decision any easier. I guess I can't go wrong with either one. |
I agree am also a fan of the Proacs and sell them at Audio Connection.
Having heard all generations Response 3 series
I think the newest D38 with UK made Volt drivers are truly special and offer a sense of engagement like never before.
The new bass loading system,advanced Cabinet design bracing support easier room placement and makes these speakers disappear as if not in front of you.
Piano has an unique natural tone that holds on just long enough to the notes yet has a spooky immediacy.
David Gilmore's guitar on Pink Floyd Division Bell has an on fire energy and flows out with an effortless powerful quality while still remaining cohesive at all times.
The D38s as proacs before have a sense of musicality that leaves many others speakers sounding mechanical forced or etched.
Please let us know when you audition.
Best Johnnyr |
The Usher's use much high resolution drivers than what Proac uses. With higher resolution comes setup issues, so your dealer may or may not have optimized how the speakers were setup.
If the speakers you heard had any other speakers in the room, that can lead to lumpy bass, also if the speakers were too close to the read wall, or if the room has problems with standing waves this could all lead up to lumpy or boomy bass.
As per treble, good clean treble requires the right components, cables, power conditioning, and source components.
If the speakers are very revealing that you will hear both the good and bad aspects of the recordings you are playing.
Many dealers are not the best in setting up their own demo rooms, this can be due to the huge costs required to find just the right group of components that will make a particular set of speakers come alive.
Trust your ears if you were impressed buy the Ushers they are really fantastic speakers.
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