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Spendor S9e or ProAc Response D28

I've been eyeing the Spendor S9e and ProAc D28 and while this is your typical "how does this compare to that thread", I wanted to give some background about where I'm coming from.

I currently own a pair of B&W 703's and my gripe with them is that my ears get tired of listening to them when playing music after 20mins or so. To be a bit more specific, at low volumes 60-70dB, these speakers are very listenable but low volumes don't do rock music justice. At higher volumes (80-85db) my ears get tired within a couple of songs.

In fact, at louder volumes even if I'm in the other room doing stuff on the computer and listening to music playing from my living room I get annoyed.

Not all is bad with these speakers, they shine when it comes to movies. I only have two of them but even so they generate an excellent phantom center (note: I haven't felt the need to add a dedicated center because they are that good). They also disappear into the background. Weird thing is I listen to movie louder than I do music, yet under this activity I don't find them fatiguing.

I've been thinking of upgrading my pre but the question I keep asking myself is that maybe I've outgrown this brand of speaker (I used to have 603's).

A bit more about me and my setup:
- Ratio of music-to-movie duty: 50/50
- Listening preferences: rock+hard rock (90%), everything else literally (10%).
- Source: Squeezbox v3 (my library has been converted flac)
- Preamp/Poweramp: NAD T742 / NAD C272
g_georgi

Showing 1 response by mlsstl

mlsstl
1,462 posts
 
I have a set of Spendor S8e speakers and really enjoy them. Very smooth and very musical at all volumes and I listen to a very wide range of music.

I've not heard them side by side with the Proac but my impression is the Proacs are a bit brighter and more forward, but certainly don't have the "edge" I hear from B&W speakers.

Shadorne does make a good point about the fatiguing effects of compressed music but I'd also ask the question, have you heard other systems that don't fatigue you in that fashion at the same volume level?

Since we all react differently to different speakers the most important thing is that you listen to them before you buy. The best audition is in your own home, but if that is not possible at least listen to them at a dealer.
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