ProAc Super Tower MK IIs
st...@rosie.uh.edu
>I found through a friend, a pair of ProAc Super Tower MK II's for sale a
>two hour drive from my home. They come highly recommended, but I have not
>been able to listen to them locally as the model was discontinued. My
>electronics are an Arcam Delta 290 Amp (75 wpc) and an Arcam Alpha 5 CD.
>The room is huge--27 feet wide by 60 feet long and with 15 foot ceilings.
>Admittedly, the amp is a bit under powered for the room.
>
>The speakers are available at an attractive price and I would love to get
>reactions from the group before I drive up to audition them.
>
>
>--
>John T. Curran jtcu...@panix.com
I may not be the best person to give unbiased advice, being the ProAc
fiend that I am, so I am letting you know my bias here and now. :)
IMO, the SuperTower mk II are definitely worth the audition, especially
if the price is as attractive as you say. They are capable of soundstaging
reminiscent of the much heralded Response 3, although it should come as no
surprise that they don't have quite the same magic overall.
The SuperTower mk II can be prone to bass "hollowness" sounding if not
positioned or loaded properly. By this I am referring to the receptacle
located in the base of the cabinet which can be loaded with sand or other
dampening material to "tune" it properly for the room in which it is to be
placed. Another warning... the ProAcs like to be several feet from the wall in
order to achieve their best staging. If placed too close to the rear or side
walls, the sound changes rather dramatically I have noticed. The traditional
ProAc depth and vivid imaging suffers the most, with the tonal balance taking
on a "muddier" quality.
I don't want to put you off from this great loudspeaker, but rather to
warn you that if it's hard to make logistical concessions as far as positioning
is concerned, you may wish to reconsider. If on the other hand you are
flexible in this regard and are willing to spend the (large amount of) time
necessary to set them up properly, the effort will most certainly pay off with
a very engaging and musical sound.
As far as electronics go, the Arcam should do the trick--the ProAc is
not too difficult to drive. But look into finding a good high current
amplifier in the near future. The ProAcs are forgiving for the most part, but
will definately give you greater resolution if the rest of your system produces
it. And given that your room is rather large, the amplifier should be pretty
"beefy" so the speakers will properly fill the room without sounding anemic.
Good luck! I hope they meet your expectations.
WHOA! What a long post--sorry 'bout that!
Take care,
Parth Rana
st...@jetson.UH.edu
DISCLAIMER: I tend to babble. :)