That sounds most odd, given that plenty of people use the 40s with a 250DR. I wonder whether the customer who cooked their 250 was using funny cables and it was therefore the cables rather than the amplifier that was the problem.
Anyway, it might be for the best. My little ProAcs are lovely speakers and I’ve read lots of good reports about the D20Rs. The cabinet finish quality is in a different league to the ATCs.
My reading is that, despite being in sales, Rxxx is not that focussed on you.
Basically, he holds a strong opinion. He should be able to demonstrate to you why your NAP250DR is not up to the job, not just tell you.
Who knows Nigel? I’m not sure I even care that much any longer.
I look with hunger at the pics of ProAcs in those sumptuous rosewood veneers but they just don’t fit into our beige little world. Trompe-l’œil is arresting at the time, but beige wears better. I’ll certainly go and listen to the D2R and D20R, but I’ll be sullen and grudging about it now.
My retaliation has been to email John Roberts (Midland Audio Exchange) to see if he can arrange a showdown between the Audiovector R3 and Spendor D7.2.
I know what you mean. Our speakers are in boring old oak. Not exciting but neither do they shout ‘look at me’.
They were closed to visitors from early 2020 and until a few weeks hence, so to be frank I’m not that sure he is even that focussed on sales, let alone little old me.
Coventry instead for the proacs? They do spendor too so you can try a comparison.
Where in Coventry exactly Robert?
First 3 nearest hits on Spendor’s retailer finder give Belbroughton, Rearsby or Cheltenham.
Frank Harvey are listed for Proac, but not Spendor.
Frank Harvey; just going by their website which lists spendor as a brand they carry.
I had my Tab10 Sig in rosewood and it was the perfect match to the room they were placed in, I love this veneer. Now my D2R’s are in the same room, but I bought them in Oak, I simply couldn’t justify the big price difference between std and premium finish in Response series. Rosewood would’ve definitely looked better in this environment, but Oak is not bad either, actually the build quality is absolutely impeccable, so this probably has more impact visually than the veneer itself, especially in flesh. Definitely not boring HH 
Someone told me that Spendor make ProAc cabinets, so you have Spendor to thank for this!
Maybe you could unhook your own 250DR and take it with you?
If only. This city centre dealer has no parking nearby, and I’m certainly no longer capable of carrying a large 18kg package any distance.
Unsure where you are located, but Criterion Audio in Cambridge stocks ATC, ProAc and Spendor. Top folks, and well worth a visit.
Is it a ridiculously long and costly journey? I would’ve thought if you’re spending reasonable amount on speakers then it is worth quite a journey.
(last time I bought a pair of speakers I drove over 800 miles two ferry journeys averaging 3 hours each, and a hotel stay, to visit 3 places and audition 5 speakers, taking with me my own large and heavy speakers plus amp and source. It was a fruitful trip. The SCM40s are a little less expensive, but surely hearing whether they work fir you is worth a few hours journey?
I’m in south Birmingham, Ben. A conurbation of over 1 million souls where apparently you can’t buy an SCM40 to go with a 250DR because the sole dealer says no.
There was a time when I would motor long distances for business. But at 77 years old my prostate will have me seeking relief every hour or so, which means my motoring ‘for pleasure’ orbit is now considerably reduced. Too much information perhaps, but it affects my choices as much or more so than my failing hearing. For me a dealer must make it easy to exercise my consumer choices by being within close reach and with nearby parking.
I’m not really a hifi fanatic of the sort determined to hear what the manufacturer of this brand and it’s sole local dealer seem determined to make difficult for me. It might be otherwise if I knew in advance that the SCM40 was likely to be ‘the one’. But I’m more easily pleased these days and will settle for one from a number of sweet sounding alternatives.
I admire your sense of purpose and commitment, but do not share it. Already fixed an appointment early next week in Belbroughton where I can park at the premises and listen to Audiovector R3 versus Spendor D7.2 whilst sipping a hot brew and with facilities at the foot of the stairs. Bliss.
Second visit to Midlands Audio Exchange last Thursday to hear Audiovector R3 Signature versus Spendor D7.2.
The Spendors were simply excellent to my aided ears. Not too bright or harsh in the treble at all (unlike the A7s I heard here briefly last time) and with great weight in the bass. Piano sounded like a piano with no unwanted treble dissonance from firmly struck chords which currently mar my enjoyment with the PMCs. In a world of no constraints I would look no further and buy these.
The R3s were pleasant and inoffensive but did not give the same thrill. They sounded less erm, substantial. No doubt their more expensive iterations would improve on this, but I can’t go there financially.
Aesthetically the Spendors look relentlessly conventional in their lovely oak veneer, and despite their square-edged ruggedness they would fit right in to our boring beige lounge. The R3s looked too tall and slender in comparison, and possibly too ‘modern’? No longer the leading choice.
The ever affable John Roberts informed me that Spendor have a price rise imminent. From April 1st the 7.2 will increase from £4700 to £5600. Unfortunately my pension income will not be rising by anything like that percentage, so its now or never. Probably the latter.
John was incredulous when I mentioned that Audio Affair were not prepared to demo an SCM40 powered by a 250DR. I think the word ‘nonsense’ might even have crossed his lips. Had to smile yesterday when I saw a pic on the System Pics thread of a member with a Nova and brand new (and very nice) white finish SCM40s.
So now its onward to Music Matters again to hear the Sonetto 3 against a pair of Neat Majistras. Is it just me, or is the Majistra not a million miles away from a modern economy version of the Ultimatum XLS at close to half the cost?
If you check out AV Forums website, Ed Selley has recently reviewed the Neat Majistras, and very enthusiastically too.
If you want to drive ATC properly even for SCM40, especially for bigger speakers like SCM50, SCM100, forget about Naim, and prepare 10x money more than the speaker for amplifiers. It costs a lot to really make an ATC sing.
That is nonsensical - far less than 10x cost of the speaker would be to simply buy the active version of the particular ATC - guaranteed ideal matching, and direct to each driver improving sound quality all the more. And no power amp space needed, no speaker cables, just a suitable length pair of interconnects.
Yes, I read that. Several times. Also a similarly supportive review by David Price at Stereonet.com. These new speakers seem to have been slow to percolate the consciousness of hobbyists. Perhaps because Neat do less in the way of active marketing? Also the lack of shows of course.
Music Matters are long time Neat stockists but had to contact their rep direct to get their hands on this pair, which are apparently perambulating around the UK wherever a customer wants to have a listen.
I’m looking forward to hearing them on Thursday.
The proac rrp is also going up April 1st; I’d expect a similar increase to that of spendor. I think I heard the same about SF. Seems to be the way of things currently. Thus prompting my recent auditioning. Neat and kudos both had price increases last year if memory serves.