Need suggestions on bookshelf speaker upgrades

All of them are decent speakers. Due to the laws of physics you can only get a smaller stand speaker to go just so low. Lot's of designers play games to make you think you are hearing more bass, but the fact remains you can only get just so much out of it. What most do give you is better imaging and sound staging. Proacs of any model will equal or beat nearly any other monitors. This is why they've been around forever and are the top choice for major recording studios/artists for their own useage. They aren't easy to find used for a reason. Like Vandy's the original owners LOVE them and rarely sell them. I'm selling off my three pair ONLY because I fell in love with the new Vandy's and it's a huge step up for me. Selling three full systems to pay for my upgrades so my loss is someone else's gain. I have always liked the ref 3a's, but the Proacs, to me, are more detailed and get the imaging and staging right. The sound doesn't stay inside the speakers. It will emanate from either side of the speakers if you have good amplification. The wavetouch has the Heil air motion mid/tweeter that in past generations has been very fatiguing for many people. I don't know if Wavetouch is using a new design, but I heard a pair a couple of months ago and the top end was very pronounced and the drivers didn't seem to mesh well. There were four of us listening and we all said the same thing. We tried a variety of amps, including tubes. It may have been the room as I know many others love them. I think you need to listen to speakers before purchasing them. That's why I'm selling much of my gear through Johny at Audio Connections in Verona NJ. I just think it's easier to demo speakers with a few different amps or bring in your own. Just a though since you are in NY anyways.

Here is an excerpt from Part Audiophile in regards to the SF Monitor 1:

AJ specs the Monitor 1 to 38Hz, but check out the in room response he was getting at AXPONA! He measured seven different seats in two rows to generate the average responses and graphed ‘em all for us. What’s the bottom line (as it were)? It’s 10dB down at 20Hz and flat to 30dB.

I will also add that I have a pair of Speaker Art Super Clef's and compared them side by side with my Proac Response 2.5's. the Clefs Bass performance was equal to or better than the Proac's which quickly went up for sale. Having said that I agree with Ctsooner's comments about the imaging and staging of Proac's.

They are some of the best I have heard in that regard and the Super Clef's are neck in neck with them but It took the right amp to get the best out of them.

Hi Ctsooner,

Wavetouch is using a new design, but I heard a pair a couple of months ago and the top end was very pronounced and the drivers didn't seem to mesh well. There were four of us listening and we all said the same thing. We tried a variety of amps, including tubes. It may have been the room

Which model was it? Was it tri-angular speaker (Mt. Rainier) or rectangle box speaker (Grand Teton)? The room can't interact with Wavetouch speakers like that. The sound pressure level of individual drivers can be adjusted in 2 seconds without hassle. The owner of Wavetouch speakers must know that. We communicate with every Wavetouch speaker owners. Any complaint like that can't be existed.

Please PM to me. I don't want to mess up a good thread.

Alex / Wavetouch

Must have been the GT's. I don't know how to PM, sorry. It was at a dealer who had them in the store and I asked about them. They weren't for sale as someone just had them there for them to listen to. Maybe they weren't set up properly. That often happens in a dealers showroom as we all know. Also, if they aren't familiar with a speaker, they don't know how to set them up or what goes best with them.

any feedback on fritz speakers