I used ProAc 1SCs with Cardas Golden Cross to tame the highs. This worked well with my Aleph 3. The midrange was smooth, even, and imaged well. The bass rolled off in the mid-bass, perhaps sooner than the Totems which I haven't owned but have auditioned and read about. I used a subwoofer. I replaced the 1 SCs with Red Rose Music R1s. The R1s had noticeably more delicate, feathery highs, produced by a ribbon tweeter. The bass went deeper, too, but there was a very slight depression in midrange response (a hole in the middle!). RRM has replaced the R1s with the Rosebud, which I am guessing doesn't go as low in the bass but has a level midrange. Good luck.
Minimonitor Choice: Proac 1sc vs. Totem Model 1s
Has anyone directly compared these two speakers? I've heard the Totems, and they image so well, though may be a little congested in the midrange. How do the Proac's compare? I've got Proac 2.5's, I think they are great, but currently find the tweeters a tad bit aggressive (but am working on that with cable selection). I've heard still better things about the tweeters in the 1sc's. I'm using great amps in my systems right now (Pass Aleph, ARC VT100 mk2, Berning ZH270).
Anyhow - I love good imaging, but not at the expense of tonal balance. Considerations that I'm aware of between these two speakers are:
1) Which has better/more natural bass response? (I want to avoid the subwoofer approach if possible - but I do like to listen to all sorts of music, including rock, orchestral, jazz, female vocals, etc.).
2) Is either more sensitive/dependent on positioning? This includes speaker positioning in the room and listener positioning (e.g. size of sweet spot)?
3) Do either have characteristic tonal biases that I should be aware of? (I've already described some impressions of the Totem Model 1s).
Thanks for your input everyone. Also, are there other minimonitors I should be considering or auditioning (when traveling outside of my small town of Flagstaff, AZ).
Anyhow - I love good imaging, but not at the expense of tonal balance. Considerations that I'm aware of between these two speakers are:
1) Which has better/more natural bass response? (I want to avoid the subwoofer approach if possible - but I do like to listen to all sorts of music, including rock, orchestral, jazz, female vocals, etc.).
2) Is either more sensitive/dependent on positioning? This includes speaker positioning in the room and listener positioning (e.g. size of sweet spot)?
3) Do either have characteristic tonal biases that I should be aware of? (I've already described some impressions of the Totem Model 1s).
Thanks for your input everyone. Also, are there other minimonitors I should be considering or auditioning (when traveling outside of my small town of Flagstaff, AZ).