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
Foreigner, Journey, Air Supply definitely caused me central nervous system irritation. So does most of that 50's rock crap.
Come to think of it, so does Jane Fonda, Carol Burnett, and AT&T.
Some things just need to go away and never come back.

Thanks for reading, I feel better now.
Iam looking into the D28 coming from the Proac signature 8's which are great...stunning really, but Iam also a rock fan and even in a small listening room 11.5 by 12 with 9 foot ceiling and french doors that open behind me making the room larger the 8's were just small. What room sizes are some of you using the D28's in. 6 box cyrus system and cardas cables. Thanks Mike
Given what you are considering, you should also consider Harbeth and possibly Sonus faber. Did someone say an the D28s give honest 20Hz?? I don't think so. 40Hz yes (I'm not saying there is no output at 20 Hz).
Pubul57, have you owned the D28s? Well I do, and they go an honest 20hz. Not sure what you are basing your comment on. Give me a break about Harbeth.....they do an honest 80hz at best and Sonus Fabers have been relegated to big box stores.