Upgrade from Proac Response 1SC?

Thanks, everybody, for the responses. Some very useful recommendations here. Some of these speakers would be a bit difficult to audition (for example, the only Merlin dealer anywhere near me is some hundreds of miles away in Southern California). I want to stress that one of the things I particularly like about my ProAcs, apart from their very accurate stereo imaging, is their inherent musicality. It's just that with my system and my room, the Response 1SCs are a bit shrill. Anybody had experience with ProAc Response D2? Larger drivers, but not sure how the sound differs. Looks like these may still be a current model.

Update: Since my original post, I've auditioned a few speakers, including several models from Fritz Speakers (he was kind enough to bring them over to hear in my own living room and though I found much to like in the Carreras, I still thought the Proacs appealed to me more), a pair of Harbeth C7ES3s and Devore Fidelity Gibbon 3XLs. I haven't jumped at any of these. Interestingly (and contrary to much popular opinion) I just couldn't fall in love with the Harbeths though I did appreciate the things they do so well, namely that beautiful midrange presentation. The trouble was that they rounded off too many of the sharp edges for my taste. The details are all there, but wrapped in soft velvet. The Devores are obviously excellent speakers, but I think the mistake we made was hearing the Harbeths first, before the Devores. The latter's smaller drivers and smaller soundstage were an unfair contrast to the Harbeths. Without hearing the Devores in my own living room I couldn't bring myself to make the commitment, and there wasn't an option for in-home demo. After the audition, I did some more listening to the ProAcs, and am again reminded what it is that I like so much about them. Still haven't heard the Merlins yet.

Further update, seven months later: I got the chance to hear two more speakers, one for an extended (week-long) in-home trial. The first of these, which I heard in the store, was a pair of Totem Element Fires, ordinarily out of price-range but because they were used, the dealer was letting them go at a (for these) real bargain price. I was very impressed with their 3-dimensional imaging and their rock-solid poise. They maintained very fine resolution across a wide range of musical genres and at pretty high volumes, far louder than I would play them here at home. What I DIDN'T like about them was their rather recessed sound and seeming lack of warmth in the midrange, not to mention that they're not exactly pretty to look at. Thus I opted not to try them at home. The other speakers were Sonus Faber Cremona Auditors (not the "M"s) which on first impression did a number of things really well. They presented a very finely resolved stereo image though more two-dimensional than the Totems. Their overall sound, warmer but a little more forward, seemed to suit my taste better, so these I brought home to live with for a week, and this is is where I began to hear the Cremona Auditor's shortcomings. The first thing I noticed (apart from how different their personality is from my Proac Response 1 SCs) was that they didn't present an effortless sound at all. They seemed to need a lot of pushing to get them to speak (even though they are nominally as efficient as my ProAcs) and my wife, who NEVER has an opinion about these things, immediately declared them "dull and muffled." "I like the other ones better," she said (meaning the ProAcs). Also, the Cremona Auditors could get a little congested with certain kinds of sounds, like choirs with strings or dense orchestral passages. Lastly, they could occasionally exhibit a slight "papery" quality with certain kinds of music. However, I should also include here the things I did like about them, namely their honesty with voices, their warm and musical midrange, good bass extension and their stylish appearance. A little more sparkle would have been welcome though. So, the search continues...

I have a REL S-2 sub which adds a lot to the presentation of the Response 1 SCs. It may be that I'm just getting restless after 11 years with these speakers and looking to rekindle the magic somehow. Any opinions about Selah Audio's Verita or Tempesta models? I've seen some very favorable reviews of these.

Thanks for the responses and input. I am entertaining the idea of different amplification, but I'm not a big fan of the tube sound. I've heard some very high-end tube systems (Aesthetix, for one) and though I see why people like them, the sound isn't to my taste. There are quite a few amps I can audition locally, so let's see if this might be the solution. As with speakers, there's a dizzying variety to choose from and they all have their own personalities and quirks. If I'm not careful, I can see this turning into a lifetime quest.

So here's what happened: a local seller offered a pair of Proac Response D-2s at an irresistible price so it was an experiment I couldn't pass up. I've spent a couple of weeks with these, getting a sense of what they do and how they differ from the Response 1SCs (which I haven't sold yet and probably won't offer for a little while yet). Yes, the D-2s have Proac DNA, no mistake. However, their balance is quite different from the 1SCs. Gone is the occasional glare the SCs exhibited, but this added control comes at the expense of some of the SC's warmth. I'm not entirely sure I like the Vifa tweeters as much, as I'm not sure they integrate as seamlessly with the woofers as they should. I'll give them a good amount of time to get them and my ears acclimated. All things considered, I do like the D-2s--they do a lot of things really well. Is this the beginning of a beautiful friendship? I'll keep you posted...

Badri, just to follow up, the Response D2s and I are still friends. It actually took some time for the old Proac magic to emerge, as I think the previous owner(s) of these speakers didn't play them enough, and they take about 100 hours to find their voice. I thought at first they were a little too bright, but with a few minor tweaks (they like Proac's standard jumpers a lot better than the Kimber Kable ones I tried) they've calmed down quite a bit and I'm really enjoying them. Wonderful detail, excellent imaging. I'd say they're still a bit on the bright side but amplification plays a role in this and I've been giving a little thought to changing from my present Hegel H200 to something like a Modwright KWI200 which has the reputation for sounding fuller.

crwindy, I’m curious about your impressions of the Merlin VSMs and how they compare to the Proacs. I’ve read a lot of good things about Merlin speakers and even considered trying a pair of TSMs but never quite got to it. It appears there won’t be any more made though, following the death of Merlin’s owner last year, so I’d have keep an eye on the used market. They do come up on Audiogon sometimes.

Thanks for the response (no pun intended), badri. I hope to hear the D20Rs one day, assuming I can find a ProAc dealer within a day's drive of here. I'm still using my Hegel H200 integrated which definitely keeps a tight grip on the bass, but that's aided in no small measure by my REL S-2 sub. Not sure if you want to go the sub and/or SS route.

Good news: a dealer in my area has recently started carrying Proac, which gives me an incentive to audition the D20Rs in the near future. I'm looking forward to hearing them. It seems a lot of dealers dropped the Proac line in recent years because their former American distributor was problematic. I've had some dealings with their new American reps, The Sound Organisation in Texas, and their customer service is exemplary.