New Proac Tablette 10 - same size as LS3/5a

Thanks Kenny, will be careful with the volume knob...… using Van Damme Blue 6MM and Tellurium Q black speaker cable..... the former being very nice with the Tab 10.

Also l found the better your kit, better the Tab 10 sounded being a tad revealing and all.

 

My impression, after a few months use, is that the Tab 10 Sigs could take over 50 watts.

I am very happy with my little Rega set-up which was bought at a significant discount. It was intended the for my study but, for now, it remains in the lounge which it fills easily. And 50 watts does stop me from upsetting my neighbours!

 

Agreed the Tab 10s are quite effortless in sound.

 

Is there anywhere one can buy ProAc speakers online in the US?

 

Not if counts as online but Audio Connection in New Jersey is a dealer. I bought my Belles Aria from them and dealt with Johnny. Had a good experience. Would reach out and see if he'll deal at all if you don't buy used.

ProAc Archives - Audio Connection

 

Kenny, did you have Vanilla Tab 10's before the Siggies?

If you did could you say a few words on the differences between the two?

 

These Proac Tablette 10's have peaked my interest. I have a bedroom setup and must have speakers that can be close to the wall and sound good in a near field situation ( I sit about 5 feet from the wall they will be on). I currently have been running mostly headphones due to the situation. I really miss the soundstage of good stand mount speakers. I mainly listen to vinyl. 25% Jazz, 10% classical, 15% alt country, and 50% classic rock (CSNY, Van Morrison, Kinks and such). I would be driving the speakers with a first generation Manley Stingray (40w/Ch, El-84 power). For you experts out there, how do you think the Tab 10's might work well with the Manley Stingray? I have heard systems with Ls3/5a speakers before and was amazed at their soundstage and midrange (but somewhat underwhelmed by the bass). Unfortunately I don't have a close dealer to demo these speakers. Other speaker suggestions would be welcome also. As far as budget, 2k would be just about the max. Thanks!

 

Home demo is the way forward, cannot see why the Tab 10s would not work, 40wpc easily enough power.

 

Sounds like that would be an awesome bedroom setup. I've invested a bit in my bedroom system and it's become my favorite spot to listen in the house.

Certainly, I've loved the Tab 10s with all of the genres you mention and have found them excellent at 5-8 feet when the speakers are placed close to the wall. The Manley should work given its power and the tube-friendly impedance of the Tabs, but I agree with @Andy Saunders that trying is the best way to know.

As many on this thread have said, the Tabs are a great speaker to live with and really come alive in small spaces.

The AX-2 from Audio Note might also be interesting to demo—seems like they show up used in the UK/ Europe far more. I looked for them here but they are in short supply and aren't the most aesthetically pleasing unless you pay up for better cabinets. I'd also love to hear some Buchardts though not sure if they would work well with tubes.

 

Thanks for the input, the Tab 10's are definitely on my short list. Amazing how quickly it narrows down your choices when you need speakers that can perform close to the back wall!

 

Have any members had the Vanilla Tab 10 then gone to Signature 10... if any one has would they care to share their experiences?

 

No. I waited several months for the Sigs to be released. Their development took longer than expected and Stewart Tyler would not release them until he was 100% satisfied.

Proac's technical staff told me that the Sigs are more refined and have more/deeper bass than the standard Tab 10s. The tech specs, however are identical.

John H. Darko's comparison has typical review BS but little substance - Working tight corners: the ProAc Tablette 10 Signature | Darko.Audio .

"Any comparative commentary would come with the disclaimer that the Tablette 10 and Tablette 10 Signature edition couldn’t be compared side by side Chez Darko...

"The Signature edition is more of a refinement than a re-invention but it’s the better speaker of the two, maintaining the clean voice extraction and bass depth of the original but polishing a cleaner window on the source material, especially the lower midrange where (late career) Johnny Cash and Tom Waits groan n’ growl.

"Equally noticeable is a slight uptick in micro-dynamic pizzazz that, working in tandem with a slightly higher dose of treble sizzle, makes these Tablettes sound more like the models of yore — and all the better suited to electronic music (Developer, Rrose, Plaid) than the original Tablette 10.

"The most obvious improvement effected by the Signature edition is the way in which it sprays music higher and wider than the original. Think garden sprinkler set to a finer mist."

 

The Stingray should be great with them. The recommended max power for the Tab 10s is 50 watts and Proac cautioned me against using using a more powerful amp. I have read positive comments on Tab 10s with Sugden A21a and that's got half the power of the Stingray.

The Tab 10s have a sensitivity of 86db and impedance of 10 ohms. They are easy to drive and need half the power that Harbeth P3ESRs require to go loud.

The Tab10 Sigs' bass is remarkable for such small speakers. I certainly don't need a sub. Good, well filled stands should get the best out of them.

 

With the US dollar being strong against the Pound, you could save serious money by buying from an official British dealer. Unilet in New Malden usually offers a standard 15% discount on products retailing at up to £1,500 in its Blue Murder sale. Bigger discounts are available if you spend more. Last year, the sale was moved back to June. I don't know if the company can/will ship to the US. Well worth asking though.

 

Sorry, Ed, I made an error. Unilet's Blue Murder discount the Tab 10s would be 12.5% But Americans don't pay the British VAT sales tax at a whopping 20%. So, for you, the Tab 10s would be around £680 and the Sigs around £880 - plus shipping to the US.

This morning, the Pound is worth only 1.29 US dollars. Even if Pound rises a bit after a Brexit deal, the standard Tab 10s should be under $900 (plus shipping) in the Blue Murder sale - if, of course, Unilet will ship them to the US.

 

Thanks for the info, Kenny! That is still an amazing price considering US retail is somewhere around $2000

 

I am curious as well if British dealers will ship and sell to the US. I have wanted for a long time to purchase a pair of the latest Spendor Classic 3/5 which are unavailable in America.

 

I recall reading that @action pact got his speakers (think they were Grahams) shipped from the UK. Makes a lot of sense, especially given the current conditions. Perhaps he could chime in on the particulars and how he arranged it.

 

I suspect that there are restrictions on dealers shipping new Spendors to non-EU or non-UK customers.

The pair of SP3/1R2’s that I bought from Analogue Seduction was a demo pair, which I was able acquire for the substantially discounted price of approximately $1400 including shipping and duties.

These speakers retail new in the USA for $3195, so I was beyond delighted to be able to afford them, and they are a delight to own.

So, my advice is to scan the used/demo listings on UK dealers’ sites. Keep in mind that you will get a further discount after the VAT is reversed out of the price.

 

I like ProAc speakers, including this model. They do a nice job of voicing, including faking bass response. I suppose some purist might fake the upper bass hump that sort of disguises the lack of true deep bass, but, to me, it is a canny compromise (particularly if a subwoofer is not being employed). I prefer the ProAc to the small Harbeth because it does not have the slightly hard, sibilant edge that I hear with almost all Harbeths (40.2 being the exception). Don't get me wrong, I like Harbeth speakers, I just like the ProAc a little more.

I don't know how the ProAc compares to an original LS3/5a because I have not heard a side-by-side comparison. I heard a pair of the 15 ohm model not that long ago and it sounded really good. It, too, had a fake bottom end, that gave it a wonderfully rich, full-bodied sound that puts to shame many really expensive, bloodless systems that are sold these days. The LS3/5a's were being driven by low-powered tube amps, which sort of affirmed my belief that being an easy load is more important than efficiency when it comes to matching tubes with speakers.

If you are looking for box to stick into the corner of the room, Audio Note speakers should be under consideration. Their speakers sound very good and work well with lower-powered tube amps (my favorite kind of amps).

 

Unilet are official Spendor dealers too. The Blue Murder sale discounts are applied to all new stock.

Harrow Audio, another Spendor dealer, ships to Europe so may be willing to ship to the US too.

 

Wonder how the tablette 10 compares to a LS50. Has anyone heard them both?

 

l have.

Not together mind.

 

Continuing the Tablette 10 comparisons.....anybody heard them against either the Spendor S3/5r2 or the Stirling ls3/5a V2?
I'm curious about the treble quality and fatigue factor of the '10s. Proac seemed to have made some brittle sounding speakers historically (that's only my internet reading opinion).

 

I've owned three sets of Proacs....nothing brittle about them at all.