I do not own the 1SC's, but I recently spent about 2 hours auditioning them at Stereo Exchange in NYC. I have spent the last few years studying up on what it takes to get state-of-the-art sound, and listening to a variety of speakers, amps and front ends. I decided to give the 1SC's a detailed listen because of the glowing Stereophile review and because I wanted to settle the monitor vs. big box debate for myself. The system reviewed included a Meridian 508-24 CD player (Stereophile Class A) and an E.A.R. 16-watt integrated amp (tubes). Also included in the audition was a REL Strata II subwoofer (on which I will have more to say presently). The music used spanned a broad spectrum: Beethoven's 9th, Kathleen Battle/Wynton Marsalis, Art Pepper, Acapella (all male) and a variety of R&B. I was looking to "benchmark" the sound of a high-quality monitor, so my comments will focus exclusively on the sound of the product.
This speaker is world-class in terms of "truth-of-timbre". Voices sounded gorgeous and spot on in terms of creating a believable illusion. Art Pepper's alto sax sounded like...an alto sax--I know what one sounds like since I used to play one myself. I have heard mega-buck systems (2C3D, Watt/Puppy's, etc.) that merely equal (or slightly better) this $2,100 speaker in terms of timbre, so this is its best feature. However, I would have to demur to my colleagues in terms of the treble, imaging and soundstaging characterisitics of the speaker. While the speakers did give me a good sense of the venue of the recording--e.g., Kathleen Battle was clearly singing in a large hall with glorious, natural reverb--it was not world-class caliber. Nor was the treble the airiest I've heard, even taking price into the equation. Specifically, I listened to the same recordings on the M-L Aerius i (on the same day) on clearly INferior equipment (Acurus all around) and the M-L was still superior in terms of natural, airy highs. Still, I would rate the 1SC's midrange and treble very highly for the price.

I would greatly encourage any 1SC owners to audition a REL subwoofer. After listening to the 1SC in conjunction with a REL Strata II ($1,200), I can unequivocally say the monitor sounded much better--with NO downsides whatsoever. I found the monitors to be too lean sounding generally. They were excellent for vocals, string quartets, and small-scale jazz ensembles. But I like a BIG sound when I hear powerful, majestic symphonies like the 9th. The REL added a solidity to the sound that firmed up the soundstage and gave the music more palpability. Even on acapella male voice, the sub added body to the sound that made it more believable. Of course, it also added the majesty and slam on orchestral or R&B pieces that the 1SC simply can't muster. If you like the 1SC, the REL simply gives you the 1SC down to 20 Hz!

Overall, I enjoyed the speaker immensely on smaller scale pieces. My only craving here was better holograhic imaging, but that costs big bucks. I was disappointed on bigger musical works, however. I found myself clearly craving a bigger, more majestic soundstage for large-scale orchestral works. The M-L Aerius clearly floated my boat better than the ProAc. For roughly the same money, it bettered the monitor in the treble and soundstaging areas, as well as adding a much better low end presentation that contributed to a better palpability factor. While the addition of the REL worked wonders with the 1SC, that would make it non-competitive on price with the M-L and, in any case, the M-L still wins in the treble sweepstakes.

My overall rating is: 3.5 stars.

The Pro Ac One SC's has to be used with the right equipment and cabling to sound it's best. With regards to the last two reviewers, I almost totally disagree. I have actually owned the Tablette 50's the Tablette50 Sigs and the One SC's all at the same time, also have the Totems One right now. The ProAc's are among the most musical,involving, well made speakers available. They are very system dependent. My last system with the Ones SC's was Sonic Frontiers tube Line One, Audion Siver Knights, Anthem Amo One and Audioquest cabling, Tice line conditioning, Sony es 707, Cal cl 15. This system make you listen to your cd all over again. The Ones Sc's are transparent, effortless and well balanced, alyhough on some recording get a little bit harsh sounding. But the soundstage is THE BEST I have heard better than the Totems which are also very good. The one review mention "puny"? Not a possibility with the One SC's, at time the effect is almost 3D it so stunning. I know everybody has diffenent tastes etc, but I have owned a lot of diffent brands over the years, no speaker has made listening to musc as enjoyable as the ProAc's. The Totems on the other hand come very close, and this is not the Signature version, yet.

I, too was not all that impressed with the Response One SC, especially when evaluated on a price/performance basis. Pluses are the soundstage imaging (although the Tablette 50 Signatures are even better at this), clarity and neutrality. Build quality is superior. The negative from my perspective is pretty much what the last reviewer said. The sound, although pristine, is puny. There's just no getting past that fact. Once you get past the initial thrill of the jaw-dropping imaging (and it is truly thrilling), there just isn't alot there, in my opinion. The last reviewer used the term "majesty" in describing what is missing. I know that might sound snooty to you, but don't take it that way--it is really a dead-on, accurate, adjective. The majesty and grandeur that you get with a speaker that can really fill a room just is not there. Is it just that the bass is missing in action? You tell me...I don't know. But why would you try to cure that problem by adding a sub, something many of the reviewers discuss like it's nothing at all, when you could just do it right from the outset with any of the several really good HEARTY speaker systems available for the same or less money? Two grand or so just for the speakers, plus the required stands and maybe a sub? Add it up. I would urge anyone interested in the Response Ones to also audition speakers such as the Thiel 1.5s and Hales Revelation Threes (just two that immediately occur to me as being in the same price range) to make sure you're making a fully informed decision. Your room is small, you say? The Thiels (and others) are physically smaller than the ProAcs on stands (not to mention plus a sub), and they don't pump out enough low end to be a problem in a smaller room.

Post-script to my 11/9 review: After formally auditioning the Martin-Logan Aerius i, I no longer rate it above the ProAc [see my 11/15 posted Aerius review]. I still think the M-L is better in the mids and the treble, but I found that the cone was noticeably slower than the panels. In other words, the ProAc's suffer from sins of omission (lack of low end, small soundstage) without doing anything really wrong. The Aerius does many things extremely well, but gets the cone/panel integration just plain wrong. At the end of the day, I wouldn't purchase either one of these speakers. But if I had to choose, I'd choose the ProAc's and save my money to add a REL subwoofer later. As it stands, I wil continue my search for the best $2,000-$2,500+ speaker by auditioning the Joseph Audio RM22's, Hales Revelation 3's, PSB Stratus Golds, NHT 2.9's, and Audio Physic Sparks....

I owned a pair for about four monthes. During this time four drivers had blown. These are great sounding speakers, however, are only good for soft/chamber music. Those who listen to rock, jazz, and symphonic should seek another speaker, or perhaps a larger proac.

If you have a small to medium-sized room, and neutral electronics, the ProAc Response One SC should be at the top of your list. While the Totem Model One Sigs are very fine speakers, the One SCs are even better. The One SCs are much more self-effacing and neutral. Plus, they are easier to drive, so you can choose from a wider variety of power amps to suit your room and tastes.
Now, for some caveats. Of course, the One SCs are mini-monitors. If you're looking to shake the walls with excessive boom, why are you even reading about mini-monitors?

For some strange reason, I thought the One SCs sounded more articulate when bi-wired. Indeed, I preferred a biwired Kimber 4TC over a single run and jumper set of Kimber Select KS-3033.

Be prepared to spend $$$$ on the rest of your system. If you feed the One SCs crap, they will sound like crap. But if you feed these speakers with quality signal, they will let all that beauty shine. Today's hi-end equipment sounds full-bodied, so don't fret about the lack of deep bass. And, in your typical small to average room, this will actually be a blessing.

Sorry, but the Response One SCs do indeed sound better on expensive stands. Just as important, however, get the right stand height. For us, 28" works much better than 24". But you might have different results. There are some Target knock-offs for around $250.

Oh, and, do spring the extra $400 for the bird's eye maple finish. Gorgeous!

Current system:
Fanfare FM FT-1
Rega Planar 3/Grado Platinum
Theta Jade and DS Pro Basic IIIa
Krell KPE Standard
Mark Levinson No. 380
Classe' CA-100
Kimber KS-2020, KCAG, KS-1030, KS-3033, bi-wired 4TC

I bought the ProAc 1sc's about 2 months ago and have been totally satisfied with their performance. The speakers excel in the areas of soundstaging and imaging and provide an absolutely uncoloured, neutral, tonally accurate sound. They are best suited to classical, jazz, solo and acoustic music, especially vocal work such as Diana Krall. Bad recordings of pop music and hard rock do not do these speakers justice. Contrary to other reviews I have found the bass to be deep, tight, clean and extremely fast. I have a smaller room with concrete walls and low nap carpet so big speakers tend to boom in my room. I have also listened to these speakers with a pair of Velodyne's 10" powered subwoofers and they sound even better with bass extension to 20Hz and below. These speakers are very musical and seductive in the way they engage the listener from the moment you sit down. The highs are airy and quite lucent in nature--much like an electro-static speaker. As far as value is concerned? Without the exotic hardwood finishes the speakers are about $2100 and I cannot think of anything under $3000 that sounds better. These are a no compromise mini-monitor of exceedingly high quality. My pair is is Yew wood and the finish is matched (exactly identical) for the left and right speakers grain for grain. Obviously cut from the exact same piece of wood for the entire speaker pair. These speakers do depend on good ancillary equipment but do not need a large amplifier. I am running the following...Linn Majik I Amplifier (30W/channel)
Rotel 965 Cd player
Quad fm-4 Tuner
AR W/Grado Turntable
Audioquest Opal Interconnects
Linn K20 biwired Speaker wire
Camber Speaker stands

I got a pair of 1SCs to complement my existing equipment--YBA Integre DT integrated amp, EAD DSP-7000 III/HDCD DAC, Sony DVP-S7000 DVD player (as a transport).
The speakers are incredible. They demand good electronics and very precise positioning. (I had disappointing results at first.) Once these conditions are met, the 1SCs will produce possibly some of the best imaging/soundstage from any speaker. The sound stage is wide and DEEP. On some recordings the soundstage seems to extend seven to ten feet behind the speakers' plane. The position of each instrument is extremely clear and precise, creating a very thrillingly illusive effect. The only speaker that I listened to which is comparable in this regard is the Dunlavy SC-IV's. (I listened to the Dunlavys twice. The first time the imaging was pin-point and very illusive. The second time was very disappointing--bad speaker positioning, I suppose.) The 1SCs beat every other speaker I listened to in imaging, and that includes 30K+ speakers.

The tonal qualities of the 1SCs are also superb. Overall these speakers are extremely accurate, especially in the mids and highs. The speakers lack very deep bass, but they sound very satisfyingly full and natural overall (at least for small jazz ensembles which is what I listned to most of the time). The mids and highs are very sweet and textured and are never fatiguing. Trumpets sound airy, and cymbals sound layered and seem to shimmer.

I pressume the 1SCs will work best with tube gear--I can imagaine how the sound will bloom and glow. However, the speakers also sound incredible with my YBA, which is a very neutral, detailed, and smooth sounding amp. This is a combination I can recommend, especially when one is not interested in tube electronics.

If you like lighter music (i.e. small jazz ensembles, chamber music etc) and don't mind bookshelves, I can't think of more musical speakers to recommend for under $3-4k.

from the waist up the mids and highs are beautiful. Perfect presentation not to forward or laid back, just right

The bass the bass the booming bass why must they ruin perfection by trying to make a little box sound so much bigger then it realy is.

This speaker is musical. They wake up in the morning and say "what are we going to play today". The mids and the highs are wonderfull. There is almost no lister fatique at all. Even a trumpet at close range will not have you ducking for cover. Everyone says flat and revealing on the mids to highs. I agree but will add that I hear is a little sweetening in the highs. The beautifull thing is that they did this just enough to take the bite out of a mechanical speaker while still revealing everything.
From the waist up these speakers shine it is the bottom end that has the problem. Why must they all color the bottom end with humps in the freq. resp. or try to fool us into bass by giving us boom. There is bass and there is boom and the 1sc have some of this boom. If this is not a area which agrivates you then this is the speaker. Or if you can overlook the booming blowted (sp) bass becase of its waist up attributes then its a good choice. But if your like me and want a neutral ballance then the delemia is there to accept the bass boom or keep looking. I have only had the speakers for over a week. But they have been playing constantly. Breaking in yes things change but I do not think that three months break in time will change the frequency responce of the speaker.
I have also tried the Dynaudio and they have one note bass. The ProAcs atleast have pitch definition to the bass they do have.
The 1sc's are a wonderfull speaker and if you can learn a way to controll the booming bass then you are as wonderfull as the speakers. Why must they ruin perfection by trying to make the bass seam so much bigger then it realy is. Were not out buying mini monitors just to save space. Its because they have a speed to them a livelyness, when they are tugging this huge bass around all the time this is a beautiful unballanced thing to my ears, and this is with the port pluged. Open that thing up and let the booming begin. The mids and top are solid 5 the bass well Im so disapointed that they ruined perfection that I can not even rate that. But if a little boom does not bother you or you even like it then these are the ones. They are alive and musical.

Similar Products Used:

dynaudio 1.3, 802 matrix

Even before the 1SCs were run in they sounded great. After a week they were magic and were perfect at reproducing everthing except real deep bass (deep bass is something you don't want in a speaker if you don'have a large room).The soundstage they produce is awesome, and nearly no speaker other speaker in the world makes an improvement over the 1SCs in this area.
I use a Sonic Frontiers SFCD 1 CD player and Audion Silver Night 300B monoblocks into the ProAc 1SCs with MIT cables.
After extensive comparisons I have found these are the best speakers for their price and size availble anywhere!