Proac Response D2R £2895
Proac has long offered the choice of a ribbon tweeter instead of a dome unit in its Response floorstanders, but this is the first time buyers of the standmounters have had such a choice.
When we take a close look at these new D2RS, we’re struck by just how contemporary they seem; after all they’re based on a design over a decade old. Sure there’s no curved cabinet here or particularly fancy cone materials, but such things certainly don’t guarantee a great sound in our experience.
The big headline is the use of the ribbon tweeter. We generally find that the ribbon option gives a clearly more transparent and detailed sound, one that’s well worth the price premium.
And these are wonderfully expressive speakers, even at low volumes. We play Melody Gardot’s Mira and they respond with an agile, lively performance that mixes information with entertainment as well anything we’ve heard at the price.
Their midrange is a real highlight, delivering rich, playful tones with considerable skill, and conveying nuance and vocal textures superbly.
These aren’t particularly big speakers so really deep bass isn’t on the menu, but for their size, the low-end is impressive – deep and authoritative.
That ribbon tweeter shines in the amount of detail it resolves, and unlike similar designs avoids sounding a little sterile and tonally grey. The integration with the mid/bass is handled seamlessly and there’s a consistency of character from the lowest frequency upward that’s impressive.
Given suitably talented partners, the Response D2rss excel at giving the music the limelight. We can’t ask any more than that.