Proac Response DT8 £2295

It’s four Awards in a row now for the Response DT8, as these towers continue to turn in as musically cohesive a performance as we’ve heard at this price.

The use of two types of 16.5cm mid/ bass driver working in tandem may be clever from an engineering point of view, but we must confess that, visually, it unsettles us.

By using different drivers working in tandem, Proac’s engineers have attempted to get the best of all worlds. A polypropylene cone in the top unit shoots for natural mids; a stiff poly-mica diaphragm in the lower aims to deliver powerful, articulate bass. A down-firing port completes the arrangement.

We play Beethoven’s Fifth Symphony and the DT8S respond with a large-scale sound full of force and fury. They deliver the music’s high-octane dynamic swings with enthusiasm and plenty of punch, yet have the skill to render the subtleties with care.

Tonally, they are a little forward, but they have enough by way of refinement to prevent this being an issue. We would avoid pairing them with any overly bright or aggressive electronics, though.

Detail levels are high, the DT8S able to resolve layers of information and organise it in a cohesive manner. They render instrumental texture superbly, and deliver slight changes in intensity and drive well.

Stereo imaging is lovely too. These speakers paint on an expansive sonic canvas, locating instruments with precision and stability. The orchestra is laid out convincingly, with the sound extending well beyond the space between the speakers.

While the presence of two different mid/bass drivers caused us to have doubts at first, we are impressed by the DT8’S expressive and transparent midrange performance.

We think you will love the entertaining, articulate sound of these Proacs floorstanders. At this price, as four years of Best Buy Awards signals, we wouldn’t want anything else.