ProAc Response D Two review

You might find similarly priced speakers that impress more on a short demo, but we doubt there’s many that will please as much in the long run Tested at £1900

What Hi-Fi? Verdict

Class-leading performance from an ordinary looking loudspeaker

Pros

  • +

    A superbly balanced sonic presentation

  • +

    fine build quality

Cons

  • -

    Appearance isn’t as impressive as some

Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.

It's easy to feel a little underwhelmed by a product such as the D Two – it just looks so ordinary, and the ingredients are conventional, too. No fancy cabinet materials or shapes here, and no headline-grabbing drive-unit technology.

Look beyond the obvious, though, and you'll find much care has gone into the engineering. The drivers, for example, are high-quality units designed for performance rather than keeping the marketing people happy, and those ordinary-looking cabinets, as well as coming in a choice of six real-wood veneers, are made of different types and thicknesses of wood. Few manufacturers go to such lengths.

All about balance
So how do the ProAcs sound? In a word: wonderful. These speakers are all about balance. No part of the frequency range intrudes, and dynamics, timing and stereo imaging are spot-on. Whether you listen to Mahler or Mos Def, the D Twos sound right at home, with just the right mix of refinement, drive and finesse to keep most people happy.

Just make sure you use a heavyweight stand like Partington's Dreadnought Broadsides (£270) and position the speakers out into the room.

You might find similarly priced speakers that impress more on a short demo, but we doubt there's many that will please as much in the long run.

What Hi-Fi?

What Hi-Fi?, founded in 1976, is the world's leading independent guide to buying and owning hi-fi and home entertainment products. Our comprehensive tests help you buy the very best for your money, with our advice sections giving you step-by-step information on how to get even more from your music and movies. Everything is tested by our dedicated team of in-house reviewers in our custom-built test rooms in London, Reading and Bath. Our coveted five-star rating and Awards are recognised all over the world as the ultimate seal of approval, so you can buy with absolute confidence.


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