Напольная акустика — ProAc Response D20

ProAc's Response D20 is a two-way floorstander from the Brackley, Northamptonshire maker set up by Stewart Tyler, who built speakers first under the Celef Audio name and from 1979 under the ProAc brand. The D20 took over from the Response D18, which had only ever been offered with a dome tweeter. ProAc reworked that design with an upgraded cabinet, new bass loading and a new crossover network, and the D20 can be ordered in two forms - the D20R with the ProAc ribbon tweeter or the D20D with a conventional dome unit instead.

Key specs that matter

On paper the D20 reaches from 28 Hz to 33 kHz, a sensitivity of 88.5 dB linear for 1 watt at 1 metre and a nominal impedance of 8 ohms. A single 165 mm ProAc unit serves both the bass and the midrange, with a glass fibre weave cone, an Excel magnet system and an acrylic damping phase plug. The D20D carries a 25 mm silk dome tweeter with air cooling, while the D20R uses a ribbon measuring 60 mm by 10 mm, whose diaphragm ProAc likens in weight to a human hair, an alnico motor and a damped rear chamber. The cabinet stands 978 mm tall on its spikes, 193 mm wide and 282 mm deep.

Engineering and use context

The bass loading of the cabinet is the arrangement ProAc also applies in the D30 and D48 floorstanders, and the ribbon unit is the same type fitted to the D30, D48 and K6. ProAc mounts the crossover on its own dedicated board from selected parts, with multistrand oxygen free copper cable used throughout the speaker. According to ProAc, every one of its loudspeakers is hand-built, many of its models use drive units with the company's own basket, cone and magnet assemblies, and each unit is put together and tested by one technician. Real wood veneer covers the cabinets - Black Ash, Mahogany, Cherry, Walnut and Oak are standard, Silk White is also listed, and Rosewood and Ebony can be ordered at extra cost. The grille is made of acoustically transparent crimplene, and it attaches to the cabinet magnetically.

Pairing

ProAc lists a recommended amplifier power of 20 to 180 W for the D20. The crossover is split, so the speaker can be connected with a single run of cable or used with bi-wiring or bi-amplification.

Alternatives

The ProAc Response DT8 is a floor-standing model from the same range that combines two bass and mid units, one with a Pagina Mica cone and one with a polypropylene cone, with a silk dome tweeter.