Speaker Asylum: REVIEW: ProAc Response 3.8 Speakers by HKD

Well, the joys of this hobby exist not only when you have a product in your home, but (to me at least) also lie in the search--the countless hours of looking, demoing, comparing and finally deciding. I seem to have the ability to shop for audio equipment even when I'm not "in the market". So about 2 weeks ago I decided that it was time to begin SERIOUSLY considering finding new soldiers to stand at the gate of my audio kingdom. Fortunately, since I spend tons of time in and out of audio shops (again, even when I'm not in the market) I had some ideas of what I wanted to consider and what I did not. One of the speakers that were in the "did not" category were the ProAc Response 3.8. Not because I heard them before and did not like them, but because I had the 3.5 on my radar and could get them for $1300 less-- After many, many speakers started on the list, I had it narrowed down to 4........... the same 4 I mentioned in my review of the Dynaudio Contour 3.0's---- the 4 being the Dyna's, the Wilson Watt Puppies 3/2, the ProAc Response 3.5 and the NHT 3.3). Yesterday, having been armed and to some extent, dangerous, I went to listen to the ProAc 3.5's again to see if they were "in or out". They are nice, but they are out. The 3.8's are in. Clarity, and an overall presence that are very---VERY pleasing. They even had the bottom end extension that I'm afraid to lose if I go away from NHT. But the nicest part of these speakers is that they add that element of air (or openess, or analog-ness--whatever you want to call it) that really has a sweeping sense about it without being colored, rounded out or soft. This time I went in with a barrage of different music from the Cowboy Junkies (sounded absolutely fantastic) to good ole Erykah (to push the rumbling bottom end). But what had really impressed me were the sound of some of the cd's that usually sound a bit empty in my system at home---Fleetwood Mac's "Greatest Hits", Incognito "Jazz Funk" and George Benson "The Instrumentals". I hate to sound like I'm gushing about any product because there is nothing out there that is perfect (and these speakers are not perfect).....but these speakers sounded fantastic with most all the software we threw at it. Now, a large piece of the equation was the amp (BAT 500). I'm not here to review amps but I've got to tell you, I want this amp. I like it over the new Krells and Levinsons (which have been the amps used for most all other speaker demo's). The BAT is a real piece of work that is, unfortunately, out of my price range.

So back to the ProAcs--I love them. They have full mids that hit you in the face without being brash or forward, and best of all they do not result in you losing the hi's or the lows. There is a true balance in the seperation throughout the sound that makes me love these towers.

They are a bit more then I was looking to pay, but the dealer is willing to come down to $5,000. I'm tempted because they sound fantastic all the way around and throughout. Today after work I am going to put them head to head against the NHT 3.3's, so I'm sure to narrow the field down to 3--I'm going to be surprised if the ProAcs fall---but that's half the fun of this. All said and done, these speakers show that they can run with anything else in and above this price range, and right now they are on the top of my list.

REVIEW: ProAc Response 3.8 Speakers Review by HKD at Audio Asylum