Bristol Hi-Fi Show Welcomes New Response From ProAC

Boasting a ribbon tweeter, ProAc’s Response DB1R (R for ribbon) will make its public debut at the Bristol Hi-Fi Show this weekend.

The Response DB1R builds on the "outstanding reputation" of ProAc’s top-of-the-range compact stand-mount loudspeaker, the Response DB1.

We are told that the new model retains the musicality, balance and refinement of the DB1 but brings a new level of performance thanks to the addition of ProAc’s ribbon tweeter technology.

The ribbon tweeter, lighter than a human hair, features rear-chamber damping and an alnico magnet, delivering exceptional high-frequency detail, speed and transparency.

The British speaker company states that this tweeter design has proved hugely popular in other Response models and now finds its place in ProAc’s most compact format to date, underlining that the DB1R is the smallest loudspeaker in the ProAc range ever to be offered with a ribbon tweeter.

ProAc’s Director, Zoe Tyler-Mardle, told StereoNET:

The launch of the DB1R is the first step in developing our long-term plans while continuing to honour Stewart Tyler’s designs and the legacy he left behind. As a team, we want to take everything he taught us over the last 30 years and build upon it. Music is at the heart of our family and central to ProAc’s ‘perfectly natural’ sound -something we are fully committed to preserving.

The Response DB1R has a claimed linear sensitivity of 87.5 dB at 1 watt at 1 metre and a 35Hz-30kHz frequency range from its in-house 27mm (5-inch) long-throw mid/bass unit with Pagina Mica cone and an acrylic phase plug, paired with the ProAc ribbon tweeter. The nominal impedance is listed as 8 ohms.

While the figures are the same as the Response DB1, visitors to the Bristol Hi-Fi Show will have the opportunity to hear the DB1R in action, experience the benefits of the ribbon tweeter, and speak with ProAc representatives in Room 216.

Prices for the ProAC DB1R in standard finishes are £2,945, and in premium finishes, £3,465. Production will start in May 2026.

For more information visit ProAC