I have a secret. ProAc is one of my very favorite loudspeaker makers. Despite the fact that Stewart Tyler turned me down for an interview a couple of years ago, ProAc is still my first choice when I win the lotto. His speakers are beautiful, sound even better, and he is the single most copied loudspeaker designer in the DIY scene.

 

Two new events in ProAc loudspeaker news this month. First, ProAc now offers ribbon tweeter versions of two of their venerable floorstanders. The ProAc Response D38R and ProAc Response D80R are the two models that receive the ribbon treatment. According to ProAc, the only thing these two share in common with their conventional predecessors is cabinet size. Polypropylene bass drivers, the new damped 60mm x 10mm ProAc ribbon tweeters, and new crossovers fill the traditional looking enclosures.

 

In addition to the above refreshes, ProAc has launched a new flagship, the ProAc Carbon Pro 8. The 49" 147 pound ProAc Carbon Pro 8 uses a pair of brand new 8" polymer impregnated carbon weave bass drivers. Two 3" midrange domes are mounted in a polymer impregnated carbon weave horn, or waveguide, and the complement is rounded out by ProAc's new ribbon tweeter. The conventional looking cabinet design sits atop a carbon composite plinth. According to ProAc, the 4 ohm 88.5dB ProAc carbon Pro 8 sounds like an electrostat without the drawbacks, and will handle as little as 10 watts, or up to 500 watts, making it very amplifier friendly. $40,000 let's you join the club.

 

The two way ProAc Response 2.5 is arguably one of the best loudspeaker designs of all time. It's certainly the most copied. The ProAc Response D38 has long been an object of my speaker lust, and the addition of the ribbon is an intriguing hook. The ProAc Carbon Pro 8 looks like a more than worthy scion to that heritage. Now I just need to find $40,000 in the sofa cushions.

 

 

 

 

Onkyo has added three new AVRs to their lineup, the Onkyo TX-NR1007, the Onkyo TX-NR3007 and the TX-NR5007.

 

All three models are Windows 7 compatible and meet the DLNA 1.5 spec. All three provide support for streaming internet audio via the onboard ethernet connection.  What really makes these three units stand out is that they are all 9.2 channel units. That's right, nine channels of amplification and support for two subwoofers. This allows the user to setup a nine channel home theater to take advantage of what Audyssey DSX and Dolby ProLogic IIz offer, or the power from the additional two channels can be used to beef up the power supplied to the mains in a 5.1 or 7.1 system.  The TX-NR3007 and TX-NR5007 up the ante by offering 7 and 8 HDMI inputs respectively. Video processing in both units is handled by a Silicon Optix HQV Reon-VX, which provides 1080p24 upscaling for all sources.  Fill out the list with TI Aureus DSPs and Burr Brown DACs, and the TX-NR3007 and TX-NR5007 have impressive credentials indeed.

 

Available in September, from top to bottom the new units from Onkyo are slated to sell at $2699 for the 145 watt TX-NR5007, $2099 for the TX-NR3007, and $1599 for the TX-NR1007. The addition of the extra channels is interesting, but even without the extra iron Onkyo has packed these units with some pretty nice audio and video features at their price points.

Klipsch has owned the Aragon and Acurus brands of electronics since 2001 when they bought out Mondial. On April 27 it was announced that the rights to both brand names had been acquired by Indy Audio Labs, a hi-fi startup launched in late 2008.

 

Klipsch had ceased production of the Aragon line of electronics separates in 2005. Indy Audio Labs, formed by two former Klipsch engineers Rick Santiago and Ted Moore, will be announcing new product under both brand names in early 1010. The Aragon line will remain their high end solid state separates collection, and the Acurus line will feature value oriented electronics.  In the meantime, Indy Audio Labs will support existing Aragon hardware.

 

It's nice to see another mid-fi separates contender (re)entering the ring after such a long, dry spell of inactivity in that sector. With no new product from the likes of ATI, Adcom, Sherbourn and Audio Refinement, here's hoping that the new Aragon and Acurus lines offer discriminating hi-fi enthusiasts on a budget quality equipment with modern features. Looking forward to more announcements on these lines, and they'll be on the front page of AV Enthusiast when they come.

Tannoy has quietly added the Definition line of loudspeakers. The updated series now consists of two floorstanding models and a bookshelf.

 

The new models in the Definition line return Tannoy to their roots, as all three models use Tannoy's dual concentric design with no additional tweeter. The Tannoy Definition DC8 bookshelf utilizes a single 8" Tannoy dual concentric driver, comprised of a treated paper cone with rubber surround, and Tannoy's 1" titanium tweeter mounted in their tulip waveguide.  The 88dB Tannoy Definition DC8T goes down to 42Hz, and will handle up to a 175 watt power source. The 40" floorstanding Tannoy Definition DC8T ups the ante by adding a second 8", and plumbs down to 33Hz at 89dB with amplifiers up to 200 watts. The 44" Tannoy Definition DC10T gets down to 30 Hz at 92dB with amplifiers up to 250 watts. All three models are rear ported, and come in high gloss black, cherry or dark walnut. Notable are the curved enclosures of these units are constructed with plywood instead of MDF, so these cabinets are bound to be very rigid.

 

No pricing info yet on the new Tannoy Definitions. These are good looking loudspeakers, somewhat reminiscent of Wharfedale's Opus series. I happen to use Tannoy loudspeakers, and I can't praise them enough. If you have a dealer near you, go listen to a set of these new Definitions, or one of Tannoy's other lines. Tannoy may not be one of the manufacturers you have in mind for your new loudspeaker purchase, but they will be after you go audition a pair.