A British Hi-Fi Specialist Just Revamped Its Beloved Bookshelf Speakers

They promise to retain all the musicality of their audiophile-grade predecessors, but deliver “the next level” performance.

Close-up of a wooden speaker cabinet featuring a black midrange driver and a rectangular ribbon tweeter.

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By Tucker Bowe

Published February 19, 2026

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ProAc — stands for Professional Acoustics — is a British loudspeaker manufacturer with a history dating back to the early 1970s. It’s known for its beautifully-designed, high-end speakers that sound way bigger than they look.

The company’s Response range of loudspeakers is its most premium, with the Response DB1, a compact standmount (or bookshelf-sized) loudspeaker, among its most popular. And now, ten years after its release, ProAc is introducing an updated model.

Meet the Response DB1R.

Pair of wooden bookshelf speakers on black metal stands, one with black grille and one without. — The ProAc Response DB1R is a two-way standmount loudspeaker. It’s the next evolution of the brand’s 2016-released Response DB1.

ProAc didn’t exactly reinvent the wheel with the Response DB1R, as the standmount loudspeakers are quite similar to their predecessors in most ways. They are the same size, and feature the same rear port and long-throw woofer.

According to the brand, the Response DB1R retains “all the musicality, balance and refinement” of the Response DB1.

Wood-finished bookshelf speaker with black circular tweeter and woofer on a black stand. — The big upgrade with the Response DB1R is that feature a new ribbon tweeter, which was previously been reserved for the brand’s larger loudspeakers.

Next-level tweeter

Where they differ is the tweeter. The Response DB1R has a new ribbon tweeter — which is what the “R” in the name stands for — which ProAc claims takes performance to the next level.

According to the brand, the ribbon tweeter “features rear-chamber damping and an alnico magnet, delivering exceptional high-frequency detail, speed and transparency.”

This is the same ribbon tweeter that ProAc has recently featured in other, larger loudspeakers in its Response range. In fact, the DB1R is ProAc’s smallest loudspeaker to feature a ribbon tweeter.

Rear view of a ProAc Response DB1 wooden speaker with black speaker terminals and a circular port. — Like its predecessor, the Response DB1R is a two-way, rear-ported loudspeaker that promises to sound way bigger than its size.

“The launch of the DB1R is the first step in developing our long-term plans while continuing to honor Stewart Tyler’s designs and the legacy he left behind,” states Zoe Tyler-Mardle, ProAc’s director, in the company’s press release.

“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.”

Compact wooden bookshelf speaker with black fabric grille on a tall black metal stand. — ProAc will offer the Response DB1R in range of standard and premium finishes.

Price and availability

ProAc’s Response DB1R is expected to go into production this May. The speakers will be available in several standard finishes, including Black Ash, Walnut, Cherry, Mahogany, Natural Oak and Silk White. Several premium finishes will also be available.

At the time of writing, US pricing for these speakers has not been revealed. The non-R versions of the Response DB1 typically cost between $3,200 to $4,800 per pair, depending on the finish. You can expect these new models to cost north of that.

Pair of wooden bookshelf speakers on black cylindrical stands, one with grille on and one without.

ProAc Response DB1R

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About the Author: Tucker Bowe has been on Gear Patrol’s editorial team since 2014. With a passion for consumer tech and hi-fi, he tracks everything from headphones and turntables to smartphones and wearables. If it lights up or makes noise, he probably covers it.

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