What Hi-Fi? Verdict
Excellent speakers that sound great with all types of music. Need loads of running-in, mind
Pros
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Great dynamics and insight
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fine timing
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solid build
Cons
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Plain appearance
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need care in system-matching
Why you can trust What Hi-Fi? Our expert team reviews products in dedicated test rooms, to help you make the best choice for your budget. Find out more about how we test.
These ProAcs take an age to run in. In fact, ours took over 70 hours before they clicked. But once that's done, you'll enjoy chameleon-like speakers, capable of playing just about every genre of music with the utmost skill.
The 130s have the ProAc Studio family sound: they're dynamic, detailed and insightful – but like other models in the range, the tonal balance hints at brashness at the
top end. However, they're refined enough, so this isn't a problem in all but the most aggressive of systems.
Positioned out into the room and toed-in, these towers are transparent enough to distinguish the open, natural quality of Bruce Springsteen's The Seeger Sessions, but also deliver the punchy bass and rapid-fire rhythms of Wyclef Jean's The Ecleftic.
Sure, you can buy flashier-looking speakers for the money, but if sound quality is important – and let's face it, it should be – then the Studio 130s must be auditioned.
