We were big fans of the ProAc's original Studio 140s. They were unusually large for their £1400 price and delivered a hugely entertaining sound – enough to win them three of our speaker Awards over the years.
The Mk2 version aims to be even better. What's new? Well the cabinet remains unchanged in size. It's 104cm tall, andthe combination of twin mid/bass drivers and offset tweeter look as imposing as ever.
The Mk 2 version has all-new drive units and the revised crossover that goes with them.
The tweeter is a 25mm silk dome and the twin 16.5-cm mid/bass drivers both use a carbon filled polypropylene cone. The speaker's sensitivity is high at 91dB/W/m, which should mean decent volume levels even from modestly powered amplifiers.
It comes as no surprise to find the Studio 140 Mk2s need a decent amount of space to breathe. Too close to a rear wall and those extended low frequencies will start to boom.
Place the speakers at least 50cm out into the room and angle in towards the listening position for the best results. Keep the offset tweeters on the inner edge for the best imaging.
It's well worth putting in the effort, as these speakers are capable of setting up a convincing soundstage. But that's not the only reason to buy them.
A large scale of sound
These are speakers that deliver a large scale of sound with deep, powerful bass and sizable dynamics when the music requires.
Listen to the Inception OST and the ProAcs fill the listening room with an authoritative and detailed sound. This Mk2 version sound more refined, cleaner and even-handed than the originals, but the essential fun-loving character is still there.
That's the thing with these speakers: you can buy a more sophisticated and refined sound for the money. You can even buy more detail.
But there are few rivals that deliver sound with such enthusiasm while still getting the hi-fi side of things right.
If you've the space for such big floorstanders, we strongly recommend a serious audition.
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