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The Best Show Reporting
Coverage of CES 2000 from Las Vegas, NV --
Jan. 6-9, 2000
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| SoundStage!
LIVE Standout Room - ProAc |
ProAc's newest Future line of speakers represents a
departure for the company in some obvious ways. The cabinet is not the traditional box,
and the soft-dome tweeter used in so many ProAc models is replaced by a ribbon unit. But
perhaps what's most significant about the Future One speakers ($9800 per pair) played at
the Alexis Park is the way in which they retain what's best about previous ProAc models
and build upon their strengths. Like the various Response speakers, the Future Ones sound
very smooth and engaging -- never assaulting you with anything other than natural
reproduction. However, they also melt into the room in which they are played, giving few
clues to their exact placement. "Sweet, open and boxless" is how Marc Mickelson
described them as driven by a Jeff Rowland Model 10 amplifier and Synergy preamp; an
Oracle CD player acted as source. So while ProAc's Stuart Tyler didn't completely reinvent
his version of the wheel, he certainly has improved it -- in stunning fashion.
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