# ProAc Carbon Pro 8 Speakers *New Flagship Model*



## recruit (May 9, 2009)

*Manufacturer*: ProAc

*Description*: ProAc Carbon Pro Eight stereo speakers

Carbon fibre is a very light, stiff and rigid material. The body of a Formula 1 racing car is made of carbon fibre, Loudspeaker companies have toyed with the use of carbon fibre in loudspeakers, mainly for the use in cabinets. Carbon fibre cone drive units are rarely seen and used, we believe the type of carbon fibre and its preparation that we are using is unique.

For the past year ProAc has been researching the use of pure carbon fibre due to its qualities and resonances in the manufacture of drive unit cones. Its incredible stiffness makes it ideal for a drive unit cone, and its piston like qualities are perfect for moving air at low frequencies without distortion. 

The new Carbon Pro Eight uses two carbon fibre coned bass drivers, a carbon fibre midrange horn and a carbon composite plinth. The carbon cone is unique with a pure polymer impregnated carbon weave and polished diaphragm, the back of the cone is then specially lacquered and finally it is concentrically
weighted to add appropriate mass. The 3 inch midrange dome is repositioned in the unique pure polymer impregnated carbon weave and polished horn, and midrange sounds are reproduced with uncanny realism. High frequencies are covered by the ProAc ribbon tweeter with a diaphragm lighter than a human hair giving a sweet and detailed reproduction.

With these attributes the cabinet size can be reduced greatly without losing the weight and slam of a much larger conventional loudspeaker.The cabinet on the Carbon Pro Eight is a traditional mixture from ProAc of HDF materials of different thickness's heavily damped with bitumen. Indeed the carcass including bitumen is 35 mm thick. The combination of research into carbon fibre and its ingredients have produced a stunningly accurate and detailed loudspeaker, having an electrostatic or panel quality without the drawbacks. Sound is reproduced effortlessly with incredible detail and pinpoint imagery, which often can be muddled by conventional drive units.

We are sure at ProAc you will not see this type of drive unit in any other high-end loudspeaker and you will be amazed at such an open accurate and natural sound with a fast potent bass response. 







*
Technical Info for Carbon Pro 8 *

*Nominal Impedance*
4 ohms

*Recommended Amplifiers*
10 to 500 watts

*Frequency Response*
20hz to 30Khz

*Sensitivity*
91.5db linear for 1 watt at 1 metre

*Bass Driver*
2 x 8” (200 mm) studio professional drive units with pure polymer impregnated and polished carbon weave cone with rear lacquer and concentric weighting.

*Midrange Driver*
3” (75 mm) soft dome with pure polymer impregnated carbon weave air coupling.

*Tweeter*
ProAc ribbon with diaphragm as ‘light as a human hair’ alnico magnet and rear chamber damping.

*Crossover*
Finest components on dedicated circuit board. ProAc multistrand oxygen-free copper cable throughout split for optional bi wiring and bi amping.

*Dimensions*
49.2” (1230 mm) high with spikes and plinths
9.6” (240 mm) wide
18” (450 mm) deep

*Weight*
146.9 lb (68 kg) each unpacked

*Mode*
Floor standing with spikes

*Grille*
Acoustically transparent crimplene

*Finish*
Finishes to be announced

These are incredible looking speakers and I bet they will sound awesome too and at *$40,000* so they should !


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## Moonfly (Aug 1, 2008)

They might sound the part, but I'm not so struck on the looks myself.

I wander if I'll ever get a listen one day, probably not :dontknow:


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## recruit (May 9, 2009)

Moonfly said:


> They might sound the part, but I'm not so struck on the looks myself.
> 
> I wander if I'll ever get a listen one day, probably not :dontknow:


They'll probably sound amazing Dan but you will need a very large room to accommodate them and some serious amplification, I have listened to the D80's and they were very very good indeed, I do love the sound of ProAc speakers....


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## Moonfly (Aug 1, 2008)

I dont doubt you Recruit. Ive never had the pleasure of any ProAc stuff, not sure why, just never seemed to have ever come across any.


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## recruit (May 9, 2009)

These particular ProAc's retail at £25,000 so may be hard to try and get a demo of them, as they will more than likely be built to order, although they usually do have demo pairs that go round the dealerships, it is just tracking them down, I would not be able to afford them unless my lottery numbers come up, but would still be nice to get a listen to them.

I am very familiar with Wilson Benesch speakers and had a pair of Discoverys for quite some time and there cabinets were made of carbon fibre, but not the drive units so ProAc may be one of the first high end players to be introducing the carbon drive units into the market and knowing them they must be very good indeed seeing as they are now there flagship speakers...


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