B&W PM1

[matthewpiano]

Before I start, NO I'm not going to buy them. I can't afford £2k speakers, end of.

However, a friend who works in a hi-fi shop played me the B&W PM1s on the end of the Audiolab 8200CDQ and Audiolab monoblocks at lunch time.

These are seriously impressive speakers and electronics. There is real depth to the sound but also quite amazing clarity too with really immersive soundstaging. Vocals have real body and sound like they really belong to a human being rather than floating in mid air, and there is none of the boom in the bass that some B&W speakers suffer from.

If you are looking in this price bracket I'd seriously recommend an audition.

 

[plastic penguin]

Yup, very impressive. I heard them (very briefly) on the end of a Cyrus system when I auditioned MA GX100.

Go on, Matthew, you know you want to...

 

[matthewpiano]

Yup, very impressive. I heard them (very briefly) on the end of a Cyrus system when I auditioned MA GX100.

Go on, Matthew, you know you want to...

No, I really can't PP.

Something like the PMC DB1i, ProAc Tablette, MA GX50, Focal Chorus 806v or Dali Ikon range is as far as I'm prepared to go at any time in the remotely near future.

 

[Anonymous]

BX2s gone MP? Are the quads a new purchase or have you pulled them out of your hi fi stuffed top hat? How do they sound?

 

[Chokobolt]

What happened to your BX2's piano-playing man? 😉

 

[matthewpiano]

Still got the BX2s and still love them. The Quads are from my hi-fi top-hat. Had them ages and wanted to try them with the Marantz kit. They do some things better than the BX2s but lose out in other areas.

 

[Anonymous]

Before I start, NO I'm not going to buy them. I can't afford £2k speakers, end of.

However, a friend who works in a hi-fi shop played me the B&W PM1s on the end of the Audiolab 8200CDQ and Audiolab monoblocks at lunch time.

These are seriously impressive speakers and electronics. There is real depth to the sound but also quite amazing clarity too with really immersive soundstaging. Vocals have real body and sound like they really belong to a human being rather than floating in mid air, and there is none of the boom in the bass that some B&W speakers suffer from.

If you are looking in this price bracket I'd seriously recommend an audition.

Hello matt, How far were the pm,s from the wall and were the foam bungs used ?

 

[matthewpiano]

Before I start, NO I'm not going to buy them. I can't afford £2k speakers, end of.

However, a friend who works in a hi-fi shop played me the B&W PM1s on the end of the Audiolab 8200CDQ and Audiolab monoblocks at lunch time.

These are seriously impressive speakers and electronics. There is real depth to the sound but also quite amazing clarity too with really immersive soundstaging. Vocals have real body and sound like they really belong to a human being rather than floating in mid air, and there is none of the boom in the bass that some B&W speakers suffer from.

If you are looking in this price bracket I'd seriously recommend an audition.

Hello matt, How far were the pm,s from the wall and were the foam bungs used ?

Hi Fats. No foam bungs used and speakers approx 30cm from rear wall.

 

[Frank Harvey]

The Audiolabs are fantastic value for money, especially a system based on the CDQ feeding any of the power amps direct. I think if I was after a simple hi-fi set up that doesn't cost the earth, the Audiolabs would be high up on my list.

The PM1's are great little speakers. Granted, there are better all rounders out there, and other speakers far more capable of flexing your walls, but I'd say these little monitors probably have the best HF performance of any £2k speaker I've heard. Precise, airy, uncompressed, and very, very open treble, they'll break down complex mixes so you can hear the component parts.

 

[manicm]

Hopefully they're a prototype for the 600 series replacement.

 

[Anonymous]

Have you ever heard the x-art ribbon tweeters from Adam Audio? They are simply incredible.

Sorry, that was meant for Frank..

 

[Frank Harvey]

Unfortunately, even given our plentiful loudspeaker range, I can't admit to having heard everything 🙂

Hopefully they're a prototype for the 600 series replacement.

I don't think we'll ever see anything like the PM1 ay 600 series prices 🙁

 

[nopiano]

Have you ever heard the x-art ribbon tweeters from Adam Audio? They are simply incredible.

Sorry, that was meant for Frank..

Funnily enough I was going to ask something similar...

Two of the systems I enjoyed the most (even-handed, clear and well-integrated, not over-blown) at the Whittlebury show last weekend had speakers with Ribbon Tweeters. Both were German models. I'm beginning to think there is something rather special about ribbons that I hadn't previously appreciated.

Details:- Elac 244 driven by the new baby Primare I22 and CD22. Total system cost, about £3200 plus stands.

And Quadral Altan VIII, also about £1300 a pair, powered by Aurum A5 and C5 (about £5500 for both). System cost £6,800.

At first I thought the Quadral speakers were the bargain of the decade, until I realised the price list was for a single unit! Understandable for cinema sustems, but a bit confusing. They guy doing the demo talked about prices per pair, so was not trying to mislead. The three models I heard were all super, especially the Orkan VIII, at about £2700 per pair.

Any thoughts on ribbons generally, or those models?

 

[Anonymous]

Gorgeous speakers arent they MP...?

They're in my 'pipeline' for demoing for this set-up I've just ordered:

Cyrus StreamXP / Cyrus XPower power amp plus PSX-R / Chord Epic speaker cable / Partington Broadsides

 

[Frank Harvey]

Any thoughts on ribbons generally, or those models?

I generally find ribbons a little smooth for my liking 🙂

 

[nopiano]

Any thoughts on ribbons generally, or those models?

I generally find ribbons a little smooth for my liking 🙂

That explains why I like them, I guess! Thanks for your thoughts, David.

 

[matthewpiano]

Gorgeous speakers arent they MP...?

They're in my 'pipeline' for demoing for this set-up I've just ordered:

Cyrus StreamXP / Cyrus XPower power amp plus PSX-R / Chord Epic speaker cable / Partington Broadsides

Yes, they are rather special! The top end is to die for. You really can hear right into the mix. I just need to find some more affordable speakers that offer some of that insight.

So you've been buying again hifilover! You're as bad as me matey!

 

[Anonymous]

Gorgeous speakers arent they MP...?

They're in my 'pipeline' for demoing for this set-up I've just ordered:

Cyrus StreamXP / Cyrus XPower power amp plus PSX-R / Chord Epic speaker cable / Partington Broadsides

Yes, they are rather special! The top end is to die for. You really can hear right into the mix. I just need to find some more affordable speakers that offer some of that insight.

So you've been buying again hifilover! You're as bad as me matey!

Moi...

Erm... Yeah kinda...

 

[matthewpiano]

Told your wife yet?? 😀

 

[Anonymous]

Told your wife yet?? 😀

I have... And she loves the looks of the B&W speakers over the rest... Dammit she's got expensive taste

 

[MUSICRAFT]

Gorgeous speakers arent they MP...?

They're in my 'pipeline' for demoing for this set-up I've just ordered:

Cyrus StreamXP / Cyrus XPower power amp plus PSX-R / Chord Epic speaker cable / Partington Broadsides

Yes, they are rather special! The top end is to die for. You really can hear right into the mix. I just need to find some more affordable speakers that offer some of that insight.

So you've been buying again hifilover! You're as bad as me matey!

Hi matthewpiano and hfl1979

If you already haven't done so then have a listen to Monitor Audio's new GX50's, GX100's and the new Acoustic Energy Reference 1's 🙂

All the best

Rick @ Musicraft

 

[KiwiMoto]

I'm tempted to buy a pair of PM1"s but why does WHF say you need the OE (optional)stands with them?I already have both Super Dreadnoughts and B and W 700 series stands at home so must I really buy a third pair? :wall:

 

[Anonymous]

No...

I demo'd them with their own stands and my Partington Broadsides and I prefered the latter (I think mainly due to costs and looks haha)

Both had additional mass loading and TBH I really couldnt tell any difference between soundstages on either pairs of the stands...!

 

[KiwiMoto]

Thanks,IMO it would be hard to surpass the Partington's but i thought i'd better ask the question.

 

[jaxwired]

Any thoughts on ribbons generally, or those models?

I generally find ribbons a little smooth for my liking 🙂

Seriously? The last ribbon tweeter I spent time listening to was the Monitor Audio PL100 and "smooth" is the last adjective that I'd use to describe the sound. Vivid, vibrant, attacking, chiseled, but not smooth...