Leema Pulse and PMC DB1i

[iQ Speakers]

Hi

Ater looking and reading on this forum for 6 months I think im ready to upgrade.

Was looking at the Rega Brio R then the Arcam A19 come along then i read PP post about the Leema Pulse and i was hooked.

A Pulse has just become available here in Cheltenham 2nd hand.

I was thinking of buying some IPL Accustics M1tl transmission line kit as ive heard brilliant things.

But the same chap has some PMC db1i's for sale also.

Is the Leema a good choice and will they match the PMC's.

I listen to things like modern folk, Eric clapton, just found Joe Bonamasor though here Muse,etc etc.

Potential room is 4.5x3.5M

I find my present setup a little bright sometimes shrill, Im after a richer sound bigger soundstage better seperation of instruments les fatigueing, but most of all more enjoyable and fun.

What are your thoughts? Will this setup deliver as i can not demo cost for both around £925.

 

[Macspur]

Hi,

Sorry, but I've not personally heard the combo, but imo the Leema would certainly be the better choice over others you mentioned.

I think PP may have actually heard the two together... sure he'll be along shortly.

Mac

 

[iQ Speakers]

Hi Mac

Thanks for reply, yes I was hoping for a PP reply telling me yes just buy them!!

I want to here emotion and string being plucked prob is I didn't want to wast dealers time and to find which current amps I like and then go and buy 2nd hand more expensive RRP KIT.

It just so happens this guy is in cheltenham and then he had some DB1i for sale as well a speaker that caught my attention.

Must be faight.

 

[Macspur]

Hi Mac

Thanks for reply, yes I was hoping for a PP reply telling me yes just buy them!!

I want to here emotion and string being plucked prob is I didn't want to wast dealers time and to find which current amps I like and then go and buy 2nd hand more expensive RRP KIT.

It just so happens this guy is in cheltenham and then he had some DB1i for sale as well a speaker that caught my attention.

Must be faight.

Could be!

I'm sure the Leema will be a good buy, just not sure about the PMC's

Have you got a budget in mind... obviously you want to spend as little as possible, but just in case the speakers are a no no.

Mac

 

[plastic penguin]

Hi Ater looking and reading on this forum for 6 months I think im ready to upgrade. Was looking at the Rega Brio R then the Arcam A19 come along then i read PP post about the Leema Pulse and i was hooked. A Pulse has just become available here in Cheltenham 2nd hand. I was thinking of buying some IPL Accustics M1tl transmission line kit as ive heard brilliant things. But the same chap has some PMC db1i's for sale also. Is the Leema a good choice and will they match the PMC's. I listen to things like modern folk, Eric clapton, just found Joe Bonamasor though here Muse,etc etc. Potential room is 4.5x3.5M I find my present setup a little bright sometimes shrill, Im after a richer sound bigger soundstage better seperation of instruments les fatigueing, but most of all more enjoyable and fun. What are your thoughts? Will this setup deliver as i can not demo cost for both around £925.

Blimey, been down the river for a few hours and all this has kicked off.

Yup, have heard the Pulse and DB1i and it's pretty superb. However, one slight caution: If you have crumby room acoustics, allied to bright sources it's not so great. Otherwise Arcam and PMC is also superb.

EDIT - Apologies. Right back now.

The Pulse IMO is a game changer for the money. It's like a hi-fi equivalent of a cold shower: It brings music alive and keeps you smiling. It isn't perfect. If partnered poorly or room acoustics are a little suspect then it may become a little overbearing. Also, if you like mainly female vocals it probably does quite have the richness of a class A amp or hi-end Arcam. But it does everything so well these little blips are nothing more than... little blips.

If you're a person who loves analysing every track, probably the Pulse isn't for you. On the other hand, if you love music little gets better anywhere the money.

Hope that's helped.

 

[iQ Speakers]

Budget wise around the £1000 mark for both.

Source, Sonos ZP80. Have moved room from oak floors, 2 french doors into a carpeted room and it did sound better.

If it were you PP would you buy a Leema or Arcam A19 simular price, what would you go for. (dont forget PP its your fault im looking at the Leema!! only joking it was just your enthusisum) and im pretty sure ill be getting a better amp than buying new.

Just these speakers now Kit or PMC, PMC better resale if i dont like them. Ive always had floorstaders.

 

[plastic penguin]

Budget wise around the £1000 mark for both.

Source, Sonos ZP80. Have moved room from oak floors, 2 french doors into a carpeted room and it did sound better.

If it were you PP would you buy a Leema or Arcam A19 simular price, what would you go for. (dont forget PP its your fault im looking at the Leema!! only joking it was just your enthusisum) and im pretty sure ill be getting a better amp than buying new.

Just these speakers now Kit or PMC, PMC better resale if i dont like them. Ive always had floorstaders.

If it were me - and remember I'm a huge Arcam fanboy, too - I'd get myself down to Leema dealer and listen to the Elements range. Not heard this new range and I very much doubt it'll be that different from the Pulse.

FWIW when HFW reviewd the Arcam A38 they likened it to their reference model, Leema Pulse, in terms of tonal quality and overall SQ

Read P33, first paragraph middle section. It refers to the Pulse. http://syntec.prod.beyondd.com.au/syntec_data/wp-uploads//2013/01/arcam-A38-Hi-Fi-world-aug-08-review.pdf

 

[drummerman]

If it were you PP would you buy a Leema or Arcam A19 simular price, ...

You surely were'nt serious when you asked that ...

regards

 

[plastic penguin]

If it were you PP would you buy a Leema or Arcam A19 simular price, ...

You surely were'nt serious when you asked that ...

regards

Think he was, hence why I replied "I'd get myself down to Leema dealer and listen to the Elements range."

 

[iQ Speakers]

Not really!! I was hoping for an unreserved yes just go and do it!

So why do we all ask these questions ? I suppose it's I've got to this point with all you're help reading other informative posts not to mention arguments and I just want to double check, acknowledge and get approval for all the help this forum gives.

I see it so many times in posts the OP has nearly already got ther in his own mind, certainly it's off the back of all the invisible help I have received.

I have also found brilliant new music to listen to mainly with the help of Mac ( Macspur)!

 

[plastic penguin]

Budget wise around the £1000 mark for both.

Source, Sonos ZP80. Have moved room from oak floors, 2 french doors into a carpeted room and it did sound better.

If it were you PP would you buy a Leema or Arcam A19 simular price, what would you go for. (dont forget PP its your fault im looking at the Leema!! only joking it was just your enthusisum) and im pretty sure ill be getting a better amp than buying new.

Just these speakers now Kit or PMC, PMC better resale if i dont like them. Ive always had floorstaders.

All the Pulse owners on here, some was a direct recommendation, have all been very happy with the Pulse. Also, and probably more important, is that they all use different speakers: Spendor SA-1s, Dyns Excite 12, PMC DB1is and, of course, yours truly, MA RS6s. That also indicates how flexible the Leema is.

 

[plastic penguin]

Not really!! I was hoping for an unreserved yes just go and do it!

So why do we all ask these questions ? I suppose it's I've got to this point with all you're help reading other informative posts not to mention arguments and I just want to double check, acknowledge and get approval for all the help this forum gives.

I see it so many times in posts the OP has nearly already got ther in his own mind, certainly it's off the back of all the invisible help I have received.

I have also found brilliant new music to listen to mainly with the help of Mac ( Macspur)!

Read this page from a recent buyer of PMC DB1is and Leema Pulse.

http://www.whathifi.com/forum/hi-fi/kef-ls50-vs-atc-scm11-0?page=2

 

[iQ Speakers]

Thanks PP I suppose it's your previous posts that got me looking into the Leema.

i think it's a good compromise between a older MF A3 or Primare I30 and a new Rega Brio R it's only a year old and I'm pretty confident it will out perform those new Amps from what you and others have said.

 

[Macspur]

Not really!! I was hoping for an unreserved yes just go and do it!

So why do we all ask these questions ? I suppose it's I've got to this point with all you're help reading other informative posts not to mention arguments and I just want to double check, acknowledge and get approval for all the help this forum gives.

I see it so many times in posts the OP has nearly already got ther in his own mind, certainly it's off the back of all the invisible help I have received.

I have also found brilliant new music to listen to mainly with the help of Mac ( Macspur)!

My pleasure chap.

Read that link from PP on the guy with the DB1I's and I think you'll be convinced.

Mac

 

[plastic penguin]

Not really!! I was hoping for an unreserved yes just go and do it!

So why do we all ask these questions ? I suppose it's I've got to this point with all you're help reading other informative posts not to mention arguments and I just want to double check, acknowledge and get approval for all the help this forum gives.

I see it so many times in posts the OP has nearly already got ther in his own mind, certainly it's off the back of all the invisible help I have received.

I have also found brilliant new music to listen to mainly with the help of Mac ( Macspur)!

My pleasure chap.

Read that link from PP on the guy with the DB1I's and I think you'll be convinced.

Mac

What's very interesting, Mac, is that the poster had Leema's own Xeros before the PMCs. I find that fascinating.

 

[iQ Speakers]

Yep I read it on my Leema travels but I was going down the IPL route with speakers.

Must of been there in my head because when this guy said he had some DB1i 's started me thinking

Started searching leema DB1 posts again but did not come across again so thanks for the link.

Kind of simular to my Klipsch X10i ear buds for Xmas to replace my Shure 110 mainly for bedtime listening the Klipsch sound much more detailed cleaner and instantly sound better, but the Shures are just more fun strange hey. Having said that they are so small and easy to put in I use them all the time.

 

[plastic penguin]

Yep I read it on my Leema travels but I was going down the IPL route with speakers.

Must of been there in my head because when this guy said he had some DB1i 's started me thinking

Started searching leema DB1 posts again but did not come across again so thanks for the link.

Kind of simular to my Klipsch X10i ear buds for Xmas to replace my Shure 110 mainly for bedtime listening the Klipsch sound much more detailed cleaner and instantly sound better, but the Shures are just more fun strange hey. Having said that they are so small and easy to put in I use them all the time.

Your feelings now on the Leema/PMC combo?

 

[Macspur]

Not really!! I was hoping for an unreserved yes just go and do it!

So why do we all ask these questions ? I suppose it's I've got to this point with all you're help reading other informative posts not to mention arguments and I just want to double check, acknowledge and get approval for all the help this forum gives.

I see it so many times in posts the OP has nearly already got ther in his own mind, certainly it's off the back of all the invisible help I have received.

I have also found brilliant new music to listen to mainly with the help of Mac ( Macspur)!

My pleasure chap.

Read that link from PP on the guy with the DB1I's and I think you'll be convinced.

Mac

What's very interesting, Mac, is that the poster had Leema's own Xeros before the PMCs. I find that fascinating.

Must admit, I haven't read to many favourable reviews on Leema speakers, unlike their amps and CDP's.

So Boggit, are you going for that amp speaker combo?

If you're still not sure, imo, Spendor would be a good alternative... if that takes you over budget, just get the amp and save a bit more until ready.

Mac

 

[iQ Speakers]

I'm totally convinced on the Leema it would seem to work well with most speakers.

Happier now about the PMC's like the idea of them sounding good even at lower volumes. This is one thing that attracted me to the ipl's but I'd also had an eye on the PMC's both transmission line speakers.

I quite liked the idea of building a £400 speaker that sounded like £1500 ish speakers. However the Pmc will be the safer option.

Liked the comments about the balance, soundstage and the toe tapping aspect.

Just got to get over the stand mount thing, floor standers just seem to be more speaker in my head.

And I'll have to get some stands!

 

[plastic penguin]

I'm totally convinced on the Leema it would seem to work well with most speakers.

Happier now about the PMC's like the idea of them sounding good even at lower volumes. This is one thing that attracted me to the ipl's but I'd also had an eye on the PMC's both transmission line speakers.

I quite liked the idea of building a £400 speaker that sounded like £1500 ish speakers. However the Pmc will be the safer option.

Liked the comments about the balance, soundstage and the toe tapping aspect.

Just got to get over the stand mount thing, floor standers just seem to be more speaker in my head.

And I'll have to get some stands!

The stands I heard the PMCs with is Kudos 50s. Weigh a tonne buy usually buy on auction sites for about £50 (RRP £200).

If you can pick the Leema up for less than £650 it's a no brainer IMO, considering it retailed @ £1280.

 

[damonster]

Hi , I was quite surprised at how well PP understood my system .It has taken me a few years of trial and error of speaker swapping to get to where i am now.I started with a Cambridge audio amp and cd player.A Cyrus amp 6vs2 .speakers ,modaunt short, dali lektor 2,kef iq5se ,acoustic energy aelite 3 floorstanders, then Leema xeros. I very nearly went for kef ls50 ,which i had auditioned. pp suggested trying some pmc db1i. I travelled 180 miles to a dealer which had ls50 and pmc .I wanted make a choice on what i was hearing ,not what i had read.I had spoken to a few kef and pmc stockists prior to this and they had said that they had preferred the tonal ballance of the pmc over the kef.In the demo room i had kef and pmc side by side. This enabled me to compare the two speakers on same songs within minutes.To my ears the pmc's were just so lush sounding ,made the kefs mids sound metalic.I can sit at home now enjoying music and not thinking "i wonder if there is anything better out there than what i have got for my money".other members on here may disagree,but they cant convince me going by my demo .

good luck on whatever decision you make.

 

[Macspur]

I'm totally convinced on the Leema it would seem to work well with most speakers.

Happier now about the PMC's like the idea of them sounding good even at lower volumes. This is one thing that attracted me to the ipl's but I'd also had an eye on the PMC's both transmission line speakers.

I quite liked the idea of building a £400 speaker that sounded like £1500 ish speakers. However the Pmc will be the safer option.

Liked the comments about the balance, soundstage and the toe tapping aspect.

Just got to get over the stand mount thing, floor standers just seem to be more speaker in my head.

And I'll have to get some stands!

Good stuff... if you find yourself unable to get over it though, another to consider is Rega RS3... some on Ebay at the mo.

Keep us posted.

Mac

The stands I heard the PMCs with is Kudos 50s. Weigh a tonne buy usually buy on auction sites for about £50 (RRP £200).

If you can pick the Leema up for less than £650 it's a no brainer IMO, considering it retailed @ £1280.

 

[iQ Speakers]

Thanks for the reply damonster you certainly tried some kit unfortunately it's probably impossible to demo the Pulse Ii

I hate demos I never feel at ease I just wish they could leave you in a room to play by yourself. I like the "lush" description.

Anyway I can get the Pulse for less than £650 12 months old.

Just Mrs boggit to convince now ummmm

 

[richardw42]

Is the Sonos your main source ?

have you considered active speakers ? You're not far at all from AVI. Or have a look in on the ACTIVE SPEAKERS thread, although I appreciate you might have to act quickly to take advantage of the offer you have.

 

[damonster]

Pulse is a great amp , very musical ,wide soundstage and lashings of detail. Very neutral sounding amp .If you go with warm sounding pmc's ,you have hours of enjoyable listening.Mumford and sons at Glastonbury are also in my living room at the moment. More toe tapping.:dance: