PMC floorstanders

[admin_exported]

As you can see, I'm still looking for the best new speaker for my living room, so at the risk of confusing all those nice and informative people who responded to my ATC SCM40 thread, I thought I'd put a few thoughts down here about PMCs!

It proved easier to borrow a pair of OB1is than the ATCs so I tried those at home. In spite of their over the top height (tweeter position a little awkward), they fitted in nicely and looked very good; luckily too they didn't produce too much bass, which anyway was extremely musical. The sound was extremely fluent and mellifluous, something I was surprised at (I was expecting a dark, rather analytical monitor-type sound). Treble is very fine, and the midrange unit, as in the SCM40s, is very revealing, though sometimes you wonder if 3-ways are over-complex in terms of crossover etc. I'd buy them tomorrow but £3600 is over what I wanted to spend. It's impossible to compare given the different electronics used, but I suspect they are less bright and a little more subtle in some ways than the ATCs. I never found them less than highly listenable.

Hoping to trial the FB1is next, which are more price comparable. One thing confuses me now though, with regard to this site, is that while WHF gave all these PMCs glowing reviews when they appeared, and Mr Everard seems to use OB1is and others at home (he never tells us about his other gear!), they don't appear in the latest Guide (whereas Spendor and ATC do). Seems odd as they're all pretty new (the 'i' versions, that is).

 

[Andrew Everard]

No, I use OB1s - the original version. We haven't tested the 'i' version...

Oh, and FYI the rest of the home cinema kit includes TAG McLaren Audio AV32Rbp192 processor and the nine channels still working on a TMA 100x5R:10 power amp, an Onkyo TX-SR-875, PMC CB6, GB1 and DB1 speakers, a PMC TLE1 subwoofer, Sky+HD, Sony SCD-XA5400ES, Naim DVD5, Oppo BD-831 and DV-980H players, a NaimUniti and Musical Fidelity 550k Superchargers. TV is an old but still very good Fujitsu 50in plasma.

I also have a Michaelson Audio Chronos preamp/power amp combination, which is used (very) occasionally.

Cabling is all from The Chord Company, including the new Active HDMI cables.

Not all in use at once, obviously, but in heavy rotation.

 

[Frank Harvey]

They're certainly very different, and only you can decide after an audition with your system in your room, or at the very least, on the same equipment in the same room somewhere else. Without checking to see what I recommended you on the other thread, if at all, I'd also recommend looking at the ProAc models if you like the PMC's.

 

[Anonymous]

Thanks for the replies - Frank you certainly recommended the SCm40s but it's hard to get a home audition.

Trying the FB1is at home now - a very snappy and fast sound, but not in the same ballpark as the OBs as you'd expect. I don't find either speaker laid-back, oddly enough - a criticism which has been made. That, as you say, could be down to my system (Naim).