PMC TB2 system setup advise.

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Aug 10, 2019
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Hello,

I just bought a set of PMC TB2 speakers 2nd hand.

When i listen to the speakers at the home of the person i bought them from the sounded real good.

The room is about the same size and setup as is mine, but at my home they sounded verry different, mudded?

He play's with a CA Azur 640 and a pre/power amp, which was verry old, but sounded great.

I play with a Rega Apollo cdp and Roksan K2 amp.

Can someone tell me how the get the best sound out of these TB2, or which upgrade is the right way to go, and which brands i have to take a look at.

Maybe a pre/power combo or upperclass cdp?

Thanx for any advise!

PMC TB2, Roksan Kandy K2, Rega Apollo, Atacama stands, Chord Odyssey 2 and Chord Chameleon Silver Plus.
 
plastic penguin

plastic penguin

Well-known member
Apr 28, 2008
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Can't offer any constructive advice. Muddy PMCs....Mmmm.

Are your speaker cables single or bi-wired? How far from the wall are they sitting? Also what stands do you have?

Sorry for so many questions but I'm scratching for some answers.
 
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shooter

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May 4, 2008
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hanno:
When i listen to the speakers at the home of the person i bought them from the sounded real good.

Did you audition with your amp or the sellers?

If the sellers , which amp was it?
 
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Anonymous

Guest
I use the Chord in bi-wire, stands are Atacama and the are about 30 cm from back wall, no side walls.

I did not listen with my own amp, the brand of the seller i don't know but it looked pretty old, i'll ask him.
 
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shooter

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May 4, 2008
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Ok, have you tried repositioning the speaker, bring it out a bit say anouther 15cm give it room to 'breath'.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
I'ts getting better! thanx, but still missing a bit of drive, authority i think you call it.

Maybe because he was driving them with pre/power combo, which gave it more authority?

we are getting there...
 
Frank Harvey

Frank Harvey

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Jun 27, 2008
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I think it's the amp. Many people might like it, but I think it's a little dull sounding with no get up and go (what?! I'm entitled to my own personal opinion!).

This goes to prove my continuing point that the amp AND speaker pairing is THE most important in the system, and speakers should always be tried on the amplifier they're going to be used with.

If you like the speakers, I suspect some amplifier auditioning is on your agenda in the near future....

 
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Anonymous

Guest
FrankHarveyHiFi:
I think it's the amp. Many people might like it, but I think it's a little dull sounding with no get up and go (what?! I'm entitled to my own personal opinion!).

This goes to prove my continuing point that the amp AND speaker pairing is THE most important in the system, and speakers should always be tried on the amplifier they're going to be used with.

If you like the speakers, I suspect some amplifier auditioning is on your agenda in the near future....



Exactly, Frank, which is why PMC offer an amplifier/speaker combination.

I have linked to it above.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Hey David, thanx for your advise.

Can you tell me which amp's to listen to?

I'm thinking of listen to the Primare i30 amp and if founds will stretch the cdp 31 even.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Hanno,

PMC's engineers have made an amp to match the TB2.

What makes you think you can do better?
 
chebby

chebby

Well-known member
Jun 2, 2008
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hanno:I use the Chord in bi-wire, stands are Atacama and the are about 30 cm from back wall, no side walls.
Try them a little nearer to the wall as well as further away. Try three or four inches from the wall as a start point. Counter-intuitive suggestion maybe, but these speakers have mini 'transmission lines' that vent to the rear. (PMC's own DBi1 wall-brackets leave about 3 inches seperation which is why I mentioned 3 inches as a start point.)

Make sure there is nothing else (TV, hifi, fireplace, furniture etc.) in between the speakers, or further forward than the fronts of the speakers.

Ensure the tweeters are at around the same height as your ears when you are seated in your usual listening chair.

PMC recommend 2 metres - or more - distance between speakers. (Less than 2 metres will compromise the stereo imaging.) If there is 2 metres between the speakers, then sit about 3 metres away from them. Toe them in a little so that the imaginary triangle (formed by you and the speakers) has it's third point about half a metre behind your head.

Try listening with a bit of space between you and the wall behind you if possible.

Most of this advice is sourced from PMC themselves.
 
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Dan Turner

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Jul 9, 2007
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Solid stands are an absolute must - my old TB2s took a major step up in most areas when I replaced the old pair of Monitor Audio stands of indeterminate origin/vintage with a pair of Partington Super Dreadnoughts. Also experiment with positioning - I found that the further I could get them from the side walls the better the soundstaging was.

Have you got the original TB2 or the later TB2+? I think that you can still purchase the dealer-fitted upgrade - it was £250 when I got it about 2 years ago and that particularly helped the treble/upper-mid clarity.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Hi Taylor74,

Which amp is it, i followed the link you have given me, but i think it is about the TB2 with the build in amp, or i'm wrong?
 
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Craig M.

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Mar 20, 2008
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yes, it's a link to an active speaker, don't know if it's a genuine active or passive with an amp bolted on the back.

doesn't seem much use to you, as you already have your speakers - unless it can be retro-fitted. and still might change nothing in your room.
 
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AL13N

New member
Nov 29, 2009
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It's a passive with amp bolted on.

If you have the passive speakers you can purchase a pair of Bryston PowerPacks and bolt them on to the back.

PMC are the UK distributors for Bryston and themselves offer the PowerPack option for the passive TB2i on their website.
 
John Duncan

John Duncan

Well-known member
Jan 8, 2008
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Taylor74:FrankHarveyHiFi:
I think it's the amp. Many people might like it, but I think it's a little dull sounding with no get up and go (what?! I'm entitled to my own personal opinion!).

This goes to prove my continuing point that the amp AND speaker pairing is THE most important in the system, and speakers should always be tried on the amplifier they're going to be used with.

If you like the speakers, I suspect some amplifier auditioning is on your agenda in the near future....



Exactly, Frank, which is why PMC offer an amplifier/speaker combination.

I have linked to it above.

Well no, you've linked to the active version, which would require him to sell the ones he just bought. Unless you're suggesting he buy a pair of those flying mole monoblocs and a preamplifier to feed it, which might not be domestically acceptable. I think the Primare would make a very good 'traditional' alternative.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
The amplifier can be bough separately.

It is called DS-001.

http://www.pmc-speakers.com/product.php?mode=view&pid=208

Otherwise you could buy a pair of speakers from one place, and an amplifier from some other guys, and hope that it works together.
 
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Anonymous

Guest
Taylor74:
The amplifier can be bough separately.

It is called DS-001.

http://www.pmc-speakers.com/product.php?mode=view&pid=208

Otherwise you could buy a pair of speakers from one place, and an amplifier from some other guys, and hope that it works together.

Which is what most of us do, poor deluded fools that we are!

Don't know what your budget is, but I believe Naim go well with pmc, which means Densen probably would, too.
 
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Dan Turner

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Jul 9, 2007
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Tarquinh:

Don't know what your budget is, but I believe Naim go well with pmc, which means Densen probably would, too.

Yes, I never heard what my TB2 (by then upgraded to '+') were capable of until I got my Naim amp. I know it's not exactly price-compatible which is why I then upgraded the speakers, but it suggests to me that if the OP wanted to look at a new amp then something like the Naim XS might be a good place to start.

Also - the '+' upgrade is well worthwhile.
 
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