PMC Twenty 21 compared to GB1i - do they sound as lean?

[ovalball]

Hi

I have the opportunity to buy a pair of PMC Twenty 21’s at a significant discount but I’m concerned that I may find them a little thin sounding and bright. My only other experience of PMC are the GB1i’s. I had the GB1i’s on extended demo alongside my Dali Ikon 5 Mk 2’s but did find them a bit too harsh and thin sounding. I wondered if anyone has had a chance to compare the GB1i’s and the 21’s??

Would the 21’s be a significant improvement on the Ikons or a sideways move?

I haven’t had a chance to listen to the 21’s which I realise is a foolish thing but the discount is so substantial I’m tempted to buy then regardless given the rave reviews.

The electronics I use are a Densen B410 CD player and Naim XS amp with Odyssey speaker cable. Any input would be much appreciated.

Many thanks

 

[cse]

Not sure about the PMC's, but used to have the Densen B420, which although fantastically detailed, I found to be 'too in your face', for may liking. I really only found this to be the case with classical, but it made listening literally unbearable. Sometimes, though, when I put on a rock track, I found it amazing. In the end I sold it and made a downwards move to a Marantz Pearl Lite SACD player. This is much smoother, but does lack the soundstage of the Densen, even with SACD, which i have found to be mostly overrated. Therefore, the Densen might be your problem. How do you find the Naim XS amp? I was considering buying one myself? Did you audition it against anything else?

 

[ovalball]

CSE, I'm afraid I didn't really compare the XS with many other comparable amps (ie comparable price) but bought it second hand as an upgrade to a nait 5i as it seemed to provide more 'heft' and body to the sound. I've never really thought much about the Densen but always assumed it was fairly neutral.

 

[SteveR750]

If the discount is so big, just buy them and sell them on and make a profit. Forget hi fi just make some money.

 

[ovalball]

SteveR, thanks for the response, the discount is pretty huge ( well below £1000 and RRP is 1375) and I'm tempted to do exactly as you suggest but I've zero experience of selling any hifi items on. Is it that easy?? I'm not sure I want to be saddled with two sets of speakers I can't shift and stuff doesn't seem to move that quickly on Ebay.

 

[TheHomeCinemaCentre]

Harsh and thin is not how I would expect the GB1's to be described and if that is how they are in your system the Twenty:21's are not for you despite the price . Are the speakers damaged / secondhand already?

What kind of music are you playing and at what volume and more importantly what size is your room?

 

[SteveR750]

SteveR, thanks for the response, the discount is pretty huge ( well below £1000 and RRP is 1375) and I'm tempted to do exactly as you suggest but I've zero experience of selling any hifi items on. Is it that easy?? I'm not sure I want to be saddled with two sets of speakers I can't shift and stuff doesn't seem to move that quickly on Ebay.

It takes a bit of patience to sell expensive gear, but if your cashflow can stand it, I'd do just that. The worst is you sell them for no loss, and you have had a free demo. There is a lot of equipment sold on like that, and most eople realise that is a good enough reason for selling something so soon after buying it (as opposed to being suspicious that it is broken or marked)

 

[plastic penguin]

Harsh and thin is not how I would expect the GB1's to be described and if that is how they are in your system the Twenty:21's are not for you despite the price . Are the speakers damaged / secondhand already?

What kind of music are you playing and at what volume and more importantly what size is your room?

Agreed: After hearing the original GB1 and DB1is there's no way one could describe them as thin or harsh. They are, in hi-fi terms, the equivalent to a Swiss Army Knife. Will match most systems (if not all) better than many.

 

[chebby]

I have only every heard GB1is with a NaimUniti but they certainly weren't thin or 'harsh' (far from it).

If there were any criticism to be expected then it would be a slight 'lushness' that some people - who like their speakers on the 'brutal' side - might object to.

 

[ovalball]

Thanks for all the responses.

Maybe it's just me and GB1i's. I know these things are very subjective but I did find them thin sounding and even harsh on occasions.

Anyway I went ahead and bought the Twenty 21's and they really do sound as impressive as the hype suggests. Clear, clean with a genuinely huge sound from such a small box and no apparent weak points at the bottom end, mid range or top end. I freely admit that I don't have huge experience of hifi matters but these impressed me after only a couple of hours of play in a way they the GB1is never did . No idea how long they are supposed to take to break in but presumably they will improve further.

I initially bought them because of the big discount with a view to potentially selling them on but as I'm about to move into a cottage with a living room the size of a small airing cupboard I think I'll hold onto them and sell the Ikon 5s instead.

 

[drummerman]

I have only every heard GB1is with a NaimUniti but they certainly weren't thin or 'harsh' (far from it).

If there were any criticism to be expected then it would be a slight 'lushness' that some people - who like their speakers on the 'brutal' side - might object to.

Todays Naims are high frequency limited, have less 'air' perceptible treble than some others and have a relatively full bass, depending on model, with a low'ish damping factor. - You'd find it difficult to make most speakers sound harsh and thin with a Naim at the other end.

On the other hand, the few PMC's I've heard a long time ago didnt sound harsh at all if I remember correctly, with a variety of hifi stuff on the other end.

regards