I’ve been looking for a used pair of PMC twenty5’s (23i or 24i) to replace my Focal Chorus 726’s for some time. I’ve never had the opportunity to demo them in my system but I’ve had some dealer demos and loved what I heard.
Recently I ran across a really nice set of older PMC GB1’s for sale for a good price ($1,000 CDN) and I’ve been contemplating picking them up. Any thoughts on the change from the Focal’s to PMC? Are the GB1’s too outdated to bother with them?
I’d be driving them with a Naim XS2 with NAC A5 cables. I’m not sure if it’s relevant but my main source is a Rega Planar 6 but I’ve been playing around with an nDAC connected to a Bluesound Node (via Naim DC1) quite a bit recently.
Are they GB1 or the GB1i version. The later i version sported a new tweeter, crossover, stiffer cabinet and a modified bass driver. I ran a pair for quite a few years with a NAIT XS amongst other amps and they were really lovely speakers. I’ve not heard the Focals you mention, but I’d not dismiss the GB1 if they are the later i version.
Agreed on the revised i version in preference.
I used a pair also with NAIT XS, with/without HiCap DR.
They pair well but I did find that the extra drive from a Supernait was when they performed as intended, it’ll depend to an extent on the room acoustics and your musical tastes how much you’ll enjoy them, anything bass heavy you may find them a bit sluggish and with a tendency towards congestion in the mids, if you lean more towards accoustic/live/classical those shortcomings will be less apparent.
Being ATL based cabinets they are forgiving on room placement but will tend to open up with a bit of space behind them and benefit from toe in adjustment relative to listening position.
On the OB1i I latterly used they responded favourably to adding Isoacoustics Gaia feet rather than spikes.
I also have a pair of 726’s which I drive with my NAP160. I’d be interested to know what you’re looking to improve and why you’ve zoomed in on just PMCs?
I’ve confirmed they are not the “i” version. I appreciate that the room makes a huge difference. It’s a fairly big space 4.4m x 7.1m (14.4’ x 23.3’), but my listing area is in almost exactly half that (4.4m x 4.2m). My music preferences are highly varied but they do slant towards rock.
You’re comments about bass concern me a bit. I feel like one of the short comings of my existing speakers in in the low range (frequency response is 49Hz - 28kHz). I would like to hear more grip on lower frequencies which is one of the reasons PMC’s have been on my list.
I haven’t really zoomed in on PMC’s but they’re on a short list of speakers I would like to try. With the PMC’s, The broad frequency response, strong reviews (including for Naim) and aesthetics all appeal to me. Having said that, there a bunch of other speakers I would like to try such as Ovator S-400’s and ProAc DT8’s.
I certainly found they became more refined and balanced when I moved from XS NAIT’s to Supernait.
I’m sure you wouldn’t find them lacking having said that but be prepared to accept a level of limitation relative to the rest of your system.
I started my own journey with PMC with active (Flying Mole) DB1’s which I used as near field monitors for music production and beyond that GB, FB and OB floorstanders, I still use DB1i passive speakers on my work desk for modest level listening. I still have my OB1i which may go in to a 5.1 PMC setup eventually.
I’ve not owned any of the later Twenty range but they share a lot of the same characteristics and fundamental design principles, still being ATL based as they are, the drivers and aesthetics improved.
In general PMC match favourably with Naim amplification, I’ve used PMC speakers more than any other brand with my Naim systems over the years, they have a neutral response and are easy to listen to over longer sessions as well.
I’d refer back again to my previous comments on system balance, I’d expect with a NAIT XS level of integrated you’d be fine across DB, TB and GB options, with a preference to the later i revision, there was a + version between them as well but the pick of the versions is the later i versions which had a number of improvements in the cabinet and driver especially the tweeter which changed to a silk domed type and had a less clinical presentation than earlier metal types.
My long term plan with this system is to move into a Supernait, but I’ve got a few more stops to make before I get there. Based on the input I did a bit more research and have decided to hold off for an “i” or twenty5i (preferably the later if I can make the budget work). I appreciate that the older model is still an excellent speaker by all accounts, but I’m not in a rush and it sounds like the gains in later models are worth waiting for.
Thank you again for sharing your experience. I’m very grateful for the passionate and informed members of this forum.
Pleasure as always, hope you manage to find something suitable locally. Both the Twenty and Twenty5 series build on the abilities of previous generations. Broadly speaking PMC speaker play favourably within a Naim based system, that’s certainly been my experience, and I continue to use and enjoy them still today.