PMC has announced the prodigy1 stand-mount and prodigy5 floorstanding loudspeakers, each of which share the same 1-inch (27mm) soft dome tweeter and 5.25-inch (130mm) natural fibre long-throw LT woofer. While both use Advanced Transmission Line technology, their cabinet shape and size account for the differences which allows the larger model to produce more bass.
The prodigy models are born out of the 30 plus years of research, development, measurement and listening that has gone into the creation of speakers that get as close as is possible to what is being played and recorded.
“prodigy can trace its lineage back to the PMC QB1 flagship studio monitors,” says Oliver Thomas, commercial director and head of design. “Not only is there a stylistic resemblance, but many of the technologies that were developed for QB1, such as Laminair, have been trickled down into prodigy, so users really can ‘bring the studio home’ when using these new models.”
prodigy1
prodigy1 is a compact standmount speaker, ideal for small and medium size rooms, that delivers the richly dynamic and full sound that is expected of a PMC. Both drive units are professionally proven, with the bass unit featuring in the PMC ci series, which have become the reference for Dolby Atmos music mixing around the world. The soft dome tweeter is a development from the PMC result6 studio monitors, giving the prodigy1 a genuine studio heritage, reinforcing PMC’s ‘from studio to home’ philosophy.
prodigy5
prodigy5 is a floorstanding speaker that is compact enough to take up no more space than bookshelf speakers on stands and delivers a sound that can fill any room. In common with the prodigy1, its performance is characteristic of PMC’s studio monitors and is packed with the familiar traits of a wide dispersion high frequency response, a very wide ‘sweet-spot’ and exceptional detail.
Features in Common
Both models feature the Advanced Transmission Line (ATL™) bass loading found in all PMC speakers. The ATL uses the energy that the bass unit generates in the most intelligent and efficient way to produce a far deeper, tighter and powerful bass than would otherwise be possible from a cabinet of this size and, additionally, through absorption of unwanted frequencies, creates a much clearer midrange.
Complementing the ATL is Laminair. This aerodynamically designed vent at the end of the line controls the air as it exits by dramatically reducing resistance, which increases efficiency and eliminates airflow noise. The result is a bass response with precise timing and an excellent dynamic range.
The long throw, natural fibre bass drive unit works hand-in-hand with the ATL as a coherent unit. It is fitted with an inverted dust-cap to reduce unwanted high-frequency reflections and the high-power voice coil and magnet assembly deliver unprecedented output levels for such compact speakers.
In keeping with PMC’s strict quality control procedures, the drive units are measured and listened to prior to assembly. Every completed speaker is measured and then listened to alongside the reference model before being signed off by its assembler before packing.
“The new prodigy series are one of the most significant product launches we have made, arguably second only to the launch of the fenestria, which pushed our design work to the current limits and led to technology being trickled down into these designs.” Jeff Willcocks, PMC CEO
Comparison
| prodigy1 | prodigy5 | |
| MSRP | £1,250/pair | £1,995/pair |
| Type | Stand-mount | Floorstander |
| Frequency Response | 50Hz – 25kHz (-3dB) | 35Hz – 25kHz (-3dB) |
| Sensitivity | 87.5dB SPL 1W 1m | 87.3dB SPL 1W 1m |
| Peak SPL: | 123dB SPL | 124dB SPL |
| Crossover Frequency: | 1.7kHz | 1.7kHz |
| Drive Units: | LF PMC 5.25”/133mm natural fibre long-throw LT™ | LF PMC 5.25”/133mm natural fibre long-throw LT™ |
| HF PMC 27mm /1” soft dome | HF PMC 27mm /1” soft dome | |
| Effective ATL™ Length: | 6.3ft (1.91m) | 6.4ft (1.96m) |
| Impedance: | 6 Ohm | 6 Ohm |
| Horizontal Directivity: | 80 degrees | 80 degrees |
| Vertical Directivity: | 80 degrees | 70 degrees |
| Input Connectors: | One pair 4mm binding posts | One pair 4mm binding posts |
| Recommended Amp Power: | 20 – 250W | 20 – 250W |
| Dimensions: | H 320mm 35.7” W 162mm 6.4” D 237mm 9.3” (+10mm optional grille) | H 905mm 40” (+20mm spikes) W 165mm 6.5” (233mm incl. plinth bars) D 237mm 9.3” (+10mm optional grille) |
| Weight: | 9.9lbs ea. (4.5kg) | 22lbs ea. (10kg) |
| Available Finishes: | Silk Black | Silk Black |
| Options: | prodigy1 grille | prodigy5 grille |
Price & Availability
The PMC prodigy series is available in a Silk Black finish, with black fabric grilles available as a £99 option.
- PMC prodigy1 – £1,250 per pair
- PMC prodigy5 – £1,995 per pair
Available worldwide from July 2023. U.S. MSRP is still TBD, but could be around $1,600 to $2,500 a pair based on current exchange rates.
For more information, visit pmc-speakers.com/home-audio/prodigy.
Related reading: More coverage of HIGH END Munich 2023
