PMC Speakers has just introduced the twenty5 series to mark the company’s 25th anniversary, with five new audiophile-grade (and priced) loudspeakers. The company says the twenty5 series feature a multitude of innovations, including a key development that has been achieved as a result of the research into aerodynamics that was originally conducted PMC’s flagship studio monitors, the QB1 – the reference loudspeaker of the world famous Capitol Studios, LA. In keeping with all PMC products, the foundation of the twenty5 series is Advanced Transmission Line bass loading, which has been radically improved and enhanced with the new aerodynamically designed Laminair vent technology. These new speakers succeed the twenty series from five years ago.
The loudspeaker line is suitable for differing room sizes and comprises two stand mount speakers, the two-way twenty5.21 and twenty5.22; and three floor-standing models, the twenty5.23, twenty5.24 (both two-way) and the three-way twenty5.26, which features the proven PMC 50mm soft dome midrange. The 27mm tweeter is common to all speakers, with the 21 and 23 sharing the 5″/140mm long-throw g-weave bass driver, with a 6 ½”/170mm variant used in the 22 and 24, and a 7”/177mm version in the flagship twenty5.26. The wide dispersion characteristics and extremely smooth bass role off makes placement flexible and all models present an easy load to amplifiers.
Oliver Thomas, PMC’s head of design, took his knowledge of aerodynamics, gained during his previous employment in Formula One, and applied it to the ATL. As with the aerodynamics of motor racing, the aim is to reduce turbulence and drag, which, in turn, reduces resistance, increases efficiency. The result is the Laminair aerodynamic vent, which creates a smooth laminar airflow as it exits the line. The audible effects are obvious with a faster, higher definition bass with accurate timing and dynamics, without unwanted air noise.
The twenty5 series project is packed with new and highly innovative elements like the new low throw mid-bass drivers, with resin-bound, g-weave fine-weave glass fibre cones, produce an substantial low frequency output when coupled with the ATL and an ultra-vivid midrange clarity. The motor system has been optimised to make it linear and approximately 80 per cent more powerful than the existing twenty series drive units. High frequency response from the already class-leading twenty series Sonolex fabric dome tweeter has been further refined through fine-tuning of the geometry and perforations of its mirror finished stainless steel grille, which improves dispersion for a wider soundstage.
The twenty5 series cabinets, featuring the now familiar 5 degree sloping front and rear baffles, lend a contemporary aesthetic to the product. Measurements taken using accelerometers resulted in subtle dimensional adjustments, making them stiffer to reduce panel resonances, and the newly adopted plinth bars with built-in isolation further enhance the stability of the enclosures. Custom-made single piece stainless steel spikes thread through the bar to facilitate simple level adjustment.
Internally the crossovers for each of the models feature PMC’s renowned 24dB filtering to ensure each driver receives its ideal frequency range which increases power handling, reliability and produces an entirely natural, wide dispersion characteristic. The foundation of the crossover is a military-grade circuit board, with ultra-thick pure copper tracks for uninhibited current delivery. The positioning and orientation of hand selected and match components are calculated to eliminate interaction. No detail has been left un-designed, with the back panel of the crossovers made from mirror-finish magnetically inert stainless steel to prevent any adverse interference with the components. Connection to the amplifier is via PMC designed binding posts, directly coupled to the crossover for the lowest resistance signal path and ultimate in conductivity.
Peter Thomas, owner of the business, says, “The launch of the twenty5 series is a celebration of 25 years producing the world’s leading professional and domestic loudspeakers. Our design department and creative teams have made some radical innovations and technological advances in the development of the new range, that have not been seen nor the benefits heard before.” He continues, “I am proud to say that the twenty5 series embodies everything we have learned in our 25 year history, distilled into a range of speakers that take performance to the next level. We know we have created something very special for music lovers worldwide, as they let you feel the music, not simply hear it”
Price and Availability
All speakers within the range are available in a choice of three hand selected and book-matched real wood veneers; Oak, Walnut and Amarone, plus the high gloss Diamond Black finish. Every model comes with an invisible magnet-fixing grille, finished in an exclusive warm black textured PMC cloth.
twenty5.21 £1870.00
twenty5.22 £2450.00
twenty5.23 £2970.00
twenty5.24 £4250.00
twenty5.26 £6995.00
Photos
twenty5.21
twenty5.22
twenty5.23
twenty5.24
twenty5.25
