anyone heard the PMC TB2+ yet?

I'm demoing them with a Sugden A21 in a local dealer.I would be interested to hear some views on the '+' upgrade,as I don't know this brand particularly well

 

hmmmmm,ask a closed question and you increase the risk of an embarassing 'noughter'

I suppose I could have asked what experience this forum has of the PMC brand in total,but I forgot

 

I have heard the TB2, but not for long. I listened to them and others when auditioning my Gb1's. Can't rember much, definately rember thinking that the new fabric dome tweeter in the GB1 was a big improvement over the metal dome in the TB2, and the TB2+ has the fabric tweeter and new croosover as i understand. You could buy secondhand TB2's quite cheap and then upgrade retrospectively. Can't remember much as to their actual sound, but i prefered the Gb1's. They went deeeper depite having a smaller driver, obviously due to a longer TL, and the top end and imaging seemed to be better. Both had a similar type of slightly dry quite fast bass. That combined with no need to purchase stands made me get GB1's. Best thing to do is go listen............

having said that i was torn between the Gb1's and a pair of JM lab cobalt 816s, but in the end i thought the JM's would be too big for my room eveen though they are front ported, liked them very much too though.

Hope that helps a little........

 

ta

I am carting in my amp to Sevenoaks tomorrow to listen to both the GB1s and TB2+.Tight dry bass is good for me.Room positioning is buggered in my new house,so i think the GB1s might sneak it

 

I'd be very interested to hear how you get on tomorrow, as I'm also considering these 2 speakers to partner my Nait 3R. I'm in a similar situation to you, as an iminent move dicates I'll have to get shot of my Tannoy R3's for something smaller.

I once heard the GB1's on the end of both a nait 5i and the NAC112x/NAP150x and was very impressed. It would be interesting to hear how the TB2+ fares against it's bigger brother.

Lefty

 

Pmc Tb2s+

Hi, I will be getting my new set of TB2S+ delivered middle of this week, so I will let you know how I get on with them. They are the "studio" finish, ie. black with "PMC" stamped on the side, but I got a great deal on them from Pro Audio Kit.... £589 + delivery, an absolute steal, they retail for 795 in the nice "wood" finishes....

aqupiranha

 

yp,good deal,but the wife wont have the black ones

full review to follow...........

 

Luckily, I am single, so do not have these problems. I will also let you know how I get on with them on the end of my bi-amped Arcam system..

aquapiranha

 

You don't know what you're missing

Mine will only have black speakers. The world is an interesting place

 

right,audition done,with my A21 I took in and a CD21 they had there,used Eva cassidy and The Scorpions as main test tracks,

Hmmmmmmm,the guy said they are very similar,the TB2+ and the GB1.I didn't think so at all.
I have read all th available reviews,on the web and in the mags,for no other reason than morbid interest.And there have been some that described PMC in general,as muddy,or in particular,the TB2s.
I can see what they mean.Its nots not a bad speaker at all,far from it,8/10 maybe,but I have a very good set of Audio Physic Sparks to cloud my judgement,and I afraid I didn't get on with the TB2s.
they seem to have ratched up the sensitivity,so these speakers go loud,but maybe,as a result the bass just gets in the way,or it seems that way to me.There isn't a lot of bass either,its not as controlled as the GB1s.Its dry,and certainly not loose,it just nagged at me for no real reason,which is a good enough reason not to buy.The bass just affected a perfectly good,clear midbandif that makes sense.In fact,i might be talking gobblygook,but.......................I sat there mildy frustrated until i started fiddling with the position.Which isnt what i wanted.I need an unfussy pair of speakers that the wife can put where she wants.These seem fussy to me.I improved the sound with severe toe in,gave them space,and no doubt better stands would help,but really,I don't that sort of hassle,so nope,not for me.

The GB1s on the other hand,fantastic.Not fussy with position,worked well fired straight down actually.Bass was deep,controlled and not at all like the TB2.Great midband,great soundstage,and just great full stop.Loved 'em,and they look good being small.So its them then.

 

If you haven't already bought them, it might be worth hearing some pmc lb1 standmounts. They tend to be forgotten by most dealers as another option. They are a bit more expensive circa £1200 but can be picked up used for half this. I have not heard a pair in action, although I have the centre speaker version. They seem to be well regarded by the hacks, not that this is any guarantee.

Rod

 

Interesting..... I agree completely with you about the GB1's from what I heard of them - amazing accurate and deep bass for their size! In fact I had to tell the guy to move them a little further away from the walls at first because I felt the bass was a little overpowering. But given a little (40cm-50cm) room to breathe, they were a very convincing package.

Sounds from your description that the TB2+ might have a slightly overwarm and muddy midrange as compared with the leaner presentation of the GB1? It will be an intersting dem when the time comes. Thanks for reporting your findings - and I hope you enjoy your GB1's! (Presuming you are going to buy them)

Lefty

 

TB2+ might have a slightly overwarm and muddy midrange as compared with the leaner presentation of the GB1?

yep,good summary lefty

I am weighing up Audio Physic Yaras against the GB1s,but i will proly go with the GB1s because i cant audtion the Yara

and i did the same thing with the GB1s,moved them out thinking they were getting some help which they weren't

Rodrat,LB1s are too big,this is a WAF forced purchase unfortunatley

 

Dave, if you can you really need to try the VR-1. They are apparently designed to (and do) sound pretty even off axis and are not aprticularly fussy about position.

Chers
Jeff

 

I know,finding an audition is prooving difficult though.I balked at bidding on that auction,and they went unsold in the end

 

Yeah, not the most widely available speaker. Interestingly enough I've got to phone the guy who put the auction up to arrange a pre-amp demo shortly. Whereabouts are you now?

 

Wakefield,nowhere near him unfortunatlely

if he will take £600,i might get in me car though

 

they're here...

Well, they arrived and have been on for all of 30 minutes, and my first impression is at odds with what others have found I have to say! without them even being run in, I would definitly not class the midrange as "muddy" at all, quite the opposite in fact. And this observation is made after replacing the B&W CDM7 NT with the TB2+. Granted, the bass is not as full, but what is there is punchy and well controlled. Of course these findings will change when they are run in so I will reserve my final judgement until then, for the moment, the neighbours will remain unimpressed I am sure for a few days!

aquapiranha

 

perhaps I was being unfair,they aren't muddy at all probably,its just the bass wasn't to my taste and probably clouded my judgement.Just becuase I was engaged by then doen't mean they are muddy,thats me being a bit silly i think

i just took to the GB1s,out of taste rather than them being 'better' than the GB1

anyway,there is a possibility that Jeff has helped me get a home demo of the Von Schweikert VR-1s.A highly regarded US speaker,big in California.The bloke is hopefully blagging them into a friends car up the M1 to my new house.If not,its the GB1s

Anyway,i am sure you will be happy with the TB2s.With the plus upgrade they are highly regarded it seems.In fact,the plus upgrade costs £250 and the old ones still sell for over £400,so they must be good.

 

thanks

Thanks Saab, I have had them on for just an hour and already I have heard things clearly on recordings where before they were only hinted at, the background conversations on "Amused To death" for instance. I already feel that I am going to like them, and now I have caught a bad dose of "upgaditus"....maybe I will get a Bryston, or a TacT or maybe a Densen........oh dear, this may be terminal!

more to follow

aquapiranha