STATUS - SOLD
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Description :
The PMC DB1i speakers are the definitive compact monitor and has a celebrated history with accolades of ‘loudspeaker of the year’ and swathes of five star reviews from all corners of the world from both hifi and professional press. It pushes the boundaries of what can be achieved from a small monitor. The three internal partitions required to form the line might make manufacture difficult, as does the complex cocktail of damping materials used through the transmission line, but it also ensures an exceptionally stiff enclosure. Twin terminals facilitate bi-wiring or bi-amping and the rear panel also accommodates the large line exit slot, plus an attachment plate for a substantial wall bracket. There is no denying the excellent build-quality and good-quality wood veneer of PMC DB1i, even though it does stop short of the currently fashionable high-gloss lacquer or satin finish found elsewhere.

Like virtually every other PMC speaker, the compact PMC DB1i speakers uses a variation of transmission-line loading of the woofer's backwave to reinforce the speaker's low-frequency output rather than the more commonly used ported or sealed-box approach. PMC calls it Advanced Transmission Line (ATL). The design incorporates a heavily-damped tunnel labyrinth that internally links the bass driver to a rear port. And according to PMC’s literature, the damping within the serpentine route absorbs frequencies from the upper bass on up while the lowest frequencies emerge in phase from the port. Compared to the more prosaic bass-reflex enclosure, transmission lines entail a complexity and expense that usually restricts them to larger, pricier efforts.

The DB1i is one of the more balanced small speakers. In fact, it almost reverses the stereotype of the small two-way in that it will actually lets the listener sink into the music comfortably. The PMC DB1i speakers deliver power and weight, allied to a cleaner, crisper and airier treble that gives them a beautifully detailed and precise soundstage, in which performers are imaged with fine clarity, and a lovely sense of space and presence. They have all the sonic virtues of a high-quality miniature, but these are accompanied by the inevitable limitations of the breed. Imaging and dynamic range are widely praised, providing impressively coherent instrumental detail and fine separation between individual voices. The PMC DB1i speakers present dynamics in a soothing rather than searing manner.

The speaker’s midrange is refined and substantial, and it retains the bouncy, springboard energy that makes music come alive. Less persuasive is the added spark of brilliance in the lower treble that suppresses the presence range slightly. Voices that are open and airy become a bit leaner and drier in the upper register. On male vocals, its deepest chest resonances are muted with more emphasis placed on brilliance and attack. The cello imparts sonic impressions on many complex levels—string/bow transients and soundboard resonances—and the PMC DB1i speakers tamp down some of these finer dynamic gradations. In general the musicality of the transmission-line design impresses with a lower-end character that is a far cry from the typical one-note pulse of many small two-ways. Low frequencies have a more natural and, to these ears, linear roll-off, which preserves instrumental timbre even as the output decays. The speaker does not have that guillotine effect where an acoustic bass hits a lower octave and output is suddenly and completely cut off. Given its tiny dimensions, the ability of this speaker to supply decent bass weight is always surprising, though as the volume is turned up a mild degree of congestion become apparent. Small speakers do have constraints, especially when the dynamic and loudness envelopes are pushed. Here the PMC DB1i speakers are notably successful and, while it might not be the sweetest example, careful positioning ensures a fine overall balance with surprising bass delivery.

Specifications :
Type................................................Two-way, biwirable, transmission-line loudspeaker
Drive-units.......................................27mm Sonolex-dome tweeter
               .......................................140mm a doped paper-cone woofer with a cast-magnesium basket
Crossover Frequency........................2kHz
Frequency Range.............................50Hz to 25kHz
Nominal Impedance..........................8 ohms
Sensitivity........................................87dB per watt per meter
Dimensions(w x d x h)......................15.5 x 25 x 29 cm
Weight............................................4kg per side

Miscellaneous :
Box.................................................Yes
Made In...........................................UK, England
Condition.........................................9/10

Product Information :
http://www.pmc-speakers.com/ (Manufacturer's Website)

Reviews :
http://www.whathifi.com/review/pmc-db1i
http://www.stereophile.com/content/pmc-db1iii-loudspeaker
http://www.hifichoice.co.uk/news/article/pmc-db1i--pound;985/10285
http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/pmc-db1i-loudspeaker-tas-198/
http://www.hifinews.co.uk/news/article/pmc-db1i-pound;770/9493
http://www.digitalaudioreview.net/2010/10/pmc-db1i-standmount-loudspeaker/
http://www.audioasylum.com/reviews/Speakers/PMC/DB1i/speakers/27/271818.html