PMC twenty.22

Clipdat
Clipdat Posts: 12,937
edited January 2019 in Speakers
I bought a used pair of PMC twenty.22 speakers off eBay and I got them today!

I'm happy to report that despite my abysmal track record, they arrived intact and in great shape! I have not hooked them up yet, but I'm hoping for no issues with their functionality either.

They have the oak veneer and it's absolutely stunning, in my opinion. Photos don't really do it justice at all. I think the finish looks very classy and professional.

Here are some photos of these beauties. My wife says "they have higher WAF with the grilles off".

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Comments

  • joecoulson
    joecoulson Posts: 4,943
    End game bookies bro. I have heard these and they are absolutely phenomenal. Congrats and I know how well they are made ( see my thread about cabinet finishes).
    I like the grilles off too. Show off those beautiful drivers.
    Super congrats and I know you’ll love them!!
  • maxward
    maxward Posts: 1,578
    Great find! It’s hard to beat a well-done oak finish.
  • Tony M
    Tony M Posts: 11,155
    They look MINTY. :pB)
    I can't wait for your review.

    Do your PMC 22s lean back like these do?

    3qq0e41vcz3i.png
    Most people just listen to music and watch movies. I EXPERIENCE them.
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,829
    Very attractive loudspeakers, those.
  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,937
    Tony M wrote: »
    Do your PMC 22s lean back like these do?

    Hey Tony, yes they do, exactly like those. It was just difficult to illustrate that when I was taking the photos.
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,829
    side view oughta do it.
  • joecoulson
    joecoulson Posts: 4,943
    Not very nice.
  • Hermitism
    Hermitism Posts: 4,262
    Clipdat wrote: »
    Tony M wrote: »
    Do your PMC 22s lean back like these do?

    Hey Tony, yes they do, exactly like those. It was just difficult to illustrate that when I was taking the photos.
    I'm surprised, as much as you hate crooked things.
  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,937
    You are hilarious.
  • Hermitism
    Hermitism Posts: 4,262
    I'm just messing with you. Beautiful speakers, Drew! Congrats.
  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,937
    Hermitism wrote: »
    Beautiful speakers

    For some reason that reminded me of this:

    https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Dsh0TfIKhoE
  • joecoulson
    joecoulson Posts: 4,943
    edited January 2019
    Ugh. Guilty pleasure
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,829
    Hermitism wrote: »
    Clipdat wrote: »
    Tony M wrote: »
    Do your PMC 22s lean back like these do?

    Hey Tony, yes they do, exactly like those. It was just difficult to illustrate that when I was taking the photos.
    I'm surprised, as much as you hate crooked things.

    ouch :p
  • halo
    halo Posts: 5,616
    I loves me a transmission line enclosure! Gawgeous speakers they are, indeed! Keep the grills off!
    Audio: Polk S15 * Polk S35 * Polk S10 * SVS SB-1000 Pro
    HT: Samsung QN90B * Marantz NR1510 * Panasonic DMP-BDT220 * Roku Ultra LT * APC H10
  • verb
    verb Posts: 10,176
    Wow! You've upped your game my man! Those look awesome! I'm sure a very detailed review to follow. Looking forward to it!
    Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
    Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
    Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
    Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
    Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
    Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD.
  • verb
    verb Posts: 10,176
    Oh yeah, first the Ruby, now these high end bookies. Easier to ask for permission or beg for forgiveness? Do tell Drew! :smile:
    Basement: Polk SDA SRS 1.2tl's, Cary SLP-05 Pre with ultimate upgrade,McIntosh MCD301 CD/SACD player, Northstar Designs Excelsio DAC, Cambridge 851N streamer, McIntosh MC300 Amp, Silnote Morpheus Ref2, Series2 Digital Cables, Silnote Morpheus Ref2 Series2 XLR's, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Pangea Power Cables, MIT Shotgun S3 IC's, MIT Shotgun S1 Bi-Wire speaker cables
    Office: PC, EAR Acute CD Player, EAR 834L Pre, Northstar Designs Intenso DAC, Antique Sound Labs AV8 Monoblocks, Denon UDR-F10 Cassette, Acoustic Technologies Classic FR Speakers, SVS SB12 Plus sub, MIT AVt2 speaker cables, IFI Purifier2, AQ Cinnamon USB cable, Groneberg Quatro Reference IC's
    Spare Room: Dayens Ampino Integrated Amp, Tjoeb 99 tube CD player (modified Marantz CD-38), Analysis Plus Oval 9's, Zu Jumpers, AudioEngine B1 Streamer, Klipsch RB-61 v2, SVS PB1000 sub, Blue Jeans RCA IC's, Shunyata Hydra 8 Power Conditioner
    Living Room: Peachtree Nova Integrated, Cambridge CXN v2 Streamer, Rotel RCD-1072 CD player, Furman 15PFi Power Conditioner, Polk RT265 In Wall Speakers, Polk DSW Pro 660wi sub
    Garage #1: Cambridge Audio 640A Integrated Amp, Project Box-E BT Streamer, Polk Tsi200 Bookies, Douglas Speaker Cables, Shunyata Power Conditioner
    Garage #2: Cambridge Audio EVO150 Integrated Amplifier, Polk L200's, Analysis Plus Silver Oval 2 Speaker Cables, IC's TBD.
  • Clipdat
    Clipdat Posts: 12,937
    edited January 2019
    I played the speakers for a few hours last night and for about 10 hours today.

    My first impression is that they are going to require a lengthy break-in process. PMC recommends 50 hours.

    Compared to the 703s which provided a healthy amount of bass at most listening levels, there seems to be a distinct lack of bass energy in the normal listening range I'm accustomed to such as 60-75db. They are extremely bass shy in this "normal volume" range and while you can hear the bass notes coming through the woofer, they just seem to be several db under where they should be at in order to appropriately play off and mesh with the rest of the music.

    If I really crank up the speakers and let them play at 75-85db, the woofers are more active and seem to push out accurate bass that is appropriately matched to the level of the other elements of the music that are coming out of the tweeter. At these levels, I can see the woofers moving/vibrating, and can feel vibrational energy if I put my hand in front of the TL exit on the front.

    So I'm hoping that it's just that the woofers are simply really tight and need to loosen up, before they will start reproducing bass at lower listening levels. I really enjoy the way the treble and midrange is presented, so hopefully they will come around in the bass department after 50 hours or more.

    It just seems like I'm going to have to break them in at a fairly high volume since the woofers don't really start to visually move until 75db.

    Anyway, if anyone has any thoughts or insight about reduced bass performance during break-in or just thoughts on the reason for what I've experienced so far I would be happy to hear it.
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,973
    Lack of bass ?? Hard to believe for a fairly efficient 8 ohm speaker. What are you driving these with ?
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
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    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

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  • txcoastal1
    txcoastal1 Posts: 13,290
    What stands are you using? Height of Stand? If you look back our LSAF threads, I'm familiar with this type of design. We used the Morel Hybrid woofer and bass was not an issue

    https://www.parts-express.com/morel-h81-8-hybrid-series-woofer--297-066
    2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
    Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
    Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
    Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC

    erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a
  • msg
    msg Posts: 10,068
    edited January 2019
    .
    Post edited by msg on
    I disabled signatures.
  • joecoulson
    joecoulson Posts: 4,943
    I will say that the 703’s looked like they were pretty close (within a few inches) of the back wall (back port) and the PMC’s have a forward firing port. This along with what I believe is a little accentuated mid bass from the 703’s and the new not broken in yet PMC’s all add to the issue.
    Give it some time and experiment with placement as much as you can.
  • Hermitism
    Hermitism Posts: 4,262
    tonyb wrote: »
    Lack of bass ?? Hard to believe for a fairly efficient 8 ohm speaker. What are you driving these with ?
    I think he's using the Dayens Monoblocks, unless he has two systems.

  • joecoulson
    joecoulson Posts: 4,943
    Nope. Bryston currently.
  • halo
    halo Posts: 5,616
    Drew,

    Are jumpers for the terminals on the back of the speakers included with these? I don't see them in your photos.
    Audio: Polk S15 * Polk S35 * Polk S10 * SVS SB-1000 Pro
    HT: Samsung QN90B * Marantz NR1510 * Panasonic DMP-BDT220 * Roku Ultra LT * APC H10
  • txcoastal1
    txcoastal1 Posts: 13,290
    halo wrote: »
    Drew,

    Are jumpers for the terminals on the back of the speakers included with these? I don't see them in your photos.

    Ohh...Good eye Sinsei
    2-channel: Modwright KWI-200 Integrated, Dynaudio C1-II Signatures
    Desktop rig: LSi7, Polk 110sub, Dayens Ampino amp, W4S DAC/pre, Sonos, JRiver
    Gear on standby: Melody 101 tube pre, Unison Research Simply Italy Integrated
    Gone to new homes: (Matt Polk's)Threshold Stasis SA12e monoblocks, Pass XA30.5 amp, Usher MD2 speakers, Dynaudio C4 platinum speakers, Modwright LS100 (voltz), Simaudio 780D DAC

    erat interfectorem cesar et **** dictatorem dicere a
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,829
    edited January 2019
    tonyb wrote: »
    Lack of bass ?? Hard to believe for a fairly efficient 8 ohm speaker. What are you driving these with ?

    FWIW: If they're brand new, and he's talking about pretty low listening levels, it seems entirely plausible to me -- even for TLs. :|

    EDIT: Derp. Sez they're 'used from eBAY' in the OP.
  • tonyb
    tonyb Posts: 32,973
    Front port vs rear port.....now that might have a good chunk of why the bass is a bit weaker. Agreed.
    HT SYSTEM-
    Sony 850c 4k
    Pioneer elite vhx 21
    Sony 4k BRP
    SVS SB-2000
    Polk Sig. 20's
    Polk FX500 surrounds

    Cables-
    Acoustic zen Satori speaker cables
    Acoustic zen Matrix 2 IC's
    Wireworld eclipse 7 ic's
    Audio metallurgy ga-o digital cable

    Kitchen

    Sonos zp90
    Grant Fidelity tube dac
    B&k 1420
    lsi 9's
  • mhardy6647
    mhardy6647 Posts: 33,829
    edited January 2019
    re: efficiency/sensitivity:

    https://pmc-speakers.com/products/archive/archive/twenty22
    sez: 8 ohm nominal impedance and 90 dB (1 watt @ 1 meter) sensitivity, so, yeah, not bad actually.
    'twould be interesting to see what the impedance curve looks like.

    Being British, the certainly might tend towards the polite, too.

    On the other hand, the venerable KEF 105 (e.g.) wasn't what I would consider polite
    sounding. I still would love to have a pair of those mommas.

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    (borrowed images)