AudioAficionado.org - PMC EB1i Speakers Installed

This is a reprint of my PMC EB1i speaker review from July 2008. I still own these fabulous speakers and enjoy them every day. My opinion of their performance hasn't changed in nearly 7 years of enjoying them. This PMC speaker model is no longer manufactured which only serves to make it that much more valuable to me. I have no plans to ever let the PMC EB1i speakers leave my home.

This is a recent photo showing my living room system as it is today.

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July 24, 2008

The PMC EB1i speakers are in the system and have been making sweet music now for one week. I have had quite a bit of interest in them so here are some of my thoughts.

The PMC EB1i speakers are the newest release of this excellent studio monitor enhanced for home use. The i series upgrades to the original EB1 design include the new PMC/SEAS developed Sonolex soft doomed tweeter, a redesigned crossover network to accommodate the tweeter's extended frequency range, a new internal box type cavity off the bottom of the transmission line that acts as resonant filter to further reduce low frequency distoration, thicker cabinet material with stronger internal bracing, and furniture grade real wood veneer (Cherry or Walnut) on all four sides and the top of the cabinet. There is a 1 1/2" thick piano black plinth on the bottom of the speakers that accommodate the provided adjustable flat feet or adjustable spikes.

I ordered my PMC EB1i's in Cherry, then waited for the speakers to be manufactured in Great Britain and shipped to the US. It took almost six weeks from the time I placed my order until I had them in my home. Was the wait worth it? Absolutely!

The PMC EB1i speakers are incredible performers. It took about five days for them to break in playing them 24/7, but from day one they have been a knock out. Acoustical instruments like guitar, saxaphone, trumpet, xylophone, piano, flute, and upright bass appear out of thin air in the room. Both male and female voices are so natural you expect to be able to physically touch someone or catch a scent of perfume. Electric guitars, drums and cymbals are crystal clear. The dynamic range of these speakers is nothing short of startling. When a trumpet blasts, a drum snaps, cymbals crash, or a guitar rips into a lead, you know you are listening to very special speakers. An instrument's note that deminishes into silence seems to linger in the air until it vaporizes. Speakers........what speakers. They just step out of the way. What's left is pure music.

I am very pleased with my pair of PMC EB1i speakers as if you couldn't tell. Before they arrived I was somewhat worried I might not be satisfied with the bass performance since the bottom is handled by 10" carbon fiber and Nomex piston drivers loaded at the mouth of a transmission line tunnel. (I had been using two 15" powered subs). Let me assure you, with the transmission line design (rated down to 19Hz), these speakers have a rock solid, extremely deep and plentiful bottom end. I feel no loss with the subs gone. The bass is stronger, quicker and visceral. Leading edge transients on double bass strings are audible and accurate. Very pleasant indeed.

Until yesterday I had been powering the EB1i speakers with a McIntosh C2200 preamp and a MC275 MkV tube power amp. As long as I didn't try to push the volume level, the MC275's output was adequate, although I felt I could easily use two MC275's bridged. Yesterday I hooked up my McIntosh MC352 power amp to the EB1i speakers and now have unlimited dynamic range at what ever volume level I can comfortably stand to listen. I had the big blue meters bumping 350 watts per channel and the PMC's sounded sweet, clear, and dynamic. No one left the room and everyone was smiling. That's always a good sign.

There are seperate input terminals for the woofer, mid range, and tweeter. The EB1i speakers can be powered in any number of ways. They are actually pro monitors dressed up for the home. They are solid, clean, and deliver a thrilling performance. The cherry veneer is well done and blends in with my living room décor.

Here in the U.S.A., PMC is not yet widely known, primarily because of a small marketing and dealer network but that is changing. In Great Britain and surrounding European countries PMC is a highly regarded speaker manufacturer. For years their primary focus has been designing and manufacturing speakers for the recording and broadcast industries world wide. In the past few years they have been applying that knowledge and expertise to developing speakers that embrace the home audio market. I can guarantee you, anyone listening to my system and thinking about new speakers in the price range of $16K will find themselves seriously considering PMC EB1i speakers for their sound system. These speakers perform well beyond their price point , demonstrating for all they are serious reproducers. I am very pleased with my new PMC EB1i speakers.