DISAPPOINTED ☹️

[vinyl4ever]

Bought a DENON DP59L and a pair of PMC FB1 speakers to replace my Sony PSX 600 and Mission 730s / Celestion 33s
What an absolute waste of money, the speakers are light on bass, muddied in the midrange and non existent on HF.

I don't have any other speakers to compare them to so if anyone local to Doncaster would be able to offer me some for a day or two I'd be very much in their debt.
Stewart

 

[JANDL100]

I know I'd not take FB1 over Ditton 33. Not PMC's brightest hour imo, you need to get into their pro range to really hear what the brand can do, once again imo.

Sorry to hear you're not happy.

 

[uzzy]

Did you audition the speakers before you bought them or were you taking a punt second hand?

The PMC should not be bass shy and should be giving well defined bass significantly lower than what you had before (due to the transmission line design). They are also efficient at 90db so do not need a massive power amp.

Personally I am at a bit of a loss as to why you have foiund them light on bass .. and missing the hf as they have a metal tweeter and it was the top end that did not float my boat with these speakers. I also noted that there are no "bad" reviews.

From the degree of sound problem you are having it makes me wonder if there is something wrong with the speakers or their placement. Or of course it just could be that one man's sonic nirvana is another man's earache

 

[Rockchild]

And are they in phase?

 

[DUVET]

If they are new how many hours have you had then running in >

 

[Nopiano]

If they are new how many hours have you had then running in >

I think they’re from a range superseded by the PMC Twenty range about a decade ago. But they might not be 100% I guess?

 

[DUVET]

Ah

 

[Beobloke]

As above, they shouldn’t be bass light and definitely shouldn’t be lacking in top end.

Something’s not right. IMHO, they should walk all over Ditton 33s.

 

[rabski]

As above, they shouldn’t be bass light and definitely shouldn’t be lacking in top end.

Something’s not right. IMHO, they should walk all over Ditton 33s.

They haven't been to my taste when I've heard them, but I also agree that the last criticism I'd be making is a lack of bass and treble.

 

[It Cost How Much!?!]

1. Run them for a couple of days during the day at low volume, as they may have been standing doing nothing for ages.
2. PMC speakers need loads of power, like 200W to sound good in my experience, they don't like low level listening.
3. Did you plug the Ditton 33's back in and all was OK?
4. Are you sure it's the speakers and not the TT?
5. PMC speakers are not bass light.

 

[Nothingface]

I had a pair of PMC about 10 years ago, can't remember the model but remember being very disappointed.

 

[jobseeker]

Something sounds amiss here …

 

[liongate]

I had a pair of Fb1+ for ten years. They had plenty of bass and good top end. What they didn’t have was detail in the mid range. They do need space around them to perform.

 

[Jazid]

I'm in the camp of summat wrong with the speakers. Are all the drivers working and, if so, do they sound about right with your ear quite close? If so is the amp running ok?
So many things potentially can go wrong, but bass light is really not PMCs signature house sound; if you'd said boomy bass, disproportionate to the midrange I'd get your drift.

 

[vinyl4ever]

Hi all
Thanks for the replies
I heard them in someone else's system but his was digital only, tbf they do sound better via CD or streaming than via vinyl.
So checked my set up on the DP59L, the only thing not checked accurately is arm height
Checked phase = correct
Tried a phono stage as well as the p phono jacks
Both drivers have sound and there's bass from the bottom port

There's more clarity with digital still not as good as with the 33s. I played some well known vinyl tracks today and I switched off, they sounded like they were wrapped cloth or foam.

Unfortunately I don't have the 33s
anymore, which is why I was looking to borrow a pair of something similar to get a benchmark.

Stewart

 

[vinyl4ever]

Hi all
Thanks for the replies
I heard them in someone else's system but his was digital only, tbf they do sound better via CD or streaming than via vinyl.
So checked my set up on the DP59L, the only thing not checked accurately is arm height
Checked phase = correct
Tried a phono stage as well as the p phono jacks
Both drivers have sound and there's bass from the bottom port

There's more clarity with digital still not as good as with the 33s. I played some well known vinyl tracks today and I switched off, they sounded like they were wrapped cloth or foam.

Unfortunately I don't have the 33s
anymore, which is why I was looking to borrow a pair of something similar to get a benchmark.

 

[JANDL100]

The 'problem' with your old Ditton 33 is that they have the good old fashioned BBC midrange magic.
Once heard it's quite a challenge to get something that sounds as natural. Tbh when I heard the FB1 at a dealer dem they don't even get close.

I don't know why, but as uzzy said, you don't see a bad review of the FB1. I was really surprised at the dealer dem that they didn't sound better. The dem guy just gave an apologetic shrug and said he agreed that they were overrated but they did sell quite well.

As for the bass and treble, I agree with others that what you are reporting is the opposite of what I'd expect. But room and placement issues, kit synergy, and personal perception and preference come into play here. Then again they may not be performing as they should.

 

[vinyl4ever]

There was a pair olat the wam show, not sure which model but floorstanders and they sounded great.
Would like to see if whoever showed them could discuss

 

[THOMO]

Vintage speakers like your Celestion 33s should sound better than typical modern stand mounts.That is why vintage style wide baffle speakers like the KLH,Wharfedales and Tannoys are proving so popular.

 

[vinyl4ever]

Here's a thought
The arm wiring to the headshell seems very thick, could be the insulation but most of my shell have wiring of a hair (0.1mm)
Could this be causing the sound issue?