Truly rare raves in both magazines, especially the understated Gramophone. That
review is on Bryston's website (not on PMC's) and I just bought What Hi-Fi?'s October issue, where there is a group test of ATC SCM35, Spendor S8e and PMC OB1 that the later wins hands down. Some typical comments are:
"These may be the most expensive speakers in the test, but they're worth every penny. Whether with a delicate orchestral work such as Vaughan Williams'
Norfolk Rhapsody or a jazz classic like Miles Davis'
So What, the sheer impact of instruments, and the depth of character the speakers deliver, causes jaws to drop. ... Steely Dan's
Everything Must Go powers from the PMCs, its pristine production magically realised, ... The bassline opening of
Love is the Drug really shakes the room."
"... the way that effortless bass combines with all the sweet clarity up top is truly magical." "We think we might have found a new reference at this level [$4,500 US]." "The others here impressed us, but the OB1s rocked us on our heels --it's as simple as that."
Both reviewers say they improve with biwiring, biamping and triamping[!], so maybe it's time to ask Klaus if he can extreme a pair of Odyssey HT3s for me. I have always liked good transmission-line bass and I found the lowly FB1s to be a really good two-way with excellent bass, but this one goes down into the low-twenties!
Val
