[Phoenix]

Hi James!

I think within the next two years or so I will buy new speakers.
Of course, I'm already narrowing my choice.

PMC is one option of course, since I'm using a Bryston amp.

My question: Why doesn't PMC publish complete measurements for their speakers?

I really would like to see them, because I think complete measurements tell a lot - not everything - about a speaker and how well it is engineered.

For an example what I mean look here (section measurements):

http://www.sennheiser.com/klein-hummel/icm_en.nsf/root/prof-monitoring_studio-monitors_nearfield-monitors_O300

IMO, a studio monitor company should publish all of those curves, not only SPL in a so called "Data Sheet" like PMC does.

[James Tanner]

Hi Phoenix,

It's a good question and I remember asking it myself many years ago. I don't want to speak for PMC as it is probably a question best left to them given the complexities of speaker design.

At the time I asked though I was told that PMC did not feel most of the measurements typically used by speaker manufacturers tell you how a speaker will actually sound. So from their perspective I think they feel, in the final analysis, you listen and decide.

james

[Viajero5000]

Hi Phoenix,

It's a good question and I remember asking it myself many years ago. I don't want to speak for PMC as it is probably a question best left to them given the complexities of speaker design.

At the time I asked though I was told that PMC did not feel most of the measurements typically used by speaker manufacturers tell you how a speaker will actually sound. So from their perspective I think they feel, in the final analysis, you listen and decide.

james

As opposed to YG Acoustics (which feature alongside Bryston on the magazine cover noted yesterday) who feel that measurements are the best guide, as opposed to others who feel that measurements don't really indicate much at all. Everyone seems to have their own take on this.

Btw has anyone heard Bryston with YGA speakers? In theory they should match well...

[predrag]

Well, measurements don?t tell you much in real world.
They are usually made in perfect conditions (anechoic chember etc) which nobody has at home.
Demo is everything (Right James?)!?
Forget about measurements and try to bring a pair or two to your listening room.
I had last week at my home a pair of MB2S.
No charts needed from the moment they started playing.
PMC?s from IB1 upwards won?t disasapoint you, just spend a few hours with your desired speakers before you decide.

[Phoenix]

The argument "Simply hear them..." is ok for a final decision - but it is not an scientific approach to evaluate a speaker.

The main task of a speaker is to reproduce, therefore a speaker should have a frequency spectrum as linear as possible (that's why the fact has treble and bass adjustment).
Also the distortion at a given SPL should be low, as should the spectral decay.
Controlled directivity is also very important for sound quality.

A speaker with bad figures in those topics may sound good to the untrained ear - but it will never reproduce accurately!. That's (maybe not so) simple physics.

So, at first, a speaker needs good technical data and after that there is the listening test in the given environment on which you will base your final decision if it's good for your application.

Anyway, a technically "good" speaker is very unlikely to sound bad at any given place, whereas a "bad" one will never be able to sound accurately - regardless of the room you choose.

Professionals do know this, and I guess they want to see those measurements from PMC before they are buying a 100k $ System. So I still wonder - why don't they publish their measurements? 
If their speakers are really that good - they would only benefit from it.

[predrag]

Hi Phoenix,

Is Ian here to answer this?