B&W PM1

05-12-13: Mkash3
I imagine the PM1 is a much better speaker than the CM5 but I don't know why B&W didn't stick a 6.5" woofer in the PM1s!

The bigger the woofer, the lower the frequency at which the driver stops dispersing and "beams" instead. A 6.5" piston starts beaming at about 2100 Hz. Yet the CM5's crossover frequency is listed as 4 Khz, which has a wavelength of 3.39".

The PM1's 5" mid/woof (with a piston diameter more like 4.25") beams at a much narrower frequency range, and blends seamlessly with the tweeter, making for a very uniform in-room power response.

A larger woofer also requires a wider baffle (possibly less precise imaging) and a larger cabinet (higher price). If there's a speaker in B&W's lineup that hits several sweet spots at once--dispersion, power response, imaging, soundstage, tonal balance, compactness, gorgeous design and finish, price point--it's definitely the PM1.

Johnny how do you feel these little guys stack up against your Mirage OMD-15?

05-12-13: Mkash3
Johnny how do you feel these little guys stack up against your Mirage OMD-15?

When the OMD-15 came out in 2006/7 at a list price of $2500, it had a lot going for it--realistic tonality, ability to fill fairly large spaces, reasonable sensitivity, excellent dynamics, etc. Seven years later there is a lot of competition at $2500. Much of my enthusiastic posting for the OMD-15 was in the context of being able to buy them at Vanns.com for $800-1000/pair. At that price they were a no-brainer. However, it looks like that party's over. When Vann's lists OMD-15s and OMD-28s, it is at full list price ($2500 and $7500/pair respectively), and they seldom have them in stock.

Also, I heard the PM1s with the $600 factory stands and well-integrated with the $1700 PV1D subwoofer, so that's a $5100 setup.

Both speakers share a musical and realistic tonal balance. The Mirage is 89 dB sensitive and can handle about 250 watts. The B&W has about 84 dB sensitivity and 100-150 watts power handling. So it operates within a smaller dynamic envelope.

But paired with the sub, the PM1's ability to fill a room goes up as does the perceived sense of weight and dynamics.

Where the PM1 really shines is how clean, quiet, linear, and coherent the speaker is. There is a very strong sense of the musical performance without artifice or reminders that you're listening to reproduced music. It's a significant notch up in clarity and detail, which one should expect from a well-made mini over a same-price tower. Both speakers are excellent at disappearing and throwing a realistically sized soundstage that scales up and down according to the recording. The PM1 has more specific, palpable imaging and is simply a higher resolution transducer overall.

I feel that high resolution is a two-edged sword, because it can tip into hyper-detail, losing the body of the music in favor of the details. The PM1 avoids this pitfall completely--you get a high level of detail, but always in proper musical perspective. The higher resolution adds to the musical involvement and enjoyment rather than distracting from it.

That PV1D sub is a real sleeper as well, musical, fast, and deep; and comes with six built-in EQ/crossover profiles to integrate with various models of B&W speakers.

Wow, such a great post Johnny! Its ability to disappear and make me forget that I'm listening to a recording has me intrigued, although sometimes I wonder just how well the PM1s can handle a good old-fashioned rock song. ;)

...sometimes I wonder just how well the PM1s can handle a good old-fashioned rock song. ;)

There's really only one way to find that out: a live audition; no description can do it for you. Even with rock, different people are looking for different levels of volume, and that volume is contained by the size of your listening venue.

There is also the issue of whether you include a good sub (PV1D recommended, especially to rock out or for large-scale orchestral music) or not. In an 11x13 room the PM1 would probably rock out fine, but would be helped by a sub. For most people the PM1 + PV1D in an 18 x 22 room would be just fine, too, though some might want it to play louder without compression.

Although I consider the PM1 a more advanced and refined transducer than the OMD-15, I have to say, I am still amazed at how good my OMD-15s are. In the last couple of days I've played some well recorded LPs of Frank Sinatra, Boz Scaggs, and Kenny Rankin singing standards from the "Great American Songbook", backed by an orchestra, and the results through the OMD-15s are captivating. I've had these speakers for five years; two years ago I added a pair of Mirage MM8 subwoofers and that will probably satisfy any upgrade fever for some time to come.