{"id":3816,"date":"2025-05-07T16:30:24","date_gmt":"2025-05-07T14:30:24","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/vumetre.com\/en\/?p=3816"},"modified":"2025-05-07T16:30:26","modified_gmt":"2025-05-07T14:30:26","slug":"pmc-prodigy-1","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/vumetre.com\/en\/tests\/types\/loudspeakers\/pmc-prodigy-1\/","title":{"rendered":"PMC Prodigy 1"},"content":{"rendered":"\n

Founded in the early 1990s by Peter Thomas (BBC) and Adrian Loader (FWO Bauch), PMC Audio (Professional Monitor Company) has since become a benchmark in loudspeaker monitoring for the most renowned recording studios such as the BBC and record labels such as Decca and Harmonia Mundi. The company is now expanding its range of loudspeakers to include home and consumer models offering the same expertise as its studio and audiophile models, such as the Fact Fenestria. Presented at this year’s High End show in Munich, the Prodigy range, the brand’s new spearhead, comprises the Prodigy 5 floorstanding speaker and the Prodigy 1 bookshelf speaker. We had the pleasure of testing the PMC Prodigy 1 for several days.<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

Designed and built in the UK by engineers Olly Thomas and Elliot White with the same meticulousness as their other products, such as the more upmarket Twenty series, PMC’s new Prodigy 1 speakers are designed with versatility in mind. Compact and rectangular, they are made from 25mm-thick MDF (medium density fibreboard) and available only in a smooth black silk finish to great effect. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The PMC Prodigy 1 can be installed on support feet (not supplied) to maximise their performance, as they position the speakers at an ideal height while offering greater stability. It should also be noted that the magnetic fabric grilles are not supplied with the speakers, but are only available as an option. There are no surprises when it comes to connectivity, with a simple terminal block placed in a small notch at the back. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

As for the design, there’s nothing revolutionary about it, but a quest for sobriety and finesse that blends easily into any environment. The Prodigy continues PMC’s technical heritage by incorporating a 27mm soft dome tweeter, identical to that used in the brand’s renowned Result 6 monitor loudspeaker, and a 130mm long-throw natural fibre bass woofer, the aim being to \u2018bring the studio home\u2019 says Oliver Thomas, PMC’s sales director and head of design.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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But the strength of these loudspeakers lies in the two technologies they incorporate, PMC’s speciality Advanced Transmission Line (ATL) mounting and the use of a laminar port. Far from being fanciful, these technologies deliver deep, fast and punchy bass reproduction, quite impressive for speakers of this size. Neither closed nor bass-reflex, an acoustic transmission line is a long duct that acts as a guide for waves emitted backwards to a vent.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The line is covered in materials with a high capacity for selective absorption of waves, reducing the effects of reflection and resonance as well as the speed of propagation inside the loudspeaker enclosure, allowing finer, more precise adjustments. Complex to produce and less common on the market, this type of assembly has proved its worth, providing better management of highs and mids while considerably improving performance at the lower end of the spectrum compared with a conventional assembly.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The resonant frequency of the assembly is directly linked to the length of the line, which is 1.91 m for the model tested. Remarkable on paper, this principle remains very difficult to master, which is why very few manufacturers use it.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

The second technology used, which is also fairly standard at PMC, is the integration of laminar aerodynamic vents (two for the Prodigy 5 model).<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Their particular shape, which incorporates a blade structure, helps to even out the airflow by dividing it into several channels, thereby limiting any disturbances that might generate resistance. On the other hand, the vent increases efficiency, eliminates air noise and delivers bass with supreme synchronisation and the widest possible dynamic range.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The set up<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

Presented and heard in Munich, the Prodigy 1s aroused our curiosity and we were eager to examine them in greater depth. Weighing in at just 4.5kg each, the PMC Prodigy 1s are lightweight and compact, easily fitting alongside our equipment and requiring minimal space, making them ideal for placement on stands or furniture. Tested over many hours, they were paired with the Cyrus One HD amplifier and Esprit Beta cables. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

For the sources, we used a selection of sonically demanding vinyl, such as the recent Craft Recordings reissues of Miles Davis\u2018 Workin\u2019 and Bill Evans’ Waltz For Debby, as well as the new Silent Angel Rhein Z1 v2 audiophile music server for high-quality digital sources such as the latest Melody Gardot recording, in order to push these speakers into the most delicate segments of the sound spectrum.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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The sound of the PMC Prodigy 1<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

What immediately flatters our ears is the exceptional clarity offered by the PMC Prodigy 1. Particularly transparent, as monitoring loudspeakers generally are, they bring the various vocal and instrumental performances to life with soft, open highs that don’t lapse into excessive brilliance, and natural, lively midrange, creating a lively, immersive listening experience. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

A wide and fairly deep soundstage combined with agile, coherent and dynamic reproduction plunges us even deeper into the music, for an immersive listening experience that is particularly impressive for this type of loudspeaker. The quality of the bass produced by the speakers thanks to the active transmission line is also incredibly precise and well damped, both faster and deeper, and above all with less distortion. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

The richness of detail is particularly striking, immersing us in intense and lasting sonic pleasure. This is particularly striking when listening to vinyl, with an incredible rigour in the reproduction of the crystalline notes of Evans’ piano or the delicious descending notes of Davis and Coltrane. The smooth, swaying notes of Melody Gardot’s voice are also reproduced in an energetic, warm soundstage, giving the impression of being right there with her.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Our conclusion<\/strong><\/h2>\n\n\n\n

The quality of the PMC Prodigy 1 is more than astonishing for this price range, with clarity, dynamics, precision in the placement of the musicians and, above all, a realistic, lively sound of the finest effect, while retaining the essence of the brand’s studio and audiophile models. Resolutely transparent and particularly affordable, the Prodigy 1 are more than judiciously positioned in the entry-level loudspeaker market. <\/p>\n\n\n\n

Even if this transparency may not suit all ears, their performance and ability to fit into most listening spaces make them more than serious contenders when compared with other speakers of the same price, and even with some of the higher end. PMC strikes hard, and the Prodigy 5 floorstanding version is even more impressive.<\/p>\n\n\n\n

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Author<\/strong>: Nicolas Chestier<\/p>\n\n\n\n

Technical sheet: PMC Prodigy 1<\/strong><\/p>\n\n\n\n

    \n
  • Origin<\/strong>: Great Britain<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Price <\/strong>: \u20ac1,490<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Dimensions <\/strong>: 320 x 162 x 237 mm<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Weight <\/strong>: 4,5 kg\/piece<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Type <\/strong>: 2-way with ATL technology<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Sensitivity <\/strong>: 87,5 dB SPL 1 W 1m<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Impedance <\/strong>: 6 ohms<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Frequency response <\/strong>: 35 Hz-25 kHz (-3 dB)<\/li>\n\n\n\n
  • Rising time <\/strong>: 1.91 m<\/li>\n<\/ul>\n","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

    Founded in the early 1990s by Peter Thomas (BBC) and Adrian Loader (FWO Bauch), PMC Audio (Professional Monitor Company) has since become a benchmark in loudspeaker monitoring for the most renowned recording studios such as the BBC and record labels such as Decca and Harmonia Mundi. The company is now expanding its range of loudspeakers to include home and consumer models offering the same expertise as its studio and audiophile models, such as the Fact Fenestria. Presented at this year’s High End show in Munich, the Prodigy range, the brand’s new spearhead, comprises the Prodigy 5 floorstanding speaker and the Prodigy 1 bookshelf speaker. We had the pleasure of testing the PMC Prodigy 1 for several days.<\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":36,"featured_media":3817,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"open","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"_et_pb_use_builder":"","_et_pb_old_content":"","_et_gb_content_width":"","footnotes":""},"categories":[26,37,134,35,38],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-3816","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-loudspeakers","category-manufacturer","category-pmc","category-tests","category-types"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/vumetre.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3816","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/vumetre.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/vumetre.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vumetre.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/36"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vumetre.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=3816"}],"version-history":[{"count":0,"href":"https:\/\/vumetre.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/3816\/revisions"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vumetre.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/3817"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/vumetre.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=3816"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vumetre.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=3816"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/vumetre.com\/en\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=3816"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}