Полочная акустика — PMC prodigy1

The prodigy1 is the compact stand-mount model in PMC's prodigy range, the British company's most accessible home loudspeaker series. It is closely related to PMC's small nearfield studio monitors used in recording and broadcast facilities, and it brings the company's defining bass-loading technology, the Advanced Transmission Line, into a very compact cabinet. It is made in the UK in a silk black finish.

Key specs that matter

The prodigy1 pairs, in a two-way layout, a 133mm (5.25-inch) natural-fibre long-throw LT bass/midrange driver and a 27mm soft-dome tweeter, crossing over at 1.7kHz. The internal transmission line has an effective length of 1.91m. Frequency response is rated at 50Hz to 25kHz (-3dB), sensitivity is 87.5dB at 1W/1m and impedance is 6 ohms, with a peak SPL of 123dB. Recommended amplification ranges from 20 to 250W. Horizontal directivity is 80 degrees. Each cabinet measures 320 x 165 x 237mm and weighs 4.5kg, with optional sculpted grilles adding 10mm to the depth.

Engineering and use context

Fitting such a long transmission line into a small cabinet requires folding the line several times behind the driver. The rear wave of the bass driver travels down this damped path, which absorbs the higher frequencies while the lowest ones emerge from the front vents in step with the cone's front output, extending bass beyond what a box of this size would normally achieve. PMC's Laminair technology places aerofoil-shaped fins in the vent openings, splitting the exiting air into smoother layers and reducing turbulence and air noise at high levels. The bass driver has a dished natural-fibre diaphragm with an inverted dust cap, which reduces high-frequency reflections from the cone surface, and combines a high-power voice coil and ferrite magnet with a long-excursion suspension and generous venting for reliability. The soft-dome tweeter is designed for wide dispersion, giving a broad listening area. Because the vents are at the front, the speaker can sit on furniture or close to a wall without the bass port being obstructed.

Pairing

The moderate load and average sensitivity work with amplifiers from modest integrateds up to high-power designs, covering most stereo amplifiers and receivers. A single pair of 4mm binding posts accepts banana plugs and spades. High-mass stands at ear height give the best results, and PMC's consistent voicing makes the prodigy1 suitable as surround speakers alongside larger PMC models.

Alternatives

PMC's own prodigy5 is the floorstanding model of the same range, with a longer transmission line for greater bass extension.