The XBD Advantage: Powerful Main-monitor Performance
On its own, the PMC 8-2 midfield monitor delivers prodigious performance that makes it an excellent main monitor for mobile recording trucks and other applications where space is at a premium but monitoring precision is essential. For larger rooms, we recommend adding a pair of PMC 8-2 SUB active subwoofers to form a seamlessly integrated XBD system. Available in left and right (mirror-imaged) versions, thePMC 8-2 SUB is loaded with two of the same 200mm LF drivers as the PMC 8-2, and its audio input runs through the same filters as the PMC 8-2 woofers, duplicating LF frequency content and enabling the system to reach a higher maximum SPL. As the PMC8-2 already reaches full low-frequency extension, it would not benefit from a conventional subwoofer. However, the PMC 8-2 SUB may also be used as a conventional subwoofer, increasing LF extension when used with smaller monitors such as the PMC 6.2 or reproducing the LFE channel of a surround setup.
Related Videos: PMC8-2 SUB Active Studio Subwoofer (Left)
Optimized electronics, formidable power
The PMC 8-2 SUB is amplified by a next-generation ICEPower 2-channel amplifier delivering 400 watts to each of the two drivers. For setup flexibility, the XLR input is switchable between analog and digital AES. A joint venture with the iconic high-end consumer electronics company Bang & Olufsen, ICEPower was founded in 1999 at a time when Class D amplification, which had been around since the 1950s, had matured and was starting to be deployed in pro audio applications such as active monitor speakers, where high power, light weight, and cool-running operation were desirable. ICEPower’s close association with B&O gave them access to the resources, technical expertise, quality-control processes, and business acumen of a well-established company, and today, the company’s advanced amplification modules are found in world-class products throughout the pro audio, consumer electronics, and automotive industries.
Advanced Transmission Line Technology delivers cleaner, deeper bass
Since their first professional studio main monitor design was embraced by the music, broadcast, and post-production industries in the early 1990s, PMC has become famous for their proprietary Advanced Transmission Line (ATL) technology. A transmission line is a method of loading a low-frequency speaker in a cabinet so that undesirable frequencies radiating from the rear of the driver are absorbed, allowing only the lowest frequencies to pass. These emerge from a front-baffle vent, which effectively acts as an auxiliary LF driver that extends bass response while absorbing undesirable low frequencies that contribute to harmonic distortion, clouding the upper bass and midrange. One of the keys to PMC speakers’ natural, highly detailed sound, ATL technology delivers deeper bass and higher output from smaller cabinets, while providing rich, full sound at any listening level. And because ATL bass extension doesn’t vary with volume levels, the low end is well-defined and always in balance, even when listening quietly.
Mixes that translate
Engineers at Sweetwater know that there’s no substitute for midrange clarity in a monitor. This is the heart of your mix, and it remains relevant regardless of playback system. That’s why you can spend hours struggling to achieve a perfect balance and end up with nothing but frustration, listening fatigue, and a mix that doesn’t “translate.” In addition to improving bass response, PMC’s ATL technology also mitigates troublesome frequencies and eliminates port noise that can mask the midrange in other types of monitor speaker designs. As a result, you’ll find it’s easier to place, for instance, vocals and solo instruments in a mix, allowing you to achieve an ideal balance that translates to the world outside your studio.
PMC 8-2 SUB Active Studio Subwoofer Features:
- Frequency response: 32Hz–300Hz (+/- 3dB)
- ICEPower Class D amplification: 2 x 400W
- LF drivers: 2 x PMC 200mm woofers (newly designed)
- Effective ATL length: 3 meters
- Input connector: XLR, switchable between analog and digital AES
- Output connector: XLR digital AES (96kHz)
- Input sensitivity: +20 or +24dbU with +/-10dB trim
- Sample rate: 18–192kHz, 24-bit via internal sample rate converter
- Mains connector: IEC, 180-264V AC (auto-sensing)
