PMC launch twotwo sub2 at NAMM '15
UK-based reference monitor manufacturer PMC will be launching a new addition to its twotwo range of active nearfields at NAMM 2015, as well as giving West Coast audio professionals another chance to see the mighty QB1-A large-scale studio monitor, launched in Los Angeles in Autumn 2014.
The new twotwo sub2 is a subwoofer designed to complement the twotwo range, providing greater headroom and dynamics than its smaller sibling, the twotwo sub1. The new sub2 is a low-distortion, active subwoofer featuring PMC's unique ATL™ bass-loading technology, Class-D amplification and DSP-based filtering and bass management, which extends bass output significantly with negligible harmonic distortion. The sub2 also features a highly rigid, braced cabinet, ensuring that unwanted colouration is reduced to inaudible levels.
The built-in amplifier delivers an impressive 400W of power to the LF driver, which has an active frequency response from 20Hz up to 200Hz, and as with all PMC ATL™ designs, the tonal balance of the output remains consistent at all listening levels, from whisper-quiet to levels you feel as well as hear. The sub2 can be deployed in a 2.1 configuration with twotwo series monitors to gain extra bass extension and headroom, or to reproduce the low-frequency effects (LFE) channel in a surround monitoring system. Used with the twotwos, the sub2 is also ideal where midfield performance levels are required, but where there may not be the space for large-scale reference monitors, such as in broadcast or post-production environments.
The long-throw bass driver employed in the twotwo sub2 — a flat piston design composed of a carbon-fibre/Nomex® sandwich — is a bespoke PMC design that delivers unparalleled transient response and potent performance for the speaker’s size when combined with the Advanced Transmission Line. The slim-line cabinet dimensions also make the sub2 far easier to place than typical cube-shaped subwoofer designs.
The sub2 features an AES3 input with a built-in high-quality sample rate converter, and can thus accept digital signals at sample rates between 32 and 192kHz. A pair of balanced stereo analogue XLR inputs also feature, and both sets of inputs are continuously active regardless of which sources are connected; switching between the sources is carried out from the rear panel or the optional desktop RC1 remote. The digital input is also passed through to the sub's analogue and digital outputs for connection with other devices, allowing the twotwo sub2 to be used as a high-end digital-to-analogue converter to drive other analogue monitors from a digital stream if required. A single parametric equaliser is provided to assist with in-room alignment, and the analogue and digital outputs can be high-pass filtered to feed satellite speakers in a 2.1 configuration.
In addition to the full twotwo range, PMC will also be demonstrating the recently launched QB1-A main studio monitor at the PMC booth (see http://www.pmc-speakers.com/ products/professional/active/qb1a). For more information, come to Stand 6598 in Hall A at NAMM or see www.pmc-speakers.com during the show.