PMC Twenty5i goes active

27 February 2024

Excellent news from PMC Speakers over the weekend with the launch of Twenty5i Active and Active Upgrade.

The range (21i, 22i, 23i and 24i) will be available to buy as active models, with built-in amplification or as a retrofittable upgrade for existing owners of passive Twenty5 and Twenty5i models.

PMC has produced world-leading active studio monitors for over 30 years and now that expertise is available for it’s domestic speakers for the first time. Active amplification of a loudspeaker allows superior control of the drive units and helps dampen unwanted resonances, improving transient performance and reducing colouration whilst increasing resolution and detail.

Twenty5i Active
The four two-way models offer an optimised solution for music lovers looking for PMC’s studio-quality sound, with ultra-high resolution and clarity, from a simpler system that dispenses with the need for external amplification. Just add a pre-amp or a streaming device to create a complete high-resolution system.

Each drive unit in the Active twenty5.21i, 22i, 23i and 24i models is directly coupled to a dedicated and perfectly matched 100w power amplifier, designed to control the driver with grip and precision. A custom-designed, computer-modelled, analogue crossover splits the frequency bands of the incoming line-level signal from the balanced XLR or unbalanced RCA inputs, ensuring each amplifier is only handling the frequencies appropriate to the driver it’s powering. It is specific to each model, with finely tuned roll-off curves to ensure the perfect integration of each drive unit, excellent dispersion and low distortion. Pre-amplification, filtering and a dual-band power limiter for non-invasive driver protection guarantee studio quality performance with a natural and authentic sound.

Twenty5i Active Upgrade
And for existing owners of the two-way twenty5 and twenty5i speakers – 21, 22, 23 and 24, there will be an active upgrade kit, for fitting by qualified retailers… like Adventures In Hi-Fi! The existing passive crossover back panel is exchanged for the new active module, with the connections made via one multiway plug. The crossover network has a unique setting for each model, ensuring the flawless integration of the drive units. A practical ‘model selector’ connector is plugged into the socket corresponding to the speaker model to ensure the correct crossover settings are applied.

“Active amplification allows for superior control of the drive units within a loudspeaker, for absolute precision of their musical reproduction. It is the best way to power a speaker, and we know our audiophile customers will love the huge performance improvements they will experience when they make the switch.”
Oliver Thomas, PMC Commercial Director and Head of Design

Pricing of the new active models and upgrade is:

PMC Twenty5.21i Active – £3975

PMC Twenty5.22i Active – £5275

PMC Twenty5.23i Active – £5975

PMC Twenty5.24i Active – £7975

Active Twenty5 / Twenty5i upgrade – £1795

We expect our demo models to arrive in early April and orders are already being taken for upgrade kits, so if you have Twenty5 or Twenty5i speakers and are interested in the active upgrade, just get in touch – rob@adventuresinhifi.com or 01244 345576.