PMC Prodigy 5 Review (Vs Totem Bison Towers)

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PMC Prodigy 5 Review (Vs Totem Bison Towers)

Рет қаралды 12,794

Күн бұрын

#audiophile #speakers #streaming
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Пікірлер: 72

@13thnotehifireviews7 8 ай бұрын

Thanks for all your comments. I can’t do FULL reviews like this of all my thoughts of brands who send me products. Most of the time products just compete with one another but if you don’t want to fall down rabbit holes PLEASE SIGN UP TO PATREON AT LOW COST ($€£ 5 /per month) to get access to all my thoughts. You can SIGN UP FOR A FREE TRIAL www.patreon.com/user?u=20783218

@sonusancti 8 ай бұрын

Hello Simon. Thanks again for your honest review. I'm sure you're curious (I know I'd be), having the more expensive PMC 25 and seeing how good the Bisons are, how the comparably priced Tribe Tower would fare against your PMC. That would be a duel right?

@13thnotehifireviews7 8 ай бұрын

@@sonusancti yeah I’m definitely gonna see if I can do that one. As pmc only really like reviewers who rave their products, it should be an interesting one.

@ericstefko4852 8 ай бұрын

great to see an honest review. All to often reviewers are afraid to compare speakers at a similar price point and call out a winner

@ProffAndy 8 ай бұрын

@@13thnotehifireviews7I'm sure the other KZfaqrs you are alluding to speak just as highly of you.

@13thnotehifireviews7 8 ай бұрын

@@ProffAndy I don’t think it’s right ethically and morally, nor does it help sales or consumers mutually.

@stuartlindsay4589 8 ай бұрын

Love your honesty Simon

@13thnotehifireviews7 8 ай бұрын

Thanks Stu 😀🎶👍🔊

@carsdankandchicks 8 ай бұрын

Fantastic review Simon. Concise, engaging, and informative.

@13thnotehifireviews7 8 ай бұрын

Glad you enjoyed it

@surf6d769 8 ай бұрын

Refreshing review. All too often these days, reviews are almost overwhelmingly positive, without due weight put on the objective, or subjective downsides.

@bruceandt 5 ай бұрын

Cabinets make the difference here. Totems, use HDF with a locking joint. They coat the inside of the cabinet with borosilicate paint. This is why Totem seems to rise above. Transmission line speakers are a great technology if done properly. Thanks for a great and honest review.

@lukegrove4081 8 ай бұрын

Thank you for a very honest, meaningful and helpful review.

@Romulus980 4 ай бұрын

Thank you for your interesting review and your bravery for being honest backed up with your own found reasons.

@Firebottleman 8 ай бұрын

I really like your honesty here. Keep those reviews coming! Thank you

@13thnotehifireviews7 8 ай бұрын

Thank you, please make sure you sign up to patreon to sustain my reviews too. Regards Simon

@dajikbatarang1 8 ай бұрын

Great review, appreciate the honesty. I would buy Totem over many other brands. I've had nothing but great experiences with them.

@chrisvst 8 ай бұрын

Before watching this review, I was listening to a sound demo on YT of about 17 minutes of the Prodigy 5's. Because I was really interested in them given their lower price bracket and the praise reviewers gave them. However on the sound demo (and yes for what it is worth, I know I have to take them not too seriously), I liked their treble but I didn't like their bass at all. It came over as not clearly defined (and indeed muddy) and not coherent with the treble. And then I watched this review that confirmed all that I heard. This shows you are an honest reviewer Simon, al least to me. I was a bit afraid that I would not like the bass of the other models of PMC since I have never heard a TL design in the "flesh" but luckily you confirmed me that the 25 range is better in this regard. Hmmm maybe start looking for a 25 (or 25i) model on the used market ...

@13thnotehifireviews7 8 ай бұрын

Thank you, a good used pair of 25-23 is way cheaper than new 25-23i and prob near to 1/3rd the price 😀

@BUY_YOUTUB_VIEWS.321 8 ай бұрын

You have a knack for captivating your audience. 👏

@MH-rl9ep 8 ай бұрын

Great review and your honesty is much appreciated. Are you going to be doing a full review of the Totems? I’d like to know more about them.

@13thnotehifireviews7 8 ай бұрын

Thank you. Yes will be doing that.

@MH-rl9ep 8 ай бұрын

@@13thnotehifireviews7Many thanks…looking forward to it!

@peterd1364 8 ай бұрын

I've owned 2 pairs of Totem speakers (Standmounts and floorstanders) and always loved their sound, still own a pair which I'm not considering parting with, very underrated brand IMHO

@IceColdKeiz 4 ай бұрын

I don't think they are underrated. Reviewers are scared to review Totems because they are sponsored by certain brands. They are only bias because they get paid for it. Independent reviewers on the other hand that paid for their speakers will not be bias because their own money was involved. Everyone knows that Totem has a superior sound and superior price they just don't want to bite the hand that feeds them.

@michaelbooth6007 8 ай бұрын

I had a pair of 5'23's myself but never really liked them. I have a pair of modified floorstanders which have expensive drivers from Volt and Visaton and outside x overs with boutique parts so maybe not a fair comparison. The new Rega Aya would be a more interesting comparison when if becomes more readily available.

@13thnotehifireviews7 8 ай бұрын

I tried a pair of Rega speakers a while back and didn’t like them too - mind they are prob never made any more - I felt the resolution wasn’t there.

@REGINALD19051981 4 ай бұрын

Hi Simon - great video as always. Are you considering buying the new twenty5i active upgrade for your twenty25 23s? I heard the new actives at the Bristol HiFi Festival. They sounded good, but it was really hard to tell how good with all the ambient noise. The guy I spoke to from PMC said the actives were a marked improvement over the passives, I guess he would say that, but that doesn't necessarily mean he's wrong.

@13thnotehifireviews7 4 ай бұрын

I’m not as passives can sound just as good and amps like the Hegel are more than gutsy to drive my own speakers.

@blueturtle3203 2 ай бұрын

I don't agree with this review at all. Why are people making comments like "I appreciate your honesty"? How do you know this guy is being honest? It's one person's opinion. Opinion!!! As for anyone who thinks they can hear the difference via a KZfaq video, you need your head (and ears) checking. Go to a retailer and listen for yourself. Stop taking the opinions of one person on KZfaq as being the gospel.

@13thnotehifireviews7 2 ай бұрын

So would you rather I just shill it like rest of them. I gave an honest opinion and I’ve bought PMC . If you don’t agree say why and then the rest of the people can make their minds up and trying too. Don’t abuse me instead . I’ve never ever maintained people should decide based just on me. Go out and make the same comparison I did re these two speakers

@blueturtle3203 2 ай бұрын

@@13thnotehifireviews7 I don't agree with the review. I stated that in the opening line. You are entitled to your opinion but I find large parts of your review misleading. The comments about the bass are not what I or many others have found. Given the number of positive reviews you have to ask what they're hearing that you aren't?

@13thnotehifireviews7 2 ай бұрын

@blueturtle3203 you aren’t entitled to the opinion because you haven’t said and made comparisons to say whether you agree or not. The other reviews just do that as it’s the norm and most reviewers appease commercial considerations and are not journalistic. Do you think of this when you post? Do you understand how most hifi reviews work. All reviews are relative and comparative if done properly - if they are saying they are great with no comparison as many have done then it’s not a review. They are product placements. The totems are better speakers imo . You may just be slagging me off as someone who gives others a better review is an affront to an ego. That’s why normally, I perceive, I get these types of comments

@blueturtle3203 2 ай бұрын

@@13thnotehifireviews7 Are you for real? I'm not entitled to an opinion? I've just said that my finding of the speakers are nothing like you've described. 🤷‍♂️ I'm not going to waste my time writing a full review on your page. All I will say is that people should go and listen for themselves. People who are discounting the product based upon your bizarre review need to think again.

@wFullSnakeOilHighMileageSynthe 7 ай бұрын

Huge Totem fan for many many years. You need to hear the earlier models especially the Arros, there is just something about them. I like the tonality but domething happened when sourced out there own drivers from Dynaudio , Peerless etc.

@13thnotehifireviews7 7 ай бұрын

I’ve heard those in my local dealers - the Arro speaker. Nice too. I got the impression from Vince, they make a case for the design as is required rather than being stuck to a certain methodology which probably makes for a more flexible approach to achieve the best they can.

@myfakechannel8760 5 ай бұрын

I don't know if you've had the chance to hear them side by side, but I'd be interested in your comparison of the Totem Bison Towers and the Totem Hawk Towers. I have the Hawks and love them, but am always interested in what Totem is doing to upgrade their designs and technologies.

@13thnotehifireviews7 4 ай бұрын

Totem Hawk discontinued. 👍

@IrenESorius 8 ай бұрын

Thanks Simon,, 👍🌟‍‍👍‍‍

@13thnotehifireviews7 8 ай бұрын

Very welcome

@IrenESorius 8 ай бұрын

@@13thnotehifireviews7 ❤

@surfrico 8 ай бұрын

That was certainly an interesting review.

@alanboughey2450 7 ай бұрын

Hi - Great review thanks! Comparisons are key and the Totems do sound better. Is it possible to import them into the UK at a reasonable cost?

@13thnotehifireviews7 7 ай бұрын

Have you done direct comparisons Alan?

@alanboughey2450 7 ай бұрын

@@13thnotehifireviews7 Thanks for your reply! No, you're right I should listen to them first. I'm new to the world of speakers and a bit out of my depth.

@13thnotehifireviews7 7 ай бұрын

No worries, I think if you did import them you have to do it via someone who bought them overseas, and obviously lots of issues there. The used market might be a better bet or get a demo pair with a great discount.

@alanboughey2450 7 ай бұрын

@@13thnotehifireviews7 Thanks very much. I'll keep a look out 🤞

@robcaputo9708 Ай бұрын

Please please please review the totem bison, twins

@13thnotehifireviews7 Ай бұрын

I might be trying more totem speakers definitely.

@robcaputo9708 Ай бұрын

@@13thnotehifireviews7 the twin tower is the logical step up if anything is going to challenge PMC’s I have the PMC 23 also and I love them. But if anything‘s gonna challenge the might of the PMC it’s going to be totem I think or maybe spender the d7.2 By the way, I’m also a Hagel guy. So we’re actually listening to a lot of stuff that’s the same. Where I differ with you as I’ve got the Gustard R26. I am. I find you to be one of the better reviewers to be honest and certainly view your opinions with a lot of authority.

@welldoyapunk 8 ай бұрын

How far away from the wall did you have to move the Totem’s to get the best from them?

@13thnotehifireviews7 8 ай бұрын

At or more than a meter is I think best in my room but I have the speakers along the long side, and it’s going to differ depending on different rooms of course.

@charlesclifton1006 8 ай бұрын

Thanks Simon, yes, these PMCs certainly have been getting good if not rave reviews but when I saw you had a go at them I thought... "okay, this will be interesting" My take away is I have never considered Totems because I have not heard enough about them to even consider them. So the take away is.... now I will consider them or at least check them out. I Iive in Canada. I wonder how they would marry up with 20 watts of pure Class A for mid to low volume listening?🇨🇦

@13thnotehifireviews7 8 ай бұрын

Hi Charles, I’d say that they are best with neutral or warmer amps, something like Naim can be fluidly ott with detail. An ex dealer was telling me this on patreon which chimes with my thoughts with a dealer I know who used totem with Naim.

@michaelmityok1001 8 ай бұрын

Interesting contrarian POV, love it! No surprise the 25/23s are much better, actually for bass folks those 25/23s are about as good as you can get for small floorstanders. Too bad new PMC speakers are so outrageously priced outside the UK, otherwise they'd compete with anyone sub-$20K.

@13thnotehifireviews7 8 ай бұрын

Thanks very much Michael. I didn’t have all the country RRP’s or MRRP’s but as mentioned the USD price is equating to about £2000 or uk list price (£1995 to be precise) and in Canada it’s about £2300 before Canadian sales taxes I believe so it will be uncompetitive in Canada versus local Totems not surprisingly, as I think your comment correctly makes reference too. 😀🔉

@michaelmityok1001 8 ай бұрын

@@13thnotehifireviews7 new pair of 25/23i is $7500 CAD lol!

@13thnotehifireviews7 8 ай бұрын

That is a lot…after sales tax, takes them over equivalent of £5k. The equivalent 20-23’s I bought in the uk ten years ago cost me £1900 with a dealer discount. Way more than inflationary price increase. Sorry I thought you were referring to new prodigy series.

@elthamlad468 8 ай бұрын

Just adding my tuppence worth, that's what has always put me off buying PMC speakers is the huge price rise of the iseries compared to the Twenty25 series. I've always felt, as good as PMC reputation is, that they do rely on that reputation to over price their speakers. They want to sell themselves as the Rolls Royce of speakers, when actually it's just a rebadged BMW

@13thnotehifireviews7 8 ай бұрын

@@elthamlad468 I personally don’t understand this model of making the main cabinets of the 25 series and up in the UK. They can be made to the same spec at lower cost in Asia. I also think pmc loose a trick by not offering upgrade kits between 25 and 25i. Why do you need new cabinets.

@crazyprayingmantis5596 8 ай бұрын

How refreshing

@13thnotehifireviews7 8 ай бұрын

Meanwhile on a British audiophile the PMC Prodigy 5 get an outstanding badge and featured in the best of 2023 in the category £1-£3k speakers, when going through his reviews he hasn’t reviewed other floorstanders at £2000 all year. Maybe Spendor A4 would be a good comparison. How the hell can you award something without reference to any competition. Something has to be outstanding relative to something else which isn’t as much. Just shows how dodgy most hifi reviewers are for me. It’s all about getting brand badge award cash ie when they use the badge they pay him.

@yttean98 8 ай бұрын

Honest opinion!

@thebingaling1105 4 ай бұрын

Were these speakers run in properly? Spoken to a few dealers who have said they need considerable running in time before sounding best?

@13thnotehifireviews7 4 ай бұрын

Yes they were run in pre review and I gave them loads of hours too. Dealers often say run in times are very long, as a ploy or technique to not get products back.

@thebingaling1105 3 ай бұрын

@@13thnotehifireviews7 fair enough then. I’ve just got a pair of Prodigy 1’s in today to test so interested to see how they go. Previously auditioned at a dealer alongside LS50’s and Lumina 2’s but that was with my old amp (Roksan K3). Gonna be testing them with my new Evo 150 so interested to see how they sounds.

@13thnotehifireviews7 3 ай бұрын

@@thebingaling1105 I would recommend goldenear brx. Pricier but worth it,

@thebingaling1105 3 ай бұрын

@@13thnotehifireviews7 thanks. I’ll have a look. Must say so far I’m impressed with the Prodigy but it’s early days. Preferred them to the LS50 and Luminas previously.

@robertgough5804 8 ай бұрын

Good info was thinking of testing wont now 👍

@blueturtle3203 2 ай бұрын

Are you mad? Why are you taking the opinion of one person whose hearing / hifi system / listening room is totally different to yours? You're discounting a product based on one persons opinion. That's madness!!! Go and listen for yourself. You may find that you love them - I certainly do. I honestly don't understand this review at all. It's like he's describing a different product to the one I own.

@13thnotehifireviews7 2 ай бұрын

I’d probably agree with you blue turtle . If you buy without trying and testing others - that’s madness. Nothing is reviewable and praiseworthy unto itself. That’s nuts too. This is a game of comparison and trialing against others then forming own opinions