Phase Technology Premier PC 9.1 Brochure page 3

"thwacks" from stand-up basses
were rendered palpable. Even
though at 45.5 inches tall, the 9.1s
may be considered to be mid-size
towers. With their excellent disper-
sion, they portray voices, instru-
ments and orchestra in a realistic
space, a characteristic usually found
in small monitors. Of course,
recordings and their venues
can have a big say about
realistic scale and spacious-
ness, however....
Co-designers Ken Hecht
and Brian Miller produced
the PC 9.1s with owners of
separate components and
decent A/V receivers in mind.
By coincidence during one portion
of the review period, I switched in
an integrated mid-fi A/V surround
amp, the Yamaha RX-V590, and
produced remarkable results. The
loudspeaker offered up its attributes
as easily as if it were being driven
by some high-end amp of unques-
tionable lineage, one like my own
Pass X-150. However, any true
power amp really made the PC 9.1s
sing. CDs were especially well pre-
N N O O
Phase Technology PC 9.1 Loudspeakers, $2,000.00 per pair. Phase
Technology Corp., 6400 Youngerman Circle, Jacksonville, FL 32244;
phone 888/742-7385; website www.phasetech.com.
Specifications
Finishes: Natural cherry, honey oak, and black ash, all real wood;
design, three-way, floor-standing, ported bass-reflex, magnetically
shielded, tower system; shipping weight, 84 pounds each; frequency
response: 32 Hz to 22 kHz +/-3 dB; drivers, one 1-inch, variable-axis,
soft-dome tweeter with Unicell anti-diffraction treatment; one 1½-
inch, soft-dome mid-range driver, and three 6-inch, laminated-Kevlar,
rigid polymer foam (RPF), solid flat-piston drivers; sensitivity, 92 dB
SPL for 1w @ 1 meter on-axis; crossover slope, 24 dB per octave,
fourth-order; crossover points, 800 and 3000 Hz; impedance, 4 ohms
nominal; recommended amplifier power, 20 to 350 watts; dimensions,
45½ inches high by 8¼ inches wide by 12 inches deep; warranty, 10
years, parts and labor.
Associated Equipment
CEC TL5100Z CD player transport (with Illuminations D60 digital
interconnect); Audio Research Ref. 2, MK-II preamp; Theta DSPro
Basic IIIa D/A converter; Pass X-150 and Art Audio JOTA triode tube
power amp power amplifiers; Audio Research PH-3 phono preamp;
Sonographe SG-3 turntable; MMT tonearm; Benz Micro M.09 moving-
coil phono cartridge; Yamaha RX-V590 surround receiver; Balanced
Kimber KCTG, Tara Decade and Master, and Harmonic Technology
Truth Links interconnects; Kimber and Esoteric Audio Artus loudspeak-
er cables, and Kimber PK-10 Gold, Kimber Palladian PK-10 Gold,
Camelot and Harmonic Technology power cables.
62
sented, offering delicate detail with-
out stridency, too often the curse of
such media. With its magnetic
shielding, the PC 9.1 can be used as
the main speakers in a home theater
set-up, and they will match well
other elements from Phase Tech's
Premier Collection in such use.
Priced fairly, Phase Tech's
PC 9.1 speakers simply
make great music.
Other important characteristics
include first-rate articulation and
detail, excellent soundstage depth,
and excellent integration of the five
drivers to produce seamless driver
blending, without artifice. This is a
"live with" loudspeaker, not one
that will tire the listener over time.
The 9.1s don't blare in your face
nor do they push the treble enve-
lope out to the ragged edge; instead
they draw you into the music. Their
T T E E S S
the audiophile voice
overall character leans toward the
softer side versus an aggressive or
extreme extension at either end of
the spectrum.
I and numerous visitors have
spent many pleasurable hours with
the PC 9.1 using a good variety of
amplifiers to play lots of different
program material. Because I
have lived with and listened
to this system over several
months, I feel I know this
loudspeaker extremely well
and that I fully appreciate its
strong attributes. While lis-
tening, I just did not think
about the acoustical electro-
mechanics involved. Friends
and I just kept digging out more and
more recordings, both LPs and CDs,
to enjoy over several sessions. I
have done my best to hold these
loudspeakers hostage past the typi-
cal review period. Indeed, it has
been difficult to turn 'em loose. But
thanks, Phase Tech!
I find little if anything in this
loudspeaker to complain about. I
can stand on this simply because
they are priced very fairly, especial-
ly considering the cutting-edge dri-
ver technology, diffraction control,
and compact, robust cabinetry. As
with other Phase Technology mod-
els I've encountered before, the PC
9.1s simply make great music and
made this listener feel good about it.
I did not find myself second-guess-
ing. To me, this is what great audio
is all about. Sit back and enjoy, the
PC 9.1s are pretty special babes.
Reprinted by permission of The
Audiophile Voice © 2002 Guts
& Elbow Grease Publishing Ltd.
215 Glenridge Ave, Lower
Level, Montclair, NJ 07042.
Subscriptions are $30.00 for
one year or $55.00 for two years
within the U.S. Canadian sub-
scriptions are $39.00 (U.S. dol-
lars) for one year and $65.00 for
two years. Overseas subscrip-
tions are $66.00 for one year.
Please make payment by check
or money order in U.S. funds.
We do not use credit cards so as
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