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BMC PureVOX Speakers Review

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A Real Mess

Then again, it could become a mess, as when I turned the speakers around to see what sort of soundstage would result. Because of its novel driver placement this is a speaker that simply begs for experimentation – so I experimented! I am elated that I did, because I did find an alternative setup that I have as nearly much legitimacy as the intended one. The PureVOX sounds very pleasing to my ears ass-forward and toed in, nearly as much as when used face-forward and parallel to the front wall!

Why would I even try such a ridiculous thing? Because I own omnidirectional speakers, the King Sound King III electrostatic tower, a true omni, which casts a very different set of characteristics upon the listener than a bipolar or even a dipole speaker. I see in the PureVOX a faux omnidirectional speaker – but it needs to be turned around to perform as such. Obviously, it is ugly, and inconvenient to do so as the speaker cables must be placed ahead of the speaker somewhat to connect them. In that respect some would dismiss the project altogether, and in many rooms it would not meet approval by another resident of the home. However, it is well worth trying.

How the speaker is placed when backwards was critical, more so than when forward facing. When I attempted to replicate the standard position of the speakers parallel to the front wall the reversed PureVOX sounded uncontrolled, sloppy, quite indistinct. However, when toed in they mimicked a true Omni marvelously! The indistinctness was chased away and a larger, voluminous, more elevated soundstage materialized. If I didn’t own the King Tower I would be sorely tempted to procure them simply for that reason.

To safeguard Brian’s reputation as a fine equipment dealer, I hasten to add that he may feel free to denounce my exploration of the reversing of the PureVOX. I nearly expect that dealers and manufacturers will disavow my unusual methods with their products. Brian knows I’m a bit of a pleasant rebel, so this may not come as such a shock to him. (Speak for yourself, I expect an earful from him any time now. -Pub.) It’s certainly not BMC’s or Brian’s intent that the speakers be reversed; I take full responsibility for the marvelous performance!

Compared to a piece of reversible clothing, the most “perfect” appearance is when worn “right side out,” but the alternative can be quite nice. Similarly, obviously the PureVOX was designed and voiced to operate forward facing. However, when turned “wrong side out,” it’s quite lovely – when positioned properly! If you try the reversal you will hear for yourself that the PureVOX is a wonderful imitation of an Omnidirectional speaker. If you are not restrained by domestic encumbrances, then with the PureVOX you have two exciting expressions of sound, done very well, at one price.

The tone switch, which acts like a treble attenuation switch commonly found on many high-end speakers, does indeed do as BMC suggests, slightly brightening the sound when in the up position, and darkening it when in the down position. Putting my ear to the tweeter seemed to confirm the output changing as I moved the switch position. Along with the positioning options of narrow and wide, forward or rearward, there is a better than average amount of variance with the PureVOX, making it a flexible choice for both traditional and avant-garde installations.

 

Sonic Characteristics

The character of the PureVOX’s sound is super clean, closer to that of a magnetic planar or electrostatic speaker than a traditional monitor. Paired with my Mac Mini playing PCM ripped discs on iTunes or Amarra, the BMC PureDAC, Wells Audio Innamorata, and Silnote Audio Cables (under review), the PureVOX was powerful, with better than expected bottom- end energy, and without flabbiness in the bass. It split the difference between eminently capable speakers with gravitas in the bottom-end, such as the Vapor Audio Nimbus White, and speakers that just can’t pull off convincingly powerful bass, such as nearly any bookshelf you care to name with a 5” bass driver. When I play Steve Oliver’s “Magic World,” it takes very little time to know if a monitor’s bass will “pop” pathetically or punch forcefully through the bass line. The PureVOX could not reveal the full weight of the electric bass, but it didn’t fail by popping. It took the bottom-end pounding far better than most.

The rear drivers create extra “air” or space to the soundstage, such that in “Barbosa is Hungry” from Pirates of the Caribbean soundtrack the flute hung weightlessly in space, more three-dimensionally created than when emanating from bookshelf speakers without the rear driver set. In terms of the backwards placement, while incapable of recreating the full umbra of sound characteristic of the King Tower omni speakers, it did a respectable job of it. When I play Peter White’s “Mission 2 Mars” from Good Day while listening to the ambient sounds and voices in the background of the introduction gives me a good understanding of how differently speaker systems spatially locate elements of a recording. When the PureVOX was turned around backward this track was moved forward and overhead far more like the experience of hearing a true omnidirectional speaker, an effect I call the mushroom cloud soundstage, and there is no other way to get it but by pointing drivers skyward, or at least partway skyward.

I found it difficult to make the PureVOX sound edgy, whether placed forward or backward, which bodes well for those with lower cost amps and cables. Alison Krauss and her group Union Station is a good test of whether a speaker can play nice with brighter music. This folksy entourage features copious fiddle playing, as well as banjo. I find Banjo to be an instrument difficult to make sound vibrant but not harsh. The air motion tweeter (AMT) did a fine job of highlighting the steely strings, differentiating between strumming and plucking of the banjo, all without harshness. Again, the addition of a second tweeter in the back – whichever way the speaker is turned – adds a sense of depth to it.

The timing of the review did not allow for use of a BMC amp with compatible Neutrik connections between amp and speaker, so I cannot report on that potentially beneficial application. According to Brian at Aaudio Imports this results in the best sound when using a BMC amp, and I do not doubt it. Some fine speaker manufacturers including Salk Sound and Vapor Audio are employing Neutrik connections for their speakers between drivers as it has been superior to other connections.

PureVOX_remote control

BMC PureVOX speaker – remote control

PureVOX_top Titan1

BMC PureVOX speaker

 

Conclusion

The PureVOX is another fine effort in cost-no-object design in a cost-conscious component. It effectively straddles the performance-to-cost barrier pulling down sound quality associated with larger, more costly monitors and small to medium floor standers, while not soaring in price. It’s use when set up traditionally is worthy of comparison to the finest smaller monitors available. It should fare extremely well against monitors compromised by 5” or thereabouts bass drivers.

Whether used in the expected forward facing positioning, or in the unusual rear facing position, the PurVOX is pure joy! It gives the owner a huge slice of the upper end in a small package. If I did not already own a true omnidirectional speaker I would add it to my collection of speakers. Consequently, though I have not purchased it, the reader is to construe my endorsement as carrying similar weight as if I had added it to my speaker collection. As long as I am able to handle larger floor standing speakers, I do not foresee adding smaller tower or bookshelf speakers to my collection. Were I in the position now of downsizing, I would likely buy the PureVOX, and I would play it both ways, forward and backward.

Having now considered the PureDAC, PureUSB1 and the PureVOX, the speaker strikes me as the most extreme of the three, the product closest to entering the realm of elite sound (In the interim the UltraDAC has been released, which might alter that perception). Because of the manufacturing capabilities of BMC it is designed and constructed more like a cost-no-object speaker than an affordable speaker. It is a brilliant choice for the person who wishes to hear performances in a larger scale than traditional monitors can provide, and for those who dare it, a dose of the omnidirectional experience.

 

 

Associated Components:

Source: Macintosh Mac Mini; Sonos Digital Music System; Musical Fidelity M1CDT Transport

Playback Software: Amarra

NAS: Buffalo Linkstation 500G

DAC: BMC PureDAC; Eastern Electric Minimax DAC Plus with Burson and Dexa NewClassD Discrete Opamp Upgrade; Musical Fidelity V90-DAC; ifi Micro USBPower and Micro DAC

Preamp: TEO Audio Liquid Preamplifier; VAC Renaissance Signature Preamplifier MkII; Pass Labs XP-20; Cambridge Audio 840E

Amps: VAC Phi 200; Pass Labs X600.5 Monos; Musical Fidelity M1PWR (two units bridged to Mono)

Integrated: Pathos Classic One MkIII stereo tube hybrid (two units bridged to mono); Peachtree Audio Nova

Speakers: Kings Audio Kingsound King III; Legacy Audio DSW Clarity Edition; Kings Audio King Tower omnidirectional; Daedalus Audio Ulysses used in Landscape orientation; Vapor Audio Nimbus White

Subwoofers: Legacy Audio XTREME HD (2)

IC’s: Clarity Cable Organic RCA/XLR; Snake River Audio Signature Series Interconnects; Silent Source “The Music Reference”

Speaker Cables: Clarity Cable Organic Speaker; Snake River Audio Signature Series Speaker Cables; Silent Source “The Music Reference”

Digital Cables: Clarity Cable Organic Digital; Snake River Audio Boomslang; Silent Source “The Music Reference”

Power Cables: Clarity Cable Vortex; MIT Oracle ZIII; Xindak PF-Gold; Snake River Audio Signature Series; Silent Source “The Music Reference”

Power Conditioning: Wireworld Matrix Power Cord Extender; Tice Audio Solo

12 Responses to BMC PureVOX Speakers Review


  1. vdorta says:

    Instead of giving more information about the speakers, you wasted one entire page by “experimenting with turning the speakers around,” something just as dumb as placing a regular front-firing speaker upside-down to see what happens. But I still like the review.

  2. Vdorta,
    God’s Peace to you,

    So, I take it you won’t be using the omnidirectional placement option. 🙂

    I like to give the type of information which might result in a far more enjoyable ownership experience, and I don’t care much if it’s not acceptable to Audiophile sensibilities. Someone who lays out $6K and learns that they have two options for great sound might disagree strongly with your dismissal.

    Omnidirectional speakers seem to be one of the most despised, or disrespected
    of speaker designs, so I don’t expect much praise for my comments about the PureVOX being
    a good faux Omni.

    Blessings,
    Douglas Schroeder

  3. Eric says:

    Doug:
    What kind of low frequency response are these speakers capable of? No specs. were given by the company, and not much mentioned in your review, beside your categorizing them somewhere between a bookshelf speaker and the Vapor Audio speakers you mentioned. Please let me know when you get a chance….Thanks for your help!

  4. Scott J. says:

    Doug:

    A few questions:

    How did the speakers compare to the Sonos speakers?

    In terms of the NAS used, how would you compare the sonic attributes of the Buffalo Linkstation 500G model to other models of the Buffalo line?

    What is a “Dexa NewClassD Discrete Opamp Upgrade” and what is the break-in period for something like this?

    I saw that you have several DACs including inter alia the BMC PureDAC and the Musical Fidelity V90-DAC. I’ve heard both and they are excellent. Given their respective price points, do you think that the BMC is ten times better?

    I notice you use no room tweaks. Have you determined that they are in fact a waste of money or do you have aesthetic or other constraints (e.g., wife or partner opprobrium) influencing your decision?

    Thank you as always for the excellent review.

    Blessings to you,

    Scott

  5. Scott,
    God’s Peace to you,

    I appreciate the complement; thanks for the support! Briefly, here are your answers:

    I have not heard Sonos speakers. Did you mean Vapor Audio speakers? The Nimbus White is far superior, as it should be at the price.

    I have no experience with other models of the Buffalo NAS products.

    Please see my Audio Blast article here at Dagogo “Eastern Electric Minimax DAC Plus – Discrete Opamp Rolling” for further info on that topic.

    No, the BMC is not ten times better, and such an arbitrary association is not common in the High End. Products obviously do not scale to several multiple times better as though a direct function of cost. If you seek such a sterile direct relationship in audio components, you will be sorely disappointed.

    I have determined through testing that tweaks such as brass bowls, etc. are a waste of time, as they miserably fail my Law of Efficacy, which states that a change must be instant, obvious and of such a performance improvement that it merits the cost. I am not including room tuning devices such as sound panels and diffusers, etc. Typically only cables and components/speakers are capable of such changes. Opamp rolling occurs in the signal path, and as such is inherently more capable than these others, and I do not consider it a tweak but an upgrade. You will need to consult the manufacturer to see whether they discuss a break in period. I do not recall any of the manufacturers I have spoken with discussing a break in period.

    Blessings,
    Douglas Schroeder

  6. Greg Begland says:

    I’m a little confused how Kingsound electrostatic speakers could possibly be omnidirectional. As far as I have ever seen, all electrostatic loudspeakers are dipole in radiation pattern unless enclosed like the JansZen zA2.1

    Sincerely,

    Greg

  7. Greg,
    Gods’ Joy to you,

    You caught a mental glitch in my article; on page three I meant to reference the “Kingsound King Tower” speakers, a model which Performance Devices, the North American distributor for Kingsound, decided not to sell. I picked up the demo pair which were shown a couple years at C.E.S. If you wish to see them you likely can by searching online for images by the name of the speaker. I will have the article amended to accurately reflect the proper model.

    Kingsound likes to name their speakers using royal titles, so it can be easy to confuse them. However, their sound quality is tremendous.

    Thanks for calling this to my attention!

    Blessings,
    Douglas Schroeder

  8. Mark Heucke says:

    Hi Doug,
    I have the Wells amp, so I am curious have full these speakers sound. In other words, do they give instruments, voices, etc proper body? I don’t have a lot of experience with aluminum speakers, but the ones I have heard sound extremely articulate but somewhat analytical, but not necessarily “warm” for lack of a better word. I guess I err to the warm side in my preference.
    Thanks,
    Mark

  9. Mark,
    The Joy of God to you,

    Do you like panel speakers? Do you enjoy not having the sound of a cabinet? If you are usually captivated by warm sounding speakers, like Vandersteen’s line up to the 3’s, then you may not be the right type of person for the PureVOX.

    If you are worried about missing the colorations of a speaker with a wooden cabinet, you may need to audition the PureVOX before deciding.

    Blessings,
    Douglas Schroeder

  10. Eric says:

    Hi Doug, hoping you may have a few words of help for me. Closest BMC dealer is a state away, so it won’t be easy for me to hear them. I currently own Wilson Benesch Arcs for a small room, and I don’t find the lack of a wooden box a problem – I love what the carbon fiber cabinet does for the Arcs. The sound completely disconnects from the box, so to speak. My question is specifically about the AMTs on the PureVox…how would you compare its signature to good silk domes like those WB uses, or Proac, or Dynaudio, or even the B&W Diamond tweeter? In terms of etchiness, sweetness, smoothness, sibilance, etc. how does the PureVox AMT implementation stack up specifically vs. nice silk domes? Thank you!

  11. Daniel says:

    Thank you for a thorough review and it does help boost my interest in this pair.
    Being a HT enthusiast myself, may I ask if you would recommend this pair as main speakers in a HT system?
    Thanks a million & God bless

  12. Eric, Daniel,
    God’s Peace to you,

    Sorry, Eric for tardy reply! I find silk dome tweeters to typically be reticent, so the tweeter on the PureVox was more appealing to me. Having heard some strident tweeters I had no sense of the Treble being etched or too bright.

    Daniel, If you are looking for a HT pair of mains that give a sense of the gargantuan and unlimited LF, then, no, these won’t do so. But, in a moderately sized HT setup I think they would do very well.

    Blessings,
    Douglas Schroeder

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