AUDIOPHILE SET: PENTAGRAM P-10 SPEAKERS & MORE

[PAPPA3]

Brett. Randfontein. 083 352 1472. R9 800-00 o.n.co. for eveything.


The kit consists of
1.   A pair of Pentagram P-10 speakers, each on custom-built castors
2.   A matching, custom built stand
3.   2 X 2,5m lengths of Audioquest Emerald speaker cables.  Terminated with Gold and Michell Rhodium Banana plugs
4.   2 Spare Midrange domes. 8 ohm, manufactured in Norway

About the Speakers
The Pentagram speaker company was founded by its chief designer/builder; Michael Levy. He built the speakers in his parents' garage in Bayside, Queens.  The cabinets were manufactured in NYC.  There were two models in the lineup. The P-10 and the smaller P-8.  The P-10 at one time became the reference speakers for one of Audio's magazine's equipment reviewers.  Two versions of the P-10s were produced.  This is the later version, with a 4-inch midrange.  When introduced, the P-10s sold $2200-00 a pair.

Technical specs:
The P-10’s are 4-way speakers:
•   HF transducer is a Panasonic LEAF ribbon tweeter (I stand to be corrected here, as to the make)
•   Mid range is a SEAS large dome
•   10-inch woofer
•   The P-10 also has a 15-inch Passive Radiator mounted underneath the speaker, suspended by rubber bands  and wooden cross-bracing

•   Height: 875 mm
•   Width/Depth: 600mm at the widest points
•   Weight: Heavy! (LOL). I’m guessing about 15-20kg per speaker.

•   Power handling 35W minimum, 200W continuous

•   Sensitivity 90db (1W, 1meter)

•   Frequency response 24Hz to 20KHz +/- 2db

•   Impedance 7.2 ohms nominal, 5.7 ohms min

•   Finished in a beautiful light oak veneer, with a black glossy top.

The truncated pyramid design serves two purposes: It time-aligns the drivers with each other, and results in there being no parallel surfaces internally, which eliminates the need for internal damping.  The P-10s contain no internal dampening.  You’ll notice that each corner faces one of the 5 surfaces.  The speakers have been rewired with silver wiring (not sure of the exact specs and name).

Condition:
On metal castors so they’re easy to wheel around.  If you want to use the grids, they’ll need recovering, and the one needs repairing.  Alternatively there’s no need to use them.  The one tweeter housing is slightly cracked.  There’s a small paint spill on the one woofer.  These issues are for transparency in advertising only.  They don’t affect the overall aesthetics or the performance whatsoever.

[PAPPA3]

The Stand
The hi-fi stand was custom-made in matching solid oak, oak veneer and matt black melamine.  It can comfortably house 3 components in the casing (black box), plus extra components on top.  It has a closed back to hide cables, with slots to pass cables through, and has one glass shelf.  The stand’s dimensions are:  

Height: 730mm
Width: 1060mm
Depth: 500mm

The black casing’s dimensions are:

Height: 490mm
Width: 450mm
Depth: 500mm

Personal Review
The speaker set looks audiophile, and as can be judged by reviews and quality of components involved is good audiophile stuff.  Highs are more ‘tish’ than sparkle, due to the ribbon tweeter - more mellow than bright.  Midrange is transparent and open, yet controlled.  The only way I can describe the bass is that it is “acoustic”.  It doesn’t sound electronic.  Bass is clean, not rumbling.  The passive woofer underneath trembles through the floor when certain frequencies are hit - an immersive experience.  The speakers are revealing, and don’t tolerate poor recordings.  They don’t seem particularly suited to electronic pop.  With jazz, vocal, and guitar/rock, they come into their own.  I’m driving them with the Yamaha RXV767, and they drive effortlessly.  Yet I can get the impression they’re just trying to be polite at this amplification.  I believe they’ll need a good power amp to shine (and mine’s only coming at the end of Sept).  

The only weakness that I can see so far is that they could be more ‘full’, this despite the size of their woofers and passive sub.  However, I must add that they are easy to position, and bass doesn’t build up in corners.  They are non-fatiguing.  These advantages I suppose have to come at some cost.  The beauty of these factors means that rooms don’t need too much bass ‘trapping’ to control the bass.

Look what is available at R9800-00 today, and you won’t need convincing that this set-up is a good marriage of price and quality.  It’s ideal as the basis of a dedicated stereo room.  That is, if you can swing it pass the wife!

Reviews/More Infor
http://s20.photobucket.com/albums/b234/dwillsxbr/PETAGRAM%20SPEAKER/
http://forum.audiogon.com/cgi-bin/fr.pl?cspkr&1242095497&openflup&2&4#2
http://www.audioasylum.com/forums/vintage/messages/18/180248.html
http://mail.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?p=2748789

[u235]

I hope you gave Rafe a good price! The tweeters are Panasonic.

[PAPPA3]

Eh-heh, he got his price.  A quick & smooth transaction for both of us 

Finally got the pics of the top view and passive subwoofer at the base loaded.  See in this post.  The pictures don't do the actual speakers justice.

[PAPPA3]

Dropped to R6750 for everything (speakers, hi-fi stand, audioquest cables and spare midranges).  Cutting my losses & moving on. 

I played these up against my Monitor Audio RS6s.  They needed a little more speed with electronic pop when compared to the RS6s.  However when playing music with the likes of Josh Groban, Michael Franks, etc., I have to say that these sound the high end part that they are.  They have more scale and a wider soundstage than the MAs.  They will easily fill a room.  In fact I find that my lounge is too small to let them really shine.

Want to clear all my stuff a.s.a.p.  Already have the rest of the matching MA RS6 package, so these will go. 

[PAPPA3]

SOLD.