BB5 XBD-A

The BB5 XBD-A is a large active main monitor built around PMC's Advanced Transmission Line (ATL) bass loading. Each cabinet has two ATL lines of 4m and houses two 380mm radial bass drivers, a 75mm fabric dome mid-range unit and a 34mm soft-dome high-frequency unit. The frequency range extends down to 17Hz, and the bass loading is intended to give low-frequency headroom without soffit mounting, so the speaker can be placed free-standing or in a purpose-built soffit.

The built-in active electronics were developed jointly by PMC and Bryston. Each channel provides 900W to each of the two bass drivers and 300W each to the mid-range and high-frequency drivers, with crossover points at 380Hz and 3.8kHz. The design is intended to reproduce the full scale and dynamics of live material without compression.

For surround work, PMC offers dedicated centre-channel and subwoofer models. This monitor also has a dedicated .1 effects channel input, and the page says its bass performance removes the need for a separate .1 effects monitor. A brochure and technical drawings are available for download, and the page notes that registering the product within 10 days of purchase extends the warranty to 20 years under the stated terms.