This is almost a confession. We sold PMC speakers a few years ago and I didn't get on with them all that well. Back then, the models routed in the 'Pro' market might have been ugly as sin and rather demanding in terms of amplifier choice but they were good. The then new FB1from their burgeoning domestic range was, however, not signals' cup of tea having a bass delivery that seemed there for the ride rather than to drive the music along. I think it was PMC's most successful speaker, so what do I know!

We parted company for the thick end of ten years but the pretty looking, clean sounding fact 8s attracted us back and we invested in a demonstration pair along with some DB1i and GB1i s from the 'cooking' range. We've found facts several new homes over the past year or so but the GB1i and DB1i kind of languished in the cupboard. Nothing was actually wrong with them, the DB1i in particular is a cracking near field monitor for classical music, but nothing really fired us up either. Despite the FB1 being on its second or third revision, I'm afraid that we never revisited it.

And then came along the twenty series. It does not replace the old range but it is hard not to see this happening fairly quickly, given the obvious model overlap.

Using a lot of the 'fact' technology from drivers to crossovers, the new twenties comprise a range of two stand mounts, models 21 & 22 , and two floor standers, 23 & 24. Visually, they are quite striking, all having a slight rearward tilt. Even the matching stand for the two stand-mounts maintains this arrangement. The grilles attach to the fronts via hidden magnets, as with the facts, and they cover the whole front of the speaker. They are all fairly narrow with 23 and 24 being tall and slim. Very Scandinavian.

Sound quality? Revelatory. The only relationship with the DB / GB / FB range is that they come from the same maker. Bass is snappy and clean and the whole presentation is fast and enthusiastic but refined and musically engaging. The trademark PMC neutrality is still there but now the players have had their shreddies. They seem to be (musical) genre-agnostic in that we have yet to find anything to trip them up. Orchestral, rock, small acoustic, electronic, simple, complex, all are handled with composure and aplomb.

The most popular products are likely to be the two floor standers and they are showing themselves to be usefully unfussy about placement. They are easy to drive too and quite efficient. Is there no end to the good news?

Only that, in our hands, the best one is also the most expensive. Disturbingly, for us at least, it is FB1 sized! And it is a hefty beast too, being around 40 cm deep. Ironically, it's trump card over the smaller 23 is the mid band and upper bass clarity. The resolution and clarity, lack of muddle, boom or thickness in the bass is something we are not used to at this price level. The bass extension is epic yet they are working relatively close to corners in a room 14' x 10'.

The fundamental qualities are consistent across the range, so these are probably intended to be bought by the size to fit the room but our experience with the 24 calls this slightly into question. Given that the popular mood is towards floor standing speakers and that the transmission line loading on the 24 in particular works so well, it is hard not to enthuse.

We have the full range on demonstration and this includes the two stand-mounts.

Come and have a listen.