Lowther 8 inch full range drive unit
A proven starting point for the Lowther sound. Part of the Concert Collection, using a ceramic magnet to offer much of the Lowther experience at an accessible level.
Lowther 8 inch full range drive unit
The PM6C is a classic Lowther full range drive unit designed for horn and quarter wave cabinets. Using a ceramic magnet, it offers much of the Lowther sound at a more accessible level.
Ceramic magnets are valued for a natural, forgiving balance. Compared with higher flux motor systems, they can sound a touch less forward in the upper midrange, which many listeners find easier with older recordings and mixed catalogue material. You still get the speed and coherence Lowther is known for, with a presentation that feels a little more relaxed.
The PM6C is known for an immediate, vivid midrange. Voices feel present, and instruments come through with speed and clarity.
The ceramic motor is often chosen for a natural, forgiving balance. It keeps the Lowther sense of immediacy, but can sound more relaxed on bright or low quality recordings.
In the right horn cabinet, the PM6C delivers high system efficiency. That makes it a strong match for low power valve amplification.
Many owners choose Lowther to avoid the phase and timing compromises that can come with multi-way crossovers. The PM6C is frequently used in systems built around that principle: one driver handling the full range, with the cabinet providing bass loading.
The PM6C is most often recommended in rear loaded horns and quarter wave cabinets, where the enclosure does the heavy lifting for bass and scale. The driver handles the midrange and treble with characteristic Lowther directness.
In forum comparisons, PM6C is often described as an entry into Lowther ownership, with clear upgrades above it in the range if you later want to move up. It offers the core Lowther experience at the most accessible price point in the lineup.
Clear, open sound with strong presence and immediacy
Precise imaging and a direct connection to voices and instruments
Excellent transient response and dynamic shading
Builders sometimes use baffle step compensation, notch filtering, or whizzer damping approaches depending on system goals
Bass extension is entirely dependent on cabinet design and room loading
The PM6C is typically used in rear loaded horns and quarter wave Voigt-style cabinets. If you are planning a compact standmount, a PM6C build is usually not the best match. Horn loading is where this drive unit tends to make sense. The cabinet provides the bass extension and the driver handles everything else.
The PM6C is commonly paired with low power valve amplification because of the overall system efficiency achieved in horn cabinets. Single-ended triode amplifiers in the 2-8 watt range are a popular choice. Solid state amplifiers also work well, though the synergy with valves is part of the traditional Lowther approach.
Building your own Acousta 115 is a chance to create a true Lowther folded-horn cabinet with your own hands, and end up with a loudspeaker you will keep for decades. The secret is patience and accuracy, because the internal labyrinth must stay square and completely air-tight for the design to perform at its best.
Done properly, the reward is not just the sound, but the satisfaction of knowing every joint and panel is part of an instrument you brought to life. Grab a pair of PM6C drive units and download your plan today.
Every Lowther drive unit is the result of meticulous hand assembly, decades of refinement, and an unwavering commitment to sonic excellence.
At the heart of every Lowther lies a voice coil wound entirely by hand, to tolerances measured in microns. Copper, silver, or gold alloy wire is layered under exact tension to achieve balance beyond the reach of machines.
Every component is brought together by craftsmen whose experience spans decades. Their skill and intuition, the ability to feel perfect alignment within a human hair's breadth, ensure flawless centring and effortless movement.
Our paper cones are individually brushed with proprietary treatments, then cured slowly in natural sunlight. This organic process creates a surface both rigid and alive, capturing musical textures with breathtaking speed and delicacy.
Every drive unit undergoes exhaustive acoustic and mechanical testing. From precise frequency analysis to the tactile inspection of cone travel, nothing leaves our bench until it meets the sonic ideal that defines Lowther.
Our metalwork is forged from premium lead-free steels. This geometry channels magnetic flux with maximum efficiency, forming the silent architecture beneath the Lowther signature: lightning-fast response and effortless dynamics.
From traditional Alnico to modern Neodymium and the rare Permendur and Magmax of our Grand Opera instruments, each magnet composition shapes character and tone.
| Type | 8 inch full range drive unit |
| Nominal impedance | 8Ω / 15Ω |
| Magnet system | Ceramic (ferrite) |
| Sensitivity | ~93 to 95 dB free air (improves dramatically in the right cabinet) |
| Frequency response | Up to 20 kHz (system dependent at low frequencies) |
| Linear excursion | Typically listed as ±1 mm |
Note: Low frequency performance is dominated by cabinet design, placement, and room loading.
Includes impulse response graphs for all PM6C variants
Our team is here to help you choose the right drive unit and cabinet for your system.
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