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What Say You About PSB Speakers?

MAXZ28

MAXZ28

Addicted Member
What's your thoughts on the PSB speaker line? I picked up a set of PSB Alpha SE's and a matching subwoofer at the GW today and know very little about them outside of the fact that PSB is a Canadian brand. From what I could find online, this series was introduced in 1991 and was an entry level speaker line for the company.

Now I'm not too concerned about value [ that's a D & S question anyway ] but moreso about quality. These speakers are solid, compact, and look to be above mediocre in build quality, so I bought them and will most likely gift them out to one of my nieces once I clean them up.

I have yet to hook them up to see if they even work, but I was just curious about what folks here know about these speakers or the PSB brand, whether they're keepers for small bookshelf utility, and if anyone has any specifications on them just for poops and giggles.

Thanks in advance for any and all comments, etc. etc.
 
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I'm a big supporter of PSB generally. Some models I'ver heard are just OK, but still reasonable value. Others, like my Century 500i, are outstanding for the price, about $400 new. Of all the speakers I've owned over time (probably 100+ pairs, some quite spendy) these are still the ones that to me sound the best across all material, and best suit my listening habits.
 
The build quality on the Alphas isn't the finest but they are a dandy sounding little speaker.

Look up Paul S. Barton.

RC
 
PSB is a decent & respected brand of speakers in Canada.
I have a pair of Model 40 Mk II's in my workplace and everyone wants them ;)
 
I have nothing but praise for my PSB Stratus Gold i's. Built like the proverbial tank and (given the proper setup and feeding) sound just astonishing. They do love lots of high-current watts! I truly think they could suck a 300 amp service panel dry and ask for more.

Dave
 
PSB's are among the best speakers I've auditioned. My dealer has a set of Imagine T's that are absolutely phenomenal, they smoke most of what I've heard including some Martin Logans and B&W's across the street at Audio Classics costing upwards of 5K. If I was sure my 18wpc SET could power a pair I'd own them already; I'm going to have him loan me them at some point... They are on my very short list.

Their T55's are pretty good also. PSB puts out a fantastic line of speakers IME.
 
Agreed with all of the above. PSB make a full range of speakers, from $100 or so to $5,000++. Bookshelf, floor-standers, subs, HT, etc. One of the few remaining Canadian speaker companies not bought out by some conglomerate (think Klipsch/API). My daily drivers are a pair of Image B2s, with a SubSonic 5i subwoofer.
If you got them at a good price, and they're in decent shape, let your ears decide but I'm sure you'll find they're keepers...
 
They are simply some of the best value for the money across their entire line, even going up to the $5000 Synchrony series, which I listen to every time I go to the audio store that some of my friends work at. I owend a pair of Alphas and ran them with a sub...phenomenal little setup for what it was. I did a comparison with some boxy '70s KEFs at an audio store and a similar sized pair of PSB (floorstanding image line, IIRC), and there was no comparison. The PSBs won, and this was actually the moment where a lot of my preconceived notions about vintage speakers being better than modern speakers went out the window. And I love that they try to do all this within reasonable prices (the $5000 ones sound better to me than some even more expensive speakers I've heard).
 
I got alpha towers, Image b25 bookshelf and the image centre channel. Have to say I love them, best value thats for sure! The b25's are the daily drivers powered by a marantz 2220, perfect match of old and new, don't even need a sub ;)
 
Well, I hooked up the Alpha SE's to the SX-780 tonight [ didn't get to the subbie ]and I gotta say they're a really really nice pair of bookshelf speakers. :thmbsp: No plans on returning them. Looks like I'll have to keep looking for speakers for my niece seeing how I'm enjoying them so much. :music:
 
We used to have a stereo store that sold a very large number of speaker brands, and we had numerous trade-ins as well. We had PSB's hooked up on various switching systems throughout the store. I'd let customers switch through the different brands and models of speakers and hardly anyone had heard of PSB's at the time (late 1980's). With remarkable consistency people would select a PSB model as their favorite.
 
Found a pair PSB 500's today at a garage sale for $20. The sound great. I've had many sets of PSB's and always loved them.
 
I will be hopfully upgrading to the synchrony one or two b's they have an amazing sound from small speakers
 
Years ago I purchased a set of PSB Image 4T towers based upon very favorable reviews. They served me well for about 5 years with a variety of music, cincema, and associated amplifiers. In the last year, they started to sound dull (even my wife commented on this). I suspect crossover issues, so I sold 'em off.
Replaced with Monitor Audio silver 5i towers, which I feel is a step up from the PSBs. Less bass, more everything else.
I place PSB and Paradigm on the same quality level (both in sound quality and fit 'n finish). And, both brands represent silly good values on the used market.
 
My Stratus Silvers will never be sold. Was playing R.R's Pomp & Pipes through a Bryston 4B and the lights were dimming a bit on the low notes. Theyre 4 ohm speakers that love to be fed current
 
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