newbie cant believe how great / garbage psb speakers can be..

[oathone]

So I found a good deal on a used pair of PSB "the amazing Alpha" bookshelf speakers

after reading great reviews about the company and the model, I bought them and I hooked them up as the fronts on my 5.1 home theater.
They sounded great, I was amazed at how much better they sounded over the sony cinema speakers I replaced them with.

Fast forward a few months and I found another deal on a used pair of PSB Alpha t1 floor standing speakers.

I read more reviews on this product and I was sure I was going to get a great sounding speaker. I bought them (without listening to them first - I know ..stupid) anyway when I got them home I couldn't believe how bad they sounded. Very unclear sounding, they didn't even sound half as good as my old Sony speakers.

I went to the local stereo shop to ask questions about what was going on and they just replied with "Ya those speakers aren't very good, we sold them here at one point, but tried to talk the customer out of it"

I eventually sold them, but I couldn't believe they guy handed me money and left happy after I let him listen to them.

Is there something I'm missing here? Every review I read about them is great, which I don't think at all, and both pairs sound so different that I'm surprised they are made by the same company.


Sorry if this was already covered or not the right topic, I'm wondering of if there is someone else out there who has heard these speakers and felt the same/different about them

 

[BoredSysAdmin]

Psb and garbage don't belong in same sentence. PSB is very respectful Canadian speakers manufacturer. If you found these for cheap/free it's just means ex- owners are dumb.

 

[oathone]

agreed on the bookshelf ones I currently own.. they are great, but I'm so disappointed with the floor standing ones that I signed up for this site and posted this thread even after I sold them and they are out of my life

 

[Pogre]

agreed on the bookshelf ones I currently own.. they are great, but I'm so disappointed with the floor standing ones that I signed up for this site and posted this thread even after I sold them and they are out of my life

There may well have been something wrong. Do you know their history, as in, the owner? You never know what someone might do to a speaker...

 

[KEW]

So I found a good deal on a used pair of PSB "the amazing Alpha" bookshelf speakers

after reading great reviews about the company and the model, I bought them and I hooked them up as the fronts on my 5.1 home theater.
They sounded great, I was amazed at how much better they sounded over the sony cinema speakers I replaced them with.

Fast forward a few months and I found another deal on a used pair of PSB Alpha t1 floor standing speakers.

I read more reviews on this product and I was sure I was going to get a great sounding speaker. I bought them (without listening to them first - I know ..stupid) anyway when I got them home I couldn't believe how bad they sounded. Very unclear sounding, they didn't even sound half as good as my old Sony speakers.

I went to the local stereo shop to ask questions about what was going on and they just replied with "Ya those speakers aren't very good, we sold them here at one point, but tried to talk the customer out of it"

I eventually sold them, but I couldn't believe they guy handed me money and left happy after I let him listen to them.

Is there something I'm missing here? Every review I read about them is great, which I don't think at all, and both pairs sound so different that I'm surprised they are made by the same company.


Sorry if this was already covered or not the right topic, I'm wondering of if there is someone else out there who has heard these speakers and felt the same/different about them

Take a close look at the drivers. My first though is a previous owner blew his tweeters (or woofers, or both) and went to Parts express and found cheap speakers that fit the cabinet holes, installed them, and sold them.

 

[lovinthehd]

Kinda too late to figure further out than you didn't like them without more details/pics....my first thoughts also were if someone had tampered with the speakers or if something was blown....but could be room/placement or even merely expectations playing a role. I've read/heard very nice things, almost nothing negative, about PSB generally but no personal experience.

 

[Pogre]

Take a close look at the drivers. My first though is a previous owner blew his tweeters (or woofers, or both) and went to Parts express and found cheap speakers that fit the cabinet holes, installed them, and sold them.

That's exactly what I was thinking. I felt the "upgrade" I posted was appropriate, if a little exaggerated...

@oathone, those speakers are pretty extreme, but really were a serious attempt to "make it work". The owner was here asking us questions about crossovers... lol

 

[zieglj01]

Something was wrong with the speakers, most likely abused -- as PSB makes good stuff. They have quality engineering behind them.

 

[zieglj01]

Kinda too late to figure further out than you didn't like them without more details/pics....my first thoughts also were if someone had tampered with the speakers or if something was blown....but could be room/placement or even merely expectations playing a role. I've read/heard very nice things, almost nothing negative, about PSB generally but no personal experience.

I have owned PSB in the past -- Alpha and Image series, they make good stuff. Paul Barton does not mess around.

 

[AcuDefTechGuy]

I eventually sold them, but I couldn't believe the guy handed me money and left happy after I let him listen to them.

Hmm. If the speakers sounded bad, why would the guy buy those speakers?

He said he liked the sound, right?

 

[lovinthehd]

Hmm. If the speakers sounded bad, why would the guy buy those speakers?

He said he liked the sound, right?

He might have walked away thinking I can't believe that guy didn't like these speakers....

 

[zieglj01]

He might have walked away thinking I can't believe that guy didn't like these speakers....

This is the statement by the OP that seems to trouble me >>

I went to the local stereo shop to ask questions about what was going on and they just replied with "Ya those speakers aren't very good, we sold them here at one point, but tried to talk the customer out of it"

 

[lovinthehd]

This is the statement by the OP that seems to trouble me >>

I went to the local stereo shop to ask questions about what was going on and they just replied with "Ya those speakers aren't very good, we sold them here at one point, but tried to talk the customer out of it"

Yes, now that you remind me....what shop was this?