New PSB Image @ Saturday Audio Exchange, sound incredible
I was just at Saturday Audio Exchange about to pull the trigger on 3 pr of the B15's (stellar price @ 249/pr, I thought they sounded better than the B25, and I have a SVS SB12 anyways) when they recieved the new Image demo's from CEDIA. The owner said they could be the only demo's available in the country right now. The B6's and B4's they got were brand new, and out of the box, the new image sounds even closer to the imagine line than I could have expected (although they still don't look as fabulous as the imagine's). The un-broken-in B6 had the most accurate piano and intensely emotional female vocals that a speaker this size and price ought to have. The cabinets are a big improvement over the old image line, they look great and helps un-boxify the midrange immensely. Male vocals came through with force, but without the chestiness of the B25. The bass was tight, well controlled, and despite the rear port, placement close to the walls didn't seem to be an issue. The sound coming from these (hooked up to a NAD setup) was HUGE! That was my one concern with the B15's was that they wouldn't be able to fill my room adequately, and now I don't have to worry. As good as the old image line was, these are easily multiple times better in almost every way.
Then they pulled out the B4, hooked them up, and my mind nearly exploded with the implausibility of the sound. I first focused on the bass, because this tiny little satellite enclosure with a 4" speaker was pulling off a clean (no boom) upright bass like no satellite should. Drums were full, not thin. Men sounded like men. The midrange was a little closed in, but they had just came out of the box. If these open up, it will make many wife's happy, and make our excuses for the necessity of larger speakers rather moot (i'll have to keep mine away, if she finds out that I bypass these in favor of the B6, i've got some 'splainin to do). If I thought the B6 sounded big for its size, the B4 kept up without shame from an enclosure roughly 4 times smaller. Incredible.
Unfortunately, they didn't get a set of the B5's in, and I was too excited to listen to the towers. They will be receiving their first shipment in 9/25, and by then the B6 and B4 should be broken in, I can't wait.
