PSB Alpha System Review

[gene]

<P><FONT face="Arial, Helvetica, sans-serif" size=2><A href="http://www.audioholics.com/productreviews/loudspeakers/PSBAlphap1.php"><IMG style="WIDTH: 120px; HEIGHT: 125px" alt=[psb] hspace=10 src="http://www.audioholics.com/news/thumbs/psb_th.jpg" align=left vspace=5 border=0></A>The driving philosophy behind PSB is clearly Performance and Value. Their main goal is to offer high performance at reasonable costs and the Alpha Series falls into the entry level “In Room” speaker.&nbsp; After quite a few hours of listening I never found the system to be fatiguing. There are a lot of pluses and this was a great performance for an entry level speaker system which would provide years of service.&nbsp; I suggest that if this is the budget that you are looking for that you definitely consider the PSB Alphas.</FONT></P>
<P><FONT face=Arial size=2>[Read the Full Review]</FONT></P>

 

[Takeereasy]

It was great to see PSB reviewed here. I've always wanted this site to review my brand of speakers. I guess they tested OK, but not outstanding. I have some image series of speakers, the step up from the Alphas and I love them. The reviewer really had them hooked up to some high end gear there so I guess that the source end of the equipment was handeled well. I do agree that the room in question was very large (too big) for the alphas. I have heard them in a demo room that was about 12' by 12' by 10' and they really impressed me. I do think that PSB is guilty of overcharging for their subs, but at least they rate them honestly.

Anyway to sum up I liked the review and I look forward to more PSB articles in the future. Thanks AH.

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

Wholly cow. 3.75 performance rating? All these years I've read nothing but high marks about PSB speakers. I've never heard them, so I had nothing to go on.

Ken Stein states "...let me clear the air and say that they are great speakers for a system price of $2205. I will say that I don’t believe that these speakers are suited for a room such as mine. I have a good sized room (22.5’ x 17’ x 10’) and the Alpha’s just do not have the dynamics to fill the space."

My first thought was that a 22.5x17x10 room isn't outlandishly large, and that those speakers should have been able to fill that space. Many newer homes today feature great rooms similar in size.

I've always liked the looks of PSB - somewhat resembling Energy and Paradigm speakers. To say I was disappointed in the review's outcome is an understatement. For entry level speakers that run over $2200 is to me a red flag to look elsewhere. Am I crazy, or is Mr. Stein just used to a much higher standard of audio?

 

[farscaper]

I have to say that I heard some of the same issues with the Alphas. I found them a little too weak/thin sounding. They did sound good but were missing some of the fullness I was looking for. They would be good for a small room.
I had a chance to try both the Alpha and the Image series bookshelf speakers at home. (demos) It was no contest. Even for my ears. The Image sounded great. I bumped up to the B25 and I am very happy. I'm about 50/50 music and HT. It also helps being in Canada and getting a price advantage.

Good review. Well done.
Please sirs, may we have some more speaker face-offs? Love them. Maybe even some Sub face-offs??

 

[Sheep]

Wholly cow. 3.75 performance rating? All these years I've read nothing but high marks about PSB speakers. I've never heard them, so I had nothing to go on.

Ken Stein states "...let me clear the air and say that they are great speakers for a system price of $2205. I will say that I don’t believe that these speakers are suited for a room such as mine. I have a good sized room (22.5’ x 17’ x 10’) and the Alpha’s just do not have the dynamics to fill the space."

My first thought was that a 22.5x17x10 room isn't outlandishly large, and that those speakers should have been able to fill that space. Many newer homes today feature great rooms similar in size.

I've always liked the looks of PSB - somewhat resembling Energy and Paradigm speakers. To say I was disappointed in the review's outcome is an understatement. For entry level speakers that run over $2200 is to me a red flag to look elsewhere. Am I crazy, or is Mr. Stein just used to a much higher standard of audio?

This is PSB's budget line. You're probly think of the Image line.

SheepStar

 

[Buckeyefan 1]

This is PSB's budget line. You're probly think of the Image line.

SheepStar

That was my point, budget - at $2200? That's one helluva budget line. My system better perform better than 3.75 for that cash.

 

[gene]

That was my point, budget - at $2200?

Mind you that is with 2 subwoofers.


All;

As you may have gathered, Ken doesn't have a lot of experience reviewing budget consumer gear. Considering he builds his own speakers, his expectations of performance is higher than many of our reviewers.

That being said, in speaking with him, he actually found this BUDGET PSB system had several performance advantages over the more expensive Thiel system he reviewed a while back.

http://www.audioholics.com/productreviews/loudspeakers/ThielAudio.html

Not bad for a speaker system costing roughly 1/7th of asking price of the Thiels. Granted build quality isn't in the same league, but sound quality is usually the most important factor for folks anyways.

Overall the PSB review was favorable but obviously the system has limits, especially in larger and treated rooms like Ken's.

 

[billy p]

Thanks

I was looking forward to listening to the psb image t45's & t55's with c60 center. I've heard the energy rc 50-70 and LIKED THEM ALOT. This review made me wonder? Up here there are less choices for speakers and on line retailers, don't get me started. The only other speakers I'm considering are axioms (less then 3 hrs away form me) m-60 v2 & vp150 v2 .

Thanks for the feedback & clarification Gene. Up here you could add 50% to that price .

 

[3db]

wouldnt worry so much about the review

I was looking forward to listening to the psb image t45's & t55's with c60 center. I've heard the energy rc 50-70 and LIKED THEM ALOT. This review made me wonder? Up here there are less choices for speakers and on line retailers, don't get me started. The only other speakers I'm considering are axioms (less then 3 hrs away form me) m-60 v2 & vp150 v2 .

Thanks for the feedback & clarification Gene. Up here you could add 50% to that price .

I found that the reviewer had his expectations a little high for a budget system and what he found was harsh is relative to his reference system which costs substantially more. Gene even came in clarified this earlier up in his posts. Unfortunately, it leaves the readers with an undeserved poor impression of the system. I think it would have been more advantageous to compare them to other budget systems.

That being said, the Image series is the next step up from PSB and is considerably better than the alpha series. I own the T45s and an older Image 8C center channel. I'm more than pleased with both of them. Don't let a review determine what you audition. Go out for yourself and listen and make an informed desision. Oh And have fun doing it

 

[gene]

Don't let a review determine what you audition. Go out for yourself and listen and make an informed desision. Oh And have fun doing it

Um yea thats why we have this HUGE disclaimer on the main loudspeaker product review page on our site :

http://www.audioholics.com/productreviews/index.php

Disclaimer
Our reviews are based on subjective listening tests and objective analysis. We do our best to define the primary important design criteria and metrics to base our analysis. However, sometimes the performance criteria we deem important don't always match up to all particular consumer applications. Thus we recommend using our reviews, and all reviews, as a guideline and informational source only to assist you in your comparative shopping. We sincerely hope you appreciate our efforts and wish to encourage any consumer in the marketplace to evaluate the product in question, if given the opportunity, on their own and formulate their own opinion based on personal perceptions of the products performance and ability to satisfy their specific needs.

 

[3db]

Sorry Gene, that was not meant as a slam.

I just can't help feel though that the review was written in such way as to leave a bad impression and had you not come in later with the post comparing them to the Thiels as damage control, it would have remained less favourable then I think was intended.

Um yea thats why we have this HUGE disclaimer on the main loudspeaker product review page on our site :

http://www.audioholics.com/productreviews/index.php

Disclaimer
Our reviews are based on subjective listening tests and objective analysis. We do our best to define the primary important design criteria and metrics to base our analysis. However, sometimes the performance criteria we deem important don't always match up to all particular consumer applications. Thus we recommend using our reviews, and all reviews, as a guideline and informational source only to assist you in your comparative shopping. We sincerely hope you appreciate our efforts and wish to encourage any consumer in the marketplace to evaluate the product in question, if given the opportunity, on their own and formulate their own opinion based on personal perceptions of the products performance and ability to satisfy their specific needs.

 

[Ken]

... but at least they rate them honestly.

Anyway to sum up I liked the review and I look forward to more PSB articles in the future. Thanks AH.

Thanks for your words. I was glad they rated the subs honestly too. Moreover, I couldn't bottom them out like I have so many other subs. I'll take distortion free over low end extension any day.

 

[Ken]

My first thought was that a 22.5x17x10 room isn't outlandishly large, and that those speakers should have been able to fill that space. Many newer homes today feature great rooms similar in size.

I've always liked the looks of PSB - somewhat resembling Energy and Paradigm speakers. To say I was disappointed in the review's outcome is an understatement. For entry level speakers that run over $2200 is to me a red flag to look elsewhere. Am I crazy, or is Mr. Stein just used to a much higher standard of audio?

Keep in mind I have some good absorption in the room which lets me turn up the volume pretty high without any harsh reflections and I do turn it up. Many people would listen to these speakers at lower volumes and then they really shine. Like Gene said I liked them better than the much more expensive Thiel's I reviewed. When I do a review I like to present every aspect of the product and that includes it's strengths as well as it's weaknesses. If you're a person who really likes to crank up the music or movie and you have a large Great Room then these speakers aren't well sutied for that but if you listen at more reasonable volumes then the Alpha's are great. Also, I don't think $2200 is high dollars for 5 speakers and two subs.

 

[Ken]

I think it would have been more advantageous to compare them to other budget systems.

Yes, I agree. I found it difficult to review these as an entry level speaker while comparing them to my own. I had to keep reminding myself of this fact. Also, I am very picky about my own speakers and could tell you all of the problems with them but I'll have to save that for another article. Uh oh, I think I just made a commitment to Gene

 

[3db]

Welcome aboard (now that you've made the commitment)

Thanks for your words. I was glad they rated the subs honestly too. Moreover, I couldn't bottom them out like I have so many other subs. I'll take distortion free over low end extension any day.

One of my reasons for choosing PSB is that they won't attempt to do lower bass that they are not designed to do. It keeps what they are designed to do very clean and very listenable. I have the older Subsonic 5 with an amp rated for 65 watts continous. many may scoff at having such a lower power amp driving a 10" but in my modest HT of 12x16, it hits the bottom end of 30 Hz with authority. I can certainly understand that in the large room you tested that this sub would be a little underwhelming. I also understand that the Alpha's cannot fill a room as large as what you tested then in without sounding strained. Its physics after all.

Kudo's to you for treating your listening environment. I've built my own my 1st pair of acoustic panels that I've used to control the prime reflection point from the speakers relative to the listening postion. I noticed, I can turn the speakers up alot louder now without it sounding harsh like it did prior to the treatments. I plan on building 2 more panels and hanging them behind the speakers.

I am curious about what aspects you liked about the alpha's over the Thiels.