Which Psb Center Channel??????

[jasoncorrie]

Which PSB Center channel should I get to go with my PSB Image 2Bs?

These are the mains, and I plan to get Image 1Bs for the surrounds. PSB recommends the 5.5 inch woofer design center to go with this set up. That would make it the 8C. I know some of you guys, 3db, Takereasy, Tempest, etc. have used both or all of these speakers. I don't have a PSB dealer around, so I can't go audition them. I have read recommendations on the larger 9c (which has 6.5 in. drivers like the 2Bs) since it has better bass. But do I want bass from my center that is rated lower than my mains? Do I need that much bass from a center channel, period? My receiver is sending frequencies lower than 60Hz to the sub anyway. Price is not that big of an issue (around $70 difference), and size is no issue at all. I just want the speaker that is going to match best with the rest of the set up.

Thanks for your recommendations.

 

[3db]

Which PSB Center channel should I get to go with my PSB Image 2Bs?

These are the mains, and I plan to get Image 1Bs for the surrounds. PSB recommends the 5.5 inch woofer design center to go with this set up. That would make it the 8C. I know some of you guys, 3db, Takereasy, Tempest, etc. have used both or all of these speakers. I don't have a PSB dealer around, so I can't go audition them. I have read recommendations on the larger 9c (which has 6.5 in. drivers like the 2Bs) since it has better bass. But do I want bass from my center that is rated lower than my mains? Do I need that much bass from a center channel, period? My receiver is sending frequencies lower than 60Hz to the sub anyway. Price is not that big of an issue (around $70 difference), and size is no issue at all. I just want the speaker that is going to match best with the rest of the set up.

Thanks for your recommendations.

My setup is built around the 5.5" wooofers T45, Image 8C, and 1B surrounds. Rule of thumb is to match your centers with your mains which makes it the Image 9c in your case . However, I think that you can mix and match teh 5.5" with the 6.5" . Takereasy may know more than I on this point. I think they are sonically so close that its very difficult to distinguish between the 2 woofer sizes. Will you be getting or do you have a sub? The reason being, is if you have a sub, the crossover frequency where the sub takes the bass over from the centers and the mains will be high enough to make the woofer size irrelevant. On another note, Annukai (spelling ) thought the 8C sounded boxy comapred to the 9C but I have had no such experience. I'm very happy with mine. Hope this helps This is a very difficult decision without auditioning. G

 

[Takeereasy]

Since room and cost aren't issues I'd totally go 9C. I have 4 2B's and an 8C and I LOVE them, especially in my new place. I listen to about a CD a day now, and I can't get enough of the good quality sound I am currently enjoying. The 9C is the better speaker, and technically it is the correct match since it uses the 6.5" driver. Don't worry about the 9C being able to play lower than the 2Bs, you'll most likely wind up using a cut off point of around 80hz on your receiver. I'd love to be able to try 60 or 70hz but my Marantz insists on 80hz being the lowest, and it sounds awesome. The 9C is also an 8 ohm load as opposed to the 8C with its 6 ohm load. I always found that odd, all of the other speakers are 6 ohm, but the biggest center is 8ohm, oh well. Anyways I've never found the 8C boxy or dissapointing, in fact I find it revealing and engaging. It doesn't miss a beat when it comes to multi-channel audio or movie soundtracks. That said I'd love to have the 9C. I've heard it, it is better. On a final note my receiver doesn't have an EQ (go figure with an MSRP that high) and I don't use an external one either. All that I've done is correctly set up my speakers and receiver through trial and error, calibration DVDs and an SPL meter and everything sounds fantastic. To me that is the mark of quality, everything sounding like it should with no external devices "tweaking" the sound. My section of the house has become the unofficial party area now. I thought I'd like that, but since I'm the only one working days my new found "popularity" can suck. The Image line from PSB is a hell of a deal IMO, and you can't go wrong purchasing their products.

 

[jasoncorrie]

Thanks for the help. I knew you guys would come through.

I do plan on getting a new sub. Particularly PSB 5 or 6i. Any recommendations?

My receiver's lowest crossover setting is 60Hz. I think the low end of the 2Bs is 55Hz. Should I set it at 60 or 80Hz?

With that in mind, is there any advantage to the 9c if the crossover is set like that? It would not be used for bass then, and is a 5.5 better than a 6.5 for mids.?

Additionally, I got my 2Bs yesterday. I chose them over the B25s since they were quite a bit less expensive, their specs were very similar (B25s go down 10 more Hz), and someone indicated that they noticed no difference. I am, however, somewhat disappointed in the bass response from the 2Bs. I have the receiver set on "direct and stereo" which I believe is what I need to hear only sound from the mains. When I take it off direct though, my cheap 8" HTIB Kenwood Sub kicks in and really fills in the lower end. Any suggestions? Is it unrealistic to want full range sound with music from these speakers?

 

[3db]

Thanks for the help. I knew you guys would come through.

I do plan on getting a new sub. Particularly PSB 5 or 6i. Any recommendations?

My receiver's lowest crossover setting is 60Hz. I think the low end of the 2Bs is 55Hz. Should I set it at 60 or 80Hz?

With that in mind, is there any advantage to the 9c if the crossover is set like that? It would not be used for bass then, and is a 5.5 better than a 6.5 for mids.?

Additionally, I got my 2Bs yesterday. I chose them over the B25s since they were quite a bit less expensive, their specs were very similar (B25s go down 10 more Hz), and someone indicated that they noticed no difference. I am, however, somewhat disappointed in the bass response from the 2Bs. I have the receiver set on "direct and stereo" which I believe is what I need to hear only sound from the mains. When I take it off direct though, my cheap 8" HTIB Kenwood Sub kicks in and really fills in the lower end. Any suggestions? Is it unrealistic to want full range sound with music from these speakers?

I would set the crossover on your receiver to 80 Hz.. At 60 Hz, the 2Bs are still pushing out bass. I would just go with the 9C if you have the money. If not, the 8C will serve you well

You cannot expect to get the same level of bass from them as you do your HTIB from Kenwood. One of things PSB does very right in its designs is to make the woofer not do anything its not designed to do. What I mean by that is it won't try and play a 40 Hz note , screw it up and put out a harmonic of 40 Hz. That in itself is what makes the Image line from PSB such an outstanding value. Its better to have a speaker that does things right rather than wrong. You can fix it with a sub .

That being said, you can coax more bass out of them by placing them near the corners of the room but that would defeat the remarkable sound stage these speakers can produce. You are best to go with a sub as you say. Out of the Subsonics mentioned, go for the 6i, not the 5i. The 5i is a good sub but the 6i is better. the 6i plays deeper, is as musical as the 5i and plays louder. Now that being said, make sure you buy the new 6i and not the older Subsonic6. The 6i is sooooooooooooooooooooo much better than the older 6. the older 6 were palgued with port chuffing problems

 

[Takeereasy]

I agree 100% with 3DB. The best crossover is most likely 80 hz, and as long as you do use a sub to fill in the lows you will not miss anything. 80 hz is the setting that THX uses as a crossover, and those guys know a little about sound. The 2Bs might not have the output of a powered sub (very very few bookshelfs do) but they really can put out some strong bass down to about 60hz, the problem is that 60hz isn't very low when it comes to bass, so you are missing the very bottom end of some recordings. The reason the 2Bs are such a great deal is because of what they do above 60hz. They do a great job (IMO) of reproducing sound the way it was recorded. I used to think that the 2Bs were best at Jazz and Blues or acoustic, but now that they have room to breath, and a more properly treated room they sound great with every type of music or soundtrack. One "weakness" you may notice is that the 2Bs will reveal the sound quality of a recording. What I mean by that is if there is any kind of distortion or errors on a recording you WILL hear them. Well recorded music and movies will become mandatory. MP3s will become the enemy, JK, you can still throw on an MP3 cd at a party, just don't switch to a redbook cd, otherwise you won't be able to switch back. As for subs PSB is under rated but I think you might want to shop around a bit. Compare the 6i to the Paradigm pw2200 or HSU VTF3_mkII. I may be way off due to pricing differences but the 2 subs I mentioned are ones I was considering. If you have any questions or concerns feel free to post again or PM me. I think 3db and myself could talk PSB for hours . Good luck and congrats on the new purchase. Just give them some time and start playing with positioning and I know you'll get great results.