astravitz

Overall Rating
 4 of 5

Value Rating
 5 of 5

Used product for
More than 1 year

Visitors rate this review
1.00 of 5, 1.00 votes

Price Paid:  $400.00 from Manhattan, NY

Summary:
I actually gave my entire PSB set to a family member years ago, but recently got to hear them again. I must say that the 3LR was one of the best speakers PSB ever made. If you are really into Home Theatre then these are the speakers for you. They matched perfectly with the 8C. Some manufactures charge thousands for THX Matix sound. These speakers were able to produce the same type of effect. They are clear, open and musical. They really shine with HT. One of the configurations is to use 4 of them for your mains and rears. For some reason PSB discontinued this amazing speaker. They are now pushing Bipole speakers in the rear. Today the only option is to use 5 matching C60 or C40. It turns out that the specifications on the PSB Center Channel speaker was almost identical to the 3LR. Infact it was basically a center speaker turned vertical. I ended up going to Triangle Speakers, which were far superious in cost and musicality, but the PSB were somehow better on HT. I'm now back with PSB for the molement with the T55, C60, S50 & 6i. It's to soon for a full review of the newer image series, but I can tell you that a very, very long break in period is required (about 100 hours).

Strengths:
Price, ability to perfectly match the center for perfectly balanced sound. A rear channel with excellent midrange and some bass.

Weaknesses:
PSB discontinued this speaker. Now you have to turn the Center vertical to get the same effects.

Price Paid:  $0.00

Summary:
I''''m running them as front mains with my Onkyo 898 set to "small". A 9C center completes the front with a HSU VTF-2 subwoofer and a pair of 10S surrounds. The 3LR''''s do not produce sufficient bass when set to "large" and sound much better with a sub.

Strengths:
Clarity, good value, great sound stage with the 9C.

Weaknesses:
Black ash veneer finish is not to my liking. I prefer the textured laminate finish of the 10S''''s, but with this much value and sound for the dollar, who can complain.

Price Paid:  $345.00 from Speaker Hut

Summary:
I purchased these speakers simply because they were the best sounding speakers I could afford. I was so pleased with them I stayed in the PSB family for my next purchase (6T & 9C). Even though they are now assigned rear duty I still enjoy them. They give a great warm clean feel to the music I like to listen to. All my acoustic stuff sounds like it''s live.

Strengths:
Great sound from relatively small speakers. Biggest bang for the buck.

Weaknesses:
They will force you to buy more PSB speakers.

Similar Products Used:
Some older Yamaha speakers that didn''t come close.

Price Paid:  $330.00 from Audio Concepts

Summary:
It took a little while for me to decide if I liked these speakers. I had them on stands that were 30 inches and that raised them a little to high. They sounded somewhat harsh at the high frequencies until I lowered them down a little closer to the floor. I agree with the previous reviewer that they need a break in period before you can really appreciate the sound. At first I was trying them in different locations, turning them upside down, anything I could think of to get the shrillness out of the highs. Either my ears changed or I got the location right or the speakers themselves changed but I find them very pleasant to listen to now and they provide a great soundstage.
Paired up with a good subwoofer you will have an excellent sounding system.

Strengths:
Crisp good sound at low levels as well as high. Nice soundstage and used with a subwoofer gives you a full range speaker.

Weaknesses:
Somewhat bright if you can't place them correctly in the room.

Similar Products Used:
Cambridge Soundworks, ESS, Altec Lansing,

Price Paid:  $320.00 from online

Summary:
I've owned these speakers for about 2 months now, and have had enough time listening to give my opinion. I purchased these speakers to temporarily serve a front mains until I can afford something a bit more full range. Upon the purchase of the Image 4T, 5T, or 6t, these 3LRs will go to the rear for surround duty.
So, for the time being these speakers have been serving as front mains on 16 inch stands about three feet between the back of the speaker and the rear wall, and about four to five feet from the side walls. I also use the 3LRs along with a 9C for movies.
Here is my review. First, the sound... The sound of these speakers is very accurate. The midrange compares to the Monitor Audio speakers that I've had in my system in the past. The highs are not harsh or excessive in the least, although a previous reviewer has expressed his concerns with the sound as overly bright. I must admit that his review gave me reason to pause, as I have hardwood floors in my listening room, and this environment is hardly forgiving to a speaker with overly enthusiastic highs. I went ahead with the purchase anyway, and was rewarded with refined treble that is smooth and not fatiguing in the least, even with hardwood floors. Now for the Bass... Well there really isn't much to speak of. The bass is flat to 60 Hz on my room, according to a RS sound meter and Stereophile Test CD test tones. Below 60, it drops off to almost nothing. Despite this lack of bass, I run the speakers full range unless I'm watching a movie. At for movies or bass heavy music, I simply enable the subwoofer. After all, that's what it is there for.
The day before yesterday a friend of mine brought over a pair of Monster Cable Z2 Bi Wire speaker cable as a birthday gift. Now I must say that I'm not a fan of Monster Cable in general, I think that most of the benefits are over hyped and over priced. I'm not sure if it was the cable it self or the fact that I went from a single 12-gauge wire to the Bi Wire, but the difference is simply stunning. The highs and sound staging are stunning now and the bass has a bit more punch to it. I would highly recommend the move to a Bi Wire setup if it were within your means.
Overall, I'm unaware of any bookshelf speakers that beat the balanced presentation and imaging present in the 3LR. If bass is what you want, look elsewhere or get a sub. The subsonic 7 works quite well... ;o)
.

Strengths:
Imaging, balanced sound, resolution of complex passages...

Weaknesses:
Mone for the money...

Similar Products Used:
JBL Pro Audio, Monitor Audio,