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Review 3 of 42
Price Paid:
$499.00
from N/A - listened at de Summary:
1.5 Stars.
This review is for the PSB Alpha T, PSB''s introductory level floorstanding speaker (I''m including it here until it receives a review spot for itself). The summary: avoid this speaker. It is lacking in most categories if you are interested in a speaker for music. First and foremost, it has what I call a small speaker sound - it sounds like someone placed a small tweeter and woofer in a box, and then placed that inside of a small tin shed - and is characterized by a very small but distinct echo.
It does not reproduce instruments or vocals accurately, particularly male voices, which come across very thin and strained sounding. Pianos and keyboards sound metallic and thin; drums are dull and boomy rather than sharp and crisp.
Imaging is unbelievable: I was shocked when I first listened to this speaker to find that precise placement of instruments on the soundstage is truly nonexistent. In fact, the Alpha T does not even have vague placement of instruments in the soundstage. All music in the left channel comes directly from the left speaker. All music in the right channel comes directly from the right speaker. This was the case with three different CD''s.
This speaker is a poor value. I ordered a pair of Aurasound LST627T speakers that are similar in size and specs to these from U-bid ($38 for pair, $92 with shipping) to serve as rear surrounds. The Aurasounds are not great speakers (fairly bright highs, vague midrange) but were better across the board than these PSB''s. Paradigm Phantoms were similar to the Alpha T''s, but featured better imaging, were slightly more accurate and had a slightly less obvious small speaker echo; the Monitor 7 fixes most of those faults but isn''t brilliant in the imaging or accuracy department. Phase Tech Teatro 7 was similar to the Phantoms, but more efficient, with a bigger soundstage. If you have to have a small inexpensive floorstander, the Mirage FRX-5 is a much more accurate and all around pleasing speaker than this PSB, but is very smooth and mellow, and is not very efficient ($300 shipped from tweeter.com)
Note, I listened to two different pairs of Alpha T''s at different dealers (both with NAD systems) and the poor results were identical with both pairs. Strengths:
Ok efficiency and moderately low bass for a speaker of this class makes it acceptable for home theater use. Weaknesses:
Extremely poor imaging; small speaker sound; inaccurate reproduction of instruments and vocals; cheap vinyl cabinet finish. Similar Products Used:
Mirage FRX-5; Paradigm Phantom and Monitor 7; Phase Technology Teatro 7.5; AuraSound LST 627T
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