Author Topic: PSB SPEAKERS OWNER SPEAKS OUT... (Read 241834 times)

esr101 · « **Reply #1320 on:** Mar 26, 2015 at 01:37 PM »

Anyone paired their psb speakers with vintage amps (SS or tube) such as sansui, dyanco etc....?

sientobente · « **Reply #1321 on:** Mar 27, 2015 at 01:05 AM »

I think vintage SS amps work, but if it's a tube amp, I am not a fan of the pairing.

esr101 · « **Reply #1322 on:** Mar 27, 2015 at 09:27 AM »

Quote from: sientobente on Mar 27, 2015 at 01:05 AM

I think vintage SS amps work, but if it's a tube amp, I am not a fan of the pairing.

Care to elaborate why you're not a fan of the pairing if tube amp?

Pandidoy · « **Reply #1323 on:** Mar 27, 2015 at 09:51 AM »

Paired my PSB B6 before with Marantz 2220 and Sansui A 607 and the results were ok naman.

luis · « **Reply #1324 on:** Mar 27, 2015 at 09:54 AM »

paired imagine b with heac07 kt88 (go to Luis' Mancave in the owner's gallery for details).

imagine b sounded like a floor stander, great combination. it's just that I was able to get 2 pairs of floorstanders that is why I was forced to sell the imagine B.

esr101 · « **Reply #1325 on:** Mar 27, 2015 at 10:04 AM »

Looking into a dynaco st-70 and psb combination for tube set-up. If solid state then looking for a sansui amplifier to pair it with.

luis · « **Reply #1326 on:** Mar 27, 2015 at 10:54 AM »

Quote from: esr101 on Mar 27, 2015 at 10:04 AM

Looking into a dynaco st-70 and psb combination for tube set-up. If solid state then looking for a sansui amplifier to pair it with.

PSBs are warm sounding and forgiving speakers, best to pair them with transparent or neutral or detailed sounding amp regardless whether ss or tube.

if you have a bookshelf pwede ss for more lows, if you have floorstander pwede tube for more details.

happy hunting.

esr101 · « **Reply #1327 on:** Mar 27, 2015 at 11:02 AM »

Its a PSB image T5 amp that i'm planning to pair with. I would want to maximize the potential of the speaker instead of just getting a new one.

luis · « **Reply #1328 on:** Mar 27, 2015 at 11:38 AM »

Quote from: esr101 on Mar 27, 2015 at 11:02 AM

Its a PSB image T5 amp that i'm planning to pair with. I would want to maximize the potential of the speaker instead of just getting a new one.

optimized result:

power: SS 120 - 150 wpc or tube 40 wpc and up

sound quality: depends on your preference.

my experience with T5 is that's its warmish with crisp highs.

still, best to audition.

esr101 · « **Reply #1329 on:** Mar 27, 2015 at 11:42 AM »

Specs you mentioned are exactly what i'm looking at. I'm still creating a list of what i want to listen to. So far I have the following so far:

1. Dynaco ST-70 series II with LPA
2. Sansui AU-D707F Extra Integrated amplifier

Mcintosh SS combo din possible but I think I need a better speaker for that one.

luis · « **Reply #1330 on:** Mar 27, 2015 at 12:03 PM »

Quote from: esr101 on Mar 27, 2015 at 11:42 AM

Specs you mentioned are exactly what i'm looking at. I'm still creating a list of what i want to listen to. So far I have the following so far:

1. Dynaco ST-70 series II with LPA
2. Sansui AU-D707F Extra Integrated amplifier

Mcintosh SS combo din possible but I think I need a better speaker for that one.

dynaco will give you details and lambing, emotional. jazz, voices, mellow song, standards.

no experience with sansui.

esr101 · « **Reply #1331 on:** Mar 27, 2015 at 12:04 PM »

How about rock like led zep, eric clapton or even metallica?

meat_eater · « **Reply #1332 on:** Mar 27, 2015 at 12:06 PM »

Quote from: esr101 on Mar 27, 2015 at 12:04 PM

How about rock like led zep, eric clapton or even metallica?

Just tube roll to your preferences, that's the beauty of tube amps.

esr101 · « **Reply #1333 on:** Mar 27, 2015 at 12:16 PM »

Quote from: meat_eater on Mar 27, 2015 at 12:06 PM

Just tube roll to your preferences, that's the beauty of tube amps.

Nice. Thanks for all the replies. Will prioritize tube amps muna

meat_eater · « **Reply #1334 on:** Mar 27, 2015 at 12:54 PM »

Quote from: esr101 on Mar 27, 2015 at 12:16 PM

Nice. Thanks for all the replies. Will prioritize tube amps muna

I paired my B6 to a 38 watt el34, and so far so good. I like it very much

Sometimes it's running nos, sometimes new, sometimes a mixture of new and nos.

Depende sa trip

But thats my subjective take on sound.

As long as the impedance of the speaker does not swing wildly, a tube amp can handle the speaker. The imagine T and image B6 barely dips down below 6 ohms across the frequency range.

The imagine t2, t3, and the Image t6/Imagine x2t are however, difficult loads, dipping down to around 2.8 - 3 ohms. For those, a good 4 ohm power amp is highly recommended.

Cheers

esr101 · « **Reply #1335 on:** Mar 27, 2015 at 02:05 PM »

Thanks for the reply.

I'm still curious sa sansui AU-d707F Extra or au-d907 + psb image t5 pairing. I will have to satisfy my curiosity on that one din.

sientobente · « **Reply #1336 on:** Mar 28, 2015 at 01:52 AM »

Quote from: esr101 on Mar 27, 2015 at 09:27 AM

Care to elaborate why you're not a fan of the pairing if tube amp?

What I like about PSB is their lively warm character and it has a lot of dynamics. I only have heard a KT88 tube amp(Cayin with stock tubes) paired with an Image & Synchrony. It loses a lot of that liveliness and dynamics that I like paired with that amp. I am used to PSB being forward sounding, with a tube amp, it tries to lay back a bit changing how the image should be projected. I am only guessing that with an EL34 amp, which usually has less current, it might change it even more.

But I do agree, it is a subjective taste. It's still PSB + SS amp for me. Not just any SS Amp, Rotel is a bad pairing in my opinion. I like warm and fat sounding SS amps paired with it like NAD, Musical Fidelity and Marantz.

esr101 · « **Reply #1337 on:** Mar 28, 2015 at 09:04 AM »

hmmmm. That's a good insight. I also consider psb forward sounding. I would definitely take your comments and see if I would arrive at the same one. Then I'll see if I like what I hear even if sound gets laid back.

_efren_ · « **Reply #1338 on:** Mar 30, 2015 at 08:14 PM »

Quote from: zram18 on Mar 25, 2015 at 08:03 PM

but how i wish i can afford that with the price of $3,750. hehe. siguro pagdating d2 sa pinas, abutin pa yan ng 180k pesos.

The $3750 price of the T3 is actually per PIECE! So $7500 for a pair. Definitely more than 180k pesos pag dating dito. Maybe around 360-380k is my guess.

The T3 is definitely PSB's new flagship. Positioned higher pa than the old Synchrony One.

meat_eater · « **Reply #1339 on:** Mar 31, 2015 at 07:12 AM »

Quote from: _efren_ on Mar 30, 2015 at 08:14 PM

The $3750 price of the T3 is actually per PIECE! So $7500 for a pair. Definitely more than 180k pesos pag dating dito. Maybe around 360-380k is my guess.

The T3 is definitely PSB's new flagship. Positioned higher pa than the old Synchrony One.

Probably the reason why the Synchrony line was culled. However, I think that the engineers in the PSB facility are cooking something, most likely a new top of the line model that would replace the old Synchrony...

Im sure it gonna sound good... and Im sure I wont be able to afford it. hehehehehhe

kranoz · « **Reply #1340 on:** Mar 31, 2015 at 07:59 AM »

How about T-amps (SMSL, Lepai, Topping) for PSB speakers?

Is this pairing any good?

armymanhaha · « **Reply #1341 on:** Mar 31, 2015 at 07:19 PM »

Quote from: meat_eater on Mar 31, 2015 at 07:12 AM

Probably the reason why the Synchrony line was culled. However, I think that the engineers in the PSB facility are cooking something, most likely a new top of the line model that would replace the old Synchrony...

Im sure it gonna sound good... and Im sure I wont be able to afford it. hehehehehhe

Damn, siguro nagmahal manufacturing na inaasahan ng PSB kaya ganyan kamahal yang bagong Imagine series nila. Makes me wonder how much the true successor to the Synchrony will be. Aluminum baffle and rear kasi tong Synchrony One B ko and the build is incredible for its price range dati. Pano pa pag naglabas si Barton ng kapalit :|

_efren_ · « **Reply #1342 on:** Apr 10, 2015 at 01:02 AM »

I agree it might have been production cost issues that made PSB retire the Synchrony line and focus on refining the Imagines. Considering the price of the T3 if Mr. Barton will introduce an even higher end speaker it will probably be statement class already and compete with the likes of Wilson and Vandersteen.

From the specs alone the T3 looks very good. Bass to 24Hz at -3dB on the listening axis, with extension to 20Hz. Will be interesting when professional reviews come in. Hopefully someone compares with the Synchrony One.

Arulco · « **Reply #1343 on:** Apr 10, 2015 at 12:52 PM »

Quote from: _efren_ on Apr 10, 2015 at 01:02 AM

Considering the price of the T3 if Mr. Barton will introduce an even higher end speaker it will probably be statement class already and compete with the likes of Wilson and Vandersteen.

Although I'm not ruling out the possibility that the parent company might decide to do that, Mr. Barton himself does not aspire PSB to come up with super exotic speakers in that price range since he places more importance in value and performance.

An Interview with Paul Barton of PSB Speakers and NAD Electronics - Head-Fi TV
https://youtu.be/qhQo5bKb06Y

armymanhaha · « **Reply #1344 on:** Apr 10, 2015 at 02:29 PM »

Yep ive watched his podcast interviews from scott wilkinson as well. He has a round earth philosophy in audio - meaning he invests in things that makes sense and less on snake oil stuff. Ganun din si alan shaw from harbeth and the guy from musical fidelity and TAD.

Arulco · « **Reply #1345 on:** Apr 10, 2015 at 04:54 PM »

Alan Shaw, the owner of Harbeth is an interesting fellow. I've been reading his posts in the Harbeth forums. He has very pragmatic views in matters of high fidelity audio with, dare I say, with an anti-audiophile sentiment. Its ironic how his brand appeals so much to those audiophiles in question.

_efren_ · « **Reply #1346 on:** Apr 11, 2015 at 01:50 AM »

"The guy from TAD" is referring to Andrew Jones right? I agree he has a no snake-oil attitude to audio, and he is famous for the very inexpensive BS22s but let's not forget he also made the very expensive TAD Reference Ones. I think the key here is despite the $80,000 price tag he sees the Reference One as not being a waste of money. "Worth it", so to speak.

I'd really like to see Paul Barton build something similar.

esr101 · « **Reply #1347 on:** Apr 19, 2015 at 08:07 PM »

Upgraded my PSB Alpha B1 to imagine XB and all I can say is that its really an amazing experience. Good bass, good detail and the mids are great.

The B1 is already a great budget speaker but if you really want to open up the sound this is really a recommended upgrade.

I was choosing between B&W 685 S2 and this one and this one is the clear winner for me.

Courage · « **Reply #1348 on:** Apr 19, 2015 at 08:41 PM »

Quote from: esr101 on Apr 19, 2015 at 08:07 PM

Upgraded my PSB Alpha B1 to imagine XB and all I can say is that its really an amazing experience. Good bass, good detail and the mids are great.

The B1 is already a great budget speaker but if you really want to open up the sound this is really a recommended upgrade.

I was choosing between B&W 685 S2 and this one and this one is the clear winner for me.

Congrats bro.. What amp are you matching the XB with?

esr101 · « **Reply #1349 on:** Apr 19, 2015 at 09:14 PM »

I matched it with a modified Sakura Av200T. It really matches well with the amp.