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This review first appeared in the June 2011 issue of hi-end hifi magazine fairaudio.de of Germany. You can also read this review of the PSB B6 in its original German version. We publish its English translation in a mutual syndication arrangement with the publishers. As is customary for our own reviews, the writer's signature at review's end shows an e-mail address should you have questions or wish to send feedback. All images contained in this review are the property of fairaudio or PSB - Ed.

Reviewer: Jochen Reinecke
Sources: iPod Video 80GB with Pure i-20 dock; Marantz SA 7001 CD/SACD, Yamaha CD-S 1000; Pro-Ject Xpression III mit Ortofon OM 30 Super
Amplification: Funk LAP-2  and Dynavox TPR-2 preamps,Yamaha A-S2000, Trends Audio TA-10.2 SE and Yarland FV-34C III integrated amps, Myryad MXA 2150 power amp
Loudspeakers: PSB Synchrony One, Nubert nuBox 681, Nubert nuBox 101 with AW 441 subwoofer, DIY transmission line with F120A widebander
Cables: AVI Deep Blue interconnect, Kimber 4 VS LS
Review component retail: €600/pr


It seems fair to call PSB Speakers founder Paul Barton the Canadian equivalent of Germany’s Günter Nubert. Granted, PSB has the larger international presence and no direct sales. But consider the overlap. Like Nubert, PSB began in the 70s as an engineering-driven one-man outfit. Like Nubert, PSP grew over the decades into a real presence with a broad catalogue of affordable compact boxes with surround and wall-mount versions up to mature floorstanders. To cap it off, the top model from either firm—Nubert’s nuVero14 and PSB’s Synchrony One—demands that you lay out €4.000/pr.


PSB’s portfolio spans various ranges. The entry-level Alpha series includes a monitor, center and two compact towers from €150 to €500/pr. The Image series follows with three stand mounts—today’s B6 tester is the largest one of these—two compact towers, two center channels and one surround model. Both Alpha and Image range use vinyl-wrapped MDF boxes. Real wood veneers enter with the 5-deep Imagine range whilst things top out fully with the Synchrony line and its two each monitors, towers and center channels plus one rear. The portfolio then ties up with seven subwoofers plus various in-walls and one outdoor/sound reinforcement model.


The PSB Image B6 comes home with you to the mellow tune of €600. What does that buy? First off a cosmetically serious and far from inelegant box. There’s black Ash or Cherry lookalike vinyl; a 30mm MDF carcass with subdued curves and a decoupled front baffle; a ferrofluid-cooled 25mm Titanium dome for the treble; and a 165mm mid/woofer with a light-yellow shimmering compound polypropylene/ceramic diaphragm. The loading is classic bass reflex via 40mm back-firing port. The gold-plated biwire terminals seem twice solid for the asking price. 90dB/W/m voltage sensitivity is friendly to weaker amps and the minimum recommended power of 20wpc confirms it. But as late chancellor Helmut Kohl was fond of putting it, "what really matters is what comes out the front". Jawohl. Let’s check into that next.

 
In 2005 Indie rockers Moi Caprice released You Can’t Say No Forever as an exciting well-tempered album which I’d call archetypal Power Pop. The catchy and energetic songs are filled with hooks and fat orchestrations and multi-layered production values are tops. It’s ear candy in short which has you discover more even after many repeats. "To The Lighthouse” makes for a good entry. The intro of saturated synths and delay guitars gives way to the lyrics which are accompanied by a cleverly programmed drum computer, wiry bass and a feel-good sonic canvas which swings toward a glorious hymn of a refrain.