CNET editors' review
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CNET editors' rating:
stars
Excellent
Detailed editors' rating
- Reviewed on: 02/07/2005
We like the gently curved, perforated steel grille--it's a nice styling touch--and the speakers weigh a solid 8.8 pounds each, with measurements of 11.25 inches high, 6.5 inches wide, and 9.25 inches deep. The front and rear baffles are structural plastic while the cabinet itself is fabricated from 0.63-inch-thick medium-density fiberboard.
The Alpha B has a two-way, woofer and tweeter design. A 5.25-inch polypropylene woofer is mated with a 0.75-inch aluminum dome tweeter. Power handling is specified at 10 to 90 watts, though we hammered the little guys with a 125-watt-per-channel amplifier for hours on end without any ill effects. Gold-plated binding posts will accommodate bare speaker wire leads, U-shaped spade connectors, or banana jacks.Wall mounting is an option; you can use either the keyhole slot or the 1/4-20 brass inserts. Just be aware that the B is a rear-ported design, and wall mounting may affect the speaker's bass response. For the record, we almost always prefer the sound of speakers on floorstands, so check out PSB's dedicated stand for the Alpha B, the SP25i.
The Alpha B is just the beginning of the Alpha series line. There's also a center channel, the Alpha C ($229), essentially an enlarged Alpha B with two (instead of one) 5.25-inch woofers and the same 0.75-inch tweeter; the Alpha T ($549/pair), a tower with the same speaker array as the Alpha C; and the wedge-shaped Alpha S ($399/pair) surround speakers. The Alpha Intro LR and CLR round out the line.
To save some money, you'd use the Alpha Bs (instead of the more expensive Ts) as your front and rear speakers, as well as your surrounds, then add an Alpha C in the center along with PSB's matching SubZero i ($299) subwoofer. For a little more than $1,000, you'd have a superb home-theater speaker system.
Some audiophiles are fixated on something they call "transparency." They go for components with minimal distortion; transparent sound is purer and cleaner than run-of-the-mill designs. Continue readingMost helpful user reviews
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