PSB Passif 50, EASY DOES IT!

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

*There’s an Audiophiliac/Steve Guttenberg imposter scamming my viewers, There’s no FREE gifts. DON’T respond! I don't do giveaways or ask for money (except for my Patreon)*

[@markyexley9440]

The 'In Groove' had the same problem

[@lexicon612]

First of all let me say, always lots of respect for you and what you do. If you don't start using better recordings for your equipment evaluations...nostalgia is one thing. Evaluating equipment using substandard recordings diminishes your evaluation as a whole. I found the recordings you mentioned almost unlistenable and could not imagine trying to evaluate any piece of equipment's capabilities with them. Why would you is my question.

[@rl9810]

@@lexicon612 It was the entire point of that section of the review. I'm not sure how you missed it. Some speakers make bad recordings sound good, or at least listenable. He was determining whether the PSBs were one of those kinds of speakers.

[@lexicon612]

@@rl9810 Thanks, guess I missed that part. I just assumed it was an introduction to the special edition speakers. This review still has me wondering how the speakers might perform with a track not recorded 4 or 5 decades ago. I love Steve, we share the same name. I'm just no where near where he is with the oldies but goodies. Speakers resolving capabilities are my main interest. So I was a little disappointed. Thought I would give him a lil crap for being such a slave to the oldies. Happy to know he has loyal defenders like you. Very nice to meet you R.L. 😎

[@bobb.9917]

@@lexicon612 The band Wilco is new to me and very listenable…Quirky and fun ….and als the albums that I listened to very decently recorded….but then… I understand that everything does not have to be an "audiophile" recording in my listening world…..Real world….😀

[@violao206]

The credenza was the real star of that Viewer's System of the Day. That mid-century piece is just gold!

[@funkjunkie123]

Thanks Steve for sharing my system on your show. I’m really humbled by all the positive feedback 😊

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

Thank you Steven!

[@malco49]

i have a sweet pair of PSB Image b25 bookshelf speakers now going on 20 years old and i really like them! glad to see some love being thrown PSB's way.

[@jeffreythurston1822]

What a beautiful viewer system of the day!😍

[@dk4wncp]

Wasn't the symmetry nice?

[@petedetraglia4776]

I've owned PSB tower speakers and they were absolutely amazing. The way Paul tunes his speakers are amazing. Detailed highs but never harsh, smooth creamy mids, and depending on speaker have solid but not overwhelming bass...Love they was Paul crosses over his speakers...I use my SVS sealed subwoofer when I want to drop into the heavy bass under 30hz...My SVS will hit to the point you feel like it will cave in your chest.. LOVE Canadian speakers and those anechoic chambers they tune with...

[@charliewilliams9811]

That's beautiful User System of the Day!

[@3dimensionsofmusic3D]

Beautiful system of the day. Thanks for sharing. Greg

[@dk4wncp]

I've never seen such praise going to the system of the day--this one's a hit!

[@rickmurphy2960]

I love your reviews! And major thanks for spending the time with Paul Barton and releasing that podcast. I was lucky enough to spend 20 mins or so chatting with him in the Saturday Audio Exchange room which highlighted his new Synchrony line at the 2022 Axpona show in the suburbs of Chicago. His work with Dr Floyd Toole (and the creation of that now famous NRC process) makes him one of very few speaker designers who we can easily state has changed how *the entire industry* makes speakers.

[@stimpy1226]

Nice system today. I like the viewer of the day thoughtfulness and ability to rehab that turned into a beautiful system.

[@Niels133]

Nice review. In the beginning of the video, I saw the 200 Motels album, wich reminds me to play that again.

[@luckyrocks1]

I'm sure I have thanked you before in other videos but damn-it! Thank you again! for turning me on to so many great musicians and recordings I would have never stumbled upon on my own! I look forward to all your channel postings!

[@harleyn3089]

Zu and PSB are two of my favorite speaker brands. Paul Barton and Sean Casey were both regulars at RMAF. They don't agree on much of anything, but both make great speakers with totally different approaches.

[@WindomRettes]

The viewer system is fantastic!

[@frankgeeraerts6243]

Fully agree with you .....

[@stephencharlton2024]

great review, as always... and what a magnificent viewer system..... real "class"

[@tee-jaythestereo-bargainph2120]

Thank you Steve , You got me including more music in my reviews as well - Keep 🎸 my dude !

[@hoobsgroove]

you getting my comments???

[@tee-jaythestereo-bargainph2120]

@@hoobsgroove No where at ?

[@hoobsgroove]

@@tee-jaythestereo-bargainph2120 on your channel recently! i remember we had this before!

[@truman4956]

My cats would love the cloth grill.

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

Great, buy just the grilles!

[@Trance88]

To me, the PSB Passif 50 is the most intriguing speaker on the market right now. I'd love to hear a set in person. I'm glad to hear everyone seems to think they sound awesome. They fit my dream style so well (Mid-Century Modern). I'm sure they'd be a HUGE upgrade from my early 90's, Sansui tower speakers made out of MDF and they have no dampening material on the inside.

[@aitchr8770]

Great review as ever. It sounded like it had a similar impression on you as the Mission 770.

[@JerryFerreri]

Steve thank you for saying those words: “Wilco are one of my favorite bands”. Kudos!

[@bobb.9917]

Thanks for Wilco, Steve! …Fun, quirky and enjoyable. 👍🏼

[@dan-qe1tb]

Thank you so much for this review! I had grown up in greater Toronto, and as you might imagine. PSB and Paradigm are highly touted brands there, and I had owned speakers from both brands as I was growing up. Audiophiles there, grow up thinking that the massive economy of the US, has it over most of Canadian manufacturing, but not always when it comes to speakers and amps! Both sides are protectionist; there's a five percent tariff I think when it crosses the border. I think I will be looking at the B600 and Founders 40B instead. It does seem like the retro speaker group for the most part, has a warmed over, pleasant sound. Many of them may not be be the last word in detail; they are voiced to sound smooth, friendly to rock music, and not "having glare".

[@johncribbs8382]

NAD 😊

[@kentonkirkpatrick5225]

Was excited to see the ad for the PSBs in the magazines. Upon investigation, had the air let out of my balloon after learning the Passifs are two-way with a passive radiator. WTF? 'C'mon man! Put a real woofer in the box!

[@andrehendrik]

'seems to be a reoccurring theme with the recent 70s retro speakers: very relaxed, great midrange, not fatiguing -- if that's indeed the case, then the question becomes if Passif 50s are better than their more affordable competitors

[@edwilliams3321]

That's the issue isn't it. Better is a subjective term. If you want hyper critical detail and imaging that's a different 'better' than 'great dynamics' which is different to 'general purpose' great sound that I'd like in my house. For me the Passf 50s might be the 'best' option. But I might need to check out the Klipsch Heresy first just because. Lol

[@andrehendrik]

@@edwilliams3321 Fair point re the inherent subjectivity of "better" -- that said, the thrust of my comment is that a Passif 50 review should compare them to the Lintons, KLH 5s etc, since the prospective buyer is in the market for a speaker with a classic/retro aesthetic.

[@jeffwatson4908]

I remember Paul during his University of Waterloo days and his clear passion for speaker design. After his last year there and his opportunity to advance his talents in speaker research in Ottawa he wasted no time in producing the first commercial speakers that would be his entrance into the audiophile world. I hope in later years that he was easier on amplifiers than he was at Waterloo! 😊

[@anklebar1]

I’ve been waiting for this for a while! Really helpful review! Can I suggest more shots of @steve with the products please?

[@thomaswachter7782]

It's a beautiful design.

[@Kane26510]

I'm a big fan of PSB speakers (when I see good example pairs for sale in thrifts, I grab them). For years I had no idea what PSB stood for. I guess it's Paul S Barton. So thanks for that.

[@crazyprayingmantis5596]

Paul & Sue Barton Him and his wife

[@JukeboxAlley]

That's a great system of the day, very nice. With the vintage look coming back (for good reason), I'll be awaiting a modern version of the pioneer hpm-100 and legendary AR3a!

[@markmaloof2984]

Completely agree on Wilco, one of the best rock bands in the last couple of decades. The speakers make me nostalgic for being a kid/early teenager in the 70s, it looks like it could be from that decade (and I guess the original was!) It seems like a fun/enjoyable speaker, musical and relaxing but with enough detail to not obscure the little things.

[@johncribbs8382]

The Amazing alpha SE ear level height❤. I don't buy paradigms because I'm not into/qualified replacing foam surrounds.

[@redstarwraith]

Would have loved to hear Duke Ellington or Bob Marley through those.

[@kjltube]

I picked up a pair of these recently replacing my ls50’s and largely agree with so regarding the Passif 50’s signature. One thing I would say is try towing them in more for more realistic imaging as this is what worked for me. Maybe this is obviously but it’s worth noting that the paperwork that comes with the speakers seems to suggest the same thing regarding placement. Point them at you. Cheers Steve.

[@ThanhLe-xt2xy]

Is it a big step up from ls50 ?thx

[@dougg1075]

Beautiful SOTD

[@AsifLiaquat]

I wish this was priced closer to Linton than klh 5's.

[@bhob666]

I like the system of the day. Minimal and classy

[@tonybeef1142]

I own 6 pairs of PSB speakers . My favorites are the " New Avante " $20.00 cdn.garage sale score . p.s. yes I have a problem 😉

[@AlarusOne]

Hah! For once I actually listened to the podcast *before* * I watched this vid. Both were awesome, though I do believe that I like the pictures more.

[@fredfungalspore]

Reminds me of my early 80s Electrovoice EV3s Interface home three way passive radiator speakers.I have always wondered why Electrovoice never pursued the home Audio speaker market but decided to stay with Professional Line of speakers?....... I like these passive 50s....

[@glenncurry3041]

I do not remember PSB back in the day? Not sure why I missed them. Disappointed the LRS+ was not included in the comparisons.

[@rickc661]

Lookin great , I love the modern retro trend. of course my ' new' speakers are KEF Meta 50 , not exactly retro. What I would do ( yea sure ) IF I was KEF - take the R3 , - substitute the 8 inch bass from their ' kube' sub... make a bigger cabinet than the R3 , I'm guessing 2 in wider / taller would match the size of the sub.... and reduce Xover to say 100 hz , take voices out of the 'bass'. nitpick. ... darn nice lookin ' classic' viewer system.

[@mpi5850]

Take the voices out of the bass? Maybe for the LS-50 but the R3 is a true three-way.

[@carlitomelon4610]

Thanks Steve. Darko mentioned the stands are "wood"…..how stable are they? Enjoyed the MoFi comparison. Sounds like they're more of a large "bookshelf" monitor style speaker. Would a pair of RELs flesh out the MoFi's sound? Big price difference but good to know. 🎵🎶🤔🎶

[@williamlegall2988]

"Thumbs-up if you like this video".......That's a funny thing for one Steve Guttenberg to suggest. For the life of me, I cannot imagine anyone not loving every single episode, and many consider Steve to be a National Treasure (including myself) I dare to say, that this is the most universally-loved audio expert that I know of.

[@peterhaslund]

A steal at that price

[@jamesschneider3828]

So you tell us about an Album that is not fantastic but tolerable to listen to. Great recommendation? I'll take the Zoo but add a midrange 5.5 to 6.5 inch add $500 and you will have, maybe a Mission 770.

[@Novilicious]

The Andrew Jones point source 10 is what I’d go with instead of this for 30% more

[@crazyprayingmantis5596]

Have you heard both?

[@howard5992]

Source Point 10 = $ 3700 a pair Passif 50 = $2500 a pair

[@Gary_M]

I don't get the point of the passive radiator in this speaker, they should have just made it a 3 way with a real woofer.

[@tedthomas9809]

What of the old Advent 2 way speakers. I loved them. That would have been in the early 1970's. Any thoughts on them?

[@TriAmpHiFi]

A nice respite. Very enjoyable.

[@markusschulzbro]

Thank you Steve! Looking forward for Hegel review, hope you gonna pair it with ls50 meta 🙏

[@wgs57]

Sorry to get off track to a great video…but does anyone know what sound dampening panels that Steve has on his walls? Many thanks! Steve I watch all your videos and I really enjoy every one of them. The B&W image to the left of the panels looks like a Diane Arbus photo. Bill in Nova Scotia.

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

Hi Bill, thanks for watching. The diffusion panels are made by GIK acoustics. The photograph is of Jimi Hendrix, taken from the Monterey Pop film. The original was in color.

[@Nick2842]

Hi Steve, on a previous review on Bryston b60 driving Maggie’s lrs, I asked if the Bryston is better and by how much than the Rogue Coronus mk2 which I’m using now, I would really appreciate your opinions thxNick

[@benzionkrick7552]

Sounds like it could be a good speaker for a bedroom system.

[@j.kearney8058]

Would love to know your thought on the Passif 50 compared to the KEF LS 50, with a Bryston 3B ?

[@sampahtetapsam21]

Hi steve How it compare to ur recent review mission 770

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

I don’t have 770s here for comparison, but as I recall, they are more transparent and open sounding speakers. But they cost $5500 a pair.

[@rickc661]

@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac oops, yea.$5500. - ANY speaker over say $1000 a pr should sound darn good these days, add or reduce the tone control a bit for personal pref. and poof. Beauty in the eye of...

[@RennieAsh]

@@rickc661 some of them don't measure evenly enough to simply use tone controls lol

[@MH-rl9ep]

@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac The new Mission 700’s would probably be a closer comparison price-wise.

[@johnevans9751]

SOtD: mid-century modern with a 70s flavor. Is he running a separate basic amp because that receiver's output circuit can have problems after 50 years, or simply because 70 rms isn't enough?

[@vtkz]

Wow, and i thought stuff like the KLH speakers are ugly…

[@alexstewart8097]

Easy does it?...Speaking about yourself Steve...?. Still with you though...Shema!!!

[@jonathanmoore8886]

Friggin love Wilco. Jesus Etc is one my reference tracks.

[@delvalle9256]

Surprised that you seem to not overtly prefer the source point . Those types of tuning seems to be your preference over the years .

[@gjnbouwmeester5860]

It reminds me of my beloved Kef104aB ref. which i still use (modified though). Would it come into 'fashion' ever again too..???

[@thaddeusyost9331]

Mr. Guttenberg! Can you do a review of PSB's headphones? I've had a few of their pairs up till their newest MK II... I actually returned those because they just sounded... small? Anyway, love PSB and want to know if it's time to move on from them :(

[@praneshr22]

How about the comparison with mighty Lintons !! Almost same right?

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

Good question! I wish I had superpowers that allowed me to compare speakers from three or four years ago to the one I’m reviewing today. So all I can say is they are both really good speakers.

[@tee-jaythestereo-bargainph2120]

@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac Steve you been threw a lot speakers goodness !

[@ryanschipp8513]

I'm not liking the size of the speaker. It's as if they were confused and not sure if they should make a full size Tower or a bookshelf speaker. Looks really silly to me.

[@richardsmith2721]

I used to live in Wicker Park in the 90's when Jeff Tweedy was in Ukrainian Village. They are west neighborhoods of Chicago and probably the most like Brioklyn. He would play all the local clubs with and without Wilco.

[@jogmas12]

All these speaker companies doing retro products but without the retro price tags

[@LarcR]

It's usually not so bad when you check the value of those retro dollars today. The $600 I spent for a pair of Polk Monitor 10 speakers in 1979 was equivalent to about $2460 now.

[@REX4340]

Great review! At this price, Harbeth maybe a better compromise.

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

Harbeth sound is fantastic, but considerably more expensive than this one.

[@villageroma]

This smokes the MoFi Sourcepoint 10 out of the water

[@ryanschipp8513]

They both aren't very good especially for the money. Get a real speaker. A three-way Tower.

[@mpi5850]

LMFAO - in what way?

[@villageroma]

@@ryanschipp8513 I know.. already have my Harbeth 3 way. Miles away of these.

[@champamp]

Which Ellington album?

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

As shown in the video, it was jazz party. Thanks for watching.

[@jked7463]

So these are for general living room speakers while the point source speaker is more for critical listening.

[@bruceclarke4383]

Paul&Sue Barton?

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

Bingo!

[@peterlarkin762]

Aw that's nice:) Like Spendor... Spencer and Doris

[@davidsteiner7155]

Lost me with china. Guess my Ar3s will remain.

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

Right, why change now?

[@peterlarkin762]

It's not speaker companies fault, or the consumers, it's just the way the global economy went. I would not be able to afford quality speakers made in UK or US. The globalised cheap production model won't last and I've no regrets taking advantage of it. P.S I hand built my amps and preamps at home - all top quality parts. Where do the connectors, buttons, heatsinks, half the components come from? China. Also most high voltage power transformers used by power industry, around the world, are made by China.

[@larrywe3320]

Everything old is New again...

[@pkats9093]

I have no doubt that PSB makes great speakers. And I think Steve’s assessment is pretty spot on across the brand as a whole. But, that is why I’ve never owned a pair. They just don’t have enough soul for me.

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

OK, I get it. What do you use?

[@pkats9093]

@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac Right now my Vienna Acoustics Bach grands. But I switch those out with my old Snell type D & Maggie LRS. I should add that I haven’t gone out and listened to any PSB in a while. I probably should again.

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

@@pkats9093 Thanks! Yes, you should listen to these Passifs.

[@FOH3663]

@@twhalen I've not heard these ... however Steve's opinion was the opposite of bright and forward.

[@scrambaba]

I just say no to buying anything from China, or any non-rule of law state, if I have any choice in the matter.

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

So, where was your amplifier, digital, analog, and speakers made?

[@scrambaba]

@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac Newer purchases include amp in canada, speakers in usa. Older components made in China. I get that parts are often made in China, but that isn’t in my control, at least not at this point.

[@scrambaba]

@@XZE7 I think you missed the part of my comment where I said if I had any choice in the matter. China’s quasi monopolistic stranglehold on certain electronics makes it almost possible to completely get away from giving them money, which only underlines the global threat China poses.

[@scrambaba]

@@XZE7 Well, if you have ethics and principles you consider price as one of the considerations, but not the only one. Buy fewer pieces, but better quality and make a promise to yourself to keep them a long time. If you can’t afford stuff not made in China or another low wage state you can buy good quality stuff used or even trade or whatever. Or buy a cheap Chinese amp but save for better speakers made in your home country. I know this is hard for a typical consumerist to accept but it is a better way to go forward.

[@scrambaba]

@@XZE7 No. I completely disagree with your unsupported generalizations about equipment from other states. There is some good stuff from China and there is lots of crap out of China. I never said or implied it was all garbage. But you obviously don’t understand or don’t want to understand that buying Chinese equipment gives money and economic power to a murderous Communist dictatorship that perpetrates genocide and is trying to create an empire and to have war with the US and other democratic states and to invade the free and democratic nation of Taiwan.

[@badbruise]

I see 200 motels in the background

[@welshrarebit9238]

Is that why you watch audio reviews. For crap like 200 motels ?

[@dancomiskey2101]

Get 200 Motels : The Suites

[@danmar007]

Quite an accomplishment for a Canadian company.

[@HanifBarnwell]

back handed compliment (unless you previously owned a pair of Nuance speakers, then we laugh in pain together)

[@mpi5850]

How so? There are many, many outstanding audio companies that are Canadian. To name just a few: Totem, Bryston, Paradigm, Tetra, …. Maybe educate yourself before spewing nonsense.

[@muralidharan06]

First

[@TriAmpHiFi]

nice

[@glennjones6574]

$100 a month?? You had better be a licensed therapist!!!! Lol

[@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac]

I am an audio therapist, lots of people pay me to solve their problems. $50 amounts get to 15 minutes with me.

[@sharingfamspace3156]

@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac 😅that was a refreshing response.

[@jamesschneider3828]

I have friends come over and for the price of a 12 pack they advise me on how my system sounds. Are you telling me that I to fork over a $100 for their advisory services? If so they need to bring the beer and pizza. ✌

[@glennjones6574]

I mean that's someone that needs serious audio advice on a monthly basis....lol

[@glennjones6574]

@@SteveGuttenbergAudiophiliac i was being a Smart ass.....sorry if i struck a nerve

[@hoobsgroove]

speaker manufacturers, stop using MDF or HDF it is toxic to work with and toxic for the environment when it decays, and can't be recycled not eco-friendly. you better of using bamboo resin glued match better quality of material than MDF and environmental friendly, Acoustically better! and to work with. China must have tons of bamboo surely must be cheap to manufacture over there then MDF?? Sustainable growth quickly good for the environment a green product MDF isn't. somebody's knocking are you going to let them in🤗 you did ?? considering the choppy editing 😂

[@westelaudio943]

Doesn't matter, since it is not a throwaway product. Fiber board like MDF generally has the best acoustic characteristics, but it's just awkward to work with. I have built speakers from Plywood (multiplex) but I can't afford that stuff anymore. Now I went back to using MDF and particle board again.

[@hoobsgroove]

@@westelaudio943 yes particular board/chipboard better acoustically. I don't see why bamboo board should be expensive shouldn't be

[@westelaudio943]

@@hoobsgroove Never heard about bamboo speakers though - bamboo itself isn't that expensive but since it's very hard material from a hollow tree it will be hard to process into flat panels. Also speaker wood doesn't need to be hard, it should be soft actually to dampen resonances. The exception are speaker cabinets which are designed to resonate but that's a very niche design philosophy.

[@hoobsgroove]

@@westelaudio943 bamboo is not a tree it's a grass! and it's better acoustically dead than MDF or wood it's the ideal material sound resonance control.

[@westelaudio943]

@@hoobsgroove Yes, technically it's structure is like grass but it's as tall as a tree ... And broccoli is a ‘tree‘ the size of a vegetable. It's all a matter of definition I guess. Also I can't comment on the acoustic properties of bamboo as I've never heard a bamboo speaker and I also wouldn't know where to buy bamboo panels to build a speaker from. It's just not really a thing, as of yet at least.

[@rompstar]

Bahhh not impressed, ugly …. My opinion, would never spend $2500 on that and sound is only ok.

[@stpierreorama]

Did you give them a listen?

[@rompstar]

@@stpierreorama too ugly, plenty of good looking speakers out there to try ;)