PSB Synchrony B600 Bookshelf Speaker Review Discussion

PSB has been a reliably good loudspeaker manufacturer for decades now, and we are revisiting them in our review of the Synchrony B600 bookshelf speakers from their flagship loudspeaker line. The B600 are a 6 1/2" two-way speaker that employ PSB's best driver tech with Linkwitz-Riley crossovers. They are expensive, so the question we ask is will how do they perform in their price range and compare to other venerable giants like Revel and Perlisten? Watch our livestream with James Larson to find out.
Read our PSB B600 review: www.audioholic...
PSB Synchrony B600 Product info: www.psbspeaker...
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[@bingdong8571]

James is one of the only audio engineers I can stand on youtube. Modesty and brains

[@scottlowell493]

Many audio engineers you see on youtube Axiom are only there to sell their product, especially by talking smack about other technologies. Faux science.

[@petedetraglia4776]

I owned a pair of PSB towers a few years ago. They had the smoothest mids I've heard so far in the price range that I could afford. Jazz and classical music sounded amazing through them... To my ears the tuning is excellent. Great company and affordable when you can catch them on sale...Great video...

[@steverosales2616]

James is the realest scientific audio dude on KZbin ❤

[@chinmeysway]

how do? that’s not very likely at all; there’s two others who would def fit that description more so!

[@kingdavid7571]

I've heard that PSB (and Focal) arrange the tweeter below the mid/woof because there is a little less lobing in the crossover region toward the larger driver, and thus when standing there is a little better sound as you are off the vertical sweet spot, but with less lobing in this configuration. When seated in the audiophile sweetspot it is the same quality. So a little better sound when standing.

[@patdaley9098]

Yes. James should ask Paul Barton why they put the woofer on top! They are meant to be best on the woofer axis, and so he should measure them on the woofer axis, instead of the tweeter axis, which is better for most 2 way speakers which have the tweeter on top. He notes the FR is flatter on the woofer axis, so he should measure the response on the woofer axis. I believe Paul says it makes it a more social speaker as they still sound good from a standing position. If it bothers you to listen at woofer height, keep the grille cloths on and you can't see where the woofer and tweeter are! Basically, you listen to them from the same height as other large bookshelf speakers. My old Stratus Minis have the same configuration. They work very well for movies in the family room as they are very good on voices and never sound harsh. They are still quite good for music, as well, even though they first came out about 17 years ago. They are not as good as my main speakers upstairs, but on folk, jazz, and popular music they are hard to beat.

[@insurrectionindustries1706]

The paradigm 40B are Amazing, I ended up going with the 100 F towers, but I auditioned the 40 B monitors first and they were remarkable

[@miscreant1739]

Good job guys, please keep doing these!

[@user-cl5ji1zi3j]

I would love to see a full in-depth review and test of the PSB subseries 450 It would be very nice of you guys to give your honest opinions... Thank you very much

[@dilbyjones]

Understated!

[@MRPC5]

Love my Synchrony Ones, but the current synchrony towers are twice the price, and I'm having a hard time seeing the justification with all of PSB's current upper offerings.

[@JamesWilliams-gf8gm]

As always good video.

[@chinmeysway]

weird dip at around 1k.. and i don’t get why some ppl have tests only going down to 200 k ish, if anyone knows ? i’m used to klippel near field scanner tests.

[@erod9088]

How does it compare to the RBH signatures or Revel bookshelves in that relative price range?

[@rafalwilk1894]

I sat next to James at Axpona. I don't remember the name of the speakers. I remember what it looked like though lol it was a small bookshelf with a tweeter array that was used as a midrange I believe. Very soft sounding speaker.

[@dominicc.3864]

Sounds like Perlisten, specifically the r5m monitors. I listened to both Perlisten rooms and they are amazing speakers!

[@rafalwilk1894]

@@dominicc.3864 Nah, I would have remembered that brand. It was a strange bookshelf. It had a horn and then behind the horn tweeters radiating outwards. Funky design.

[@dominicc.3864]

Gotcha! That does sound funky.

[@jameslarson2277]

Hey Rafal, Sounds like you were with me in the Endow Bravura 7 room. Very interesting speaker. You should have said hi! ☺I hope you enjoyed the show!

[@rafalwilk1894]

@@jameslarson2277 I enjoyed it very much. I liked the variety of the show. Personally I like to visit rooms I have never heard before.

[@OOnti-dz4jd]

Great vids. But I’m over 35 years but my hearing is not the same as if I was 15. How can you guys judge good sound at your age?

[@Audioholics]

Just because you can't hear high frequencies as well as in your youth, the experience of listening can still allow you to discern what sounds good and what doesn't. Most music doesn't play up that high so if you're hearing well into the 11 or 12kHz range, you're still getting most of the nuances. Get your hearing checked for a baseline is a good idea and then check once/year after that.

[@erics.4113]

My smell and taste is diminished, but I can still 'detect' a good meal, quality preparation or delicious flavor. My eye sight has gotten bad, but I can still appreciate the qualitative differences between a cheap tv and a top line OLED. My hearing isn't what it was after years of drumming, but I can still hear tonality differences and subtle nuances between amps, DACs, speakers, etc. It's probably less determined by the acuteness of your senses, and more by your experience that allows you to discriminate those differences.

[@Clinetime4]

@@erics.4113 well said

[@karollondyncan3951]

Great discussion - I appreciate the speakers comparison section at the end the most. I would love if Gene would leave James talking without interruption and provided his insight once James finished his opinion, so James train of though is not lost. I am the one user cross-shopping between Synchrony B600 and Arendal 1723 Monitor S (small version). James, would you like to provide opinion which one you would select (paired with Arcam SA30, 120/200W) if money and size are no object, as you heard and tested its various variants? My priorities are: 1. low volume listening (currently running Focal Aria 906 and 926 which are stellar there) 2. indirect listening (I have L shaped room and often listen way out of sweet spot of speakers) 3. audiophile stereo listening (from pink floyd to dire straits and porcupine tree), zero movies (so heavy bass not required) I already returned Bowers and Wilkins 705 Signature (twice as good details to Aria but horrible low volume listening), muddy Buchardt S400 mk2 (Jay from SSS preferred them in comparison to Synchrony though), boring Kef R3 (with no dispersion) and others I had, so is between these two. Both hard to get in UK, so any advice would be appreciated. We cannot get Revels here, so those are out of question as well. Thank you for answer.

[@jameslarson2277]

For your tastes, you might go for the Synchrony B600s. They will have wider dispersion, and so you should get better tonality when you are not in the sweet spot. I haven't heard the 1723 S Monitors, but I have a lot of experience with the 1723 S Towers and 1723 THX Monitors so I have an idea of what to expect.

[@karollondyncan3951]

@@jameslarson2277 Thank you for the answer, appreciated. Tbh I thought you will go for Arendal considering your praise on their directivity and nice dispersion pattern (1723 S Towers), but I guess PSB B600 is even better here. British audiophile live chat pointed out they are fantastic speakers as well, but require beefy amplifier to shine. On the contrary, Jay's iyagi criticized them for their tweeter details (and imaging) in even comparison to S400mk2, but I guess might be amp thing and can take a jump. Thank you James again!

[@Gary_M]

Paul Barton won't come out with a poorly designed speaker.

[@WindomRettes]

I Can't hear above 10 k, you lucky Gene.

[@Audioholics]

It sucks man. I'm hoping MIT can finalize the cure they allegedly have to restore hearing in our lifetime.

[@jonsays3762]

Way too expensive for a carbon fiber "woofer" (mid). Silk tweeters sound better to my ears. You do you! I love Audioengine P4 and Vanatoo T0...paired with a small sub. I get it that a 6" sub/mid covers more ground...but $2800??? For a passive? Eh.... Thank you for the review. Here is an upthumb because I enjoy your technical approach! edit: again--thank you so much for the nerdy approach.

[@AirWedge]

$3,999.00 pair Canadian🤡

[@roymindmybusiness6908]

a total complete ripoff in Australia $5000 a pair. You have to be kidding

[@bingdong8571]

No wonder you guys stick with krix

[@DH-og5yr]

Everything is more down there you brand new?

[@xsamitt]

Got them on a friday....sent them back Monday! Not for me! and I had PSB before and loved them......but these .....No thanks!

[@karollondyncan3951]

If they were new, maybe break-in period was required (yes, it's a thing). What amplifier did you run them with? Care to elaborate what was wrong? I am seriously considering them - but I am indifferent as James is using 'good' adjective too often, but not 'excellent' one. I would rate speakers I like excellent, not good, in any review.

[@xsamitt]

@@karollondyncan3951 The look of the woofer looks like fake Kevlar! Kinda like fake watches to look like a rolex. I am using bryston 28b Cubed mono blocks with Bryston BP-26 preamp. Had PSB in the past and felt that this was not up to the standard i had gotten used to! But what's wrong for me may be prefect for others!

[@karollondyncan3951]

@@xsamitt Thanks for answer. Look is important indeed, I kind of like it though. Build quality would concern me more than look, sound quality being ten times more important (even if speakers would be ugly). Good amplification I would say, but I guess sound was not exciting enough (or amp match was wrong) for you to keep them.