PSB Introduces New Generation Of Its Acclaimed, Best-Selling Alpha Family At CES

Two New Members Of Famed Speaker Family Offer High-Performing Versatility For Home Theatre, Music And Multimedia

11-Jan-01

PSB Speakers, Canadian maker of high performance speaker systems, has chosen CES to preview a new generation of its famous Alpha compact monitors. The two new models on display at the show - the Alpha B and the Alpha C - employ advanced construction techniques and new high performance drivers to bring a new level of performance to a speaker family already acclaimed for its tremendous value. The Alpha B and C are due in April, and a bipolar surround model, the Alpha S, is due later in the spring.According to PSB Founder and Chief Designer Paul Barton, the new Alphas take an important next step for todayís audio/video customers. ""These speakers,"" he says, ""will make a big difference for buyers both of a pair of speakers for music systems and the multiple speaker arrays needed for home theatre. They make it possible to put together truly high-performance home theatre and stereo systems at amazingly affordable prices. And these new Alphas fit into rooms as nicely as they do into budgets. They use new construction techniques and great new drivers to take the whole Alpha concept a long step further, both in performance and appearance."" All of the new Alphas use a new 3/4-inch anodized aluminum dome tweeter, recently introduced in the Alpha Intros, with extended and smooth high frequency response, plus a new 5 1/4-inch woofer with polypropylene cone and rubber surround. The Alpha B uses a single woofer, and is designed for front or surround use. The Alpha C employs dual woofers. It is designed first and foremost as a center-channel speakers, but it is also intended as a front or surround speaker. Both models come in black or light cherry wood-grained finishes and have structural, injection-molded front baffles and backs (with five-way gold-plated binding posts and wall mounting fittings) mounted on vinyl veneered MDF cabinet sleeves. All models sport removable, perforated metal grilles, and all have video shielding to allow placement right next to a TV set or computer monitor.Barton points out that the new Alphas are equally impressive for music, home theatre and multimedia. ""These speakers,"" he says, ""build on both the performance and industrial design recently launched in the Alpha Intros. They have such extended and detailed high frequency response for their price that they really deliver the ëbloomí of music, and they have all the impact you want for the dialogue and special effects of movies, not to mention the performance that many people now want for gaming and other multimedia uses. There have been small and affordable speakers before with surprising spaciousness and bass, but Iíve never heard ones before that combine those qualities with this level of sonic detail and musicality.""""These speakers,"" Barton says, ""also owe a great deal to the design and construction techniques we originally developed for the Image Series, which has been a runaway success in its own right. The modular combinations, interchangeability of drivers, and other techniques let us invest in drivers that deliver absolutely startling performance for these prices. Five years ago, we would have been looking at far greater cost for this level of performance - and the difference is especially important for making great home theatre affordable.""""Thereís a lot of genuine innovation in these new Alphas,"" Barton concludes. In a home theatre combination with a subwoofer, like the Alpha SubZero or Alpha SubSonic 5, the new Alphas will definitely turn heads -including your neighborís.""The MSRP for the Alpha B is $249 per pair, and for the Alpha C is $229 each.