Connect with us

Hi, what are you looking for?

Floorstanding Speakers

The PSB Passif 50 Loudspeakers Are Begging for Shag

Paul Barton is taking listeners on a journey with the vintage PSB Passif 50 Loudspeakers. We’re already sold.

PSB Passif 50 Loudspeakers Lifestyle With Grilles

PSB Speakers today announced the Passif 50 Anniversary Edition Loudspeaker in celebration of the company’s 50-year milestone. The design and technologies of the PSB Passif 50 model leverage five decades of dedicated research and pay homage to the early Passif II model first released in 1974.

Competitively priced at $2,499/pair (USD), the Passif 50 joins the new wave of vintage looking loudspeakers that have been updated with the latest technology.

Paul Barton with the Stratus Gold Loudspeakers
Paul Barton with the Stratus Gold, deemed the “10,000 Watt Speaker” by audiophile press

Capturing a Legacy

In 1974, PSB Founder and Chief Designer Paul Barton developed the Passif II at a time when his initial acoustic research had led to the establishment of PSB’s design philosophy. The Passif II was the first model to incorporate those principals and demonstrate what is now praised as the brand’s signature “True to Nature” sound. Paying tribute to the Passif II, the Passif 50 represents the PSB legacy that has remained strong over 50 years of speaker innovation – a series of products marked by tonal accuracy, spatial realism and freedom from distortion.

PSB Passif 50 Loudspeakers Front Lifestyle With Grilles

Retro-Modern Aesthetic

The Passif 50 features 1970s inspired elements like an open-grained walnut veneer cabinet, magnetically attached woven cloth grilles and dedicated stands. The loudspeaker evokes a sense of nostalgia with its retro details while being constructed with modern materials that align to current tastes.

PSB Passif 50 Loudspeaker Pair Without Grilles

A Landmark Design

The design of the Passif 50 mirrors its famous 1970’s forefather but incorporates the most current flagship level components and benefits from 50 years of acoustic research. The result is a loudspeaker with classic 70’s looks but achieves a level of performance well beyond the capabilities of its ancestors.

The titanium dome tweeter employs a powerful neodymium magnet and ferrofluid damping, for higher output, improved power handling, and reduced distortion. A phase plug in front of the tweeter’s dome directs the tweeter’s output to ensure a wide and consistent dispersion well beyond the traditional listening window. The result, according to the company, is a speaker which creates a wide and deep soundstage with very acute imaging which isn’t reliant on a precise listening position. A felt pad surrounding the tweeter minimizes edge diffraction for improved transparency and more stable imaging.

PSB Passif 50 Loudspeaker Side and Rear Views

PSB says considerable engineering effort was invested in refining the interaction between the woofer and the passive radiator. Each have cast aluminum baskets that resist flexing and filleted rubber surrounds that dampen cone resonances. All joints in the heavily braced enclosure are mitred for improved fit and finish and reduced cabinet vibration. The company claims such features deliver smoother response and reduced distortion.

PSB Passif 50 Loudspeaker Rear Binding Posts and Logo
The PSB Passif 50 sports a retro PSB logo that was originally hand drawn by PSB Founder, Paul Barton.

The rear of the Passif 50 features dual five-way binding posts, which can be bi-wired or bi-amped. Both the front grille and rear panel sport the retro PSB logo – originally hand drawn by PSB Founder, Paul Barton in his high school geography class. A rear-panel plaque is adorned by a maple leaf with an inscription that reads, “Passif 50 Anniversary Edition – 1972-2022.”

Features:

  • 1″ titanium dome tweeter with ferrofluid damping and neodymium magnet
  • 6.5″ woofer and 8″ passive radiator with cast aluminum baskets, paper cones, and filleted rubber surrounds
  • Retro-styled open-grained walnut veneer enclosure and dedicated speaker stands
  • Magnetically attached woven cloth grilles
  • 50th anniversary design touches, including original PSB logo and pull tab on the grille, and rear-panel plaque that reads “Passif 50 – 1972-2022,” adorned by a maple leaf
  • Felt surrounding the tweeter minimizes edge diffraction
  • Bi-wirable/bi-ampable five-way gold-plated binding posts
  • Speaker alone dimensions: 660mm H x 280mm W x 2540mm D (26” x 11” x 10”)
  • Speaker with stand dimensions: 870mm H × 280mm W × 254mm D (34” x 11” x 10”)
PSB Passif 50 Loudspeaker With Grille
PSB Passif 50

Price & Availability

The PSB Passif 50 will be available for USD $2,499 (CAD $3,299). Online pre-ordering begins August 1, 2022 with shipping expected the following month.

As a show of gratitude for the brand’s devoted fanbase, the first 500 units sold of the Passif 50 will contain a handwritten letter from Paul Barton and includes a QR code with an offer to receive a gift pack that includes a cotton canvas backpack, double-walled water bottle, and commemorative keychain.

Related reading:

Advertisement. Scroll to continue reading.

4 Comments

4 Comments

  1. ORT

    July 2, 2022 at 2:07 am

    Quite simply, these are gorgeous in their simplicity with the promise of performance to match their looks. Style is back in style.

    Yes, beauty is in the eye of the beer holder but I do not drink adult beverages. These speakers pay homage to a period that I lived in and to my mind are much more beautiful than the (to me) hideous JBL L100 Classic speakers with their egg crate foamy looking “grills”, for example.

    Would that I were a toad of means.
    Thank you.

    ORT

  2. Mike Cornell

    July 2, 2022 at 12:09 pm

    Ian…..looking forward to a comparison between these and the KLH Model Fives – still waiting on Eric’s review.😀 Have always loved but never yet owned a pair of PSB’s but as I’m looking into some used Bryston amplification, would love to pair it with a Canadian speaker as well. Love the 70’s vibe and am really looking forward to hearing these.

    • Ian White

      July 2, 2022 at 2:31 pm

      Mike,

      I’m waiting on Eric’s review as well. I’ve owned a few pairs of PSB and they’ve always been consistently good.

      I do wonder if PSB will succumb to the “vintage” sound as well. Knowing Paul…I think that won’t be the case.

      Best,

      Ian White

      • Mike Cornell

        July 2, 2022 at 10:45 pm

        Yes, and from what I know of the KLH, JBL and Wharfedale reboots, they may be vintage in looks but have a much improved sound over the originals. I expect the Passifs will follow suit while staying true to the PSB house sound.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *

Advertisement

Latest Products

Zeitgeist Germany Tree Collection IEMs

Earbuds & In-Ear Headphones

At $814, Zeitgeist Germany offers bespoke IEMs carved from 4 different types of wood -- Sequoia, Zebrano, Olive and Redheart.

TCL A1 Portable Lifestyle Projector TCL A1 Portable Lifestyle Projector

New Products

At $499, the TCL A1 is a 1080p portable lifestyle projector that lets you bring big screen entertainment wherever you go.

Bose 901 60th Anniversary Edition Speakers Lifestyle Front Bose 901 60th Anniversary Edition Speakers Lifestyle Front

Bookshelf Speakers

Without any public fanfare, Bose has recreated its legendary 901 Direct Reflecting Loudspeakers that we would like to see and hear in person.

Musical Fidelity M8x Vinyl Phono Stage Silver Front Angle Musical Fidelity M8x Vinyl Phono Stage Silver Front Angle

New Products

Musical Fidelity's new flagship M8x Vinyl Phono Stage is both fully discrete and fully balanced with improved gain stage and more.

Master & Dynamic ME05 Wired Earphones Master & Dynamic ME05 Wired Earphones

Earbuds & In-Ear Headphones

Are wired earphones coming back? The new $199 Master & Dynamic ME05 in-ear headphones refresh a 10-year old design with added support for hi-res...

McIntosh MSA5500 Integrated Streaming Amplifier (Front) McIntosh MSA5500 Integrated Streaming Amplifier (Front)

Digital Music Systems

At $8,000, the McIntosh MSA5500 streaming integrated amplifier isn't for everybody, but it's hard not to be impressed with its styling and audio technology.

Gift Ideas?

Christmas Gift Guide 2024 for Hi-Fi, Headphones and Home Theater

Gift Guides

From headphones to home theater, these high performance audio gifts will exceed the expectation of any movie or music lover on your list.

You May Also Like

Integrated Amps & Stereo Receivers

Depending on your budget, the $499 NAD C 316BEE V2 might be the ideal stereo integrated amplifier to build a hi-fi system around.

Gift Guides

2024 Black Friday tech deals you won't want to miss on hi-fi, headphones, and home theater gear this Holiday Season.

Gift Guides

Escape into sonic bliss while traveling with some great ways to create the soundtrack for your summer of 2024.

Gift Guides

Looking for the ultimate tech or hi-fi gift for Father's Day 2024? Upgrade Dad's lifestyle with gifts he'll enjoy all year and beyond.

Reviews

Powered by BluOS, PSB's Alpha iQ is one of the most complete wireless loudspeaker systems available below $1,300.

Podcasts

On this episode Editor in-Chief, Ian White discusses his picks for the best wireless speakers of 2024 (so far) under $4,000.

Gift Guides

Whether enjoying music at home or on-the-go, you don't have to spend a lot to experience high fidelity sound.

Earbuds & In-Ear Headphones

For $199, the PSB T4U TWM wireless earbuds calibrate their sound to match the listening capabilities of each ear.

Advertisement

ecoustics is a hi-fi and music magazine offering product reviews, podcasts, news and advice for aspiring audiophiles, home theater enthusiasts and headphone hipsters. Read more

Copyright © 1999-2024 ecoustics | Disclaimer: We may earn a commission when you buy through links on our site.



SVS Bluesound PSB Speakers NAD Cambridge Audio Q Acoustics Denon Marantz Focal Naim Audio RSL Speakers