Astonishing Sound
Written: Mar 23 '01
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Pros: Wonderful sound, Compact size, and Great price.
Cons: You have to buy a speaker stand
The Bottom Line: The PSB Century 400i are an amazing pair of speakers with deep, rich, realistic sound for an almost unbelievable price.
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| bdb55's Full Review: PSB CENTURY 400i Bookshelf Speaker |
The PSB Century 400i speakers are really amazing. I was looking for a pair of speakers to replace the more than 20 year old speakers I had inherited a few years earlier, when I heard these speakers in music class. I was really impressed by the quality and depth of the sound. I asked the music teacher about the speakers; he highly recommended the speakers and gave me the card of the store where he had bought them (Stereotypes, in NE Portland.)
The next weekend I went to Stereotypes and listened to the entire range of PSB speakers. The entire line produced excellent sound, and they all seemed like a great bargain. I chose the Century 400i speakers (the same pair my music teacher had selected) because they were noticeably better than the 300i speakers, and I couldn’t afford the 500i set.
The thing that I like most about my speakers is the trueness of the sound. some of the speakers that I listened to at Circuit City had very over emphasized bass and terrible treble. These speakers are very true, they do not inaccurately accentuate any sound of the music.
I swear that the sound these speakers produce could be mistaken for that of speakers costing in excess of $1,000. And, the more you spend, the more exceptional the sound quality becomes.
What you get in each sequential model of PSB speakers is more depth. All of the speakers produce accurate sound, but the more you spend, the more you can hear. When listening to a piece of classical music, for example, you can frequently tell if the music was recorded in a studio of a concert hall by the subtle reverberations and echoes. For rock music, you can clearly hear all of the instruments, not just the lead guitar; these speakers are completely transparent. The Bass is also clearer and deeper in the larger (more expensive) models.
For those who don’t know, PSB is a small Canadian company founded by music enthusiast Paul Barton and his wife. PSB produces small loudspeakers (the “Alpha Family”), High quality mid-range speakers (the “Century Series”), Superb top-of-the-line speakers (the “Stratus Series”), sub woofers (“Subsonic”), and some special purpose speakers. The speakers all produce astounding music and look just as good. You can choose a black, or natural wood color for the speakers. (I have gotten all of the information in the last paragraph from a PSB leaflet I was given by Stereotypes in 1998. Looking at the PSB web site I see that they have added a new line of speakers [Image]. You can learn more about the entire line of PSB speakers at http://www.psbspeakers.com/)
I have been extremely happy with my speakers. They were easy to install, still look fabulous, and produce amazing sound. I can go on and on about how wonderful these speakers are, but you really need to listen to them to fully appreciate them. At www.psbspeakers.com you can find the store nearest to you that carries PSB speakers.
I would recommend the PSB Century 400i to someone who demands high quality sound and who doesn’t have a lot to spend. If you can afford it, go for the 500i, 600i, or 800i (the numbers indicate the price, how convenient!) If you really are looking for the best of the best in stereo equipment, look at the Stratus Mini, Bronze, Silver, or Gold. But for most people, especially those on a budget, the century 400i speakers are an exceptional value for truly incredible sound.
Note: The picture epinions.com has provided of the PSB speakers are in the black finish, save the 400i (middle) which is in the natural wood finish. Looking at the picture from left to right, the speakers are the Century 300i, 400i, and 500i, all with optional stands.
Recommended:
Yes
Amount Paid (US$): 400
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Epinions.com ID:
bdb55
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Location: Portland, Oregon
Reviews written: 41
Trusted by: 23 members
About Me:
I love reading, photography, movies, music, ceramics, computers, hi-tech gadgets, and writing epinions!
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