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PSB Alpha B Bookshelf Speakers – Metal Grilles, Made in Canada - Image 1

PSB Alpha B Bookshelf Speakers – Metal Grilles, Made in Canada - Image 2

PSB Alpha B Bookshelf Speakers – Metal Grilles, Made in Canada

PSB Alpha B Bookshelf Speakers – Metal Grilles, Made in Canada - Image 3

PSB

PSB Alpha B Bookshelf Speakers – Metal Grilles, Made in Canada

$145.00

A 5.25-inch polypropylene woofer under a 0.75-inch aluminium dome in a rear-ported cabinet just 6.5 inches wide, with perforated steel grilles that survive children and pets. 89 dB anechoic, 91 dB in room. This is the nineteenth pair through our doors since 2018. Graded fair because one cabinet has been repaired — that is the only reason it sits below our usual $195. Both drivers are good and the pair images properly.

Out of stock

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Other bookshelf speakers we have in stock now

3 in stock · $110.00–$245.00 · all ship

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PSB Image B15 Bookshelf Speakers — Black Ash | Made in Canada$245.00Ships

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Description

PSB Alpha B Bookshelf Speakers – Two-Way Bass Reflex, Perforated Steel Grilles, Made in Canada, Fair Condition with One Repaired Cabinet

One of the steadiest sellers we have ever carried — the nineteenth pair of Alpha Bs through our doors since 2018 — this one discounted for a repaired cabinet.

Condition — and Why It Sets the Price

Start with the condition, because it is the reason for the price. This pair is graded fair. One of the two cabinets has been repaired. The sound is unaffected — both drivers are good, the pair plays properly and images well between them, and they still present quite well.

Why This Pair Is Priced As It Is

We normally list the Alpha B at $195 CAD (approx. US$140). This particular pair is priced below that because of that repaired cabinet, and for no other reason.

Nineteen Pairs Since 2018

As for why we keep buying them: this is the nineteenth pair we have had in since 2018, which makes the Alpha B one of the most consistent sellers on our floor. PSB was founded in Ontario by Paul Barton, whose work at Canada’s National Research Council listening facilities shaped a generation of Canadian speakers, and the Alpha was the model that put the company in front of ordinary buyers. It is a two-way bass reflex design: a 5.25-inch polypropylene cone woofer under a 0.75-inch aluminium dome tweeter, in a compact cabinet measuring just 6.5 inches wide.

The Numbers

The numbers explain why these get recommended so often. Response runs from 65 Hz to 21 kHz within 3 dB on-axis, sensitivity is 89 dB anechoic and 91 dB in a typical room, and the recommended power range starts at 10 watts. That means a modest integrated amplifier or a vintage receiver drives these to satisfying levels without strain, and the 65 Hz bottom end is genuinely low for a cabinet this size. The load is 8 ohms nominal with a 4 ohm minimum, so a reasonably capable amplifier is worth having.

The Metal Grilles

The grilles are perforated steel rather than cloth over a plastic frame. They look better than the alternative, and they mean a curious child or an enthusiastic dog cannot put a finger or a paw through a driver.

Placement

The port fires rearward, so give the speakers some breathing room behind them. On stands or on a shelf with a few inches of clearance is where they sound their best, and pushing them hard against a wall will thicken the bass rather than improve it.

Who These Suit

Good candidates for a compact stereo, a desktop system, a first proper pair for someone moving up from powered computer speakers, or surround duty in a larger setup where a cosmetic flaw on one cabinet will never be seen.

The Honest Comparison

A clean pair of Alpha Bs is worth the $195 CAD (approx. US$140) we normally ask for them. This is the other option: the same speaker, the same drivers, the same sound, with one cabinet that has had work done and a reduction for it.

Features

Two-way bass reflex design
5.25-inch polypropylene cone woofer
0.75-inch aluminium dome tweeter
Perforated steel grilles — child and pet resistant
Rear-firing port
89 dB anechoic sensitivity, 91 dB in room — easy to drive
Designed and built in Canada

PSB Alpha B Bookshelf Speakers Specifications

Model: Alpha B
Design: Two-way bass reflex bookshelf loudspeaker
High Frequency Driver: 0.75 in (19 mm) aluminium dome
Mid/Bass Driver: 5.25 in (133 mm) polypropylene cone
Frequency Response On-Axis: 65 Hz to 21 kHz (±3 dB)
Frequency Response Off-Axis: 65 Hz to 10 kHz (±3 dB)
Sensitivity: 89 dB anechoic, 91 dB typical room
Impedance: 8 ohms nominal, 4 ohms minimum
Recommended Power: 10 to 90 watts
Finish: Black ash
Condition: Fair — one cabinet has been repaired, both drivers good, plays properly
Dimensions: (Width x Height x Depth) 6.5 x 11.25 x 9.25 inches (165 x 286 x 235 mm)
Weight: 8.8 lbs (4 kg) each

🔌 Speaker Cable, Built on Our Own Bench

The speaker terminals here take banana plugs — the quickest and tidiest connection there is, and the one you want if anything ever gets moved. We hand-build speaker cable here in any length you need on our Custom Speaker Cable Builder, terminated with our own gold-plated banana plugs. If you already have cable you are happy with, we sell the plugs on their own. 👉

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Backed by Radique Audio’s Bumper-to-Bumper Warranty and our Perpetual Trade-Back Program. When you’re ready to move on, we’ll take it back. That’s the Radique difference.

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Additional information

Weight	18.8 lbs
Dimensions	13.25 × 19 × 15.25 in

About brand

PSB at Radique

We service PSB, too. Bring us your own PSB speakers and subwoofers, including Image tweeter replacements for repair, servicing or restoration (speakers up to 80 lbs each), with a 90-day warranty on the work. See our Audio Service page

PSB began in the summer of 1972 in St. Jacobs, Ontario, where Paul Barton and two high-school friends started building speakers. The name stands for Paul and Sue Barton. PSB says every speaker it makes is voiced in the National Research Council's anechoic chambers here in Ottawa. We carry PSB towers, bookshelf speakers, centre channels and subwoofers. We've had more than 440 PSB listings so far, covering nearly 90 different models, second only to our other big Canadian brand, Paradigm. Every used PSB here is inspected, tested and serviced as required, then photographed in-house and covered by our Bumper-to-Bumper Warranty and Perpetual Trade-Back Program. Don't see the model you want? Tell us on First Dibs and we'll email you when one arrives.

Our five best-selling PSB models so far: the Alpha Intro LR bookshelf speakers, the Image 8C centre, the Image 4T towers, the Alpha SubZero i subwoofer and the Alpha B bookshelf speakers.

The PSB story, 1972 to today

Paul Barton founded PSB in St. Jacobs, Ontario, in the summer of 1972 with two high-school friends, and named it for himself and Sue Barton, his high-school sweetheart and now his wife. PSB stayed in St. Jacobs for about its first eight years.

The Ottawa connection. In 1973 or 1974 (sources differ) PSB's Beta II caught the attention of Dr. Floyd Toole at the National Research Council in Ottawa, and Barton has used the NRC's Ottawa facilities since 1974. PSB says every speaker it makes is still voiced in the NRC's anechoic chambers.

Lenbrook and Stratus. The Lenbrook Group of Pickering, Ontario bought PSB in the mid-1980s (PSB's own timeline says 1985), and PSB is now based in Pickering. The Stratus series began in the late 1980s, and Stereophile first reviewed the Stratus Gold in 1991.

Alpha, Image and beyond. The budget Alpha launched in 1991, and more than 50,000 pairs had sold by 2000. The Image series replaced the Century series in 1999, the Platinum flagship followed in 2002, then Synchrony in 2007 and Imagine in 2008. PSB marked its 50th anniversary in 2022 with the Passif 50.

Which PSB is which?

Early models (1970s and 1980s): the Beta II, Avanté II, Passif II and Project B2, then the R series after the Lenbrook purchase.

Stratus (late 1980s to the 2000s): the upper line, including the Mini, Silver, Gold and Gold i. The Gold is a three-way with a 10" woofer.

Alpha (1991 to today): the entry line, including the Alpha A/V, Alpha B, Alpha B1 and later the Alpha P5. Our best-selling Alpha Intro LR and Alpha B come from this family.

Image (1999 to the 2010s): one step above Alpha. Our best-selling Image 8C centre and Image 4T towers come from this family.

Platinum (2002), Synchrony (2007) and Imagine (2008): the higher lines of the 2000s.

SubSeries and SubZero: PSB's powered subwoofers, such as the Alpha SubZero i we sell often.

Buying used PSB: what to check

Where it was made. Lines launched from about 2008 onward, such as Imagine and later Image and Alpha models, were made in China. Check the label before calling an older PSB "made in Canada"; spec sheets from the 1990s list only the Pickering address.

Amplifier load. The Stratus Gold and Gold i have a 4-ohm nominal impedance, and owners say Stratus models want an amplifier with plenty of current.

Image tweeters. On Image series speakers, check that every tweeter works and sounds as bright as its partner. A dim or dead tweeter is a frequent point of failure on that line. We sell a new Peerless 1" replacement tweeter that drops straight in (Image 1B, 2B, 4T, 5T, 8C, 10S and more) and is more robust than the original, and we can install it while you wait.

Drivers. Owners report occasional woofer failures on older towers. Listen to each driver on its own.

Surrounds. Many PSB woofers, such as the Platinum T8's, use rubber surrounds rather than foam, but press gently on any woofer surround to check it.

Everything we list is inspected, tested and serviced as required here, and comes with our warranty.