psb Speakers Imagine B50 - Bookshelf
The psb Speakers Imagine B50 delivers surprisingly deep bass, a neutral, liquid midrange and spacious imaging from a genuinely compact standmount. Charles Brown praised its natural tonal balance and room-filling scale, while its controlled high-output dynamics make orchestral swells, dense mixes and vocals feel unusually full-bodied for a 5.25-inch two-way.
WATT RECOMMENDS
Save your favorites. Compare them anytime.
Create a free HiFi Hub account to save products to your Wishlist and compare your favorites side by side.
Nicely Roasted
Sound Quality
89/100
Build Quality
88/100
Value for Money
88/100
Pros
Remarkably deep, punchy bass with strong dynamics and little audible compression for a compact bookshelf speaker.
Natural, even midrange with excellent image specificity, broad soundstage scale and convincing room-filling dispersion.
Easy to position, with strong imaging and soundstaging without fussy toe-in adjustments.
Cons
At very high playback levels, occasional cabinet resonance can emerge on demanding bass-heavy material.
Some listeners may find the upper midrange slightly forward or edgy, with brief sibilance on select recordings.
WATT RECOMMENDS
Save your favorites. Compare them anytime.
Create a free HiFi Hub account to save products to your Wishlist and compare your favorites side by side.
What Reviewers Are Saying
SOUND QUALITY PERFORMANCE 89/100
Reviewers describe a compact stand-mount with unusually substantial, controlled bass, a clear and largely neutral midrange, and expansive imaging. Its energetic presentation remains composed at high output, though one reviewer heard some upper-mid forwardness and mild treble sibilance on select material.
Bass
90/100
For a 5.25-inch two-way, reviewers found the low end remarkably extended and authoritative, with usable response quoted to 45Hz. SoundStage heard chest-slamming, compression-free bass at 101dB peaks, while Audiophilia praised its clarity and freedom from distortion at high levels.
Mid
89/100
Audiophilia heard a liquid, neutral midrange with natural, even vocal tonality, and SoundStage similarly praised its exceptionally even-keeled, neutral presentation. Cheap Audio Man found voices clear and the range cohesive, but also noted some forward, slightly edgy energy that will suit some listeners more than others.
Treble
84/100
The available listening comments point to natural tone colour and generally clean clarity rather than an overtly bright balance. However, Cheap Audio Man heard a briefly spicy cymbal decay and a little sibilance around 6kHz, so the top end is not uniformly described as fully silky or forgiving.
Soundstage Imaging
91/100
Imaging is a major strength: SoundStage found it bang-on, with a delightful image and wraparound stage, even without fussy lateral placement or toe-in. Audiophilia likewise praised fine imaging, convincing space, and stable reproduction that remains engaging beyond a narrow sweet spot.
Dynamics
92/100
The B50 is repeatedly praised for sounding more forceful than its dimensions suggest. Reviewers report clean, unsmeared high-level orchestral weight, powerful bass transients, and no obvious compression or distortion even when driven hard.
Assessments of Build Quality, Usability, and Overall Propositions.
Build Quality
88/100
Audiophilia calls the build excellent, highlighting the compact cabinet, restrained satin finishes, aluminum trim, and chamfered detailing. Cheap Audio Man also considers it better built than the older Imagine XBs, although SoundStage did detect a touch of cabinet resonance at very high levels and the satin surface attracts fingerprints.
Value for Money
88/100
At the $699-per-pair review price, SoundStage called the B50 a candidate for its value product of the year, while Audiophilia found it very impressive for the money. A later commentator was less convinced at $800, and the supplied current price listing of $999 makes its appeal more dependent on how much a buyer values its unusually full-scale sound and finish.
Reviews & Sources
Professional reviews and sources for this product's Watt'n Potatoes analysis.
Online Reviews & Mentions
YouTube Reviews
Forum Mentions
No forum mentions found yet
Specifications
- On Axis @ 0° ±3dB
- 45 - 23,000Hz
- On Axis @ 0° ±1 1/2dB
- 60 - 20,000Hz
- Off Axis @ 30° ±1 1/2dB
- 60 - 10,000Hz
- LF Cutoff -10dB
- 36Hz
- Anechoic Chamber
- 85dB
- Listening Room
- 87dB
- Nominal
- 8 Ohms
- Minimum
- 4 Ohms
- Recommended
- 20 - 150 Watts
- Program
- 150 Watts
- Tweeter (Nominal)
- 1" (25mm) Titanium Dome with FerrofluidNeodymium Magnet
- Woofer (Nominal)
- 5 1/4" (133mm)Woven Carbon Fibre ConeRubber Surround
- Crossover
- 2,200Hz, LR4
- Internal Volume
- N/A
- Design Type
- 2-wayBass Reflex,Rear Slot Port
- Size (W x H x D)
- 6 3/4 x11 13/16 x9 7/8" *171 x300 x251mm
- Weight
- Net - 11.3lb (5.13kg)/eachShipping - 26.24lb (11.9kg)/pair
- Finish
- Satin BlackSatin White
- Features
- Dual, 5-way Gold-plated Binding PostsBi-wireable/Bi-ampable,Rear facing slot portBlack BumpersGold-plated Jumpers
Manufacturer's Description — psb Speakers
Superior Sound at Great Value
Experience theImagineB50 bookshelf speakers – a perfect blend of premium sound and elegance, all tucked into a compact design. With a 2-way bass reflex setup and rear-facing slot port, these versatile loudspeakers are more than capable of filling any room with PSB’s signature true-to-nature sound and size-defying bass.
Precision Sound, Size-defying Bass
The Imagine B50 bookshelf speakers deliver room-filling true-to-nature sound, underscored by an unexpectedly impressive bass performance. Featuring a 1” tweeter and a 5.25” woofer meticulously housed within a compact architectural footprint, the B50 also unveils a sophisticated 2-way bass-reflex arrangement complemented by a rear-facing slot port. The B50s can be seamlessly integrated into any multi-channel or surround sound setup by placing them on the AST-25 floor stands.
Placement Flexibility
Enjoy crisp, detailed sound wherever you place the B50 bookshelf speakers. Their performance-focused components offer placement flexibility, wider bandwidth, higher output, enhanced efficiency, superior power handling, reduced distortion, and a smooth tonal balance. Accuracy is maintained at all sound levels, with clarity even at lower volumes, ensuring every note resonates.
Bring your Entertainment to Life
Elevate the way you listen to your music and movies. Seamlessly adaptable to hi-fi or home theatre setups, the B50s deliver a sonic experience that captivates any listener. From cinematic soundtracks, easy music listening to whisper quiet dialogues, you can expect a level of performance that defies its compact footprint.
Refined Design
With minimalist elegance offered through a slim and compact cabinet design and neutral Satin Black and White finish options, the B50 bookshelf speakers integrate seamlessly into any space. Aluminum trim and chamfered edges not only captivate the eye but also sync perfectly with the PWM Series, creating an entertainment oasis at home.
Verified Dealers
Online Dealers
All Dealers
Zoom out the map to see more dealers
Authorized dealers for psb Speakers Imagine B50 - Bookshelf
- Holt Hill — online and in-store — Andover, Massachusetts, United States (website)
- Abt Electronics — online and in-store — Glenview, Illinois, United States (website)
- All Elite Audio — online and in-store — Perry Hall, Maryland, United States (website)
- Alpha Stereo — in-store — Plattsburgh, New York, United States (website)
- Area Hifi — online and in-store — L'Eixample, Comunidad Valenciana, Spain (website)
- Art Sonique — France (website)
- Ash Forest Hi Fi — online and in-store — Kingston, Ontario, Canada (website)
- Audible Images — in-store — Melbourne, Florida, United States (website)
- Audio 46 — online and in-store — New York, New York, United States (website)
- Audio Advice — online and in-store — Raleigh, North Carolina, United States (website)
and 87 more verified dealers