In this review, we will be comparing SCM150PSL and Synchrony T600, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from ATC and PSB.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of ATC SCM150PSL and PSB Synchrony T600 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | ATC SCM150PSL | PSB Synchrony T600 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 0.98" | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 2.95" | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 14.76" | 3 x 6.5" Carbon fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 60-17k Hz | 24-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 91 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 100 to 1500 Watts watts | 20-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | — | 34.90kg / 76.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | — | 41-1/4" x 9" x 13-1/2"
1048.0 x 228.0 x 343.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the ATC SCM150PSL and PSB Synchrony T600 speakers good for?
The size of the room in which you are planning to use these loudspeakers is an important decision
factor. Here we have compared their suitability to various sizes of environments considering their size
and max power parameters:
| Listening Environment* |
ATC SCM150PSL |
PSB Synchrony T600 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
(* Approximate Room sizes: Small < 100sq. ft / 9 m2,
Mid-size: 100-220 sq. ft / 9-20 m2, Large 220-400 sq. ft / 20-36 m2, Very Large: >
400 sq. ft / 36 m2.
Average Floor Height: 9" / 2.7m. Typical room sizes differ from country to country, and the actual
listening experience changes depending on floor height, room shape, surface materials, listening
position, speaker locations, etc.)
The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.
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Drivers
Both SCM150PSL and Synchrony T600 are 3-way speakers.
ATC SCM150PSLPSB Synchrony T600
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Drivers drawn to scale and directly comparable. Cabinet outlines are indicative: full dimensions are not published for both. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
ATC SCM150PSL |
PSB Synchrony T600 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
0.98-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 2.95-inch |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 14.76-inch
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
SCM150PSL features a 0.98" Tweeter, a 2.95" Midrange and 1 x 14.76" Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 380Hz & 3.5kHz. On the other hand, the Synchrony T600 features a 1" titanium with ferrofluid cooling and neodymium magnet Dome Tweeter, a 5.25" Midrange and 3 x 6.5" Carbon fiber Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 450Hz and 1800Hz.
Frequency Response
SCM150PSL has a frequency range of 60-17k Hz whereas Synchrony T600 has a frequency range of 24-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 24Hz, the Synchrony T600 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the SCM150PSL's min frequency of 60Hz.
The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
Neither pair reaches down to 20Hz, the usual definition of full-range, which is normal for speakers of this size. If you want the bottom octave for movies or bass-heavy music, add a subwoofer to whichever you choose. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
SCM150PSL is a 8 ohms speaker compared to the Synchrony T600 which has a nominal impedance of 4 ohms. Lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit especially when played at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Synchrony T600 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. SCM150PSL sensitivity is rated at 91 dB and the Synchrony T600's is rated at 89 dB. This 2 dB difference makes the ATC SCM150PSL a more sensitive speaker compared to PSB Synchrony T600, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Floor-standing Speakers
Power Range
Power
range is the range of input power in watts RMS that a loudspeaker is designed to handle. Staying
within that range gives nominal performance; driving the speaker beyond its maximum wattage can damage it.
Synchrony T600 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas SCM150PSL has a max power handling value of watts RMS, 300 watts less than the Synchrony T600.
Note that higher power handling does not make a speaker louder: that depends mainly on
sensitivity and impedance. The calculator below shows how loud each of these actually plays
on a real amplifier.
Which plays louder on your amplifier?
Starting with a popular amplifier — change it to the one you own, or any you are
considering, and watch both numbers move.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Synchrony T600 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. SCM150PSL has a XLR which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
PSB Synchrony T600's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Physical Specs
The size of a speaker can sometimes be an important decision factor due to space constraints or in some cases purely for esthetic reasons. In this section, we are going to compare ATC SCM150PSL's and PSB Synchrony T600's external dimensions. ATC SCM150PSL has external dimensions of () whereas PSB Synchrony T600 has external dimensions of 1048.0 x 228.0 x 343.0mm (41-1/4 x 9 x 13-1/2inch).
PSB Synchrony T600 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 228mm wider, 1048mm taller and 343mm deeper than ATC SCM150PSL.
What's in the Box of PSB Synchrony T600?
Here are the items that come with the Synchrony T600:
- Floorstanding loudspeakr
- Grille
- 2 Binding-post jumpers (pre-installed)
- 4 Isolation feet
- 2 Port plugs
- Owners Manual
- Warranty Card