PSB Alpha AM5 vs PSB P3 Comparison

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PSB Alpha AM5

Powered Bookshelf | 55-20k Hz

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PSB P3

Passive Bookshelf | 57-21k Hz

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PSB Alpha AM5

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PSB P3

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PSB Alpha AM5

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PSB P3

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PSB Alpha AM5 vs PSB P3 Speaker Comparison

In this review, we will be comparing Alpha AM5 and Alpha P3, two Bookshelf speakers by PSB. The main difference between these two speakers is that the PSB Alpha AM5 is a Powered speaker which means that it has a built-in amplifier inside the speaker body so you don't need an external power amp or an integrated amp whereas the PSB P3 is a Passive speaker so has to be matched with an amplifier to get any sound from it.

Let's have a brief look at the main features of PSB Alpha AM5 and PSB P3 first before getting into our more detailed comparison.

Key Specs	PSB Alpha AM5	PSB P3
Brand	PSB Canada · founded 1972	PSB Canada · founded 1972
Design	2-way	2-way
Built-in amplifier	100-watt RMS	—
Tweeter	0.75" Hard-Dome	0.75" Hard-Dome
Woofer	5.25" Polypropylene	4.5" Polypropylene
Frequency response	55-20k Hz	57-21k Hz
Sensitivity	—	87 dB
Impedance	—	8 ohms
Power range	—	10-80 watts
Max depth / sample rate	24-bit / 48 kHz	—
Bluetooth	Built-in 5.0	—
Weight	9.75kg / 21.5lbs	2.23kg / 4.9lbs
Dimensions (H x W x D)	11.5" x 6.75" x 11" 292.1 x 171.5 x 279.4mm	8-3/4" x 5-3/16" x 7-5/16" 223.0 x 132.0 x 186.0mm

Alpha AM5 and Alpha P3 are members of PSB's Alpha series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.

PSB Alpha Series History

Model	Body	Frequency	Watts RMS	Max Depth / Sample Rate	Woofer
PSB Alpha iQ	Bookshelf	64-20kHz	180-watt	24-bit/192 kHzΩ	1 x 4"
PSB Alpha AM3	Bookshelf	56-20k Hz	70-watt	24-bit/48 kHzΩ	1 x 4"
PSB Alpha AM5	Bookshelf	55-20k Hz	100-watt	24-bit/48 kHzΩ	1 x 5.25"
PSB Alpha S8	Subwoofer	35-150 Hz	150-watt	/Ω	1 x 8"
PSB Alpha S10	Subwoofer	28-150 Hz	150-watt	/Ω	1 x 10"

The sections below take each area in turn: drivers, frequency response, physical size and what you get in the box.

Drivers

Both Alpha AM5 and Alpha P3 are 2-way speakers.

PSB Alpha AM5

PSB P3

TweeterWoofer

Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.

Driver	PSB Alpha AM5	PSB P3
Driver Setup	2-way	2-way
Tweeter	0.75-inch	0.75-inch
Midrange	-	-
Woofer	1 x 5.25-inch	1 x 4.5-inch

Alpha AM5 features a 0.75" Aluminum Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 5.25" Polypropylene Woofer. On the other hand, the Alpha P3 features a 0.75" anodized aluminum Hard-Dome Tweeter and 1 x 4.5" Polypropylene Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 3000Hz.

Frequency Response

Alpha AM5 has a frequency range of 55-20k Hz whereas Alpha P3 has a frequency range of 57-21k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 55Hz, the Alpha AM5 can go slightly deeper then the Alpha P3's min frequency of 57Hz.

The graph below depicts how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average Low Frequency values of other speakers in the Bookshelf class in our database.

Low Frequency

Bookshelf Speakers

Alpha AM5

Alpha P3

Min

Average

Median

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.

Cabinet Type and Port Position

Both Alpha AM5 and Alpha P3 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.

If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.

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 PSB Alpha AM5's and PSB P3's external dimensions. PSB Alpha AM5 has external dimensions of 292.1 x 171.5 x 279.4mm (11.5 x 6.75 x 11inch) whereas PSB P3 has external dimensions of 223.0 x 132.0 x 186.0mm (8-3/4 x 5-3/16 x 7-5/16inch).

PSB Alpha AM5 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 39.5mm wider, 69.1mm taller and 93.4mm deeper than PSB P3.

Below you can see the front view size comparison of PSB Alpha AM5 and PSB P3 in scale.

Comparison image of PSB Alpha AM5 and PSB P3 Size and External Dimensions

Base Surface Area Comparison
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited. The base surface area of the PSB Alpha AM5 is approximately 479.2cm² / 74.3inch² and base area of the PSB P3 is approximately 245.5cm² / 38.1inch². The Alpha AM5 requires 95% more surface area than the Alpha P3 which gives it a small disadvantage on placement in tight spaces.

Here is another comparison that shows both speakers on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet, next to a standard size amplifier and turntable in scale:

Size Comparison image of PSB Alpha AM5 and PSB P3 on a Media Console

What's in the Box of PSB Alpha AM5?

Here are the items that are included inside the box of Alpha AM5:

Powered speaker
Passive speaker
2 Grilles
AC power adapter (attached 45-inch DC cord)
4-feet AC power cord
Remote control (PSR-1)
2 AAA batteries
8-feet Speaker cable
58-inch Stereo minijack cable
8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
Connection Diagram
Warranty Card

What's in the Box of PSB P3?

Here are the items that come with the Alpha P3:

2 Bookshelf loudspeakers
2 Grilles
8 Self-adhesive rubber feet
Quick Start Guide
Warranty Card

Reasons to choose PSB Alpha AM5 over PSB Alpha P3

Speaker Type	Powered vs Passive	Built-in amplifier
Woofer Size	5.25 inches vs 4.5 inches	Larger woofer
Low Frequency Response	55 Hz vs 57 Hz	Generates deeper bass
3.5mm Connection	Yes vs No	Connection via 3.5mm AUX input

Reasons to choose PSB Alpha P3 over PSB Alpha AM5

High Frequency Response	21k Hz vs 20k Hz	Generates higher frequency
Height	223mm vs 292mm	Easier to fit in smaller spaces
Base Surface Area	245cm² vs 479cm²	Takes less floor space
Price per pair*	279USD vs 599USD	costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time)

PSB Alpha AM5 vs PSB P3 Specs Table

Detailed comparison of specifications

General	PSB Alpha AM5	PSB Alpha P3
Brand	PSB	PSB
Speaker Type	Powered Stereo Speakers	Bookshelf speakers
Sensitivity	n/a	87 dB
Impedance	n/a	8 ohms
Impedance	n/a	4 ohms
Frequency Response	55-20k Hz	57-21k Hz
Amplifier
Watts RMS (Continuous)	100-watt RMS	n/a
Max Bit Depth	24-bit	n/a
Max Sample Rate	48 kHz	n/a
Drivers
Woofer Quantity	1	1
Woofer Size	5.25"	4.5"
Woofer Composition	Polypropylene	Polypropylene
Woofer Surround Material	Rubber	Rubber
Tweeter Size	0.75"	0.75"
Tweeter Type	Hard-Dome	Hard-Dome
Aimable Tweeter	No	No
Midrange Driver	No	No
Crossover Frequency	n/a	3000Hz
Firing Direction	rear	rear
Physical Specs
Height	292.1mm (11.5")	223.0mm (8.8")
Width	171.5mm (6.8")	132.0mm (5.2")
Depth	279.4mm (11")	186.0mm (7.3")
Weight	9.75kg (21.5lbs)	2.23kg (4.9lbs)
Enclosure	Bass Reflex	Bass Reflex
Finish	MDF, Wood-grain vinyl	MDF, Wood-grain vinyl
Available Colors	Matte Black, Matte White	Walnut,Black Ash
Mounting Bracket	No	No
Recommended Stand Height	n/a	28-30"
Grille	Yes	Yes
Moisture Resistancy	No	No
Connections
Biamp Inputs	n/a	No
Aux Inputs	3.5mm	n/a
USB Port	microUSB	n/a
Phone Input	Yes	n/a
Subwoofer Output	No	n/a
Digital Input	Optical	n/a
HDMI Input	No	n/a
Headphone Jack	No	n/a
Ethernet Port	No	n/a
Other
Parts Warranty	1 Year	5 Years
Labor Warranty	1 Year	5 Years

Verdict

Different kinds of product: one is active with its amplifier built in, the other passive and needs one. Judge them on how you want to own the system, not just the specs.

Area	Better	Why
Bass	evenly matched	Much the same reach (55Hz vs 57Hz).
What you buy	depends	PSB Alpha AM5 is a complete system - just add a source. PSB P3 also needs an amplifier: more money and another box, but you choose it.
Connections	depends	PSB Alpha AM5 has Bluetooth and phono built in. With PSB P3 that all comes from the amplifier you pair it with.
Upgrade path	depends	PSB P3 can be re-amped later and outlive several amplifiers; PSB Alpha AM5 ages as one unit.
Size	depends	PSB P3 is easier to place; PSB Alpha AM5 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides.
Price	B	PSB P3 is cheaper - $279 against $599, about 53% less; arguably a different class. Speakers only - an amplifier narrows that gap.

A PSB Alpha AM5 B PSB P3
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, your system or how you will use them. Only specs published for both speakers are judged; anything missing on either side is left out rather than guessed.

Which should you choose?

PSB Alpha AM5 suits you if you want one box, ready to play, with nothing else to buy. PSB P3 suits you if you already have an amplifier, want to choose the electronics, or expect to upgrade in stages. Neither is the better speaker in the abstract. In a large or open-plan room, PSB Alpha AM5 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, PSB P3 is the easier speaker to get right. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $320 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.

And remember what a spec sheet cannot show: how each looks in your room and whether the finish suits it, what dealer support and warranty are like where you live, and how they actually sound to you. If you can hear them first - ideally with your own music - that will tell you more than any number above.