In this review, we will be comparing two different types of speakers by PSB. PSB Imagine X1T is a Floor-standing speaker whereas the Imagine XC is a Center Channel speaker.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of PSB Imagine X1T and PSB Imagine XC first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | PSB Imagine X1T | PSB Imagine XC |
|---|
| Brand | PSB
Canada · founded 1972 | PSB
Canada · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 5.25" Clay/Ceramic/Poly | 2 x 5.25" clay ceramic-filled polypropylene |
|---|
| Frequency response | 35-23k Hz | 50-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 8 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-200 watts | 20-150 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 17.30kg / 38.1lbs | 9.00kg / 19.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 34-1/2" x 8-1/4" x 14-7/8"
877.0 x 210.0 x 378.0mm | 6-3/4" x 19-1/8" x 11-1/16"
172.0 x 486.0 x 281.0mm |
|---|
Imagine X1T and Imagine XC are members of PSB's Imagine series of speakers. Below you can find the loudspeakers from this series.
PSB Imagine Series
History
What size room are the PSB Imagine X1T and PSB Imagine XC 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* |
PSB Imagine X1T |
PSB Imagine XC |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Good |
Average |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Poor |
(* 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.
Drivers
Both Imagine X1T and Imagine XC are 2-way speakers.
PSB Imagine X1TPSB Imagine XC
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 Imagine X1T |
PSB Imagine XC |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
2 x 5.25-inch
|
Imagine X1T features a 1" titanium with neodymium magnets Dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" Clay/Ceramic/Poly Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1800Hz. On the other hand, the Imagine XC features a 1" titanium with neodymium magnet dome Tweeter and 2 x 5.25" clay ceramic-filled polypropylene Woofer.
Frequency Response
Imagine X1T has a frequency range of 35-23k Hz whereas Imagine XC has a frequency range of 50-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 35Hz, the Imagine X1T can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Imagine XC's min frequency of 50Hz.
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
Imagine X1T and Imagine XC have the same Impedance of 8 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 90 dB.
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.
Imagine X1T can handle a max power of 200 watts RMS, whereas Imagine XC has a max power handling value of 150 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Imagine X1T.
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
Imagine X1T features 5-Way post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. Imagine XC has a 5-Way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
PSB Imagine X1T's 5-Way 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 PSB Imagine X1T's and PSB Imagine XC's external dimensions. PSB Imagine X1T has external dimensions of 877.0 x 210.0 x 378.0mm (34-1/2 x 8-1/4 x 14-7/8inch) whereas PSB Imagine XC has external dimensions of 172.0 x 486.0 x 281.0mm (6-3/4 x 19-1/8 x 11-1/16inch).
PSB Imagine XC is 705mm shorter and 97mm less deeper than PSB Imagine X1T but it is also 276mm wider.
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 Imagine X1T is approximately 793.8cm2 / 123.0inch2 and base area of the PSB Imagine XC is approximately 1365.7cm2 / 211.7inch2. The Imagine X1T requires 42% less surface area than the Imagine XC which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
What's in the Box of PSB Imagine X1T?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Imagine X1T:
- Floor-standing speaker
- Grille
- 4 Rubber feet
- 4 Spiked Feet
- Wrench
- Quick Start Guide
- Warranty Card
What's in the Box of PSB Imagine XC?
Here are the items that come with the Imagine XC:
- Center-channel loudspeaker
- Grille
- 4 Rubber feet
- Quick Start Guide
- Warranty Card