In this review, we will be comparing Passif 50 and SourcePoint 10, two Passive Bookshelf speakers from PSB and MoFi.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of PSB Passif 50 and MoFi SourcePoint 10 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | PSB Passif 50 | MoFi SourcePoint 10 |
|---|
| Brand | PSB
Canada · founded 1972 | MoFi
United States · founded 2016 |
|---|
| Design | 2-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1.25" wide roll soft dome |
|---|
| Woofer | 6.5" cast aluminum basket, paper cone | 10" Paper-pulp |
|---|
| Frequency response | 50-20k Hz | 42-30k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 87 dB | 91dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 6 ohms | 8 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 30-200 Watts watts | 30-200 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 13.70kg / 30.1lbs | 21.00kg / 46.2lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 26" x 11" x 10"
660 × 280 × 254mm | 22.5" x 14.5" x 16.6"
572.0 x 368.0 x 422.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the PSB Passif 50 and MoFi SourcePoint 10 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 Passif 50 |
MoFi SourcePoint 10 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Poor |
| Small Room |
Average |
Average |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Good |
| Large Room |
Average |
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 Passif 50 and SourcePoint 10 are 2-way speakers.
PSB Passif 50MoFi SourcePoint 10
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 Passif 50 |
MoFi SourcePoint 10 |
|
Driver Setup
|
2-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1.25-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
- |
- |
|
Woofer
|
1 x 6.5-inch
|
1 x 10-inch
|
Passif 50 features a 1" titanium dome with ferrofluid and neodymium magnet Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" cast aluminum basket, paper cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1800Hz. On the other hand, the SourcePoint 10 features a 1.25" wide roll soft dome Tweeter and 1 x 10" Paper-pulp Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 1600 Hz.
Frequency Response
Passif 50 has a frequency range of 50-20k Hz whereas SourcePoint 10 has a frequency range of 42-30k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 42Hz, the SourcePoint 10 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Passif 50'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 Bookshelf class in our database.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf 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
Passif 50 is a 6 ohms speaker compared to the SourcePoint 10 which has a nominal impedance of 8 ohms.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Passif 50 sensitivity is rated at 87 dB and the SourcePoint 10's is rated at 91dB. This 2 dB difference makes the MoFi SourcePoint 10 a more sensitive speaker compared to PSB Passif 50, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
Sensitivity
Bookshelf 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.
Both handle the same maximum of 200 watts RMS, though Passif 50 is rated 30-200 Watts watts and SourcePoint 10 30-200 watts.
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
Passif 50 features 5-Way post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. SourcePoint 10 has a 5-Way post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
PSB Passif 50's 5-Way post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
MoFi SourcePoint 10's 5-Way post terminals
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 Passif 50's and MoFi SourcePoint 10's external dimensions. PSB Passif 50 has external dimensions of 660 × 280 × 254mm (26 x 11 x 10-inch) whereas MoFi SourcePoint 10 has external dimensions of 572.0 x 368.0 x 422.0mm (22.5 x 14.5 x 16 inch).
PSB Passif 50 is 88mm narrower and 168mm less deeper than MoFi SourcePoint 10 but it is also 88mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of PSB Passif 50 and MoFi SourcePoint 10 in scale.
Comparison image of PSB Passif 50 and MoFi SourcePoint 10 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 Passif 50 is approximately 712.0cm2 / 110.4inch2 and base area of the MoFi SourcePoint 10 is approximately 1552.0cm2 / 240.6inch2. The Passif 50 requires 54% less surface area than the SourcePoint 10 which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.
Weight Comparison The weight of a loudspeaker can become an important factor if you need to move and reposition the unit often. Weight of a speaker can also "sometimes" be an indicator of the rigidity of the enclosure and the quality of the internal components used. The PSB Passif 50 weighs 13.70kg / 30.1lbs and the MoFi SourcePoint 10 weighs 21.00kg / 46.2lbs. This makes the SourcePoint 10 53% heavier than the Passif 50.
Here is a comparison of how Passif 50 and SourcePoint 10's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Bookshelf class.
Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Passive Radiator |
one 8-inch
vs
None
|
Increases the bass performance |
 Base Surface Area |
712cm2
vs
1552cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
2499USD
vs
3699USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
 Sensitivity |
91 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
6 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
|
Minimum Impedance |
6.2 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
 Woofer Size |
10 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
|
Low Frequency Response |
42 Hz
vs
50 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
20k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Height |
572mm
vs
660mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
PSB Passif 50 |
MoFi SourcePoint 10 |
| Brand |
PSB |
MoFi |
| Speaker Type |
Bookshelf speakers |
Bookshelf speakers |
| Power Range |
30-200 Watts watts |
30-200 watts |
| Sensitivity |
87 dB |
91dB |
| Impedance |
6 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
6.2 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
50-20k Hz |
42-30k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
1 |
1 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
10" |
| Woofer Composition |
cast aluminum basket, paper cone |
Paper-pulp |
| Woofer Surround Material |
cast aluminum basket, paper cone |
n/a |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1.25" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
wide roll soft dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
No |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
1800Hz |
1600 Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
660.0mm (26") |
572.0mm (22.5") |
| Width |
280.0mm (11") |
368.0mm (14.5") |
| Depth |
254.0mm (10") |
422.0mm (16.6") |
| Weight |
13.70kg (30.1lbs) |
21.00kg (46.2lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Passive Radiator |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
open-grain walnut veneer |
real wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Open-Grain Walnut |
Satin Walnut, Satin Black Ash |
| Mounting Bracket |
No |
No |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
No |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
|
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
|
No single best speaker here - they are built to different priorities, and the right one depends on your room, your amplifier and what you listen to.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | MoFi SourcePoint 10 digs deeper - 42Hz against 50Hz. A subwoofer would even that out. |
| Amplifier needs | B | MoFi SourcePoint 10 is more sensitive (91dB vs 89dB), so it goes louder on the same amplifier. |
| Amplifier match | B | MoFi SourcePoint 10 is the easier load at 8 ohms. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (200W vs 200W). |
| Size | depends | PSB Passif 50 is easier to place; MoFi SourcePoint 10 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Cabinet | depends | Passive Radiator vs Ported. |
| Expandability | A | PSB Passif 50: bi-amping. |
| Price | A | PSB Passif 50 is cheaper - $2,499 against $3,699, about 32% less. |
A PSB Passif 50 B MoFi SourcePoint 10
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?
The usual trade-off: MoFi SourcePoint 10 measures better, PSB Passif 50 costs about about 48% more% less. Whether that gap is worth the money is the call only you can make - and in a normal room it is often smaller than the numbers suggest. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 50Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper PSB Passif 50 much easier to justify. In a large or open-plan room, MoFi SourcePoint 10 has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, PSB Passif 50 is the easier speaker to get right.
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.