In this review, we will be comparing Synchrony T600 and ESL 9, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from PSB and MartinLogan.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of PSB Synchrony T600 and MartinLogan ESL 9 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | PSB Synchrony T600 | MartinLogan ESL 9 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 2-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 9.2 x 44" curved electrostatic transducer |
|---|
| Midrange | 5.25" | — |
|---|
| Woofer | 3 x 6.5" Carbon fiber | 2 x 8" high-excursion paper cone |
|---|
| Frequency response | 24-23k Hz | 34-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 90 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 20-300 watts | 20-400 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 34.90kg / 76.8lbs | 35.45kg / 78lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 41-1/4" x 9" x 13-1/2"
1048.0 x 228.0 x 343.0mm | 59-13/16" x 10-7/16" x 25-7/16"
1520.0 x 266.0 x 647.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the PSB Synchrony T600 and MartinLogan ESL 9 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 Synchrony T600 |
MartinLogan ESL 9 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Are you nuts? |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
Good |
(* 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.
**This post contains affiliate links, and we will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking
through our links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.
Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Synchrony T600 is a 3-way design whereas the ESL 9 is a 2-way speaker. 3-way designs utilize a midrange driver in addition to the tweeter and woofer on 2-way designs. Designing a crossover for a 3-way speaker is a complicated process and generally increases the overall cost of the speaker.
PSB Synchrony T600MartinLogan ESL 9
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
PSB Synchrony T600 |
MartinLogan ESL 9 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
9.2 x 44-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 8-inch
|
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. On the other hand, the ESL 9 features a 9.2 x 44" curved electrostatic transducer Tweeter and 2 x 8" high-excursion paper cone Woofer.
Frequency Response
Synchrony T600 has a frequency range of 24-23k Hz whereas ESL 9 has a frequency range of 34-23k 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 ESL 9's min frequency of 34Hz.
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
Synchrony T600 and ESL 9 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Synchrony T600 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the ESL 9's is at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the MartinLogan ESL 9 a more sensitive speaker compared to PSB Synchrony T600, hence will play louder with the same amount of watts.
One thing to keep in mind that the lower impedance speakers, especially the ones that are rated at 4 ohms may put more pressure on the amplifier unit comared to higher impedance speakers especially at high volume levels, so make sure the amp you pair with the Synchrony T600 and the Synchrony T600 can provide this impedance level.
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.
ESL 9 can handle a max power of 400 watts RMS, whereas Synchrony T600 has a max power handling value of 300 watts RMS, 100 watts less than the ESL 9.
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
Both Synchrony T600 and ESL 9 features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
PSB Synchrony T600's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
MartinLogan ESL 9's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
New
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 Synchrony T600's and MartinLogan ESL 9's external dimensions. PSB Synchrony T600 has external dimensions of 1048.0 x 228.0 x 343.0mm (41-1/4 x 9 x 13-1/2inch) whereas MartinLogan ESL 9 has external dimensions of 1520.0 x 266.0 x 647.0mm (59-13/16 x 10-7/16 x 25-7/16inch).
MartinLogan ESL 9 is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 38mm wider, 472mm taller and 304mm deeper than PSB Synchrony T600.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of PSB Synchrony T600 and MartinLogan ESL 9 in scale.
Comparison image of PSB Synchrony T600 and MartinLogan ESL 9 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 Synchrony T600 is approximately 782.0cm2 / 121.2inch2 and base area of the MartinLogan ESL 9 is approximately 1721.0cm2 / 266.8inch2. The Synchrony T600 requires 55% less surface area than the ESL 9 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 Synchrony T600 weighs 34.90kg / 76.8lbs and the MartinLogan ESL 9 weighs 35.45kg / 78lbs. This makes the ESL 9 2% heavier than the Synchrony T600.
Here is a comparison of how Synchrony T600 and ESL 9's weights compare with the average, max and min weights in Passive Floor-standing class.
Weight
All Floor-standing Speakers
What's in the Box of PSB Synchrony T600?
Here are the items that are included inside the box of Synchrony T600:
- Floorstanding loudspeakr
- Grille
- 2 Binding-post jumpers (pre-installed)
- 4 Isolation feet
- 2 Port plugs
- Owners Manual
- Warranty Card
What's in the Box of MartinLogan ESL 9?
Here are the items that come with the ESL 9:
- Floorstanding hybrid electrostatic loudspeaker
- AC power adapter (w/ attached 10-feet DC cord)
- Grille
- 4 Spike Feet
- Users Manual
- Product Registration Card
 Driver Setup |
3-way
vs
2-way
|
Have a dedicated mid-range driver |
 Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
24 Hz
vs
34 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1048mm
vs
1520mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
782cm2
vs
1721cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Max Input Power |
400 watts
vs
300 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
|
Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 Price per pair* |
7000USD
vs
8000USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
PSB Synchrony T600 |
MartinLogan Masterpiece Classic ESL 9 |
| Brand |
PSB |
MartinLogan |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-300 watts |
20-400 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
24-23k Hz |
34-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
8" |
| Woofer Composition |
Carbon fiber |
high-excursion paper cone |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
9.2 x 44" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
curved electrostatic transducer |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
450Hz and 1800Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
n/a |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1048.0mm (41.3") |
1520.0mm (59.8") |
| Width |
228.0mm (9") |
266.0mm (10.5") |
| Depth |
343.0mm (13.5") |
647.0mm (25.5") |
| Weight |
34.90kg (76.8lbs) |
35.45kg (78lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Lacquer |
Composite |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black, Satin Walnut |
Gloss Black |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years w/ Registration |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years w/ Registration |
A generation apart: PSB Synchrony T600 is the newer design, against a 2017 model. Newer is not automatically better, but the older one is more likely to be discounted or near run-out.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass |
A |
PSB Synchrony T600 digs deeper - 24Hz against 34Hz. |
| Amplifier needs |
evenly matched |
Similar sensitivity (89dB vs 90dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom |
B |
MartinLogan ESL 9 takes more power (400W vs 300W) - more in hand in a big room. |
| Size |
depends |
PSB Synchrony T600 is easier to place; MartinLogan ESL 9 is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability |
depends |
PSB Synchrony T600: bi-amping; MartinLogan ESL 9: bi-amping. MartinLogan ESL 9 sits in a wider range (7 models), so a matched surround system is easier later. |
| Price |
B |
MartinLogan ESL 9 is cheaper - $7,000 against $8,000, about 13% less. |
A PSB Synchrony T600
B MartinLogan ESL 9
depends neither is better in the abstract - it turns on your room, placement 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?
Neither runs away with it - they trade advantages. Let the "depends" rows and your own room settle it. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 34Hz anyway, which makes the cheaper MartinLogan ESL 9 much easier to justify. Match it to your room: we rate MartinLogan ESL 9 the better fit for a very large room; elsewhere the two are rated the same.
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.