In this review, we will be comparing Synchrony T600 and RTi A5, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from PSB and Polk Audio. Let's have a brief look at the main features
of PSB Synchrony T600 and Polk RTi A5 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
What size room are the PSB Synchrony T600 and Polk RTi A5 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:
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the PSB Synchrony T600 and Polk RTi A5 compare and hopefully end up with enough arguments to decide which one of these loudspeakers is the better choice for you.
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Drivers
One of the fundamental differences between these two speakers is that Synchrony T600 is a 3-way design whereas the RTi A5 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.
| Driver |
PSB Synchrony T600 |
Polk RTi A5 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
2-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
- |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
2 x 6.5-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 RTi A5 features a 1" Tweeter and 2 x 6.5" Polymer composite Woofer .
Frequency Response
Synchrony T600 has a frequency range of 24-23k Hz whereas RTi A5 has a frequency range of 40-26k 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 RTi A5's min frequency of 40Hz.
Below graphs depict how these two speakers compare with the max, min and average values of the Min and Max Frequencies of other speakers in the Floor-standing class in our database.
Low Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
High Frequency
Floor-standing Speakers
None of these speakers achieves full range experience which is commonly agreed as 20Hz-20kHz. In order to achieve lower lows / deeper bass, we recommend you pair these with a subwoofer. Visit our Powered Subwoofers section to find out more about the available options.
Impedance and Sensitivity
Synchrony T600 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the RTi A5 which has a nominal impedance of 8 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. Synchrony T600 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the RTi A5's is rated at 90 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Polk RTi A5 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. While using an amplifier within this range ensures the nominal performance , inputting a power that is higher than the max wattage can result in a damaged speaker.
Synchrony T600 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas RTi A5 has a max power handling value of 250 watts RMS, 50 watts less than the Synchrony T600.
Keep in mind that a higher max power handling value doesn't necessarily make that a louder speaker
compared to a lower max handling speaker. Loudness or the sound level is also impacted by parameters
such as Impedance, sensitivity and system efficiencies.
Input Type and Bi-Amping / Bi-Wiring
Both Synchrony T600 and RTi A5 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
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Synchrony T600 has a rear firing port whereas RTi A5 has a front firing ports. Polk RTi A5's front-firing port gives more flexibility in placement in regards to proximity to walls compared to PSB Synchrony T600 with its rear-firing port.
Physical Specs
Size of a speaker can sometimes become 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 Polk RTi A5'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 Polk RTi A5 has external dimensions of 1007.0 x 269.0 x 404.0mm ( 39-5/8 x 10-9/16 x 15-7/8inch) .
PSB Synchrony T600 is 41mm narrower and 61mm less deeper than Polk RTi A5 but it is also 41mm taller.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of PSB Synchrony T600 and Polk RTi A5 in scale.
Comparison image of PSB Synchrony T600 and Polk RTi A5 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 Polk RTi A5 is approximately 1086.8cm2 / 168.5inch2. The Synchrony T600 requires 28% less surface area than the RTi A5 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 Polk RTi A5 weighs 18.18kg / 40lbs. This makes the Synchrony T600 92% heavier than the RTi A5.
Here is a comparison of how Synchrony T600 and RTi A5'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 loudspeakrGrille2 Binding-post jumpers (pre-installed)4 Isolation feet2 Port plugsOwners ManualWarranty Card
What's in the Box of Polk RTi A5?
Here are the items that come with the RTi A5:
Cherry floor-standing speakerDetachable black cloth grille4 Screw-on spike feetOwners ManualOnline registration sheetPolk Audio product brochure
 Max Input Power |
300 watts
vs
250 watts
|
Handle more power from your amplifier |
 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
40 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Base Surface Area |
782cm2 (228x343mm)
vs
1086cm2 (269x404mm)
|
Takes less floor space |
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 Nominal Impedance |
8 ohms
vs
4 ohms
|
Less selective with amplifiers |
 High Frequency Response |
26k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Port Position |
Front
vs
Rear
|
Gives more flexibility placing close to walls |
 Height |
1007mm
vs
1048mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
| General |
PSB Synchrony T600 |
Polk Audio RTi A5 |
| Brand |
PSB |
Polk Audio |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
20-300 watts |
20-250 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
90 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
8 ohms |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
n/a |
| Frequency Response |
24-23k Hz |
40-26k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
3 |
2 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Carbon fiber |
Polymer composite |
| Woofer Surround Material |
Rubber |
Butyl Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
n/a |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
5.25" |
No |
| Crossover Frequency |
450Hz and 1800Hz |
n/a |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
front |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1048.0mm (41.3") |
1007.0mm (39.6") |
| Width |
228.0mm (9") |
269.0mm (10.6") |
| Depth |
343.0mm (13.5") |
404.0mm (15.9") |
| Weight |
34.90kg (76.8lbs) |
18.18kg (40lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
MDF/Lacquer |
Real wood veneer |
| Available Colors |
Gloss Black, Satin Walnut |
Cherry |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |