In this review, we will be comparing Synchrony T800 and Cornwall IV, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from PSB and Klipsch.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of PSB Synchrony T800 and Klipsch Cornwall IV first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
PSB Synchrony T800 Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" Dome Tweeter
- 5.25" Midrange
- 3 x 8" Cast Basket Carbon Fibre Cone Woofer
- 21-23k Hz Frequency Response
- 89 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 4ohms
- Power Range:20-300watts
- Weight:45.40kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 1212.0" x 14 7/8" x 15 5/8"( 1212 x 377 x 396mm )
Klipsch Cornwall IV Key Specs
- 3-way Design
- 1" horn-loaded Tweeter
- 1.75" Midrange
- 15" Fiber composite Woofer
- 1.75" Midrange
- 34-20k Hz Frequency Response
- 102 dB Sensitivity
- Impedance: 8ohms
- Power Range:up to 100watts
- Weight:44.55kg
- Dimensions (H x W x D): 966.0" x 25-5/16" x 15-1/2"( 966.0 x 643.0 x 394.0mm )
In the following sections, we will get into more detail in order to better understand how the PSB Synchrony T800 and Klipsch Cornwall IV 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
Both Synchrony T800 and Cornwall IV are 3-way speakers.
| Driver |
PSB Synchrony T800 |
Klipsch Cornwall IV |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 5.25-inch |
1 x 1.75-inch |
|
Woofer
|
3 x 8-inch
|
1 x 15-inch
|
Synchrony T800 features a 1" titanium with ferrofluid cooling and neodymium magnet Dome Tweeter , a 5.25" Midrange and 3 x 8" Cast Basket Carbon Fibre Cone Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 450Hz and 1800Hz. On the other hand, the Cornwall IV features a 1" titanium-diaphragm compression horn-loaded Tweeter , a 1.75" Midrange and 1 x 15" Fiber composite Woofer .
Frequency Response
Synchrony T800 has a frequency range of 21-23k Hz whereas Cornwall IV has a frequency range of 34-20k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 21Hz, the Synchrony T800 can go significantly deeper on the low side and provide stronger bass compared to the Cornwall IV's min frequency of 34Hz.
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 T800 is a 4 ohms speaker compared to the Cornwall IV 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 T800 can provide this impedance level.
These two speakers also have different sensitivity levels. Synchrony T800 sensitivity is rated at 89 dB and the Cornwall IV's is rated at 102 dB. This 13 dB difference makes the Klipsch Cornwall IV a more sensitive speaker compared to PSB Synchrony T800, 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 T800 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS from the amp the whereas Cornwall IV has a max power handling value of 100 watts RMS, 200 watts less than the Synchrony T800.
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 T800 and Cornwall IV features dual binding post speaker terminals for bi-amping or bi-wiring.
PSB Synchrony T800's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
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 T800's and Klipsch Cornwall IV's external dimensions. PSB Synchrony T800 has external dimensions of 1212 x 377 x 396mm ( 47 3/4 x 14 7/8 x 15 5/8-inch) whereas Klipsch Cornwall IV has external dimensions of 966.0 x 643.0 x 394.0mm ( 38 x 25-5/16 x 15-1/2inch) .
Klipsch Cornwall IV is 246mm shorter and 2mm less deeper than PSB Synchrony T800 but it is also 266mm wider.
Below you can see the front view size comparison of PSB Synchrony T800 and Klipsch Cornwall IV in scale.
Comparison image of PSB Synchrony T800 and Klipsch Cornwall IV 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 T800 is approximately 1492.0cm2 / 231.3inch2 and base area of the Klipsch Cornwall IV is approximately 2533.4cm2 / 392.7inch2. The Synchrony T800 requires 41% less surface area than the Cornwall IV which gives it a small advantage on placement in tight spaces.