In this review, we will be comparing Olympica III and Synchrony T600, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Sonus faber and PSB.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Sonus faber Olympica III and PSB Synchrony T600 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Sonus faber Olympica III | PSB Synchrony T600 |
|---|
| Brand | Sonus faber
Italy · founded 1983 | PSB
Canada · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1.1" Soft-Dome | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 6.5" | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 6.5" Paper | 3 x 6.5" Carbon fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 42-40k Hz | 24-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 90 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | 50-300 watts | 20-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 35.00kg / 77lbs | 34.90kg / 76.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 43-7/16" x 14-13/16" x 18-1/16"
1104.0 x 376.0 x 459.0mm | 41-1/4" x 9" x 13-1/2"
1048.0 x 228.0 x 343.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Sonus faber Olympica III and PSB Synchrony T600 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* |
Sonus faber Olympica III |
PSB Synchrony T600 |
| Near-field |
Poor |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Average |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Good |
Average |
| Large Room |
Average |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Poor |
Average |
(* 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 Olympica III and Synchrony T600 are 3-way speakers.
Sonus faber Olympica IIIPSB Synchrony T600
TweeterMidrangeWoofer
Front view, drawn to scale - cabinets and drivers share one scale, so sizes are directly comparable. Hover a driver for its size.
| Driver |
Sonus faber Olympica III |
PSB Synchrony T600 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1.1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 6.5-inch |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 6.5-inch
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
Olympica III features a 1.1" Silk Soft-Dome Tweeter, a 6.5" Midrange and 2 x 6.5" Paper Woofer with a Crossover frequency at 365 - 2460 Hz. On the other hand, the 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.
Frequency Response
Olympica III has a frequency range of 42-40k Hz whereas Synchrony T600 has a frequency range of 24-23k 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 Olympica III's min frequency of 42Hz.
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
Olympica III and Synchrony T600 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms but where they differ is the sensitivity levels. Olympica III sensitivity is rated at 90 dB and the Synchrony T600's is at 89 dB. This 1 dB difference makes the Sonus faber Olympica III 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 Olympica III and the Olympica III 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.
Both handle the same maximum of 300 watts RMS, though Olympica III is rated 50-300 watts and Synchrony T600 20-300 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
Both Olympica III and Synchrony T600 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
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 Sonus faber Olympica III's and PSB Synchrony T600's external dimensions. Sonus faber Olympica III has external dimensions of 1104.0 x 376.0 x 459.0mm (43-7/16 x 14-13/16 x 18-1/16inch) whereas PSB Synchrony T600 has external dimensions of 1048.0 x 228.0 x 343.0mm (41-1/4 x 9 x 13-1/2inch).
Sonus faber Olympica III is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 148mm wider, 56mm taller and 116mm deeper than PSB Synchrony T600.
Size, drawn to scale
Both speakers and both views share one scale, so everything here is directly comparable. Hover a box for its dimensions.
One scale for both, standing on the same surface and pushed back to the same wall, so the deeper one visibly sticks out further.
Sonus faber Olympica III needs about 121% more floor or shelf area. Sonus faber Olympica III is 116mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall. Sonus faber Olympica III is 56mm taller.
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 Sonus faber Olympica III is approximately 1725.8cm2 / 267.5inch2 and base area of the PSB Synchrony T600 is approximately 782.0cm2 / 121.2inch2. The Olympica III requires 121% more surface area than the Synchrony T600 which gives it a small disadvantage 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 Sonus faber Olympica III weighs 35.00kg / 77lbs and the PSB Synchrony T600 weighs 34.90kg / 76.8lbs. This makes the Olympica III 0% heavier than the Synchrony T600.
Here is a comparison of how Olympica III and Synchrony T600'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 come with the Synchrony T600:
- Floorstanding loudspeakr
- Grille
- 2 Binding-post jumpers (pre-installed)
- 4 Isolation feet
- 2 Port plugs
- Owners Manual
- Warranty Card
 Sensitivity |
90 dB
vs
89 dB
|
Play louder with same amount of amplification power |
 High Frequency Response |
40k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
24 Hz
vs
42 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Height |
1048mm
vs
1104mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
782cm2
vs
1725cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
8000USD
vs
13500USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Sonus faber Olympica III |
PSB Synchrony T600 |
| Brand |
Sonus faber |
PSB |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
50-300 watts |
20-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
90 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
n/a |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
42-40k Hz |
24-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
6.5" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper |
Carbon fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1.1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Soft-Dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
6.5" |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
365 - 2460 Hz |
450Hz and 1800Hz |
| Firing Direction |
n/a |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1104.0mm (43.5") |
1048.0mm (41.3") |
| Width |
376.0mm (14.8") |
228.0mm (9") |
| Depth |
459.0mm (18.1") |
343.0mm (13.5") |
| Weight |
35.00kg (77lbs) |
34.90kg (76.8lbs) |
| Enclosure |
Bass Reflex |
Bass Reflex |
| Finish |
n/a |
MDF/Lacquer |
| Available Colors |
n/a |
Gloss Black, Satin Walnut |
| Grille |
Yes |
Yes |
| Moisture Resistancy |
No |
No |
Connections |
|
|
| Biamp Inputs |
Yes |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
|
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
|
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Sonus faber Olympica III costs roughly 1.7x what PSB Synchrony T600 does. Expect it to lead on paper; the question is whether the gap is audible enough in your room to be worth it.
| Area | Better | Why |
|---|
| Bass | B | PSB Synchrony T600 digs deeper - 24Hz against 42Hz. |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (90dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Headroom | evenly matched | Similar power handling (300W vs 300W). |
| Size | depends | PSB Synchrony T600 is easier to place; Sonus faber Olympica III is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | depends | Sonus faber Olympica III: bi-amping; PSB Synchrony T600: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | PSB Synchrony T600 is cheaper - $8,000 against $13,500, about 41% less; arguably a different class. |
A Sonus faber Olympica III B PSB Synchrony T600
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?
PSB Synchrony T600 has the edge on paper, though the margin is not large. The rows marked "depends" may matter more to you than the score does. If a subwoofer is in your plans, the bass gap largely stops mattering - you would be crossing over above 42Hz anyway, so judge these on the other rows instead. Match it to your room: we rate Sonus faber Olympica III the better fit for a small room and a mid-size room, and PSB Synchrony T600 for a large room and a very large room.
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.