In this review, we will be comparing WATT/Puppy and Synchrony T600, two Passive Floor-standing speakers from Wilson Audio and PSB.
Let's have a brief look at the main features
of Wilson Audio WATT/Puppy and PSB Synchrony T600 first before getting into our more
detailed comparison.
| Key Specs | Wilson Audio WATT/Puppy | PSB Synchrony T600 |
|---|
| Brand | Wilson Audio
United States · founded 1974 | PSB
Canada · founded 1972 |
|---|
| Design | 3-way | 3-way |
|---|
| Tweeter | 1" Dome | 1" Dome |
|---|
| Midrange | 7" | 5.25" |
|---|
| Woofer | 2 x 8" Paper pulp | 3 x 6.5" Carbon fiber |
|---|
| Frequency response | 26-30k Hz | 24-23k Hz |
|---|
| Sensitivity | 89 dB | 89 dB |
|---|
| Impedance | 4 ohms | 4 ohms |
|---|
| Power range | from 25 watts | 20-300 watts |
|---|
| Weight | 72.57kg / 159.7lbs | 34.90kg / 76.8lbs |
|---|
| Dimensions (H x W x D) | 41-5/16" x 12" x 18-11/16"
1050.0 x 305.0 x 474.0mm | 41-1/4" x 9" x 13-1/2"
1048.0 x 228.0 x 343.0mm |
|---|
What size room are the Wilson Audio WATT/Puppy 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* |
Wilson Audio WATT/Puppy |
PSB Synchrony T600 |
| Near-field |
Bad |
Bad |
| Small Room |
Poor |
Poor |
| Mid-size Room |
Average |
Average |
| Large Room |
Good |
Good |
| Very Large Room |
Average |
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 WATT/Puppy and Synchrony T600 are 3-way speakers.
Wilson Audio WATT/PuppyPSB 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 |
Wilson Audio WATT/Puppy |
PSB Synchrony T600 |
|
Driver Setup
|
3-way
|
3-way
|
|
Tweeter
|
1-inch
|
1-inch
|
|
Midrange
|
1 x 7-inch |
1 x 5.25-inch |
|
Woofer
|
2 x 8-inch
|
3 x 6.5-inch
|
WATT/Puppy features a 1" Doped silk fabric Dome Tweeter, a 7" Midrange and 2 x 8" Paper pulp Woofer. 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
WATT/Puppy has a frequency range of 26-30k Hz whereas Synchrony T600 has a frequency range of 24-23k Hz. With a minimum frequency of 24Hz, the Synchrony T600 can go slightly deeper then the WATT/Puppy's min frequency of 26Hz.
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
WATT/Puppy and Synchrony T600 have the same Impedance of 4 ohms and their sensitivity is also same at 89 dB.
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 WATT/Puppy and the WATT/Puppy 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.
Synchrony T600 can handle a max power of 300 watts RMS, whereas WATT/Puppy has a max power handling value of watts RMS, 300 watts less than the Synchrony T600.
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
Synchrony T600 features Binding post posts which make bi-amping or bi-wiring possible. WATT/Puppy has a Binding post which doesn't feature bi-amping/bi-wiring.
PSB Synchrony T600's Binding post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring
Cabinet Type and Port Position
Both WATT/Puppy and Synchrony T600 have rear firing ports. Rear ported speakers generally need more room between the backside of the speaker and the wall compared to sealed and front/bottom ported speakers. Placing the speakers too close to the walls may cause the bass to sound boomy.
If you are limited in space and can't get the speakers away from the backwall, check our Speakers with Front Firing Ports page.
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 Wilson Audio WATT/Puppy's and PSB Synchrony T600's external dimensions. Wilson Audio WATT/Puppy has external dimensions of 1050.0 x 305.0 x 474.0mm (41-5/16 x 12 x 18-11/16inch) 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).
Wilson Audio WATT/Puppy is clearly the larger of the two speakers. Its body is 77mm wider, 2mm taller and 131mm 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.
Wilson Audio WATT/Puppy needs about 85% more floor or shelf area. Wilson Audio WATT/Puppy is 131mm deeper, so it stands that much further out from the wall.
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 Wilson Audio WATT/Puppy is approximately 1445.7cm2 / 224.1inch2 and base area of the PSB Synchrony T600 is approximately 782.0cm2 / 121.2inch2. The WATT/Puppy requires 85% 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 Wilson Audio WATT/Puppy weighs 72.57kg / 159.7lbs and the PSB Synchrony T600 weighs 34.90kg / 76.8lbs. This makes the WATT/Puppy 108% heavier than the Synchrony T600.
Here is a comparison of how WATT/Puppy 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
 Woofer Size |
8 inches
vs
6.5 inches
|
Larger woofer |
 High Frequency Response |
30k Hz
vs
23k Hz
|
Generates higher frequency |
 Minimum Impedance |
4 ohms
vs
2.87 ohms
|
Very low impedance levels puts more pressure on amplifier |
|
Number of Woofers |
3
vs
2
|
More woofers |
|
Low Frequency Response |
24 Hz
vs
26 Hz
|
Generates deeper bass |
 Bi-Amping and Bi-Wiring |
Yes
vs
No
|
Allows bi-amping and bi-wiring connections |
 Height |
1048mm
vs
1050mm
|
Easier to fit in smaller spaces |
 Base Surface Area |
782cm2
vs
1445cm2
|
Takes less floor space |
 Price per pair* |
8000USD
vs
41500USD
|
costs less (*prices may change depending on the seller, location and time) |
| General |
Wilson Audio WATT/Puppy |
PSB Synchrony T600 |
| Brand |
Wilson Audio |
PSB |
| Speaker Type |
Floor-standing speaker |
Floor-standing speaker |
| Power Range |
from 25 watts |
20-300 watts |
| Sensitivity |
89 dB |
89 dB |
| Impedance |
4 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Impedance |
2.87 ohms |
4 ohms |
| Frequency Response |
26-30k Hz |
24-23k Hz |
Drivers |
|
|
| Woofer Quantity |
2 |
3 |
| Woofer Size |
8" |
6.5" |
| Woofer Composition |
Paper pulp |
Carbon fiber |
| Woofer Surround Material |
n/a |
Rubber |
| Tweeter Size |
1" |
1" |
| Tweeter Type |
Dome |
Dome |
| Aimable Tweeter |
No |
No |
| Midrange Driver |
7" |
5.25" |
| Crossover Frequency |
n/a |
450Hz and 1800Hz |
| Firing Direction |
rear |
rear |
Physical Specs |
|
|
| Height |
1050.0mm (41.3") |
1048.0mm (41.3") |
| Width |
305.0mm (12") |
228.0mm (9") |
| Depth |
474.0mm (18.7") |
343.0mm (13.5") |
| Weight |
72.57kg (159.7lbs) |
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 |
No |
Yes |
Other |
|
|
| Parts Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
| Labor Warranty |
5 Years |
5 Years |
These sit in different price classes - Wilson Audio WATT/Puppy costs roughly 5.2x 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 | evenly matched | Much the same reach (26Hz vs 24Hz). |
| Amplifier needs | evenly matched | Similar sensitivity (89dB vs 89dB) - both want much the same power. |
| Size | depends | PSB Synchrony T600 is easier to place; Wilson Audio WATT/Puppy is bigger, which usually goes with fuller bass. Your room decides. |
| Expandability | B | PSB Synchrony T600: bi-amping. |
| Price | B | PSB Synchrony T600 is cheaper - $8,000 against $41,500, about 81% less; arguably a different class. |
A Wilson Audio WATT/Puppy 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. In a large or open-plan room, Wilson Audio WATT/Puppy has the cabinet volume to fill it more easily; in a small room, near a wall or at desk distance, PSB Synchrony T600 is the easier speaker to get right. Think about the whole system, not just the speakers: the roughly $33,500 saved by taking the cheaper pair would buy a subwoofer or a better amplifier, and either usually does more for the sound than the difference between these two.
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.