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PSB Passif 50 Review
PSB Passif 50

Main Features

  • 1" Dome Tweeter
  • 6.5" cast aluminum basket, paper cone Woofer
  • One 8-inch Passive Radiators
  • 50-20k Hz Frequency Response
  • 87 dB Sensitivity
  • Impedance: 6ohms
  • Power Range: 30-200 Wattswatts
  • Weight:30.30 lbs / 13.70 kg
  • Dimensions(HxWxD): 26"x11"x10" / 660 × 280 × 254mm
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PSB Passif 50 Review

PSB Passif 50 is a 2-way Passive Passive Radiator Bookshelf speaker by PSB. It features a 1" Dome Tweeter and 1 x 6.5" cast aluminum basket, paper cone Woofer. Passif 50 also employs one 8-inch passive radiators. The speaker has a frequency range of 50-20k Hz and a sensitivity of 87 dB. PSB Passif 50 has an MSRP of 2499$ per pair.

What size of room is the PSB Passif 50 speaker good for?

The size of the room in which you are planning to use the PSB Passif 50 is an important decision factor. Here we have evaluated its suitability to various sizes of environments considering its size and max power parameters:

Listening Environment* Suitability
Near-fieldPoor
Small RoomAverage
Mid-size RoomGood
Large RoomAverage
Very Large RoomPoor

(* 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.)


**This post contains affiliate links, and I will be compensated if you make a purchase after clicking through my links. As an Amazon Associate I earn from qualifying purchases.

What is the Frequency Response of the PSB Passif 50 speaker?

PSB Passif 50 has a Frequency response range of 50-20k Hz at ±3dB and Power Range of 30-200 Watts watts. At a minimum frequency of 50 Hz, Passif 50 will provide an average bass depth so depending on your use case, you may consider supplementing your system with a subwoofer.

To focus on the subwoofers that are in a similar price range with PSB Passif 50, check out the Powered Subwoofers under $3000. Alternatively, find the Full list of Powered Subwoofers regardless of the price.
Here we have a comparison of how Passif 50's Low and High frequency values compare with the average, max and min Low and High frequency values in its class.
Low Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
PSB Passif 50
Min
Average
Max
High Frequency
Bookshelf Speakers
PSB Passif 50
Min
Average
Max


What is the Crossover frequency of PSB Passif 50?

The Crossover frequency of the Passif 50 is set to 1800Hz. This is the threshold frequency where the higher frequency signals over this level are sent to the tweeter and the lower-frequency signals are sent to the woofer by the crossover component.

What are the Impedance and Sensitivity of the PSB Passif 50? Is it an easy-to-drive speaker?

PSB Passif 50's nominal impedance level is 6 ohms but can go down to as low as 4 ohms, and has a sensitivity of 87 dB.

Sensitivity
Bookshelf Speakers
PSB Passif 50
Min
Average
Max

Nominal Impedance of 6 Ohms makes the PSB Passif 50 a relatively difficult to drive speaker compared to more frequently found 8 ohms speakers from nominal Impedance perspective.

Sensitivity

89dB of PSB Passif 50 is an average sensitivity for stereo speaker so it is neither easy nor difficult to drive Sensitivity wise.

Minimum Impedance of PSB Passif 50

Even though the nominal impedance of the Passif 50 is 6 ohms, the minimum impedance level of this speaker according to PSB is 4 ohms PSB Passif 50 so while choosing an amplifier, you should ideally check if the unit you are considering can provide this impedance level.

Check the amplifiers that are in a similar price range to the PSB Passif 50:

  • Integrated Amps under 2000 USD
  • Integrated Amps under 3000 USD
  • Integrated Amps under 5000 USD
  • All Integrated Amplifiers

Input Type

Passif 50 has 5-Way post type connectors and lets bi-amping/bi-wiring. Bi-wiring can provide improvements in the overall transparency of your loudspeakers by running separate speaker wires to the low & high frequency drivers from a single amplifier. Bi-amping allows the use of separate amplifiers for the high & low frequency drivers of your loudspeaker which may result in greater dynamic range & lower distortion.

PSB Passif 50 Back View
PSB Passif 50 Back View

PSB Passif 50 Terminals
PSB Passif 50's 5-Way post terminals allows Bi-amping or bi-wiring

PSB Passif 50 External Dimensions and Weight

PSB Passif 50 has external dimensions of (Height x Width x Depth) 26 x 11 x 10-inch (660 × 280 × 254mm ).

Base Surface Area
Base surface area of a loudspeaker may become a determining factor when the space in your room or desk is limited. The base area of PSB Passif 50 is approximately 712.0cm2 / 110.4inch2.

To get a better perspective on the real life size of PSB Passif 50, let's compare it with a standard size Compact Disc which has a diameter of 4.7inch (120mm).

PSB Passif 50 Real Life Body Size Comparison
PSB Passif 50 Speaker Size Compared to a Compact Disc

Here we place the PSB Passif 50 virtually next to a standard width amplifier and turntable on a BDI Octave Media Cabinet to get a better idea about the size.

PSB Passif 50 placed next to an amplifier and turntable
PSB Passif 50 Speaker next to an amplifier and turntable

Weight

The PSB Passif 50 weighs 13.70kg / 30.1lbs per piece. Here is a comparison of how Passif 50's weight compares with the average, max and min weights in its class.

Weight
All Bookshelf Speakers
PSB Passif 50
Min
Average
Max
Weight
Bookshelf Speakers under $3000
PSB Passif 50
Min
Average
Max
PSB Passif 50  on a Stand
PSB Passif 50 on a Stand

Cabinet type and Materials

PSB Passif 50 has a Passive Radiator type cabinet and a open-grain walnut veneer finish.

Available colors

PSB Passif 50 is available in Open-Grain Walnut.

Wall Mounting

Passif 50 doesn't sport any built-in mounting bracket, so you need an external structure to mount it on walls.

Does the PSB Passif 50 come with a Grille?

Passif 50 comes with magnetic grilles. The purpose of the grille is to protect the delicate driver elements from external impacts while still allowing the sound to pass as clearly as possible. Since the included grille of the Passif 50 is magnetic type, it is very easy to put it on and off.

PSB Passif 50  with Grille
PSB Passif 50 with Grille

Official Brochure

Here is a link to download the official brochure for the PSB Passif 50 speaker:
Official Brochure for PSB Passif 50

Official Product Page

Official manufacturer's product page for the PSB Passif 50 speaker can be found below:
Official Product Page for PSB Passif 50

Warranty

5 Years of parts warranty and 5 Years of labor warranty is generally provided by the manufacturer.

PSB Passif 50  Lifestyle
PSB Passif 50 Lifestyle

PSB Passif 50 Alternatives in Passive Bookshelf Speakers
Model Type Sensitivity Impedance Frequency
Buchardt S400 MKII
Compare
2-way 88 dB 4 ohms 33-40k HZ
B&W 706 S2
Compare
2-way 88 dB 8 ohms 50-28k Hz
KEF R3
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3-way 87 dB 8 ohms 52-28k Hz
B&W 706 S3
Compare
2-way 88 dB 8 ohms 50-28k Hz
B&W 705 S3
Compare
2-way 88 dB 8 ohms 50-28k Hz
Wharfedale Elysian 1
Compare
2-way 89 dB 4 ohms 49-22k Hz
MoFi SourcePoint 10
Compare
2-way 91dB 8 ohms 42-30k Hz
JBL L100 Classic
Compare
3-way 90 dB 4 ohms 40-40k Hz
JBL HDI-1600
Compare
2-way 85 dB 4 ohms 40-30k Hz
B&W 705 S2
Compare
2-way 88 dB 8 ohms 50-28k Hz
Frequently Asked Questions about PSB Passif 50
What is the External Dimensions of PSB Passif 50
What is the Speaker Sensitivity of PSB Passif 50
is the PSB Passif 50 an easy to drive speaker?



PSB Passif 50 Detailed Specifications

General
BrandPSB
Full Model NamePSB Passif 50
Speaker Type2-way Bookshelf
Power Range30-200 Watts watts
Sensitivity87 dB
Impedance6 ohms
Frequency Response50-20k Hz
DRIVERS
Woofer Size6.5-inch
Woofer Compositioncast aluminum basket, paper cone
Woofer Surroundcast aluminum basket, paper cone
Tweeter Size1-inch
Tweeter TypeDome
Crossover freq1800Hz

CONNECTIONS
Connector Type5-Way post
Biamp InputsYes
PHYSICAL SPECS
Height660.0mm ( 26-inch)
Width280.0mm ( 11-inch)
Depth254.0mm ( 10-inch)
Height660.0mm ( 26-inch)
Weight13.70kg ( 30.30 lbs)
EnclosurePassive Radiator
Finishopen-grain walnut veneer
Available ColorsOpen-Grain Walnut
Mounting BracketNo
GrilleYes
Moisture ResistanceNo
OTHER
Handheld RemoteNo
Parts Warranty5 Years
Labor Warranty5 Years
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