What amplifier does the PSB Imagine XB need?

Pick a speaker and tell us how loud you listen and how big the room is. We work out the power it actually needs, check which amplifiers can safely drive its impedance, and rank 196 amplifiers against it.

Your system

Four questions. Nothing is hidden on price.

Passive speakers only — a powered speaker already has its amplifier inside.
Changes the order only. Nothing is hidden for costing too little or too much.
PSB Imagine XB
PSB Imagine XB
Bookshelf
87 dB · 8 ohm
dips to 4 ohm
$649 a pair
Full specs →
Power needed
15–150 W
per channel, into 8 ohms

To hit 95 dB peaks at 3 m from a pair of PSB Imagine XB, you need at least 15 W a channel. More than 150 W is wasted here — that is all PSB rates the speaker to take.

Show the working
  • 95 dB target at the seat
  • +4.8 dB for 3.0 m of distance
  • -3 dB for a stereo pair
  • -85.0 dB effective sensitivity
  • 2 dB allowed for optimistic published sensitivity
  • Published sensitivity 87 dB, used as 85.0 dB per watt.

Peachtree nova150 with the PSB Imagine XB

Good match
10 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 4.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (150 W to 250 W).
Full Peachtree nova150 specs · Clear this amp
 
$199 $10,500

177 integrated amplifiers suit the PSB Imagine XB

Also show the 1 we do not recommend
1
Sonos Amp
Sonos Amp
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 125 W into 8 ohms · $699
Excellent match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 4.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (125 W to 250 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
2
AudioControl Rialto 600
AudioControl Rialto 600
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 100 W into 8 ohms · $899
Excellent match
8 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 4.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (100 W to 200 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
3
AudioControl Bijou 600
AudioControl Bijou 600
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 100 W into 8 ohms · $899
Excellent match
8 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 4.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (100 W to 200 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
4
WiiM Vibelink
WiiM Vibelink
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 100 W into 8 ohms · $299
Excellent match
8 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 3 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 4.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (100 W to 200 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
5
SVS Prime SoundBase
SVS Prime SoundBase
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 75 W into 8 ohms · $699
Excellent match
7 dB of headroom - enough, but at the modest end for this speaker, which takes up to 150 W.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 4.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (75 W to 150 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
6
Onkyo Muse Y-50
Onkyo Muse Y-50
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 125 W into 8 ohms · $1,500
Excellent match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 4.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (125 W to 250 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Costs more than the speakers - worth it only if you plan to upgrade them later.
7
Peachtree nova150
Peachtree nova150
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 150 W into 8 ohms · $1,199
Good match
10 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 4.
Power rises usefully into 4 ohms (150 W to 250 W).
Costs more than the speakers - worth it only if you plan to upgrade them later.
8
FiiO AIR AMP
FiiO AIR AMP
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · ? W into 8 ohms · $300
Good match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 4.
No 4 ohm power rating on file. On a 8 ohm speaker dipping to 4 that is the figure that matters, so this one is unproven on the load.
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
9
Buchardt I150
Buchardt I150
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 150 W into 8 ohms · $2,500
Excellent match
10 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 4.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (150 W to 300 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
10
WiiM Amp Ultra
WiiM Amp Ultra
Integrated Amplifier · D · 100 W into 8 ohms · $549
Workable with care
8 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
This amplifier does not publish a minimum impedance. An 8 ohm speaker is a safe bet even so.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (100 W to 200 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
11
Yamaha A-S701
Yamaha A-S701
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 100 W into 8 ohms · $800
Good match
8 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 4.
No 4 ohm power rating on file. On a 8 ohm speaker dipping to 4 that is the figure that matters, so this one is unproven on the load.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
12
Yamaha A-S501
Yamaha A-S501
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 85 W into 8 ohms · $550
Good match
8 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 4.
No 4 ohm power rating on file. On a 8 ohm speaker dipping to 4 that is the figure that matters, so this one is unproven on the load.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
13
Marantz Stereo 70s
Marantz Stereo 70s
Stereo Receiver · Class A/B · 75 W into 8 ohms · $1,000
Excellent match
7 dB of headroom - enough, but at the modest end for this speaker, which takes up to 150 W.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 4.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (75 W to 150 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Costs more than the speakers - worth it only if you plan to upgrade them later.
14
Onkyo Muse Y-40
Onkyo Muse Y-40
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 75 W into 8 ohms · $1,000
Excellent match
7 dB of headroom - enough, but at the modest end for this speaker, which takes up to 150 W.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 4.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (75 W to 150 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Costs more than the speakers - worth it only if you plan to upgrade them later.
15
OSD Nero Stream XD2
OSD Nero Stream XD2
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 60 W into 8 ohms · $400
Good match
6 dB of headroom - enough, but at the modest end for this speaker, which takes up to 150 W.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 4.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (60 W to 120 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
16
Anthem STR
Anthem STR
Integrated Amplifier · Class A/B · 200 W into 8 ohms · $5,000
Good match
11 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 2 ohms - stable into anything this speaker will throw at it.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (200 W to 400 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
17
WiiM Amp Pro
WiiM Amp Pro
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 60 W into 8 ohms · $379
Good match
6 dB of headroom - enough, but at the modest end for this speaker, which takes up to 150 W.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 4.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (60 W to 120 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Sensible value pick against these speakers.
18
NAD Masters Series M33
NAD Masters Series M33
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 200 W into 8 ohms · $5,999
Good match
11 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 4.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (200 W to 380 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
19
NAD Masters Series M33 V2
NAD Masters Series M33 V2
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 200 W into 8 ohms · $7,399
Good match
11 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 4.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (200 W to 380 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
20
Marantz PM-10
Marantz PM-10
Integrated Amplifier · Class D · 200 W into 8 ohms · $8,999
Good match
11 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 4.
Power nearly doubles into 4 ohms (200 W to 400 W) - a stiff supply that copes with hard loads.
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.

Showing the best 20 of 177. Narrow it with the price range below, or a different budget split.

18 power amplifiers that would also drive them

Listed separately because they are not a complete system: a power amplifier has no volume control and no inputs to speak of, so you need a preamplifier or a streaming preamp as well. Worth it if you already own one, or if you want to buy the two halves separately.

1
Cambridge Audio Edge M
Cambridge Audio Edge M
Power Amplifier · Class XA · 200 W into 8 ohms
Good match
11 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 4.
No 4 ohm power rating on file. On a 8 ohm speaker dipping to 4 that is the figure that matters, so this one is unproven on the load.
No current price on file for this amplifier.
2
Cambridge Audio MXW70
Cambridge Audio MXW70
Power Amplifier · Class D · 70 W into 8 ohms · $599
Good match
7 dB of headroom - enough, but at the modest end for this speaker, which takes up to 150 W.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 4.
No 4 ohm power rating on file. On a 8 ohm speaker dipping to 4 that is the figure that matters, so this one is unproven on the load.
Balanced against the price of the speakers.
3
Rotel RB-1552 MkII
Rotel RB-1552 MkII
Power Amplifier · Class A/B · 130 W into 8 ohms · $1,699
Good match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 4.
No 4 ohm power rating on file. On a 8 ohm speaker dipping to 4 that is the figure that matters, so this one is unproven on the load.
Costs more than the speakers - worth it only if you plan to upgrade them later.
4
Onkyo Icon M-80
Onkyo Icon M-80
Power Amplifier · Class A/B · 130 W into 8 ohms · $2,000
Good match
9 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 4.
No 4 ohm power rating on file. On a 8 ohm speaker dipping to 4 that is the figure that matters, so this one is unproven on the load.
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
5
Advance Paris X-A160 EVO
Advance Paris X-A160 EVO
Power Amplifier · Class A/B · 160 W into 8 ohms · $2,499
Good match
10 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 4.
No 4 ohm power rating on file. On a 8 ohm speaker dipping to 4 that is the figure that matters, so this one is unproven on the load.
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
6
Audiolab 9000P
Audiolab 9000P
Power Amplifier · Class A/B · 100 W into 8 ohms · $1,499
Good match
8 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 4.
No 4 ohm power rating on file. On a 8 ohm speaker dipping to 4 that is the figure that matters, so this one is unproven on the load.
Costs more than the speakers - worth it only if you plan to upgrade them later.
7
Rotel RB-1582 MkII
Rotel RB-1582 MkII
Power Amplifier · Class A/B · 200 W into 8 ohms · $2,499
Good match
11 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 4.
No 4 ohm power rating on file. On a 8 ohm speaker dipping to 4 that is the figure that matters, so this one is unproven on the load.
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
8
NAD C298
NAD C298
Power Amplifier · Class D · 185 W into 8 ohms · $3,099
Good match
11 dB of headroom over what this speaker needs - peaks stay clean.
Rated down to 4 ohms, comfortable with an 8 ohm speaker that dips to 4.
No 4 ohm power rating on file. On a 8 ohm speaker dipping to 4 that is the figure that matters, so this one is unproven on the load.
Far more expensive than the speakers. Spend it on speakers first.
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Sensitivity and impedance figures are the manufacturer's own. We read sensitivity as dB at 2.83 V/1 m and take 2 dB off it, because published figures run high. Treat the result as a well-founded starting point, not a measurement. Full PSB Imagine XB specs.