PSB Alpha AM3/AM5 Powered Bookshelf Speakers Obsessed Garage

Let me start by saying these PSB speakers are not Dynaudio, but they are incredible for the cost. My good friend Mike (NAD/Bluesound representative) suggested considering these speakers as a lower-end audio solution. Initially, I wasn’t interested but became intrigued, and in typical Matty fashion, I bought the whole catalog.

I want to prepare you for when you open these up for the first time; these are vinyl-wrapped speakers with an inexpensive magnetic grill that weighs nothing. You’re going to think that I lost my mind and will probably say to yourself, “send these back immediately.” But, thousands and thousands of dollars later, and after swallowing my pride, I was blown away.

The perfect analogy for these would be that they have Kranzle-like performance in less than Active price. Now, I don’t want to oversell these because your speakers are only as good as the amplifier you have with them. The amplifiers in both the AM3’s and AM5’s are limited in output, so don’t expect to blow your eardrums out.

Paul Barton (chief designer of PSB speakers) is a genius. I don’t know what he did to these, but they are so darn good. These speakers are Canadian engineered but manufactured to PSB spec in China – proof that not all Chinese-made products are bad because these certainly fit in the OG ecosystem.

The AM3/AM5 series is a simple speaker setup that allows you to enter into the audio realm without having to spend a ton of money. Just like the Dynaudio speakers I sell, these sound great in the garage. Not Dynaudio great, but I’ll say good enough for your garage listening. Far better than the other cheap audio speakers I’ve listened to, and I’ve heard several of them.

With both the AM3’s and AM5’s, you can get them in black or white. I like these in white, but white may not fit your décor, so you have the option to go with black. Remember that these are powered, wireless speakers. Let me clarify “wireless speakers” – you still have to plug it in and run a speaker wire from left to right. This is a wireless connected speaker that has built-in Bluetooth.

These are entry-level, inexpensive speakers designed for a specific audience. I don’t want to set you up by making you think that these speakers are the top echelon of audio, but they are really good and work well in the garage. Most people will go with these over Dynaudio because of cost. I get that and understand that not everyone is a crazy person like I am.

We ultimately want a smooth sound, especially for the garage, mainly because the conditions are very harsh. These speakers are going to slay in this environment. I’m trying not to make a super huge deal over these, but when I listened to them next to my higher-end, expensive Dynaudio’s, I’m truly in awe of the sound they produce. The Dynaudio’s are still the clear winner, but man, these things are legit.  

I didn’t want anything to do with these. I wasn’t going to put these in the store. I was chasing after the SVS speakers, but there was no contest once I put these up against them. I’m still a big fan of the SVS brand; however, these work just as well, if not better. 

With these, all you’ll need is a phone, power, and a speaker wire. If you want simple, inexpensive, and a set of great-sounding speakers, skip the AM3’s and just get the AM5’s. 

The next step would be to add a subwoofer to go with this setup, but this is a great start. 

Features & Specifications

Alpha AM3 Compact Powered Speakers 

Frequency Response:

• On Axis @ 0° ± 3dB | 56Hz-20Khz
• LF Cutoff -10dB | 40Hz

Amplifier Power:

• Amplifier Power | 35 watts x 2 RMS

Acoustic Design:

• Tweeter (Nominal) 3/4″ (19mm), Aluminum Dome with Ferrofluid | Neodymium Magnet
• Woofer (Nominal) 4″ (100mm) Cone | Rubber Surround | Steel Basket

Inputs:

• Analog | 3.5mm, Phono MM
• Digital | Optical, USB
• Wireless | aptX™ Bluetooth
• Design Type | Bass Reflexv

Construction:

• Cabinet | MDF
• Cabinet Sleeve | Vinyl
• Baffle Front | MDF
• Grille | Perforated Metal

Size (W x H x D):

• Net Dimensions 5 1/8” x 8 5/8” x 6 7/8” | (130 x 220 x 174mm)
• Net Weight 10 lbs (4.5 kg)
• Shipping Dimensions 14 1/8” x 9 7/8” x 11 1/2” | (359 x 251 x 292mm)
• Shipping Weight | 11.7 lbs (5.3 kg)

Finish:

• Available Finishes | Matte Black, Matte White

Alpha AM5 Powered Bookshelf Speakers

Frequency Response:

• On Axis @ 0°±3dB | 55Hz-20Khz
• LF Cutoff -10dB | 36Hz

Amplifier Power:

• Amplifier Power | 50 watts x 2 rms

Acoustic Design:

• 3/4″ (19mm), Aluminum Dome with Ferrofluid | Neodymium Magnet

Woofer:

•  5.25″ (100mm) Cone | Rubber Surround | Steel Basket

Inputs:

• Analog | 3.5mm, Phono MM
• Digital | Optical, USB,
• Wireless | aptX™ Bluetooth
• Design Type | Bass Reflex

Construction:

• Cabinet | MDF
• Cabinet Sleeve | Vinyl
• Baffle Front | MDF
• Grille | Perforated Metal

Size (W x H x D):

• Net Dimensions | 6 3/4” x 11 2/5” x 9 1/2” (170 x 290 x 240mm)
• Net Weight | 21.5 lbs (9.75 kg)
• Shipping Dimensions | 18 3/8” x 13 3/8” x 15” (467 x 340 x 381mm)
• Shipping Weight | 23.6 lbs (10.71 kg)

Finish:

• Available Finishes | Matte Black, Matte White

Manufacturer Description

Alpha AM3 Compact Powered Speakers:

The AM3 is a compact home music system that connects to virtually any device, wired or wirelessly, and delivers bold stereo sound for everything you enjoy, from vinyl to music streaming. Constructed with premium components and designed with decades of award-winning acoustics, the AM3 powered speakers deliver full-range sound with zero distortion thanks to their 4” midbass drivers and ¾” aluminium ferrofluid-cooled tweeters for crystal-clear highs. With a built-in phono preamp you can connect a turntable without extra components or gear, while still being able to stream music from any app or device with high-quality Qualcomm aptX Bluetooth.

Alpha AM5 Powered Bookshelf Speakers:

The Alpha AM5 is a powered two-speaker stereo system that will revolutionize your traditional home audio experience. Featuring trickle-down acoustic technology from PSB’s most iconic speaker designs, the AM5 powered speaker includes a custom designed driver set with a ¾” aluminium ferrofluid-cooled tweeter and a 5 ¼” midbass woofer that together deliver a rich and detailed full-range sound. You can listen to favourites on vinyl with a built-in phono preamp, or stream music and playlists with high-quality Qualcomm aptX Bluetooth. It’s PSB legendary sound, for everything you listen to and enjoy.

Setup & FAQ

PSB AM3

• PSB AM3 Owners Manual October 2021 Update (PDF)
• Datasheet

PSB AM5

• PSB AM5 Owners Manual October 2021 Update (PDF)
• Datasheet