PSB calls the Alpha AM3 a Compact Active Monitor actually, it’s not an active but a powered speaker, according to the definitions used across the SoundStage! Network.
At the bottom are up/down buttons for adjusting the treble and bass. Below this pad are a Sub button for engaging and defeating the subwoofer output, and a Mode button for activating digital signal processing (DSP) effects (see below).
PSB ALPHA P5 BLUETOOTH
The remote has power on/off and Bluetooth pairing buttons at the top, and below these a cursor pad that lets you adjust volume and cycle through inputs, with a mute button in the center. In the baffle’s lower left corner is a sensor for the IR remote control. Just above and slightly to the left of this knob is a status LED. In the lower right corner of the primary, left speaker’s baffle is a knob: turn it to adjust volume, or press to cycle through the inputs.
PSB ALPHA P5 DRIVERS
The silver trim rings surrounding the drivers are visible through the metal grille, giving them a funky look. From the sides, they look plain Jane-ish from the front, they’re pretty stylish. Whereas the passive Alpha P3 is available in finishes of simulated black ash or walnut, the powered AM3 has cabinets clad in vinyl matte white or matte black. I resolved to assess its suitability for desktop audio when an opportunity arose, and recently it did. I had evaluated the AM5 in the basement family room of our 1920s rowhouse in Toronto, but the AM3’s smaller woofer and less powerful amplifier struck me as being more suited for smaller spaces, such as my second-floor home office. With the Alpha AM5, PSB provided review samples of the AM3. In December 2020 I reviewed the Alpha AM5, which, like the Alpha P5 before it, received Reviewers’ Choice honors and was named a SoundStage! Network Product of the Year for Exceptional Value. The Alpha AM5 ($599/pair) and Alpha AM3 ($399/pair) have the same drivers and crossovers as their passive counterparts, but also have built-in amplifiers and an abundance of connectivity options, including moving-magnet phono, USB DAC, optical S/PDIF, and Bluetooth. In October 2020, PSB announced powered versions of the Alpha P5 and smaller Alpha P3 ($219/pair). PSB’s Alpha P5 two-way minimonitor ($399/pair, all prices USD except as noted) received a Reviewers’ Choice Award when it was reviewed on SoundStage! Access by Hans Wetzel in March 2019, and was subsequently named a SoundStage! Network Product of the Year for Exceptional Value. Introduced in 1991, PSB’s affordable Alpha series of loudspeakers have since earned a reputation for performance and value, and received many awards.
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