PSB Alpha P3 Compact Bookshelf Speakers

PSB's Smallest Alpha, Built for Real Shelves and Desks

The Alpha P3 is the smallest speaker in PSB's Alpha series. A 4-inch woofer and a 0.75-inch aluminum dome tweeter sit in a cabinet under 9 inches tall, so it fits an actual bookshelf, a desk or a wall bracket. The speakers are sold as a pair in black ash or walnut.

Paul Barton founded PSB in 1972 and designed the first Alpha in 1991 as an affordable speaker built on research at Canada's National Research Council. The current Alpha series arrived in 2019. The P3 keeps the original brief: honest sound at the lowest price in the line.

The Drivers

PSB mounts the tweeter below the woofer, with a waveguide around the dome, to keep the balance even whether you sit or stand. The woofer uses a textured polypropylene cone and a dual-layer voice coil. The crossover is at 3,000 Hz, and a 1.4-inch port vents at the rear.

The Numbers, and What They Ask of You

PSB quotes 57 Hz to 21 kHz within 3 dB, with a minus 10 dB bass cutoff of 43 Hz. Anechoic sensitivity is 85 dB. The impedance is 8 ohms nominal with a 4 ohm minimum, and PSB recommends 10 to 80 watts per channel.

Those figures mean almost any amplifier or receiver will drive the P3, including small integrated amplifiers and vintage receivers. What it will not do is fill a large room with deep bass. A 4-inch woofer has limits, and the P3 is happiest on a desk or in a small room.

Size and Finish

Each cabinet measures 5.1 inches wide, 8.6 tall and 6.9 deep, and weighs 4.9 pounds. The finish is woodgrain vinyl in black ash or walnut, with a magnetic grille. A threaded insert on the back takes a wall bracket, which Trusted Reviews noted makes the P3 easy to wall-mount.

What Reviewers Are Saying

Doug Schneider reviewed the P3 for SoundStage! Hi-Fi in February 2019: "From the upper bass through the midrange and on to the highs, I found that the PSB Alpha P3s sounded commendably clean, dynamic, and free."

Simon Lucas of Trusted Reviews gave it four stars out of five in September 2019: "You'll be hard-pushed to find a comparably sized – and priced – pair of speakers that have the poise and agility of the P3s."

Who Is This Bookshelf Speaker Best For?

• You want speakers that actually fit on a shelf — under 9 inches tall and 7 deep, with the port on the back and the grille held by magnets
• You listen at a desk or in a small room — 85 dB sensitivity and a 4-inch woofer are sized for nearfield listening at modest levels
• You are building a compact surround system — the P3 matches the Alpha C10 center, so a small home theater keeps one voice
• You are buying your first real hi-fi — 10 watts is enough, so a budget integrated amplifier or a vintage receiver will do
• You want deeper bass from the same design — the Alpha P5 adds a 5.25-inch woofer and reaches 37 Hz

How Do They Connect to Your System?

Speaker cable runs from your amplifier or receiver to the binding posts on the back of each speaker, red to red and black to black. These are passive speakers, so nothing plugs into the wall. PSB recommends 10 to 80 watts per channel.

Put the tweeter near ear height, on a shelf, a desk stand or a wall bracket. PSB's below-the-woofer tweeter and waveguide keep the balance steady if you sit a little high or low. Leave a few inches behind the cabinet for the port.

Pairs Well With

What completes the system. These are the categories most Alpha P3 owners shop next.

• PSB Alpha C10 center channel — the matching center for a compact home theater
• PSB Alpha Sub 8 subwoofer — fills in the octave below 43 Hz without a big box
• NAD C 3030 integrated amplifier — PSB's sister brand, with more than enough power for an 85 dB speaker
• Speaker stands — to put the tweeter at ear height when there is no shelf

Frequently Asked Questions

Are the Alpha P3 sold as a pair?

Yes. The price is for two speakers with magnetic grilles, in black ash or walnut. Check the title of this listing for the finish you are ordering.

How much power do they need?

PSB recommends 10 to 80 watts per channel. The 8 ohm nominal impedance and 4 ohm minimum are an easy load for any modern integrated amplifier or receiver.

Do I need a subwoofer?

For a desk or a small room, no. The P3 reaches 57 Hz within 3 dB and rolls off below that. For film or bass-heavy music in a bigger room, add a small subwoofer.

Can I mount them on a wall?

Yes. Each cabinet has a threaded insert on the back for a standard wall bracket. Trusted Reviews called the P3 easy to wall-mount.

How is the P3 different from the Alpha P5?

The P5 has a 5.25-inch woofer, reaches 37 Hz at minus 10 dB, is 2 dB more sensitive and stands 11.4 inches tall. The P3 gives up bass and volume for a cabinet that fits anywhere.

Where are they designed?

PSB designs and measures its speakers at Canada's National Research Council acoustics lab, where founder Paul Barton has worked since the 1970s.

See It in Action

cheapaudioman reviews the Alpha P3:

Jay's iyagi reviews the Alpha P3 and Alpha P5 together:

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