PSB Speakers has released the Passif 50^th Anniversary Edition stand mount loudspeaker in celebration of its 50-year milestone.

The design and technologies of the Passif 50 model leverages five decades of dedicated research and pays homage to the early Passif II model first released in 1974. The Passif 50 is expected to arrive in Australia in October and retails at $4,999 AUD.

Paying tribute to the Passif II, the Passif 50 represents the PSB legacy that has remained strong over 50 years of speaker innovation – a series of products marked by tonal accuracy, spatial realism and freedom from distortion.

The Passif 50 features 1970s inspired elements like an open-grained walnut veneer cabinet, magnetically attached woven cloth grilles and dedicated stands. The loudspeaker evokes a sense of nostalgia with its retro details while being constructed with modern materials that align to current tastes. Other unique embellishments include a pull tab on the front grille, which sports the retro PSB logo – originally hand drawn by founder Paul Barton in his high school geography class – and a rear-panel plaque adorned by a maple leaf with an inscription that reads, “Passif 50 – 1972-2022.”

The design of the Passif 50 mirrors its famous 1970s forefather but incorporates the most current flagship level components and benefits from 50 years of acoustic research. The result is a loudspeaker with classic 70s looks but achieves a level of performance well beyond the capabilities of its ancestors.

The titanium dome tweeter employs a powerful neodymium magnet and ferrofluid damping, for higher output, improved power handling, and reduced distortion. A phase plug in front of the tweeter’s dome directs the tweeter’s output to ensure a wide and consistent dispersion well beyond the traditional listening window. The result is a speaker which creates a wide and deep soundstage with very acute imaging which isn’t reliant on a precise listening position. A felt pad surrounding the tweeter minimises edge diffraction for improved transparency and more stable imaging.

The woofer and passive radiator have cast aluminium baskets that resist flexing, and filleted rubber surrounds that dampen cone resonances, resulting in smoother response and reduced distortion. Considerable engineering effort was invested in refining the interaction between the woofer and the passive radiator. The result is a state of perfect balance of their opposing forces.

All joints in the heavily braced enclosure are mitred for improved fit and finish and reduced cabinet vibration. Featuring dual five-way binding posts, the Passif 50 can be bi-wired or biamped.