PSB Alpha iQ – Streaming Powered Speakers with BluOS Review

Despite the small size of the PSB Alpha IQ-Streaming Powered Speaker system, my time with them showed me how they were able to command far more of my listening attention than I initially anticipated. My listening experience changes as technology improves, and these musical marvels from PSB have given the Alpha iQ – Streaming Powered speakers an opportunity to demonstrate just how the listening experience has changed for the better. I enjoyed my time with these two loudspeakers from PSB and consider the PSB Alpha iQ – Streaming Powered Speakers with BluOs a very serious effort to blend the latest streaming technology and fine speaker design.

The PSB Alpha iQ with BluOS is one of those unique products that is so well thought out that using them just seems natural for anybody who knows how to use a smartphone. Their installation is not demanding, a simple following of the instructions and watching the speakers’ color codes change until synchronized (both will have blue lights) is all that is needed to have them singing. Visually, they can take up a very small amount of indoor space, yet are able to musically create a larger space. The price is accessible to many people, and their physical size allows them to be used in many different rooms due to their active design and inherent efficiency.

I found the PSB Alpha iQ to be very effective in their design objectives of providing a wireless pair of speakers to have a wide appeal to many audiophiles who are used to a more traditional system structure, and to those newer music fans who want a more contemporary musical reproduction structure and less visual presence of equipment. They will appeal to those who view music as an important part of their life.

Just before Carlo left for the Florida Audio Show, he let me know that John Johnson was finished measuring the Alpha iQ – Streaming – Powered – loudspeakers and they were awaiting a listen and review. I enjoy the new streaming technology and many other options the PSB Alpha iQ speakers are equipped with, so how could I resist? They have taken full advantage of the newest technology in this small, attractive musical package. These speakers are special on many levels, and Paul Barton, who contributed to the design, is to be congratulated for such a gem.

To those familiar with PSB, the acronym (Paul & Sue Barton) could very well mean People, Sound, and Business. As the company has evolved, this could be changing to “People, Streaming, and Beyond.”

Today, PSB brings audio enjoyment to customers all over the globe through nearly 50 distributors and approximately 1000 dealers/retailers. Despite all the worldwide growth, the philosophy of performance and value has remained unchanged for almost 40 years.

When I get a product to review and I see Class D amplification, I hate to admit this, but I still pause and fight the pre-conceived opinions of early Class D amplification. It is not that I have never heard good Class D amplifiers, I have, but the early ones left me wanting more. However, they have been so good recently that once over my initial pause, my curiosity is sparked, and I am wondering how much better Class D will sound this time. In this case, the compact size of the PSB Alpha iQ allows so many options to be considered, and one feature is that they are fitted with internal bi-amplified Class D amplifiers.

Many people live in smaller square foot spaces, such as studios, condominiums, town houses, or others renting just a small bedroom. College students also fall into this adjusted living situation. This severely limits how a music system can be assembled. Many people, including friends of mine, are living in a reduced space, and having a music system capable of that magical sound we all crave can be a challenge. I also have friends who want to listen to music but are in a geographically hot area. Visalia, CA, in the Central Valley, home to many audiophiles, is HOT in the summer.

Two of my audio brothers, Darrin and Jerry, have their methods of managing hot weather in the Central Valley. Darrin just listens less in the summer as many days from June to September are over 100 F for several hours a day, peaks of up to 106 F, cooling to highs of 60 to 70 degrees at night. Darrin has a Pass Labs amplifier, and Pass Labs amplifiers are not known for running cold. Jerry has tubes, 12 EL34, they are not running cold either. He solves this by moving to Idaho in the summer. They could both benefit from a speaker system with virtually no heat generation. Aside from heat concerns, the physical imposition of large speakers, cables, equipment, and a cluttered room of speaker and power cables, audio stands, separate components, and more can reduce the living space. These small, but mighty, all- in-one streaming, wireless wonders from PSB may just be the solution for many music lovers wanting musicality, but have reduced music equipment space. My first impression is frequently very indicative of how my final assessment will be. The Alpha iQ did not disappoint.

This speaker system is designed to introduce you to the “uncluttered life” and experience music with a minimalist approach to equipment, avoiding audiophile items such as garden hose cables on the floor, racks of equipment, speakers out 6 feet from the rear wall, etc. There are 4 drivers, 4 amplifiers, Class D, and 1 power cable for each speaker. A simple 2-prong 120V power cable is provided for those in the USA, and 220V-rated cables for use in other countries.

Having a separate amplifier for each driver seems to work very well with 60 watts available for each 4- inch woofer, and 30 watts available for each 3⁄4-inch Aluminum Dome tweeter. What makes this simple bi-amplified approach so successful is the matching qualities and specifications of the woofer and tweeter, which can be optimized with the amplification, bringing the best out of the drivers. The drivers are small, in a compact enclosure, so there are many reasons to maximize the quality of the amplification/driver performance.

There are also touch controls on top of one speaker for volume control of both speakers. There is a high-quality internal 24/192 DAC that has full MQA decoding and rendering capability for high-res streaming from Tidal. Through the BluOS Controller app, the user can play their choice of music from more than 20 streaming services. Several of these streaming services offered are lossless and high-resolution audio formats, such as Amazon Music, Deezer, Idagio, Qobuz, and Tidal. In addition, internet radio stations from around the world are available. Apple AirPlay 2, Spotify Connect, and Tidal Connect are also supported.

For those who want options beyond streaming, a built-in MM preamp, RCA phono jacks, and a ground terminal allow you to connect a turntable.

Finally, other inputs include an HDMI eARC port for connecting to an HDTV, an optical input for connecting a disc player or game console, and a 3.5mm auxiliary input for connecting different stereo analog sources. The Alpha iQ has Bluetooth connectivity, with support for the high-quality aptX-HD codec, for wireless playback from smart devices. You can connect an external drive (Hard Drive, USB) loaded with music files to the Alpha iQ’s USB port and control playback. Many of us still have a large storage of music on one or more hard drives, which also may have some vinyl ripped that can still be utilized.

I would soon find out that the PSB iQ are much better than their price point at $1499.00 would suggest. I set them on a table that is in front of my 65-inch TV. The speakers were mounted 32 inches from the floor to the bottom of the speaker. They can fit on a stand, or virtually any shelf, and small to medium- sized rooms, and even larger rooms if you add a subwoofer.

I have become a fan of the wireless connection with BluOS, which has proved to be a stable wireless platform. I primarily used BluOS with the speakers and streaming site Qobuz as my main source. The different tracks were quick to change from one to another, and the volume control on the app or the one on the speaker was used to adjust the volume. Care is needed to not ramp up the volume on the speaker (there is a volume control on 1 speaker for both) and run up the volume on your phone until you hear the music start. I kept the speaker about at 80% up and the volume of the phone screen at about 30-50%. This gave me a listening level of about 80dB in the room.

The tweeter is located on the lower front side of the speaker, so I had the tweeter at ear level on the speaker stand. In the downstairs area, they easily filled the room. I next went upstairs, and the stairs are lateral to the left of the speakers. I noticed a 3-4dB drop in level, but I was up on the 14^th step. A long distance away, and they were still well heard.

I also listened to only one speaker in a room upstairs, and downstairs to see how they performed if the listener wanted one downstairs and one upstairs, or as some may use in two different rooms in a non-stereo fashion. The music from just one speaker was amazing for a small speaker in a large room or a small room. It was easy to enjoy music from just one speaker, controlled from a smartphone. Setting up the speakers involves following the instructions, and a sync of the speakers is indicated with light colors on the speaker. A less than 15-minute set-up is typically required.

The speakers were placed so the base was 32 inches from the floor, very near my ear level from the listening position, and they were placed 45 inches apart, measured from the outer cabinet. The fronts of the speakers were 23 inches from the rear wall. They were placed on a level plane and remained so through the evaluation, as the rake angle was not adjusted.

On “Bonita and Bill Butler,” there is a great driving pulse in the rhythm with Dan Tyminski on vocals. The acoustic guitar holds a great rhythm, along with Barry Bales on upright bass, and the pulsing fills with the mandolin are just a delight. The fiddle played by Alison Krauss is superb, helping to create a very driving sound with acoustic instruments. The PSB iQ was able to convey this acoustic drive with acoustic instruments. The individual mandolin, fiddle, and acoustic guitar parts were always easy to hear and did not get lost in the mix.

This is a great album, which reached number one on the Bluegrass charts and number one on the Country charts, making this a great crossover album. It was even on the Billboard 200 chart. Thus, if you have not heard this album, it is not the typical bluegrass album. Highly recommended.

This was a stellar performance from a speaker punching way above its weight class.

I found myself searching out new music during the day at work, then at night, I would listen to all the new music I found, which was something I learned to look forward to. Walking in the door of my home, I would use my phone with BluOS, and in seconds, music was on, playing new songs and albums I had found during the day. Discovering new music has never been easier, or more fun. Wireless is here and getting better each year.

The PSB Alpha iQ wireless speakers are the best under $2,000.00 way to start a complete music system. In addition, they may quickly become a music lover’s best friend for finding new music and reproducing that music in more rooms than just the formal listening room.

This is a speaker for everyone who wants music in one room or throughout their house, and does not want the compromised sounding speakers frequently stuck up in the ceiling. These are for those going to college, wanting quality music, music in a gym, working in a kitchen, casual listening, convenience listening, and just plain musical listening. The Alpha iQ is for audiophiles who have an evening where sweet-spot listening is not happening, due to heat from tubes, being busy in the house, fear about not being present if a tube begins to glow, and not being present to put an end to the glow, or many other reasons. During our hot summers, I am not turning on my 8-tube Quicksilver M135 amplifiers on for very long. They are space heaters. Their time on is a quick 30-minute listen, then off. Just when they sound good, the room is hot. I like to keep the electrolytic capacitors functioning well, so they get a monthly spin, but for all-day listening, with a hot summer day, these PSB iQ are just a wonderful musical option. They are a very special speaker that are hard to fault on any level.

The PSB ALPHA iQ wireless speakers are the best under $2,000.00 way to start a music system, or add to a music system, wireless or not, I have heard yet for 2025. If my friends are any indication, they all marveled at their sound and how good the PSB Alpha iQ filled the musical package. In comparison with my main rig speakers I have, the best comment I heard was when I was playing “The Assad Brothers” and was asked, “Which speakers are playing now?” That is how they sound when the frequency extremes are not being pushed, just a big slice of a larger speaker’s tonal qualities. And no, they did not kick my Acoustic Zen speakers to the curb, but they were not embarrassed either. The Alpha iQ just gets the midrange right, which is the heart of music reproduction.

I really liked these speakers and find them so versatile in their ability to be incorporated into so many listening environments. These very well could be a great ambassador for listeners of ear buds to transition to a speaker system in a home and give their ears a little “freedom from the ear bud” time, and be able to listen while other people are talking. Highly recommended to all those who love music.