Short answer: the PSB Imagine T65. It ranks #26 of 56 floorstanding speakers by sound quality at $2699; the Klipsch Forte IV ranks #33 and costs $5499.98, so there is not much of a tradeoff to weigh.
On the PSB Imagine T65 side: Three-way design with dual 6.5” woven carbon fiber woofers delivers genuinely strong, extended low end for a $2,699 tower - among the better performers Erin has measured in this price class. Set against that: Noticeable dip in the midrange/crossover region that Erin flagged as affecting dialogue and vocal clarity, though he notes a couple bands of EQ smooths it out.
The case for the Klipsch Forte IV: Three-way heritage design: a 1” titanium tweeter and 1.75” compression driver for the midrange mated to a 12” woofer, plus a 15” passive radiator for extra bass reinforcement. The tradeoff: Contrary to the classic Klipsch reputation for being forward and bright, this model is actually somewhat recessed in the 1.5-4kHz “presence” region, which can make some tracks sound dull or lacking in detail.
Buy the PSB Imagine T65. It ranks higher for sound quality than the Klipsch Forte IV and costs less, so there is no real case for the other one.
Specifications Side By Side
| PSB Imagine T65 | Klipsch Forte IV | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2,699 | $5,499.98 |
| Ranked | #26 of 56 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #33 of 56 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Drivers | 1" titanium dome tweeter, 5.25" woven carbon fiber midrange, 2x 6.5" woven carbon fiber woofers | 1x 12" (305mm) fiber-composite woofer + 15" passive radiator, 1x 1.75" compression driver midrange on horn, 1x 1" titanium compression tweeter on horn |
| Crossovers | 600Hz & 2000Hz, 4th-order Linkwitz-Riley | - |
| Dimensions | 38-13/16"H x 8-3/8"W x 13.5"D (986 x 213 x 343mm) | 36"H x 16.5"W x 13"D (914.4 x 419.1 x 330.2 mm) |
| Weight | 44 lbs each | 117.3 lbs / 53.2 kg |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (3.3 ohms minimum measured by Erin’s Audio Corner; manufacturer specifies 4 ohms minimum) | 8 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 85.1dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 93.8dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner; manufacturer rates 99dB in-room / ~94dB anechoic) |
| Recommended Power | 20-200W | - |
| Bass Reflex | Dual rear slot ports, individual woofer chambers | - |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 47Hz (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 82Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 26Hz (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 39Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Frequency Response | 28Hz - 20kHz (±1.5dB, manufacturer specified) | - |
| Woofer Cabinet | - | passive radiator |
Related Speaker Comparisons
More useful head-to-heads from the same speaker class:
- Klipsch Heresy IV vs SVS Ultra Evolution Pinnacle
- Revel F226Be vs Klipsch Heresy IV
- Infinity Primus 360 vs SVS Ultra Evolution Pinnacle
- Klipsch Forte IV vs Klipsch Heresy IV
- Klipsch Forte IV vs Klipsch RP-8000F II
The Two Speakers In Full
PSB Imagine T65: $2,699 The Audio Factory
Pros: Three-way design with dual 6.5” woven carbon fiber woofers delivers genuinely strong, extended low end for a $2,699 tower - among the better performers Erin has measured in this price class. Distortion shows a clean second-order character with clear separation from third-order all the way up to 96 dB, indicating a well-controlled motor. Compression data shows enhancement rather than compression below about 50-60 Hz, so the bass can sound louder as you turn it up rather than choking off. Wide, forgiving vertical listening window (about ±25°) thanks to the 3-way layout, giving more seating and placement flexibility than most towers. Plenty of dynamic headroom for home theater use or a two-channel system - 100W drove it comfortably in Erin’s room.
Cons: Noticeable dip in the midrange/crossover region that Erin flagged as affecting dialogue and vocal clarity, though he notes a couple bands of EQ smooths it out. Some horizontal dispersion mismatch (about 10-15° of ballooning between 1-3 kHz) between the midrange and tweeter can add extra perceived attack or detail if your room’s sidewalls are reflective. Dips to 4 ohms, so it wants an amplifier comfortable driving a 4-ohm load. Distortion climbs above 3% around 60 Hz at 96 dB, though it’s benign second-order distortion.
Full PSB Imagine T65 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 26Hz (measured average, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 47Hz (measured average, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Bass Reflex | Dual rear slot ports, individual woofer chambers |
| Crossovers | 600Hz & 2000Hz, 4th-order Linkwitz-Riley |
| Dimensions | 38-13/16"H x 8-3/8"W x 13.5"D (986 x 213 x 343mm) |
| Drivers | 1" titanium dome tweeter, 5.25" woven carbon fiber midrange, 2x 6.5" woven carbon fiber woofers |
| Frequency Response | 28Hz - 20kHz (±1.5dB, manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (3.3 ohms minimum measured by Erin's Audio Corner; manufacturer specifies 4 ohms minimum) |
| Recommended Power | 20-200W |
| Sensitivity | 85.1dB (measured average, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 44 lbs each |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- PSB Imagine T65 vs Q Acoustics 5040
- PSB Imagine T65 vs ELAC DF63
- PSB Imagine T65 vs Polk Audio Reserve R700
- PSB Imagine T65 vs Polk Reserve R500
- PSB Imagine T65 vs Emotiva Airmotiv T2+
- PSB Imagine T65 vs JBL HDI-3600
- PSB Imagine T65 vs Definitive Technology BP-9020
- PSB Imagine T65 vs Arendal 1961 Tower
- See all 15 comparisons
Klipsch Forte IV: $5,499.98 Amazon Crutchfield
Pros: Three-way heritage design: a 1” titanium tweeter and 1.75” compression driver for the midrange mated to a 12” woofer, plus a 15” passive radiator for extra bass reinforcement. Genuinely resonance-free cabinet, a clear improvement over the notably boomy, resonant Heresy 4 in the same lineup. Surprisingly wide, expansive soundstage that beat both the Heresy 4 and a KEF LS50 Wireless 2 in direct comparison - images occasionally appeared several feet outside the physical speaker location. Deeper bass extension than the Heresy 4 (F3 of 82Hz, about 10Hz lower). Distortion measures well below 1% at 86dB and stays mostly within 1% even at 96dB. Comes as a factory-matched serial-numbered pair, backed by an unusually generous 10-year warranty. Mostly above 4 ohms impedance, so it’s compatible with AVRs, solid-state, or tube amplifiers. More neutral overall than other Klipsch models the reviewer has tested, making it a reasonable pick for listeners who already like the “Klipsch sound” but want something more balanced.
Cons: Contrary to the classic Klipsch reputation for being forward and bright, this model is actually somewhat recessed in the 1.5-4kHz “presence” region, which can make some tracks sound dull or lacking in detail. A peak around 6kHz reads as sibilant and “painful” when seated exactly on the tweeter axis; sitting a bit above that axis reduces it somewhat. Klipsch’s marketed 99dB sensitivity figure is an in-room rating that assumes 3-6dB of boundary gain - anechoic sensitivity measures closer to 94dB, which the manufacturer does disclose but can still mislead buyers comparing spec sheets. Radiation width isn’t consistent across all frequencies - a noticeable notch around 2-3kHz interrupts otherwise wide dispersion, which can cause a fundamental tone and its harmonics to image in slightly different places in the soundstage. Uses shallow low-pass crossover slopes (despite Klipsch’s steep-crossover marketing, which applies only to the high-pass side), likely contributing to some of the measured dips and possible cone-breakup artifacts. Some compression shows up around the midrange crossover point at very high output (102dB), though likely only audible at extreme volumes. At around $5,000/pair, a significant investment, and still needs a subwoofer for material extending below about 50Hz.
Full Klipsch Forte IV review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 39Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 82Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 36"H x 16.5"W x 13"D (914.4 x 419.1 x 330.2 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 12" (305mm) fiber-composite woofer + 15" passive radiator, 1x 1.75" compression driver midrange on horn, 1x 1" titanium compression tweeter on horn |
| Impedance | 8 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 93.8dB (measured average, Erin's Audio Corner; manufacturer rates 99dB in-room / ~94dB anechoic) |
| Weight | 117.3 lbs / 53.2 kg |
| Woofer Cabinet | passive radiator |
As an eBay Partner, we may be compensated if you make a purchase.
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Klipsch Forte IV vs Klipsch Heresy IV
- Klipsch Forte IV vs Infinity Primus 360
- Klipsch Forte IV vs Definitive Technology BP-9020
- Klipsch Forte IV vs KEF Q11 Meta
- Klipsch Forte IV vs Klipsch RP-5000F II
- Klipsch Forte IV vs Polk Reserve R500
- Klipsch Forte IV vs SVS Ultra Evolution Pinnacle
- Klipsch Forte IV vs ELAC DF63
- See all 20 comparisons