Short answer: the PSB Imagine T65 for better sound quality, the Sony SS-CS3 for the lower price. The PSB Imagine T65 ranks #34 of 68 floorstanding speakers at $2699. The Sony SS-CS3 ranks #59 at $450, $2249 cheaper.
What the PSB Imagine T65 offers: 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. Watch for: 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.
What the Sony SS-CS3 offers: Affordable entry-level floorstanding tower offering solid sensitivity (88.6dB SPL at 2.83V/1m), making it easy to power with standard budget AVRs. Harmonic distortion remains reasonably low at moderate listening levels (86dB SPL) when high-pass filtered above 80-100Hz with a dedicated subwoofer. Front-ported design allows relatively close placement to front boundaries without excessive port occlusion. Watch for: Severe cabinet and driver resonances plague the passband between 100Hz and 600Hz, imparting audible coloration and chesty resonances to male vocals and acoustic instruments. Irregular frequency response peaks and dips make automated receiver room correction difficult to equalize effectively. Poor low-frequency extension (F3 of 72Hz, F10 of 39Hz) for a floorstander, combined with rapid distortion escalation below 80Hz at higher SPLs (96dB+). Supertweeter driver adds crossover complexity without providing audible high-frequency benefit within the human hearing spectrum.
Buy the PSB Imagine T65 if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Sony SS-CS3 if the price matters more than sound quality.
If sound quality matters at all to you, skip the Sony SS-CS3. It ranks near the bottom of the 68 floorstanding speakers, so look higher up the list instead.
Specifications Side By Side
| PSB Imagine T65 | Sony SS-CS3 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $2,699 | $450.00 Discontinued |
| Ranked | #34 of 68 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers | #59 of 68 in Large Size Floorstanding Speakers |
| Drivers | 1" titanium dome tweeter, 5.25" woven carbon fiber midrange, 2x 6.5" woven carbon fiber woofers | 0.75 in. supertweeter, 0.98 in. polyester main tweeter, dual 5.12 in. MRC woofers |
| 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) | 36.3"H x 9.1"W x 10.2"D (922 x 230 x 260 mm) |
| Weight | 44 lbs each | 25.4 lbs / 11.5 kg each |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (3.3 ohms minimum measured by Erin’s Audio Corner; manufacturer specifies 4 ohms minimum) | 6 ohms nominal |
| Sensitivity | 85.1dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 88.6dB (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Recommended Power | 20-200W | - |
| Bass Reflex | Dual rear slot ports, individual woofer chambers | - |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 47Hz (measured average, Erin’s Audio Corner) | 72Hz (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) | - |
| Discontinued | - | Yes |
| Woofer Cabinet | - | ported, front |
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- PSB Imagine T65 vs Definitive Technology BP-9020
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Prices on this page were last checked August 24, 2026 at 6:53 AM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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The Two Speakers In Full
PSB Imagine T65: $2,699 The Audio Factory eBay
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 |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- PSB Imagine T65 vs Q Acoustics 5040
- PSB Imagine T65 vs ELAC Debut 3.0 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 Definitive Technology BP-9020
- PSB Imagine T65 vs JBL HDI-3600
- PSB Imagine T65 vs Infinity Primus 360
- See all 33 comparisons
Sony SS-CS3: $450.00 Discontinued eBay
Pros: Affordable entry-level floorstanding tower offering solid sensitivity (88.6dB SPL at 2.83V/1m), making it easy to power with standard budget AVRs. Harmonic distortion remains reasonably low at moderate listening levels (86dB SPL) when high-pass filtered above 80-100Hz with a dedicated subwoofer. Front-ported design allows relatively close placement to front boundaries without excessive port occlusion.
Cons: Severe cabinet and driver resonances plague the passband between 100Hz and 600Hz, imparting audible coloration and chesty resonances to male vocals and acoustic instruments. Irregular frequency response peaks and dips make automated receiver room correction difficult to equalize effectively. Poor low-frequency extension (F3 of 72Hz, F10 of 39Hz) for a floorstander, combined with rapid distortion escalation below 80Hz at higher SPLs (96dB+). Supertweeter driver adds crossover complexity without providing audible high-frequency benefit within the human hearing spectrum. Discontinued.
Full Sony SS-CS3 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 39Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 72Hz (measured, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Dimensions | 36.3"H x 9.1"W x 10.2"D (922 x 230 x 260 mm) |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 0.75 in. supertweeter, 0.98 in. polyester main tweeter, dual 5.12 in. MRC woofers |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal |
| Sensitivity | 88.6dB (measured average, Erin's Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 25.4 lbs / 11.5 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, front |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons