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Review: PSB Stratus Gold Speaker

Category: Speakers

I already had PSB Stratus Goldi's for a living room system, so when I was forced by SWMBO (she who must be obeyed) to get rid of my (beloved) Dahlquist DQ-10's (ugly factor) from the rec room system, I jumped when I found a gentleman on the net selling a pair of mint Stratus Gold's and at a very attractive price. These are the precursor to the Gold's and were sold until about 1998 when the "i's" replaced them.

These are very heavy speakers, so I have not A/B'd then side-by-side against the i's (also very heavy), but given placement in different rooms, they sound very similar. What that means is wonderful bass and mid-range and very good highs. These are just too big to do a really great job of imaging (the baffle board is quite wide and even has a little ridge at the edge to further mess with sound propagation), but they are not bad at all for their size. They are very pleasant to listen too. For me their best feature is the bass. It is very tight and very deep. I suppose for home theater you might add a good sub, like HSU, but you dob't really need to. I use them purely for music. They are not especially power hungry and have plenty of dynamic range. I recall a report that because of an internal bracing problem, you can get them to resonate under just the right conditions, but I have never had this happen. I contacted PSB to ask it and they said it is so rare as to not be something to worry about in non-testing use. PSB is really nice about answering their e-mails, by the way. They do not just blow you off becuse you bought a used speaker. A class act.

Fellow at PSB told me that Paul Barton is a wood-worker and so cabinet finish is very important to him. It shows, even 8 years old, these speakers still have their gorgeous oak finish. Hate to think what vinyl would look like after that length of time.

I also own a pair of NHT 2.5i's that I bought for the sale price (new) as the Stratus Gold's and the Gold's beat them severely about the head and shoulders in all performance categories, in spite of being 8 years older. The magic of buying used. And the 2.5i's are no slouch.

Highly recommended on the used market.

Associated gear
Scott 390R stereo receiver, Pioneer DVD player in CD mode

Similar products
NHT 2.5i, PSB Stratus Goldi, NHT 2.8, Paradigm Studio 100 Improved
nopcbs
sharpe49
34 posts
 
PSB Goldi is one of the best all round speakers I have owned. I would classify their sound as laid back and unassuming in the British tradition. Very neutral mid range. Bi-amping improves this speaker substantially. I have done this with a Bryston4bst(lf) and a bryston 3bst(hf). I did alot of experimenting and this appears to be the best match. I did this to overcome impedence issue with low frequency section(this has been mentioned several times before in various publications).
This speaker does everything well,classical,rock,jazz and even home theater. I also own a pair of Legacy classics and they are more forward,almost aggressive at times,although this is not a criticism. The Legacy classic has a mid range "snap" to it that the PSB lacks,is perhaps the best way to describe the difference. Overall the PSB is a sensation performer at the price,and I have never encountered a dissatisfied PSB Goldi owner.
darrenlite
24 posts
 
I'd echo many of the above comments regarding the quality of these speakers. I've been a pretty serious audiophile for 20+ years and IMO Stratus Gold i's are my favorite speaker under $10k.

They do everything very,very well and have no nasty edges. The bass extension and quality is superb, the midrange is sweet and inviting and the treble magical and airy.

I would, however, note something that I feel is very important. They are not particularly efficient and are a nominal 4ohm load that dips down below 3 ohms. These speakers will take your 50-100 watt receiver or integrated and eat it for lunch if you play them at high volumes. The more and better juice that you give them, the better they will sound.

I had them hooked up to an Acurus DIA 150 (no wimp) and was very happy with the sound. I then upgraded to an Aragon 4004mkII (200w/400w into 4 ohms)and the improvement was astounding. Give them the biggest and best amplification that you can and your investment will be well rewarded.
blueranger's avatar
blueranger
719 posts
 
Had a pair. Kept them a year and sold them here. They just did not convey the soul of the music like my upgraded OHM I's. Bass what bass? The Ohms blew them away. The PSB's only have a 10" woofer compared to the OHMs. Yes I did have enough power. A 300 watt Bryston. I like the 360 degree sound more than the "got to have the sweet spot sound" . The PSBs were clear but did not have the muscle for rock music. I might go for the further upgrades. Crossover and woofer redone in the future. Mike
tojohndillonesq's avatar
tojohndillonesq
16 posts
 
Just bought a set of Stratus Golds. Running them with a Carver. As of yet, I have not been able to image the way they did on the showroom floor, where they were run through an Adcom pre-amp and amp and CD player. SO... I am going to continue playing with the positioning, and when I have exhausted that, I will go get the adcom stack... or something that makes it work in my room. Luckily my dealer has a GREAT loaner program. MY QUESTIONS FOR ALL: What is the difference between Gold and Gold1? Can you upgrade? Should you upgrade? What does it take to upgrade?
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