The scientific approach Barton took in designing loudspeakers was rare at the time, and over the course of the late 1970s and early 1980s, he conducted thorough and detailed measurements of loudspeakers at the National Research Council (NRC) in Ottawa, Canada, utilizing its state-of-the-art anechoic chamber and instruments to perfect the sound signature of his products. In spending so much time in and around the laboratories at the NRC, Barton found himself embedded with some of Canada’s leading scientific researchers in the areas of psychoacoustics and acoustic measurement, including becoming a close personal friend to world-renowned Dr Floyd Toole, whom he would collaborate with until Toole’s later move to California. The acoustics research Barton helped to pioneer and commercialize would eventually become common industry practice, and the foundational principles first discovered by this research continue to be the basis of much of speaker design today.
“As a musician and acoustics designer, it has been such an honor to work with some of the top scientific minds in the field over the decades,” says Barton. “In academic research, like what was happening at the NRC, it wasn’t uncommon for research to get published and then just gather dust on a shelf somewhere. But I got the unique opportunity to take that research and turn it into real products that PSB customers could enjoy their favorite music on, and that has been the most satisfying thing for me throughout these 50 years.”
To signal the anniversary, the company is promoting a video documentary, filmed and produced over a four-month period in and around Toronto. The documentary runs approximately 20 minutes and offers an intimate glimpse into the brand’s founding, its expansion, Barton’s legacy, and the brand’s exciting future. It features interviews with Barton about his childhood influences and personal anecdotes, interspersed with perspectives from inside and outside the company, including from Simmonds, as well as from a former dealer and now Chief Strategy Officer of Lenbrook, John Banks; Canadian business journalist Gordon Brockhouse; Headphone Category Manager, Matt Simmonds and others.
"PSB Speakers, despite all of the outstanding reviews it receives for its products, is in many ways still a hidden gem of a brand,” explains Gordon Simmonds, CEO of Lenbrook International, the parent company of PSB Speakers. “The documentary is our way of reinforcing the brand’s incredible story and scientific contributions to the speaker industry so it can be appreciated not just by those who already follow the brand, but also by new audio consumers that are looking for great value products for their mobile and modern lifestyles.”
The anniversary celebrations will culminate in a very special announcement from the brand on July 1st, coinciding with Canada Day.
https://psbspeakers.com
