PSI Audio is a company with a considerable history and great reputation and all its products are way up there at the top for each application segment. Relec SA, the company that owns and manufactures PSI Audio designs and manufactures very high quality loudspeakers and electronics, as well as seismographs, measurement instruments for the watch industry, acoustic tables for the medical industry, etc. In the past, Relec developed and produced a range of studio monitors for Studer. The only problem is that with such a rich history, there are too many models already in PSI’s speaker catalog, many of which remain relatively unknown to the global market. Anyone discovering the brand will be impressed when listening to any of the different speakers, but will have trouble choosing a specific one. Well, at least, the new A23-M reduces that choice dilemma.
At NAMM 2019, PSI Audio introduced a new three-way monitor speaker A23-M, positioned between the two-way system A21-M and the larger three-way speaker A25-M. But the new A23-M is also a completely new product that responds to the increasing requirement by studios of having monitors that can be perfect for both nearfield and midfield applications. The A23-M uses established PSI Audio technologies like Adaptive Output Impedance and Compensated Phase Response and combines them with an exciting new precision midrange driver.
While the A25-M three-way monitor is particularly praised for its accurate, mastering grade audio reproduction, for the A23-M, PSI Audio expanded on these strengths and created a more compact three-way design to harness all the potential of the three-way system with a smaller footprint for easier integration in studio environments. With a frequency response down to 35 Hz (at -6 dB), the A23-M is a full-range monitoring system that can, but does not need to be enhanced with a subwoofer like the A225-M.
All-new midway driver, handmade in Switzerland
The entire speaker design of the PSI Audio A23-M is new, but its most intriguing component is the midway driver. A whole new concept, the driver was developed by PSI Audio and is crafted by hand in the company’s own manufacture in Switzerland. By carefully controlling every step of the production, PSI Audio achieves a driver with outstanding SPL, linearity and distortion levels. For perfect flexibility, the tweeter and midrange driver are mounted to a square baffle that can be detached from the housing. This allows to rotate the drivers to accommodate for horizontal or standing setups.
The new speaker design and the new midway driver are complemented by the technological advances PSI Audio has already established with its range of precision monitor speakers. Adaptive Output Impedance (AOI) monitors membrane movement in relation to the incoming signal, allowing for exceptionally precise sonic reproduction. Compensated Phase Response (CPR) makes sure all spectral elements of the incoming signal are time-aligned so no unwanted alteration of the source material can occur. All this technology is absolutely analogue, as are the Class G/H amplifiers that combine Class AB advantages with lower distortion and increased efficiency. In conjunction with the manufacturing by hand in Switzerland and the meticulous calibration of every single speaker, these technologies ensure the most precise sonic image possible.
The PSI Audio A23-M will be available from May 2019. The MSRP for the three-way speaker will be around 4,000.00 USD per unit.
www.psiaudio.com