Comprising two bookshelf speakers with built-in amplifiers and a network streamer based on the BluOS multiroom music platform, the Alpha iQ system offers direct access to more than 20 streaming services and hundreds of Internet radio stations. And the speakers have a wide array of inputs so users can connect source components such as a turntable, TV, disc player, or game console, which can then be also shared over a home network with up to 63 other BluOS-enabled components.
The primary speaker has a built-in MM phono preamp and RCA jacks plus ground terminal to connect a turntable. An HDMI ARC port lets users experience sound with TV and movies. There’s also an optical input for connecting a disc player or game console, and a 3.5mm auxiliary input for connecting analog sources. Listeners can also use the BluOS app to play music files stored on an external drive connected to the Alpha iQ’s USB port. For late-night listening, listeners can connect a pair of headphones to the combined optical / headphone jack or via two-way Bluetooth.
Setting up and using the Alpha iQ is done via the intuitive BluOS Controller app on a smartphone, tablet, or personal computer, which manages the whole BluOS components on a home network. When the speakers are connected and ready to play, users can select access to the 20 streaming services supported by BluOS, including several that offer high-resolution audio, such as Amazon Music Ultra HD, Deezer, Qobuz, and Tidal. BluOS also provides access to hundreds of Internet radio stations around the world, covering all musical genres.
The Alpha iQ speakers also have built-in two-way Bluetooth, with support for the high-quality aptX HD codec for wireless streaming from any mobile device. Apple AirPlay 2 compatibility allows listeners to stream CD-resolution music from any app on an iPhone, iPad, or Mac. And Spotify Connect and Tidal Connect (Wi-Fi) are both supported, so listeners can cue up music in the apps for those services, then transfer playback to the Alpha iQ speakers.
Available in satin white and satin black finishes, the two Alpha iQ speakers have a sleek, modern design, and both just need to be connected to power. The left and right speakers communicate via a wireless link that can cover most rooms in an average-size home, so that music stays synched and clear regardless of speaker placement.
Designed according to PSB's "True to Nature" sound, inside each enclosure is a 4" polypropylene mid-bass driver with steel basket and rubber surround, and a 0.75" aluminum dome tweeter with neodymium magnet and ferrofluid damping. The Alpha iQ speakers also employ a DSP-based active crossover. As with many PSB designs, the tweeter is placed below the woofer.
Each woofer has its own 60W class-D amplifier, and each tweeter its own 30W class-D amp, for a total system output of 180W. Thanks to the powerful amplifiers, tuned bass ports, and DSP-enabled low-frequency extension, the Alpha iQ speakers will deliver a bass output that completely belies their diminutive size. And there's also a subwoofer output. When a subwoofer is connected, BluOS engages a low-pass filter for the sub and a high-pass filter for the mains, which frees the Alpha iQ speakers from having to produce deep bass sounds.
The Alpha iQ’s hifi quality DAC supports resolutions up to 24-bit/192kHz and has full MQA decoding and rendering capability for high-res streaming from Tidal Masters. BluOS also lets listeners enjoy four stations with MQA-encoded high-resolution music from Radio Paradise.
Listeners can manage every aspect of the Alpha iQ’s operation using the rich, robust BluOS Controller app, which is available for Android, iOS, macOS, and Windows. For making quick adjustments without using the app, there are touch controls on the top of the primary speaker for changing volume and pausing and resuming playback. Voice control is also possible using Amazon Alexa, Google Assistant, and Apple Siri (via AirPlay 2).
Like all BluOS-enabled components, the PSB Alpha iQ BluOS Powered Speakers can be integrated into popular smart-home systems, including Control4, Crestron, ELAN, RTI, and URC. IR command learning is available for listeners who use harmonized remote controls to operate multiple A/V devices.
"The Alpha iQ is a perfect choice for music-lovers who want a sophisticated all-in-one system that delivers great sound without the fuss of cables and multiple components," says Joe de Jesus, product manager, PSB Speakers. "We think of it as beautiful sound made simple."
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