PSB Alpha C10 2-Way Centre Channel Speaker at Vinyl Sound Toronto Canada

The Alpha C10 is a two-way passive centre channel speaker from PSB Speakers (Pickering, Ontario, Canada), available at Vinyl Sound in Toronto, Canada. Designed as the dialogue anchor of PSB's Alpha Series home theatre system, the C10 pairs a 3/4-inch black anodized aluminum dome tweeter with ferrofluid cooling, neodymium magnet, and front waveguide with dual 5.25-inch textured polypropylene cone woofers in a rear-ported MDF bass reflex cabinet. It delivers a frequency response of 55 Hz to 21,000 Hz (±3 dB) at 8 ohms nominal, with anechoic sensitivity of 88 dB and LF extension to 37 Hz (-10 dB). A Linkwitz-Riley acoustic filter crossover at 2,500 Hz delivers precise, flat response across the operating range. Available in Black Ash Woodgrain and Walnut Woodgrain, sold individually, and timbre-matched to the full PSB Alpha speaker family.

Black Anodized Aluminum Dome Tweeter and Waveguide Below-Woofer Placement

The Alpha C10's 3/4-inch tweeter is a black anodized aluminum dome design with ferrofluid cooling that prevents dynamic compression at sustained high output levels, and a neodymium magnet structure that keeps the motor assembly compact and sensitive. A front waveguide controls the tweeter's horizontal dispersion, smoothing the off-axis frequency response and ensuring the centre channel's high-frequency character remains consistent across a wide listening arc in front of the television — important for listeners seated away from the central sweet spot in a typical living room arrangement. PSB deliberately positions the tweeter below both woofers in the C10's baffle, a layout refined across the Alpha P3 and P5 bookshelf speakers, where the acoustic centre of the tweeter aligns more closely with the listener's ear height when the speaker is mounted at television height, improving time alignment and on-axis response coherence at the crossover frequency.

Textured Polypropylene Woofers, Linkwitz-Riley Crossover, and Alpha Series Heritage

The C10's dual 5.25-inch woofers use textured polypropylene cones with a surface treatment that increases stiffness and controls internal damping, minimising cone breakup modes in the critical midrange frequencies where dialogue intelligibility is most sensitive. Dual-layer voice coils allow precise motor control at higher excursion levels, extending the woofer's usable low-frequency range toward the 37 Hz (-10 dB) figure that represents genuine bass extension for a speaker of this cabinet volume. The Linkwitz-Riley acoustic filter incorporated into the C10's crossover operates at 2,500 Hz, providing accurate in-phase driver summation at the crossover frequency and reducing the comb filtering that simpler first-order crossovers produce. Internal damping materials sourced from PSB's flagship speaker lines are positioned precisely within the cabinet to control resonances and provide the cleanest possible acoustic environment for the drivers. The C10 is voiced to match the Alpha T20 towers, P3 and P5 bookshelf speakers, and Alpha S8 and S10 subwoofers for a timbre-consistent complete Alpha Series home theatre system.

Key Features

• 3/4-Inch Black Anodized Aluminum Dome Tweeter: Ferrofluid-cooled aluminum dome with neodymium magnet and front waveguide extends high-frequency response to 21,000 Hz with controlled dispersion and low distortion at sustained output levels.
• Tweeter Positioned Below Woofers: The below-woofer tweeter placement improves acoustic centre alignment with the listener's ear height at typical TV mounting positions, enhancing time alignment and crossover coherence.
• Dual 5.25-Inch Textured Polypropylene Cone Woofers: Custom-textured polypropylene cones with rubber surrounds and dual-layer voice coils minimise cone breakup and deliver controlled low-frequency extension with high efficiency.
• Linkwitz-Riley Acoustic Filter Crossover at 2,500 Hz: An unusually complex Linkwitz-Riley crossover design provides flat, in-phase driver summation at the crossover frequency and lowers distortion compared to simpler filter topologies used at this price point.
• Frequency Response 55 Hz to 21,000 Hz (±3 dB): Full centre channel bandwidth with LF extension to 37 Hz (-10 dB), allowing operation well below the standard 80 Hz home theatre crossover point.
• Sensitivity 88 dB Anechoic / 90 dB Listening Room: High efficiency allows the C10 to reach satisfying output levels from AV receivers rated as low as 15 watts, making it compatible with entry-level as well as mid-range home theatre receivers.
• 8 Ohm Nominal / 6 Ohm Minimum Impedance: An easy, stable load for any AV receiver rated for 8 ohm speaker connections.
• Rear Bass Reflex Port (2.5-Inch Diameter): A critically tuned rear port extends low-frequency output and improves sensitivity in the bass region; allow adequate clearance behind the speaker when positioning.
• MDF Cabinet with Flagship-Grade Internal Damping: A rigid MDF enclosure braced for resonance control, with internal damping materials drawn from PSB's flagship speaker lines for optimal acoustic isolation of the drivers.
• Horizontal and Vertical Mounting: Designed for horizontal placement beneath a television or projector screen; also mounts vertically in a TV unit or entertainment cabinet.
• Magnetic Acoustically Transparent Grilles: Tool-free magnetic grille attachment in a fully acoustically transparent design preserves measured frequency response with the grille installed.
• Gold-Plated 5-Way Binding Posts: A single set of gold-plated binding posts accepts bare wire, pin connectors, and single or dual banana plugs for AV receiver connection.
• Timbre-Matched to PSB Alpha Series: Voiced to match the Alpha T20 towers, P3 and P5 minimonitors, and Alpha S8 and S10 subwoofers for a cohesive front soundstage in a complete Alpha home theatre system.
• Available in Black Ash and Walnut Woodgrain: Two wood grain vinyl finishes complement both contemporary and traditional home theatre furniture.

Technical Specifications

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the PSB Alpha C10?

The PSB Alpha C10 is a two-way passive centre channel speaker from PSB Speakers, designed and voiced in Pickering, Ontario, Canada. It features a 3/4-inch black anodized aluminum dome tweeter with ferrofluid cooling, neodymium magnet, and front waveguide, paired with dual 5.25-inch textured polypropylene cone woofers in a rear-ported MDF bass reflex cabinet. The C10 delivers a frequency response of 55 Hz to 21,000 Hz (±3 dB) at 8 ohms nominal, with 88 dB anechoic sensitivity and LF extension to 37 Hz (-10 dB), voiced to match the full PSB Alpha speaker family.

How does the PSB Alpha C10 compare to the Klipsch RP-500C and Polk Audio ES30?

The PSB Alpha C10, Klipsch RP-500C, and Polk Audio ES30 are all dual-woofer two-way centre channel speakers for serious home theatre use. The Klipsch RP-500C uses Klipsch's Tractrix horn-loaded tweeter and Cerametallic cone woofers, prioritising high sensitivity and horn-controlled dispersion for larger rooms and higher output levels. The Polk ES30 targets a lower price point with a simpler crossover design. The Alpha C10 differentiates through its Linkwitz-Riley acoustic filter crossover, PSB flagship-grade internal damping materials, below-woofer tweeter placement for improved time alignment at TV mounting height, and timbre matching to the Alpha T20 towers and P-series bookshelf speakers voiced at Canada's National Research Council. For listeners building a complete Alpha Series system, the C10 provides a level of tonal consistency across channels that neither the Klipsch nor the Polk can offer within that same speaker family.

Why is the tweeter positioned below the woofers on the PSB Alpha C10?

The below-woofer tweeter placement is a deliberate acoustic design decision applied across the PSB Alpha series. When the C10 is placed horizontally at the typical height beneath a wall-mounted or console television, positioning the tweeter below both woofers brings its acoustic centre closer to ear height at the listening position than a conventional tweeter-above-woofer layout would achieve. This reduces the vertical angle between the tweeter's acoustic axis and the listener's ears, maintaining more consistent frequency response across the crossover region and improving the perceived coherence of the combined driver output. The front waveguide further manages horizontal dispersion to keep the off-axis response smooth across the listening area.

What is the Linkwitz-Riley crossover in the Alpha C10 and why does it matter?

A Linkwitz-Riley filter is an acoustic crossover topology that sums the tweeter and woofer outputs to a flat, in-phase response at the crossover frequency, avoiding the 3 dB peak that simpler Butterworth crossovers produce when the driver outputs overlap. In the Alpha C10, this filter is implemented at 2,500 Hz, ensuring that the transition from the dual woofers to the aluminum dome tweeter is acoustically seamless with minimal lobing or phase distortion at the crossover point. PSB describes this as an unusually complex implementation for the Alpha price category, and it is one of the primary reasons the C10 measures and sounds more coherent across the critical midrange than competing centre channels using simpler first-order or second-order crossovers.

Can the PSB Alpha C10 be used with speakers from brands other than PSB?

Yes. The Alpha C10 is a standard passive 8-ohm centre channel speaker that connects to the centre channel output of any AV receiver and performs independently of the brand of the main speakers. Its 88 dB anechoic sensitivity (90 dB in-room), 6 ohm minimum impedance, and 15 to 120 watt power range are compatible with virtually all current AV receivers. When pairing the C10 with non-PSB main speakers, careful level matching and crossover setting via the AV receiver is recommended to achieve the most cohesive front soundstage. Its timbre matching advantage is strongest when combined with other PSB Alpha speakers.

Does the PSB Alpha C10 need a subwoofer?

For home theatre use, a subwoofer is strongly recommended. While the Alpha C10's LF extension reaches 37 Hz (-10 dB), which is impressive for this cabinet size, reproducing full cinematic bass at realistic theatre levels requires a dedicated subwoofer. Setting the AV receiver's centre channel crossover to 80 Hz and routing frequencies below that to a subwoofer such as the PSB Alpha S8 or S10 is the intended and optimal operating configuration. In a pure music listening context, the C10's bass extension is sufficient for most musical content without a subwoofer, though one will always add depth and scale to orchestral recordings and bass-intensive genres.

Where can I buy the PSB Alpha C10 in Toronto or Canada?

The PSB Alpha C10 2-Way Centre Channel Speaker is available individually in Toronto, Canada at Vinyl Sound, an authorised PSB Speakers dealer. Vinyl Sound carries the Alpha C10 in both Black Ash Woodgrain and Walnut Woodgrain finishes and can advise on pairing with Alpha Series towers, bookshelf speakers, and subwoofers for a complete home theatre system. Customers across Canada are welcome to contact Vinyl Sound for purchasing and shipping inquiries.