PSB PWM1 On-Wall Speaker at Vinyl Sound Toronto Canada

The PWM1 is a 2-way on-wall speaker from PSB Speakers (Pickering, Ontario, Canada), available at Vinyl Sound in Toronto, Canada. The entry point to the acclaimed Performance Wall Mount Series and tuned under the guidance of PSB founder Paul Barton, the PWM1 delivers audiophile-grade sound reproduction in a cabinet that extends just 85mm from the wall. Its three-driver array combines dual 4" carbon fibre cone woofers and a 1" ferrofluid-cooled titanium dome tweeter, achieving a frequency response of 70Hz to 23kHz on-axis and an in-room sensitivity of 87dB. Sized to visually complement a 50–55" flatscreen TV when mounted vertically, the PWM1 accepts vertical or horizontal installation and performs equally as a left, center, right, or surround channel in any home theatre or music listening system.

Carbon Fibre Driver Design and Port-Optimised Cabinet

Each of the PWM1's dual 4" woofers was purpose-engineered for on-wall acoustic conditions, with PSB optimising driver excursion, voice coil geometry, and cabinet port tuning as a unified system rather than treating them as independent variables. The carbon fibre cones deliver exceptional stiffness-to-mass ratios for accurate, low-colouration transient response, while rubber surrounds and cast baskets ensure long-term mechanical integrity under continuous high-power use. Four-layer voice coils increase power handling linearity and allow the woofer to work in close proximity to the wall boundary without dynamic compression. A single slot-style bass-reflex port at one end of the MDF cabinet extends low-frequency output to a -10dB cutoff of 50Hz, a figure that positions the PWM1 comfortably within range of most programme material without a dedicated subwoofer in smaller rooms.

Titanium Dome Tweeter with Waveguide Dispersion Control

The PWM1 shares the same proprietary 1" titanium dome tweeter used across the full PWM Series, a design choice that ensures tonal consistency when pairing the PWM1 with the larger PWM2 or PWM3 in multi-channel systems. The tweeter is ferrofluid cooled for sustained power handling and driven by a Neodymium magnet for high sensitivity and extended high-frequency reach to 23kHz. A concave waveguide mounted in front of the dome shapes dispersion and aligns the tweeter's output at the crossover point with the woofers, eliminating the off-axis discontinuities that commonly affect speakers mounted horizontally as center channels. Sound and Vision confirmed in their review that the PWM1's high-frequency output remained even across off-center seating positions when the speaker was rotated horizontally, a performance characteristic that distinguishes the PWM Series from many competing on-wall designs.

Bi-Wire Binding Posts and Minimal-Profile Installation

The rear panel of the PWM1 carries dual sets of five-way gold-plated binding posts, enabling bi-wiring or bi-amping configurations for listeners who wish to run separate amplifier channels to the tweeter and woofer sections. The posts accept bare wire, banana plugs, spades, and lugs, accommodating the full range of connection methods used by custom AV installers and home audio enthusiasts across Canada. A wall mounting plate and all required hardware are included, and the magnetically attached acoustically transparent cloth grille maintains a clean surface appearance once the speaker is fixed to the wall. At only 85mm deep and available in Satin White or Satin Black, the PWM1 integrates discreetly into virtually any living room, dining room, or dedicated home theatre environment without the compromises associated with flush in-wall installation.

Key Features

• 2-Way Bass-Reflex Design: Dual 4" carbon fibre woofers and a 1" titanium dome tweeter work together with a slot-style port to deliver wide-bandwidth, low-distortion sound from an ultra-slim on-wall cabinet.
• Carbon Fibre Cone Woofers: Both 4" woofers feature carbon fibre cones, rubber surrounds, and cast baskets, providing high stiffness, low mass, and long-term mechanical durability at elevated power levels.
• Four-Layer Voice Coils: Advanced four-layer voice coil construction on each woofer increases power handling linearity and reduces dynamic compression under sustained high-output use.
• Ferrofluid-Cooled Titanium Dome Tweeter: The 1" tweeter uses ferrofluid cooling and a Neodymium magnet for extended power handling and high sensitivity, matched with a waveguide for smooth crossover integration with the woofers.
• Waveguide Dispersion Control: A precision-shaped waveguide in front of the tweeter aligns its dispersion pattern with the woofer output at the crossover point, maintaining consistent off-axis response in both vertical and horizontal mounting orientations.
• Vertical or Horizontal Mounting: The PWM1 is engineered and voiced for both orientations, making it equally effective as a stereo pair flanking a TV or as a horizontal center channel below or above a screen.
• Bi-Wire and Bi-Amp Capable: Dual sets of five-way gold-plated binding posts on the rear panel accept banana plugs, spades, lugs, and bare wire for single-wire, bi-wire, or bi-amp connections.
• Wall Mount Bracket Included: A robust mounting plate and all hardware are supplied, enabling straightforward vertical or horizontal installation without requiring additional brackets or third-party accessories.
• Magnetically Attached Grille: The acoustically transparent cloth grille attaches via hidden magnets for a tool-free fit that maintains the speaker's slim, unobtrusive wall profile.
• LCR and Surround Flexibility: The PWM1 is approved for left, center, right, and surround channel use, integrating tonally with the PWM2 and PWM3 in complete on-wall home theatre arrays.
• Voiced by Paul Barton: Final tuning was guided by PSB founder Paul Barton, whose five decades of acoustic research at Canada's National Research Council underpin PSB's commitment to natural, uncoloured sound at every price level.
• Available in Satin White or Satin Black: Both finishes are applied to MDF cabinetry with colour-matched magnetically attached grilles, allowing the PWM1 to blend with or disappear into any interior design.

Technical Specifications

What's in the Box

• PSB PWM1 On-Wall Speaker (single unit)
• Wall mounting plate and hardware
• Magnetically attached acoustically transparent cloth grille

Awards and Critical Recognition

• Top Pick Award, Sound and Vision: "PSB's PWM-based system strikes a balance between stealth and performance exceptionally well, delivering the goods for both movies and music-listening while remaining conveniently out of the way."

Frequently Asked Questions

What is the PSB PWM1?

The PSB PWM1 is a 2-way on-wall speaker from PSB Speakers, a Canadian audio brand based in Pickering, Ontario. It uses three drivers — dual 4" carbon fibre cone woofers and a 1" ferrofluid-cooled titanium dome tweeter — in a bass-reflex MDF cabinet to deliver a frequency response of 70Hz to 23kHz with 87dB in-room sensitivity. At 711mm tall and only 85mm deep, the PWM1 is sized to visually complement a 50–55" flatscreen TV and is suitable for left, center, right, and surround channel roles in home theatre and music listening systems.

How does the PSB PWM1 compare to the Sonos Era 100 or Samsung HW-S60D as an on-wall speaker option?

The PSB PWM1 is a passive two-way loudspeaker that requires an external AV receiver or integrated amplifier, and it operates in a fundamentally different category from self-contained powered soundbars such as the Sonos Era 100 or Samsung HW-S60D. The PWM1 delivers audiophile-grade driver dispersion and tonal accuracy via a traditional passive crossover, giving system integrators full control over amplification, room correction, and channel routing. The Sonos Era 100 prioritises wireless streaming convenience and Trueplay room calibration in a compact self-contained unit, while the Samsung HW-S60D optimises for ultra-slim TV pairing with built-in equalisation. Where both soundbar alternatives offer plug-and-play convenience, the PWM1 rewards careful system assembly with a level of soundstage depth and off-axis consistency that passive loudspeaker design consistently achieves over powered all-in-one alternatives at comparable price points.

Can the PSB PWM1 be used without a subwoofer?

Yes, the PSB PWM1 can be used without a subwoofer in moderate-sized rooms with music and standard TV audio content. Its bass-reflex port extends usable low-frequency output to a -10dB cutoff of 50Hz, which is sufficient for most music genres and dialogue-heavy film content. For home theatre applications with demanding LFE tracks or large listening rooms, pairing the PWM1 with a dedicated subwoofer such as the PSB CustomSound CSIR or a similar on-wall subwoofer will significantly extend dynamics and bass impact. Sound and Vision noted in their review that a subwoofer was needed for full bottom-end heft in surround sound configurations.

What does bi-wiring the PSB PWM1 do?

Bi-wiring the PSB PWM1 involves running two separate speaker cable runs from your amplifier or AV receiver to the speaker's dual sets of binding posts, one pair feeding the tweeter section and one feeding the woofer section. This separates the current paths for high-frequency and low-frequency signals at the speaker, which some listeners and installers find reduces intermodulation between frequency bands and results in a slightly cleaner presentation. The PWM1 also supports bi-amping, where two separate amplifier channels each drive one frequency section independently, providing greater control over dynamic headroom. Both options are optional; the PWM1 performs fully with a single cable run using the included jumper link between the two sets of posts.

What amplifier power does the PSB PWM1 need?

The PSB PWM1 presents a nominal 8-ohm load with a minimum impedance of 6 ohms, making it compatible with virtually all AV receivers and integrated amplifiers. Its 87dB in-room sensitivity means it reaches comfortable listening levels with modest amplifier power; however, SoundStage Access noted that a low-power receiver may not deliver the dynamic headroom required for high-volume home theatre use. An AV receiver delivering 50 watts or more per channel into 8 ohms will drive the PWM1 confidently in a typical Canadian home listening room or home theatre setup.

Can the PSB PWM1 be mounted horizontally as a center channel?

Yes, the PSB PWM1 is engineered and voiced for both vertical and horizontal mounting orientations. PSB designed the driver array and waveguide geometry to maintain consistent horizontal dispersion when the cabinet is rotated 90 degrees, ensuring that listeners seated off-center from a horizontally mounted center channel still receive coherent high-frequency response. Sound and Vision confirmed in their review that the PWM1's high-frequency output remained even across off-axis seating positions in horizontal center channel use, a result of the tweeter waveguide's careful integration with the woofer array at the crossover point.

Where can I buy the PSB PWM1 in Toronto or Canada?

The PSB PWM1 is available at Vinyl Sound in Toronto, Canada. Vinyl Sound is an authorised PSB Speakers dealer serving the Greater Toronto Area and customers across Canada, offering expert guidance on speaker placement, amplifier matching, and full PWM Series system configuration. Visit Vinyl Sound in Toronto or shop online at vinylsound.ca to order the PWM1 in Satin White or Satin Black.