For all those that inquire on this forum about buying hifi I thought I would point out Pioneer’s new speaker, which seems to be plenty cheap but of very high performance – certainly everyone seems to be raving about them.

Only problems is that I can’t see them on sale in the UK yet:

http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-BS22-LR-Designed-Bookshelf-Loudspeakers/dp/B008NCD2LG

Does it require special cables?

Relatively small driver = sensible idea for good bass but not huge SPL.

can’t we save this for christmas week, when everyone’s feeling tetchy ? 😉

I’d say those speakers were best described as “Audio”, not “HiFi”.

Although I haven’t heard them. But I wouldn’t be surprised…

Possibly a good replacement for both my floorstanders and modestly priced 5.1… hmm.

I’d say those speakers were best described as “Audio”, not “HiFi”.

Although I haven’t heard them.

🙄

Woppit, are you an engineer?

I’d say those speakers were best described as “Audio”, not “HiFi”.

here’s a review from TAS on their hifi credentials:

http://www.theabsolutesound.com/articles/pioneer-sp-bs22-lr-loudspeaker/

Here’s a comment from an LS3/5a user (which is only a grade 2 monitor, before anyone starts…):

I own a pair of Pioneer SP-BS22 LR Loudspeakers as well as a pair of Rogers LS3/5a’s. The Pioneers are not quite as magical in the midrange but they do throw a mighty large soundstage. The balance is excellent and they seem to go lower than the Rogers. I use the Rogers in a two-channel stereo system and I use the Pioneers as left and right channels in a 5.1 theater system. I can definitely recommend the Pioneers as one of the true bargains in sound.

I was targeting this post at the forum users that end up looking at £300ish Denon systems, etc – i.e .mid-fi…

Pioneer eh?

Got loads of pioneer gear blud.

Pioneer, the ones with a reasonable hifi heritage – PL12D anyone?

I would have thought that a 4 inch woofer would need a pretty large Xmax to achieve good bass at normal volumes. Pretty impressive if they manage it for that price.

I had some cheap Pioneer speakers before (albeit with a 6 inch woofer) and they sounded good for the money.

Hmmn, sounds interesting.

Used to have a pair of LS3/5a’s years ago.
Naural and smooth with jazz & classical but lacking in welly for more dramatic stuff.
Sound much bigger then they are.

I do hope they turn out to be a real bargain, like Nad 3020’s, Pioneer A400’s & Creeks were.

Will have a listen when they’re out.

I was trying to work out whether my turntable (above) is older than me. It was already old when I got it s/h in about 1984 🙂

retro83 – I think my Linn Kans have only a 4″ woofer in them. They seem to create a pretty good level of bass when correctly sited.

Rachel

original linn kans used rejected ls3/5a parts I think, so B110 drivers which were 5 inch.

Having owned 2 pairs of Kans, both Mk1’s and LS3/5A’s it all depends on the music you listen to on which suit you. The Rogers are stunning on classical but lack warmth or punch whereas the Kans basically shout at you, are bright and lack true bass but grab you by the knackers and involve you like very few others can. BUT and it’s a big but, after prolonged listening they become very tiring and they need a very good amp and source to get the best out of them.
Pioneer made some very nice separates many years ago and their budget turntable wasn’t bad at all. Their cassette decks were and still are amongst the best made ever.

Japanese never make any good speakers being it costs to much in transportation

cynic-al – Member
Relatively small driver = a girlyman’s loudspeaker which fundamentally can’t do good bass, due to physics ‘n’ sh1t.

FTFY

grantway – Member
Japanese never make any good speakers being it costs to much in transportation

That’s bollocks, frankly. Sony, Yamaha and Trio/Kenwood made excellent speakers, but only once they adapted their designs for western listeners and music. Traditionally, Japanese music tended to be higher pitched, with less emphasis on bass, so once the designers got to grips with UK tastes their speakers improved dramatically, as did their amps, particularly Rotel. Yamaha were/are a musical instrument maker, so they should have a clue, and speakers were often built or assembled in Europe or the UK anyway.

Ha Ha Ha Zero Yes the Japanese did tweak there amps and yet again
The Japs have Not made any descent speakers lol

Got some Dali Zensor 1’s, sound great to me….look gd too if that matters.

allthegear – Member
retro83 – I think my Linn Kans have only a 4″ woofer in them. They seem to create a pretty good level of bass when correctly sited.

Rachel

That might be true, but it’s more expensive making a speaker like that (long excursion) which is why I would be impressed if the Pioneer cheapies can pull it off. More likely that the bookshelf speakers have quite a high roll-off, and the sub is supposed to fill in the gap.

There’s been plenty of fantastic Japanese speakers. Speakers in general are quite tough to export due to physical constraints. This just means that we don’t hear them, not that they don’t exist.

Might sound great. Look bloody ugly.

(Though sadly, to be able to have any decent music in my house now that’s also soundproof, my lovely Quad floorstanders are probably going to have to go. Boo.)

Buy a pair of second hand Mission speakers, will defo get better sound for value.

Buy a pair of second hand Mission speakers, will defo get better sound for value.

more hilarity – which particular set of missions are you thinking of ?

those pioneers where designed by Andrew Jones, who used to be senior designer at Kef

Mission 753 Freedom, are they that funny?

They sound very good indeed.

Someone mention Mission?

Mission 780s and 760s are both worth a look, particularly the 780/780SEs, a pair sold on Ebay last week for £35.00. The 780SEs where highly regarded and originally cost around £240.00.

Passive loudspeakers are HiFi twaddle.

Eh?

Mission 753 Freedom, are they that funny?

no, but your statement that any pair of 2nd hand mission speakers will sound better was.

Have you heard the pioneers – they might be outstanding.

Someone explain the difference between volume and SPL?

Well, if you measure SPL, it’s Hi Fi. 😀
If you measure volume, its audio.

Seriously, this place.
Everyone’s snobby about something.

Used to be very into Hi Fi, but became dissolutioned.
Lots of similarities to religion. The flat earth Linn/Naim evangelicals were bad enough, but when Peter Belt arrived and was taken seriously I sought deprogramming.

Hadge – yes, Linn Kans do benefit from an amp capable of running at low impedances. Luckily, I have a Linn LK280 to drive them – it’s more than capable of the job, having originally been built to drive Linn Isobariks…

oh – and I was wrong; it’s a 5 inch driver.. 🙂

Rachel

volume: 1-10 (or 11)
SPL: decibels.

I tested/dissembled some 753s when I worked in hifi, I thought they were crap sound and quality, though they looked good. Conversely I had some 760is which were good.

retro83 – Member
That might be true, but it’s more expensive making a speaker like that (long excursion) which is why I would be impressed if the Pioneer cheapies can pull it off. More likely that the bookshelf speakers have quite a high roll-off, and the sub is supposed to fill in the gap.

Depends – Kanns and LS3/5as are infinite baffle designs which make the driver move more than bass reflex.

Rusty Shackleford – Member

cynic-al – Member
Relatively small driver = a girlyman’s loudspeaker which fundamentally can’t do good bass, due to physics ‘n’ sh1t.

FTFY

Utter BS, but reasonable troll.

sensible idea for good bass but not huge SPL

So “good” in this sentence means reproduction not apparent volume?

Could mean a number of things!

“Good bass” generally means measured extension (eg the low cutt off point at -3dB) so both, kind of.

At low volumes/spls you hear bass less (hence loudness switches) so as I think Rusty is trying to imply, there’s an argument that a small driver can’t make low bass at high enough volume for you to hear it. It’s all subjective of course.

Well I knew about that.. I’ve compared 30W lead guitar practice amps to 30W bass ones..

Of course, one of the most famous guitar amps of all time was actually a bass amp.
😀

Small drivers can produce excellent, well defined bass.
Rather have a good small speaker rather than a terrible floorstander.

Quality beats quantity – nice, but rare to have both though

Quality, quantity, cheap – pick two!

I like my KEF 104/2s; perhaps a bit ugly….