Pioneer's Speaker Genius Hits Low Price Point - Page 91

I just received my speakers today. Wow! I had no idea how big they would be. I suppose since I had been looking at options like the Mirage Nanosats and the Energy Take Classics, I had a certain size speakers in mind. Hopefully the wife approves when she sees them all set up. I was looking for a beginner's surround setup, and feel like I got the real deal here for my $420. I can't wait to hear how they sound. Sadly, I'll have to wait at least a couple weeks for that!

boo my energy s10.3 bulb is out after only one month. Pros - You can tell if the sub is on , that light was BRIGHT. Cons - no pretty light?

Still amazing sub but the bulbs will never last for whatever reason.

Which AVR to choose? First I was considering Pioneer VSX 821 due to below $200...
Now considering Pioneer VSX 921 (Due to Video Up scaling) & Denon 1612
Does anybody know if AVR Video up scaling really does better than TVs processor? (Considering to upscale the 480i SD channels of Dish TV)

Will the bs21 be a upgrade over polk audio T15.

Off the top of my head, I would say yes, but it would also depend on the type of music you listen to and your sound preference in speakers. Since you appear to be upgrading, a better choice might be the BS41's or FS51's and then it would be no contest. I went to the BB website to see what the feedback was for the Polks. There were lots of mixed reviews and even a couple of direct references to Pioneers. But the reviewers failed to mention WHICH Pioneers they were talking about. Most likely it would have been the 21's since they are at approximately the same price point as the Polks. There were also some very negative comments as well by folks who own the Polks.

Most professional magazine reviews I've read are fairly unanimous in their praise for all the Pioneer speakers. Most of the reviews were for the 41's and 51's but here are some that dealt with the BS21's:

http://6streetbridge.blogspot.com/2012/03/review-pioneer-sp-bs21-lr-bookshelf.html

http://hometheaterreview.com/pioneer-sp-bs21-lr-bookshelf-loudspeaker-reviewed/

http://reviews.cnet.com/surround-speaker-systems/pioneer-sp-pk21bs/4505-7868_7-34654855.html?tag=mncol;txt#reviewPage1


Good luck and have fun! There should continue to be some really good sales on the remaining stock of these speakers.
Edited by Audio Bob - 7/13/12 at 3:48am

Actually, I think the ones I linked to can be used as a fore and aft clamp as well as side to side. Because I tilted my BS21s down, I felt that side clamping would hold better than fore and aft. Again, the little screws were all I needed to be confident that they'll hold.

Maybe I'll just get stands for the BS21s. The center channel will sit on my entertainment center below the TV, and the FS51s will just sit on the floor. Maybe I don't need to wall mount anything.

No not at all. I'm suffering from the same affliction

I can't believe I get to be the first to post of a purchase of these new 2012 Andrew Jones Pioneers!

I just pulled the trigger on the new SP-C22 tonight at my local Best Buy, and it will be arriving for pickup in 3 days! I'm hoping that that the audio quality is retained, while making it shorter enough than the SP-C21 was, that will work in my setup. If I love the new center, I'll pick up 4 more to create an LCR 5.1 setup.

I'll keep you guys informed!

Nice! Grats! I'm hoping that they sweeten the upper end just a touch and improve efficiency a bit, but without fouling up the great balance they've already achieved. Can't wait to hear more about them.

And again: SP-BS41-LR Bookshelf Loudspeakers Pair $99.99 with promo code EMCNCJC85.

I'm sure the cheque is in the mail.

And oh, by the way, the new SP-C22 is going for $79.99 at Best Buy.

Sorry for excluding that tidbit before!

Did you order online or in-store? I didn't see any of the new line on Best Buy's site yet.

In-store.

Picked up mine tonight too but no time to set them up, they came off our truck at our store and they were in my trunk 3 hours later haha just got the bookshelves and center, will let you guys know how they sound as soon as i open them.

Alright, now that these things are officially out in the wild, can Andrew or Chris give us a technical explanation of what's been changed with the new line and how performance compares to the old line? All I recall seeing so far was the write up by c0mb0b0wl after the open house. That was a very nice summary of his impressions, but I'd love to hear something straight from the guys that know these speakers better than anyone.

Does anyone have the dimensions of the new speakers? I'd actually be perfectly happy going with the first line, but the center is far to big for my setup (has to fit on my tv stand and not be taller than where the tv screen starts).

While either version of the towers would work fine, I'm thinking the size of the center will "force" me to stay with my Mirage setup. I was really hoping to give these a run.

I am in the same boat as you. From the Pioneer folks here on AVS, we've learned that the new center responds to folks like you and I whose set up won't allow us a nearly 8" high center. The new one is supposed to be a good 3/4" shorter. So, mine should be in today, and if so, I'll let you know if it's still an issue for me.

Information on the new speakers will go up on our website tonight.... Along with product sheets....

Also, those of you who attended our open house should receive your speakers today.....

Thanks,

Chris Walker
Pioneer Electronics

The new speakers are on the website..

http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Home/Speakers/Home+Theater+Speakers

Thanks,

Chris Walker

Hi Chris,

I just received the SP-BS22-LR bookshelf speakers and I must say they sound fantastic. I wanted to thank you for these and as you can see they look great next to my existing SP-FS51-LRs and SP-C21. Send my regards Andrew for creating a great line of speakers!

So, I got my new Pioneer center speaker home tonight, but barely time to do more than unbox (white box instead of the brown one from last year), connect it, and turn on some jazz to verify that it works. Will do more with it tomorrow.

Quick question for Chris or Andrew: do you recommend breaking these in? Or do they need it?

Read all about 'em!

Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. today unveiled its next line of home theater and music speakers designed by Pioneer’s chief speaker engineer, Andrew Jones. The new 2012 lineup, consisting of bookshelf speakers, floorstanding speakers, a center channel speaker and a subwoofer, delivers excellent sound performance for both 7.1-channel home theater and 2-channel music listening.

“The first generation of Andrew Jones signature home theater speakers was received exceptionally well by our customers due to the sound quality and affordability, and we’re sure this new line will excite them even more,” said Chris Walker, director, AV marketing and product planning for the Home Electronics Division of Pioneer Electronics (USA) Inc. “These new models are just as affordable, but now have even better sound quality. Andrew redesigned the speakers for higher accuracy and smoother response to better handle everything from the most subtle music passages to the demands of multichannel movie soundtracks.”

Improved Performance
New woofers for the bookshelf and floorstanding speakers were redesigned to feature many improvements including a vented pole piece, increased sensitivity, and a new structured surface cone. The structured surface woofer (SSW) provides both enhanced cone strength for better bass dynamics while also smoothing the response for more accurate midrange presentation.

The tweeters were also completely modified using oversized magnets and new domes for enhanced efficiency and response. A new custom-designed wave guide is used to control sound direction, optimizing on- and off-axis response to produce a more consistent sound throughout the listening space.

Sophisticated Design
The new speakers continue the same high-value philosophy as their predecessors by using a sophisticated crossover network with six high quality components to generate more precise frequency division and driver matching, establishing a more realistic audio output. This approach differs from other speakers in the market in the same price range, which often use fewer components to cut costs.

Additionally, the new line maintains exceptional build quality through the use of the same RF molded cabinet construction technique used in the previous models. The enclosure reduces vibration and ringing, adding to improved sound reproduction.

Cosmetics
The new line of speakers feature a detachable grill, rounded at the top and bottom. Pioneer also reduced the size of the SP-C22 center channel speaker for additional set-up flexibility, allowing it to fit in more spaces while maintaining performance. The floorstanding speakers were made three inches taller in order to obtain better high frequency dispersion at a seated ear-level so listeners can enjoy better imaging and staging.

Pioneer’s new Andrew Jones designed home theater and music speakers are available in July with suggested retail
prices of $99.99 (SP-C22), $129.99 a pair (SP-BS22-LR), $129.99 each (SP-FS52) and $159.99 (SW-8MK2).


And the Specs are: http://www.pioneerelectronics.com/PUSA/Press-Room/Home-Entertainment/Pioneer+Introduces+Next+Generation+of+Its+Popular+Home+Speakers

Just got my BS-41 speakers - they are huge!

how do you guys mount these on stands? They do not have any holes for screws. Just tack / double tape? I feel wary of mounting them with just tack. I also considered fixing shelves on the wall instead of using stands and then placing the speakers on them. But the manual recommends placing the speakers about 2 feet from any wall. How much would it affect if it were to be placed on a shelf against the back wall?

Hello.. thanks for all of the info. Are the SP-FS52's available at Best Buy now? I truly enjoy the 51's, can't wait to hear the 52's!

Here is some additional information comparing the specifications of the previous models to the new. While I could't get the "grid" to actually load, I prepared it in a Word document that I have attached to this post.

Just a couple of initial thoughts:

1) the new BS22's are about the equivalent of the previous 41's in terms of bass extension which is in itself pretty amazing using the 4" woofer. So, I wonder if there really will be a BS42?

2) the FS52's also have more extension down to 40HZ which is nice for this level of speaker. The only thing that I am a bit disappointed in is the "seeming" carry-over of the previous subwoofer. Even with some tweaking, this unit is, in my opinion, still the limiting factor for the system. I wish they would have brought out a new, larger, and more powerful sub to match the capabilities of the rest of the speakers.

Perhaps you folks will see some things that I missed in the specifications. Can't wait to hear these new kids on the block!


OLD vs. NEW Specifications.docx 142k .docx file

You are correct, they are big and heavy. I have the 51's in front and the 41's as my surrounds. This is what I'm using to hold the 41's.

http://www.amazon.com/Pangea-Audio-Speaker-Stand-inches/dp/B003Q9YFYY/ref=sr_1_10?s=electronics&ie=UTF8&qid=1342988118&sr=1-10

BTW these stands appear to be out of production directly from Pangea (Audio Advisor) but Amazon still has a few. They are available in a couple of size's. One nice thing is that they come with little rubber bumpers that you mount on the shelf of the stand to help stabilize the speaker. But if you are using the 41's as fronts, I would definitely use the "Blue-Tack" stuff for extra security. There are also the several Sanus stands that would also work well. Lastly, I don't think it's a good idea using screws as it would definitely void your warranty and placing the speakers directly against the wall would have a definite impact on how the speaker sounds and performs.

Good luck!

^ what about stands for the surrounds? since surrounds should be above ear level i can find any stand that goes that high.

When I bought my Pangea stands, they were available in, I believe, four different heights. I bought the 36" stands for my surrounds and they worked out perfectly. Now that the Pangeas are being discontinued, I guess the only ones left are the 28"at Amazon. But other manufacturers have stands in various heights. You will have to do a bit of searching but they are out there.

So far, I've had a chance to watch some "Valkyrie", a film with a nice balance of dialogue and action. I can definitely hear the new tweeter here. I don't think sibilant is the descriptive I'm looking for, but there's definitely more presence in the high frequencies.

More as I play with them.