Pioneer has a long-standing reputation in the audio world, and when renowned speaker engineer Andrew Jones put his touch on their bookshelf speaker line, expectations naturally soared. The Pioneer SP-BS22-LR bookshelf speakers have become a benchmark in the budget audio category, succeeding models like the BS21. Moving away from off-the-shelf components, Jones designed custom drivers for the BS22, aiming to maximize performance within an affordable price range. This review delves into the specifics of these Pioneer Shelf Speakers, examining their design, sound quality, and overall value to help you decide if they are the right choice for your audio setup.
Design and Build: A Closer Look
The Pioneer SP-BS22-LR presents a visually appealing design that is a step up from previous models. While it loses the prominent Pioneer emblem found on the BS21s, the inclusion of a proper grill is a welcome improvement. The grills on the BS22 are more functional and aesthetically pleasing compared to the less refined grills of its predecessor.
However, the grill design does present a potential acoustic issue. The tweeter is covered by what appears to be a thick plastic lattice, which could impede high-frequency sound waves. For optimal audio performance, particularly from the tweeter, it’s advisable to remove the grills. While they offer a degree of protection, audiophiles seeking the purest sound reproduction might consider them dispensable.
Removing the grills reveals the custom-designed drivers, the heart of these pioneer shelf speakers. The aesthetic, while improved from the BS21 with the grill removed, still presents a somewhat unconventional proportion. The smaller woofer paired with a relatively large cabinet gives it a distinctive, if slightly unusual, look.
Custom Drivers: Tweeter and Woofer
The tweeter in the SP-BS22-LR is set within a deep waveguide. This design choice is often associated with tweeters that exhibit high efficiency and potentially aggressive high-frequency projection. Waveguides can control sound dispersion, and in this case, it suggests a focused delivery of high frequencies.
The woofer cone is constructed from a unique plastic material featuring an embossed grid pattern. This is an innovative approach, likely implemented to manage cone resonance. By distributing resonance across the cone surface, it can become easier to manage in the speaker’s crossover design. This detail is reminiscent of high-end designs, such as the embossed paper cones found in Scanspeak Illuminator series drivers. The woofer surround is made of butyl rubber, which feels notably stiff for a driver of this size, potentially impacting its low-frequency response characteristics.
The custom nature of the driver is evident in its construction, featuring a substantial magnet. Examining the crossover components, a poly capacitor is visible in the tweeter circuit. Poly capacitors are often preferred over electrolytic capacitors in crossovers for their potentially superior sonic characteristics, particularly in high-frequency circuits.
The rear panel of the SP-BS22-LR is functionally similar to the BS21, featuring adequate speaker terminals and a rear-firing port. This port is designed to enhance bass response, a common feature in bookshelf speakers to extend their low-frequency capabilities.
Setting Up and Initial Sound Impressions
For this review, the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR bookshelf speakers were evaluated primarily as desktop speakers in a nearfield listening configuration. Positioning them on stands, improvised from “random non-vibrating garbage,” to elevate the tweeters to ear level and pulling them away from the wall by at least a foot was crucial to allow the rear port to function effectively.
Experimentation with toe-in revealed that the waveguide-loaded tweeter could become overly directional, especially in a nearfield setup. Direct toe-in resulted in an overly focused and almost headphone-like soundstage with harsh cymbal reproduction. Ultimately, positioning the speakers with minimal toe-in, effectively pointing them straight ahead, yielded a more balanced and natural sound.
Uncorrected Sound Characteristics
Initial listening sessions revealed a mixed bag of sonic traits. While not inherently bad, some characteristics stood out. The cymbals were perceived as overly sharp, the midrange slightly lean, and the bass somewhat boomy. However, considering the price point, the overall performance was deemed acceptable and functional.
Compared to the BS21s, the SP-BS22-LR demonstrated significantly improved loudness capabilities. However, pushing the volume too high might risk damaging the smaller woofers. For desktop use, the bass response was adequate without a subwoofer. However, for larger rooms or listening at a distance, a subwoofer would likely be beneficial to fill out the lower frequencies.
The sonic flaws were noted to be somewhat similar to the more expensive Audio Engine P4 speakers, but with both advantages and disadvantages. The waveguide tweeter, while contributing to a narrow dispersion pattern, also resulted in a harshness in the high frequencies. This narrow dispersion meant that straying too far off-axis caused the higher frequencies to diminish significantly. The slightly thin midrange impacted the naturalness of vocals and instruments, potentially making male vocals sound slightly less full and impacting the perceived size of instruments in the soundstage. The forward-firing design, due to the larger front baffle, resulted in a soundstage that was primarily contained within the speaker placement, lacking expansive width in a nearfield setup. Increasing speaker separation could widen the soundstage, but would necessitate further toe-in adjustments to maintain frequency response balance.
Measurement and DSP Correction
Frequency response measurements, taken on the tweeter axis using a close-windowed technique, confirmed the subjective listening impressions. A pronounced rise in the high frequencies above 12kHz was evident, corroborating the perceived sharpness of the tweeter.
Due to limitations in measurement accuracy below 1kHz, supplementary data was referenced from Stereophile’s comprehensive review of the Pioneer BS22s. Stereophile’s measurements, using a 30-degree horizontal average, provide a reliable representation of the speaker’s overall frequency response. While nearfield desktop listening prioritizes on-axis response, the averaged response becomes more relevant in larger spaces. For a speaker of this size, the averaged response below 1kHz should closely align with the direct on-axis measurement, allowing for a composite frequency response analysis.
DSP Correction and Its Impact
Based on a combination of personal measurements, Stereophile’s data, and extensive listening sessions, a DSP correction profile was developed and refined. The correction addresses several key areas of the speaker’s frequency response. The response below 800Hz was found to be approximately 2.8dB lower than the rest of the spectrum, and therefore received a boost. Subjectively, the port tuning seemed slightly high, leading to a slight bass cut in the port and woofer overlap region for improved clarity. Crucially, the prominent high-frequency peak was attenuated to tame the overly bright top end.
Corrected Sound: A Transformative Improvement
With DSP correction applied, the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR bookshelf speakers demonstrated a significant improvement in sound quality. The correction allowed for toe-in adjustments without the previously experienced harshness, enabling a more focused and detailed soundstage. The overall sonic character became closer to a neutral and accurate presentation.
Final Verdict: Pioneer SP-BS22-LR as Pioneer Shelf Speakers
The Pioneer SP-BS22-LR are relatively large bookshelf speakers, and their size might be a consideration for desktop placement. The waveguide tweeter, while having potential benefits, introduces a narrow horizontal dispersion characteristic. For desktop use, speakers like the Micca MB42x, particularly with DSP correction, might offer a more enjoyable and less directional listening experience.
However, for living room setups or systems where DSP correction is not feasible, the Pioneer BS22 emerges as a strong contender in the budget category. In its stock form, it presents a tonally balanced sound profile that surpasses many other affordable speakers in its class. While the narrow horizontal dispersion might be a drawback for some, it can also be advantageous in reducing room reflections and enhancing detail retrieval in certain listening environments. If a focused and detailed sound with a less room-colored top end is desired, the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR bookshelf speakers are a compelling option, especially considering their exceptional value.
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