The Pioneer SP-BS22-LR bookshelf speakers have carved out a significant niche in the budget audio market, earning accolades for delivering impressive sound quality at an incredibly accessible price point. Having recently acquired these speakers for US $118 from Amazon, including Prime shipping (and noting their frequent, even lower sale prices), my initial encounter was immediately marked by a surprising sense of quality that belies their cost.
The physical build of the SP-BS22-LR is unexpectedly robust for a budget speaker. The enclosure, while tall, maintains a manageable weight. A particularly welcome surprise is the inclusion of high-quality binding posts on the rear panel, typically a feature reserved for more expensive models.
Adding to the premium feel is the curved cabinet design, an aesthetic touch commonly associated with high-end loudspeakers. Close inspection reveals a clean assembly, free from the unsightly glue blemishes often found on budget speaker drivers. To objectively assess the acoustic performance of the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR, rigorous measurements were conducted using the Klippel Near-field Scanner (NFS). This advanced robotic system allows for comprehensive speaker analysis, capturing sound radiation in all directions. Utilizing sophisticated mathematical algorithms, the NFS effectively isolates the speaker’s direct sound by mitigating room reflections and minimizing the influence of ambient noise through near-field measurements. This methodology ensures measurement accuracy that rivals anechoic chamber testing, even in typical room environments, providing a true representation of the speaker’s inherent sonic characteristics, independent of room acoustics.
Spinorama Audio Measurement Analysis
To provide a perceptually relevant analysis of the speaker’s sound quality, the established spinorama methodology is employed. This comprehensive set of measurements offers valuable insights into a speaker’s tonal balance and potential sonic imperfections.
A flat on-axis frequency response, indicated by the red arrow, is generally considered desirable. The SP-BS22-LR demonstrates commendable flatness in this crucial measurement, particularly below 1 kHz. The crossover point is situated at 3 kHz, and the spinorama reveals a response peak preceding this frequency, followed by a slight dip afterwards. Encouragingly, the early reflections, depicted by the dashed blue line, exhibit a smooth profile, suggesting favorable room integration characteristics.
The directivity index, which illustrates the relationship between the speaker’s direct sound and the sound reflected off surrounding surfaces, provides further insights into its acoustic behavior.
While some deviations are observed above 2 kHz, they remain within acceptable limits for a speaker in this budget category. To simulate real-world performance, the predicted in-room response combines direct sound with reflections, offering a projection of the speaker’s tonal character in a typical listening environment.
The minimal deviations in the predicted in-room response indicate a relatively neutral sonic profile for the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR loudspeakers.
Basic Speaker Measurement Insights
Analyzing the impedance and phase response of the speaker across the frequency spectrum reveals valuable information about its electrical characteristics and potential resonances.
The impedance curve exhibits minor irregularities, or “kinks,” indicative of resonances. Notable resonances appear around 280 Hz and 1.6 kHz. While the 280 Hz resonance is not prominently reflected in the frequency response, the resonances near 1 kHz correlate with some observed peaks in the frequency response measurements, suggesting they might have a more audible impact.
Distortion measurements, ideally conducted in an anechoic chamber, were performed in a non-anechoic environment for this review. Therefore, data below 200 Hz should be interpreted with caution due to potential room noise contamination.
Advanced Speaker Measurement Analysis
Further examination of the spinorama data reveals detailed insights into early reflections, which play a crucial role in shaping the perceived soundstage and overall listening experience.
The smoother profile of the early reflections compared to the on-axis response suggests that excessive room treatment with absorbers, often advocated online, might be unnecessary or even detrimental in this case. To better illustrate the speaker’s behavior in typical listening setups, vertical and horizontal directivity plots are presented, highlighting the sound dispersion patterns.
The 20 and 30-degree off-axis responses, highlighted on the left, simulate scenarios where the speakers are not directly toed-in towards the listener. Contour plots further visualize the horizontal and vertical sound dispersion characteristics.
Crossover Directivity Visualization
At the crossover frequency of 3000 Hz, the soundfield emanating from the speaker exhibits interesting behavior, visualized in the following plot.
Ideally, a full-bandwidth driver would produce a single, focused sound wave directed towards the listener. However, due to interference patterns between the tweeter and woofer at the crossover frequency, the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR exhibits a more complex soundfield, effectively behaving like three sound sources: one aimed at the listener, and two others directed upwards and downwards. The complete spinorama data is available for further in-depth analysis.
Informal Listening Impressions
Initial listening tests revealed a generally balanced sound profile. However, a slight brightness was perceived, attributable to a relative lack of deep bass extension. Experimenting with toe-out, angling the speakers slightly away from the listening position, yielded a significant improvement in tonal balance, effectively mitigating the perceived brightness. Compared to the JBL LSR305P Mark II studio monitors, the JBLs exhibited superior bass response. However, in terms of overall tonality, the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR demonstrated commendable similarity, indicating its strong performance relative to a well-regarded benchmark. Further critical listening revealed a slight emphasis in the midrange frequencies in the Pioneers.
Loudness testing exposed limitations in deep bass reproduction. While some deep low-frequency content was audible, pushing the speakers to higher volumes with deep bass resulted in noticeable distortion. Techno music with higher frequency bass content fared significantly better, suggesting the SP-BS22-LR is more comfortable with less demanding low-end frequencies. Employing a high-pass filter in playback software to attenuate very low frequencies is recommended for optimal performance at higher volumes.
Concluding Remarks
Recalling a conversation with speaker designer Andrew Jones at CES, where he emphasized the impact of component quality even in budget designs, it’s clear that the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR benefits from a design philosophy focused on maximizing performance through thoughtful component selection and skilled engineering. The SP-BS22-LR successfully achieves its mission: to deliver a loudspeaker that is sonically agreeable and aesthetically pleasing, despite its remarkably low price. For budget-conscious listeners seeking a well-rounded and capable bookshelf speaker, the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR presents a compelling option that punches well above its weight class.
