[DS-21]

FYI - currently $69 on Amazon.

[neekomax]

I picked up the center channel speaker on a whim at Best Buy a couple of weeks ago, on sale. Pretty good for $60. Funny how the sales guys have no idea how good these are. They just assume cheap = crap.

http://www.amazon.com/Pioneer-SP-C22-Designed-Channel-Speaker/dp/B008NCD2EI

______

So my HT system thus far is:

Yamaha HTR-5660 AV receiver- free (guy at BB just gave it to me  )
Audioengine P4 speakers (for the 'mains') - $250 (thank you, Steve).
Panasonic SP-C22 center - $60 on sale
Mordaunt Short Carnival 3 Dipole surround speakers - $100 (the pair) from accessoriesforless.com
Polk Audio PW110 10", 200w sub - $200 from Amazon
Homemade stands and racking made from repurposed furniture and scrap: freeballs

Grand total, minus (cheap) cables: $610.

I can tell you it sounds pretty decent for that kinda bread. Upgrades will happen over time (new sub is a priority).

[srb]

Audioengine P4 speakers (for the 'mains') - $400, I believe.

$249 in black or white, $325 in bamboo.

Steve

[neekomax]

$249 in black or white, $325 in bamboo.

Steve

Thanks. Been a little while.

Very attractive, capable speaker, I think the silk dome tweeter with the waveguide sounds very good.

[Alexdad54]

Well, after calling around (including one to Pioneer Canada) it seems that  there are no stores in my area of Canada (BC) that either carry these speakers  or are willing to order them. It seems that a aingle  pair doesn't provide enough profit margin to make a special order worthwhile for them,.

I'm now planning a cross-border trip to Bellingham BB soon and will be choosing between these or their floor-standing siblings the SP-FS52's which are also designed by Andrew Jones and seem to have good reviews. They will be powered by a Yamaha 473 receiver and are for 50/50 HT and music (for my ex-wife).

My question is whether it might be better to stick with the bookshelf speakers on stands and get a sub or get the floor-standers?

[srb]

My question is whether it might be better to stick with the bookshelf speakers on stands and get a sub vs. the floor-standers?

I think you will get more impactful HT bass with a subwoofer and the bookshelf speakers, but I would also take into account whether pets or kids might be more prone to knocking bookshelf speakers off of their stands, the slight extra wiring and available floor space for the subwoofer and EXWAF.

Steve

[neekomax]

Well, after calling around (including one to Pioneer Canada) it seems that  there are no stores in my area of Canada (BC) that either carry these speakers  or are willing to order them. It seems that a aingle  pair doesn't provide enough profit margin to make a special order worthwhile for them,.

I'm now planning a cross-border trip to Bellingham BB soon and will be choosing between these or their floor-standing siblings the SP-FS52's which are also designed by Andrew Jones and seem to have good reviews. They will be powered by a Yamaha 473 receiver and are for 50/50 HT and music (for my ex-wife).

My question is whether it might be better to stick with the bookshelf speakers on stands and get a sub or get the floor-standers?

Just curious, Amazon doesn't deliver to Canada, really?

I think you will get more impactful HT bass with a subwoofer and the bookshelf speakers, but I would also take into account whether pets or kids might be more prone to knocking bookshelf speakers off of their stands, the slight extra wiring and available floor space for the subwoofer and EXWAF.

Steve

Personally, I've been able to foist my audio fetish onto our decor in the living room (where the aforementioned HT system lives) using the cute, glossy Audioengine monitors as a trojan horse to get past my live-in girlfriend's anti-gadget defenses. IOW, I think bookshelf speakers are more practical that way. Another advantage is that you can get real deal bass from a sub, instead of half-ass passive floorstander bass. Also consider that you can place a sub to get the best sound, which also helps.

[Alexdad54]

Thanks SRB and neekomax , wise words as the EXWAF factor is extremely strong in this case as pets and kids won't be a problem but visible wiring might! 
Can anyone thenrecommend a cheap and cheerful sub easily obtained that might match well with these speakers?

I notice that there is a Pioneer sub offered at BB for $160: http://www.bestbuy.com/site/Pioneer+-+Subwoofer/5086873.p?id=1218610014537&skuId=5086873#tab=overview
There is also the Polk SW10 and a Yamaha in the same price range....

Amazon does deliver items to Canada but for some reason they won't for these speakers. Amazon Canada doesn't carry them unfortunately, only car speakers.

[vortrex]

what the heck, for $69 these are worth hearing.  I have some Blumenstein Orca here now too, which are much more expensive.  will be interesting to compare these with each other.

[charmerci]

My question is whether it might be better to stick with the bookshelf speakers on stands and get a sub or get the floor-standers?

I'm pairing them with that cheap Polk sub and for music, you'd hardly notice the difference and given that you're going to do HT, get the sub. If it was just for music, I'd say go for the floorstanders. Actually, if you can get the 52's and the sub, I'd recommend that because those little 4" mid-woofers sure go in and out a lot on heavy bass.

Oh and if/when you get the sub, don't wire the speakers through the sub - go through the receiver. The sub's crossover sucks big time. Ruins the sound.

[neekomax]

I'm pairing them with that cheap Polk sub and for music, you'd hardly notice the difference and given that you're going to do HT, get the sub. If it was just for music, I'd say go for the floorstanders. Actually, if you can get the 52's and the sub, I'd recommend that because those little 4" mid-woofers sure go in and out a lot on heavy bass.

Oh and if/when you get the sub, don't wire the speakers through the sub - go through the receiver. The sub's crossover sucks big time. Ruins the sound.

Which Polk sub do you have, charmerci?

If I was starting from scratch, I might get the 2 pairs of the SP-B22-LRs & the matching center for mad cheap and splurge and get the SVS SB-1000 12" sealed sub for $500. It's  almost out of C&C territory, but a high value proposition, IMO. Paint 'em all white for the WAF/GAF/EXWAF (what's the story with that, anyway?), and you're done.

http://www.svsound.com/subwoofers/sealed-box/sb-1000

[charmerci]

I've got the SW10. <$100 on amazon. Again, they're not that good but if (as with any cheap sub) you keep the output low and away from the corner, you can keep the boominess at a minimum to add a bit of low end heft.

[charmerci]

 Paint 'em all white for the WAF/GAF/EXWAF (what's the story with that, anyway?), ...

Well here you go!

http://www.audiocircle.com/index.php?topic=113152.20

[Alexdad54]

"Paint 'em all white for the WAF/GAF/EXWAF (what's the story with that, anyway?)"I just wanted to leave her (and my son when he's there) with a half-decent cheap n' cheerful  HT/music system since I'm keeping my (slightly less modest) system. She did make an oblique reference to how much she like my SongTowers tho' ...
I can get the previous model SP-BS41 speakers on this side of the border - BNIB. Are they similar? I have read that some feel they are a bit warmer sounding...

[charmerci]

I can get the previous model SP-BS41 speakers on this side of the border - BNIB. Are they similar? I have read that some feel they are a bit warmer sounding...

Both designed by Andrew Jones. The 41's have a 5 1/4" mid woofer.

http://www.audiokarma.org/forums/showthread.php?t=339645

[roscoeiii]

I can get the previous model SP-BS41 speakers on this side of the border - BNIB. Are they similar? I have read that some feel they are a bit warmer sounding...

Compared here:
http://www.hometheater.com/content/pioneer-sp-bs22-lr-speaker-system

[ltr317]

FYI - currently $69 on Amazon.

Just ordered a pair on Amazon.  The price is almost half from retail, so couldn't pass it up.  Even if they don't sound that good, it will sound better than the cheap pair of Ratshack speakers I'm using for HT now.   

[vlad335]

Which Polk sub do you have, charmerci?

If I was starting from scratch, I might get the 2 pairs of the SP-B22-LRs & the matching center for mad cheap and splurge and get the SVS SB-1000 12" sealed sub for $500. It's  almost out of C&C territory, but a high value proposition, IMO. Paint 'em all white for the WAF/GAF/EXWAF (what's the story with that, anyway?), and you're done.

http://www.svsound.com/subwoofers/sealed-box/sb-1000

After buying the new Pioneer bookshelves I went out and got the towers and center channel for my system. previously I had mix and match DIY speakers for the front stage. These Pioneers are really outstanding.

Funny you should mention... Speaking of SVS. Soon after adding the Pio's I decided to change my sub out too. Ordered an SVS PB-1000 from their outlet and these subwoofers are amazing. I can't believe a 10" sub this size can reproduce such low bass. These go LOW and do not distort. Unbelievable clarity and perfect for the Pioneers. ( Even have the same finish.)

Liked this sub so much I sold my DIY sub drivers and bought another PB-1000. Now blurays rattle the foundation! Best sound I have ever had in here.

[neekomax]

Nice one Vlad! That's a pretty cool setup. Did you notice an improvement in the in-room bass response when you added the second sub?

I actually like the look of those towers more than I thought I would...

[vlad335]

Nice one Vlad! That's a pretty cool setup. Did you notice an improvement in the in-room bass response when you added the second sub?

Definitely yes. However in my experience this room requires two subs, partly because of a total limitation on where I can place them. ( No sub crawl for me.) No other placement options than what is pictured and one sub excites room nodes like crazy. Add another and it evens out nicely.

I talked to SVS prior to purchasing and they are extremely helpful. They have a online tool to mate their subs with a particular speaker and the PB12-NSD is actually recommended for the Pioneer floorstanders. Since I need two for this room, the PB-1000's got the blessing for more output and to smooth the response.