Pioneer SP-BS22 v/s other budget BS

[sunilkm]

I am planning to get a BS within 15k or less to have a budget HT ( 50/50 music/movies). I will connect to Norge 2060 for few months till Ii get the AVR.
AVR in mind is Yamaha RX-V375 ( Or 475 depends on the budget that time). Considering Pioneer SP-BS22 based on the good reviews and user experience in intl forums/amazon etc and get Center SP-C22 later.
There is no way to demo this in bangalore right now.

Pioneer SP-BS22 ( Avenue sound price Rs 11,000 + Rs 999 shipping to bangalore = 12K )
US price is $129/pair. So it is VFM compared to other speakers in US.

The below models are in the same price range.
I guess there can be 10% dealer discount and all can be bought for 12k.
Sonodyne 1501 V3 ( Rs 13710)
Polk TSX 110B ( Rs 14,000)
Boston acoustic A25 ( Rs 14,500)

I would like your inputs to make the decision:
1) Is Pioneer BS22 really worth to get at 12k.? I have missed the black friday deal when it was available for 9K.
2) How does BS22 perform compared to other models. As per the specs BS22 have 4inch woofer compared to 5 -1/4inch woofer of other models. Will it make lot of difference in the bass?
3) BS-22 sensitivity is on lower side 85db. Will it be okay to pair with entry level AVR like RX-V375?

I would like to get inputs from experts who might heard some of the above BS and Pioneer BS22

Please help
Thanks.

 

[kneo]

I've not personally heard the BS22, but have read a lot about them in various forums. I am expecting my 5.0 setup BS22/FS22/C22 in a few weeks and I ordered them based on the great feedback that they are getting on forums like audioholics/avs/audiocircle, etc.

Their claim to fame is the 'value for money' tag. Yes, they are not the best bookshelf speaker ever produced, but they give you much more than what you expect 'at that pricepoint' and a bit beyond that too. There may be other bookshelves that would perform better but you'd find them in the range of 25-30K. I'd suggest you to read about these bookshelves (complete threads) on various forums before you make your decision. People have compared it to other BS which are available in the US. Of course, there'd be no comparison with a Sonodyne but you get my gist.

Remember, these are rear ported speakers so you'd have to place them a bit away from the wall.

 

[sunilkm]

I have read the reviews in stereophile and most of the threads in AVS Forum etc. As per that BS22 performance much above the price point and even matching up to higher priced speakers. Another good point mentioned was the build quality, components and crossover used was very good for a speaker in that price. Purely based on all these planning to buy BS22 or BS22+C22.

I haven't bought anything from Avenue sound. Will it be with bill and warranty?
I have checked the website and it was mentioned available for back order. What does that mean?

 

[kneo]

Avenue Sound imports their products from the US via sea route. You will have to place an order, give a 50% advance and then depending on when the products are shipped out, you may have to wait for up to 1-2 months for the actual delivery (back-order).

They do provide a bill and dealer warranty of a year. So if something goes wrong, you may approach them for help, but I am not sure how it would work out for non-Mumbaikars. Talk to Ashish (Avenue sound owner) and he'd be the best person to guide you. They seem to have built up quite a good reputation in the forum for their services.

Also, don't rely on the website prices. Call up Ashish and I am sure he'd be able to offer you better prices. If you're lucky you may even get the Black Friday prices All the best.

 

[sunilkm]

Thanks.
I have chated with Mr.Mohsin in their website support. I will check with Ashish

 

[edge111hussain]

When i heard em, i wasnt impressed one bit.Try the A25 else check the pricing of the Qacoustic speakers. Those used to sell under 15, not sure abt the current pricing.

 

[sunilkm]

Could you please elaborate?
Is it the sound signature did not impress you or something else missing?

When i heard em, i wasnt impressed one bit.Try the A25 else check the pricing of the Qacoustic speakers. Those used to sell under 15, not sure abt the current pricing.

 

[edge111hussain]

They lacked detailing. They should be OK for movies but certainly not good for music. Boomy bass and lack of clarity to my ears..

Could you please elaborate?
Is it the sound signature did not impress you or something else missing?

 

[efernand1]

Hi Sunilkm

Personally I have not heard the BS22s and would be wrong on my part to comment on their ill / best performance. For speakers, you need to ensure that they cover the required frequencies (20hz - 20khz) Typically good branded bookshelf speakers start from 35/40hz upto 20-22khz. This is very important as then you will know what levels of bass they can handle. Next is HIGH sensitivity requirement...anything higher than 88db is better...this means you can operate the same on AVRs or amplifiers that have decent power outputs. The most important thing here is that your AVR or Amp should be capable to deliver continuous output of stated watts (20hz to 20khz) and the reality of todays world is that not all manufacturers guarantee this. See this link.

AV Receiver and Amplifier Power Ratings Trends: How and Why Wattage Ratings are Manipulated | Audioholics

Boston Acoustics and Cambridge audio are companies who have done an end to end research to make sure that their products perform well in all frequencies and deliver the required warmth punch etc in music and movies...

a 5 1/4 inch coned speaker is better any day than a 4 inch as it can handle more frequencies effectively at low and high volumes. There are a few companies who make good bookshelf speakers which have 4 inch woofers that deliver the claimed frequencies and output.

Personally the B&W 600 series is worth every penny but is out of reach for most of us...one day I will own it for sure.....currently I use a Marantz NR 1402 AVR and Boston Acoustics Soundware XS 5.1 speakers which is the best music and movie experience I have had after using BOSE, Pioneer, Yamaha, Harmon Kardon , Denon etc for 11 years now. There are tons of online reviews and videos to support the same. You can refer to threads on Marantz Owners....My system works well at 40% volume in a 200sq ft area...you can get this system (NR 1504 + Bostons Sundware ) for 51k on HifiMart....

The A2310HTS Bostons Bookshelf package is good...available on HiFiMart for 37k

You can do a mix and match.....A250 Floor Standinging, A25 Bookshelf, C225 Centre and ASW650 subwoofer which would totally cost between 80-90k or less here and there...

Other Bookshelf speakers to consider are Cambridge Audio S30s or S50s...there is a thread on speaker price list...you may want to see that and the models available in India. You may want to look at Wharfedale or KEFs

Remember, Home Theatre dealers will have special demo rooms which are soundproof etc to provide you the best experience...end of the day normal home users like us would put the system in our rooms or hall area and expect the same experience...you need to be very selective with what you get for your budget and value in the long run.

Speaker wires need to be OFC. Oxygen Free Cables and depending on the type of speakers used (Bookshelf or satellites) the correct gauge needs to be used. (AWG 16 for bookshelfs and AWG 18 for satellites).

Subwoofer cable is also important, a branded thick cable will help in proper flow of signals from the AVR to subwoofer.

Thumb rule is that if you have good speakers, AVR and wires connected, the content (music / movies) played should be original and of high quality to enjoy the experience.

Hope this helps.

 

[kneo]

Speaker wires need to be OFC. Oxygen Free Cables and depending on the type of speakers used (Bookshelf or satellites) the correct gauge needs to be used. (AWG 16 for bookshelfs and AWG 18 for satellites).

IMHO more than the satellite/bookshelves differentiator, it's the actual length that you're running the cables. Longer runs would generally call for thicker wires.

Boston Acoustics and Cambridge audio are companies who have done an end to end research to make sure that their products perform well in all frequencies and deliver the required warmth punch etc in music and movies...

I hope you are not implying that other speaker companies have not done much research around this and hence these two companies makes speakers which are better at reproducing the entire spectrum of frequencies. More than the brands, the OP should worry about what sounds good to him. If we leave out the extremely high end of the spectrum, I am not sure whether any mass market company has done any scientifically radical implementation which differs them from the rest.

Also, sensitivity is a good figure to look at but it should not be your deciding factor. There are some speakers which are not very sensitive but can still be very musical than others. I think the OP should also consider the size of the room and the volumes that he'd like to play music/movies at. Also, I agree that speakers would definitely sound a bit different in untreated rooms, but unfortunately except auditions at some friend's place having a similar setup, it's difficult to gauge how they will sound at your place. You will just have to take that leap of faith. Try and talk to the dealer about options to replace the speakers if they don't sound right to you.

 

[sunilkm]

Now pioneer india website is updated with AJ speaker set.
I will also check for availability for local dealer demo.

 

[kneo]

The FS are for 22980 as per their website. But they have priced the 5.1 set quite outrageously. Almost 54K which is quite high if you compare the US prices. Even the subwoofer is a different one than what is available in the US (at least the model number is different).

 

[sunilkm]

FS-52 price looks reasonable and I am sure the dealers will give discount on the specified MRP.

I am wondering why Avenue Sound price for FS-52 is Rs.28,000 !!!
and the special price is Rs.23,000 which is MRP !!!

As per the Pioneer India website Avenue Sound is not listed as authorized delaer.

 

[adi_vastava]

FS-52 price looks reasonable and I am sure the dealers will give discount on the specified MRP.

I am wondering why Avenue Sound price for FS-52 is Rs.28,000 !!!
and the special price is Rs.23,000 which is MRP !!!

As per the Pioneer India website Avenue Sound is not listed as authorized delaer.

I think its parallel import.

 

[spirovious]

As per the Pioneer India website Avenue Sound is not listed as authorized delaer.

They import from U.S.So no name on Indian website.