MCM_Fan
AK Subscriber
Introduction (Credit where Credit is Due):
The Pioneer SP-BS22-LR bookshelf speakers, designed by Andrew Jones, have been very well received, with many positive reviews:
Stereophile – Pioneer SP-BS22-LR Loudspeaker by Robert J. Reina
The Absolute Sound – Pioneer SP-BS22-LR Loudspeaker by Neil Gader
The Wirecutter – A Great Bookshelf Speaker by Geoff Morrison
Digital Audio Review – Pioneer SP-BS22-LR Standmount Loudspeaker by John H. Darko
They have also received much attention and many favorable comments in the various audio forums:
Audiokarma.org – Speakers – Pioneer SP-BS22-LR, the real deal or hype?
Audio Circle – Cheap and Cheerful HiFi – Pioneer SP-BS2-LR are really nice
With an MSRP of $129.99, Andrew Jones has succeeded in bringing an excellent sounding set of speakers to the masses at a very affordable price. Better still, these speakers are carried by many major retailers, both online (Amazon, Newegg, etc.) and brick and mortar stores (Best Buy, Frye’s, etc.) and are often on sale for less than $100. I have two sets. I purchased the first pair in August, 2013 for $79.99 and then a second pair in June, 2014 for $65.00. In both cases, they were on sale at amazon.com and I purchased them at my local Best Buy through their price matching program. There is a Best Buy less than 3 miles from my house. So, I went for the instant gratification of picking them up locally over ordering them through Amazon. These speakers go on sale often, usually on weekends, but the sales don’t last long. The $65.00 price at Amazon was only listed on their web site for about 24 hours. To get the best price, you need to check the online retailers regularly and act quickly when the price drops. At $130, these speakers are a great value. At $65 - $80, they are an absolute steal.
Note: After I completed this article, in August 2014, the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR speakers went on sale at Amazon for a new low price of $59.90/pair. Again, they were only offered at this special low price for less than 24 hours. What a tremendous value for anyone who was able to take advantage of this sale.
The complete manufacturer’s data sheet, in PDF format can be found here. And here’s the relevant specs:
Specifications:
However, because cost/performance trade-offs were necessary to get these speakers to market at a very affordable price, it leaves the door open for improvements. Enter Dennis Murphy of Philharmonic Audio. Dennis is another highly talented designer who has always been a big supporter of the DIY community. Dennis replaced the stock tweeter of the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR speakers with a much nicer Vifa 1” silk dome tweeter from Parts Express and then designed a new crossover to match this improved tweeter to the stock 4” woofer. Dennis offers speakers with these modifications installed and tested. He sells them, in limited production quantities, as his Affordable Accuracy Monitors at the bargain price of $165.00/pair.
Dennis graciously shared his design with me. Due to the complexity, and risk of damage, he was reluctant to share these modifications with the general public. In an effort to make these mods more accessible to those with the necessary skills and tools, I further refined the implementation of Dennis’ design. The mods can be accomplished by an experienced Do-It-Yourselfer, but there is some risk of irreparable damage. So, if you are not 100% confident in your abilities, do not attempt these mods. If you do decide to proceed, you do so at you own risk. As soon as you open up your speakers, you void the manufacturer’s warranty. If you screw up and ruin your speakers, no one else is responsible for your actions.
Of course, these improvements are not free. As you will see below, with a BOM cost of over $82, the cost of materials alone doubled my investment in these speakers. Since Dennis sells these speakers professionally modified and tested at only $165.00, it only makes sense to attempt these mods if:
The Details:
You will need the following materials to perform these modifications to your stock Pioneer SP-BS2-LR speakers:
Bill of Materials: Dennis Murphy Modifications for Pioneer SP-BS22-LR
Photo 1. The BOM Components
As shown in the table, most of the parts are available from Parts Express. The prices shown are current as of July, 2014 and are subject to change. These are single quantity pricing and do not represent any discounts (in other words, the most you will pay at the time of this article). I actually paid less as I bought my items when Parts Express was having a 20% off sale, and I also purchased enough materials to modify four speakers. So, I got additional quantity discounts on some items. The cost of the Jantzen 0.5mH air core inductor has also gone up since I made my purchase. One sheet of Sonic Barrier was enough for four speakers and the 100 pack of #6x3/4” pan head screws is enough to modify eight speakers. So, after all discounts and free shipping my total materials cost came out to $115.97 for the parts required to modify four speakers. That’s $57.99 per pair. Since I paid $79.99 and $65.00 for my two pair of speakers, that makes my total net cost $260.96 for four speakers, or $130.48 per pair after modifications. That’s only $0.49/pair more than the $129.99 MSRP for the stock speakers.
Tools:
The Pioneer SP-BS22-LR bookshelf speakers, designed by Andrew Jones, have been very well received, with many positive reviews:
Stereophile – Pioneer SP-BS22-LR Loudspeaker by Robert J. Reina
The Absolute Sound – Pioneer SP-BS22-LR Loudspeaker by Neil Gader
The Wirecutter – A Great Bookshelf Speaker by Geoff Morrison
Digital Audio Review – Pioneer SP-BS22-LR Standmount Loudspeaker by John H. Darko
They have also received much attention and many favorable comments in the various audio forums:
Audiokarma.org – Speakers – Pioneer SP-BS22-LR, the real deal or hype?
Audio Circle – Cheap and Cheerful HiFi – Pioneer SP-BS2-LR are really nice
With an MSRP of $129.99, Andrew Jones has succeeded in bringing an excellent sounding set of speakers to the masses at a very affordable price. Better still, these speakers are carried by many major retailers, both online (Amazon, Newegg, etc.) and brick and mortar stores (Best Buy, Frye’s, etc.) and are often on sale for less than $100. I have two sets. I purchased the first pair in August, 2013 for $79.99 and then a second pair in June, 2014 for $65.00. In both cases, they were on sale at amazon.com and I purchased them at my local Best Buy through their price matching program. There is a Best Buy less than 3 miles from my house. So, I went for the instant gratification of picking them up locally over ordering them through Amazon. These speakers go on sale often, usually on weekends, but the sales don’t last long. The $65.00 price at Amazon was only listed on their web site for about 24 hours. To get the best price, you need to check the online retailers regularly and act quickly when the price drops. At $130, these speakers are a great value. At $65 - $80, they are an absolute steal.
Note: After I completed this article, in August 2014, the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR speakers went on sale at Amazon for a new low price of $59.90/pair. Again, they were only offered at this special low price for less than 24 hours. What a tremendous value for anyone who was able to take advantage of this sale.
The complete manufacturer’s data sheet, in PDF format can be found here. And here’s the relevant specs:
Specifications:
• Enclosure............................Bass-reflex Bookshelf
• Configuration........................2-way
• Frequency Range......................55Hz-20kHz
• Nominal Impedance....................6 Ohms
• Sensitivity (2.83V)..................85dB
• Maximum Input Power..................80W
• Cross-Over Frequency.................3kHz
• Magnetically Shielded................No
• Dimensions(WxHxD)....................7-1/8”x12-9/16”x8-7/16”
• Weight(each).........................9lbs 2oz
• Woofer...............................4”
• Tweeter..............................1”
• UPC..................................012562906119
Budget audiophiles owe Pioneer and Andrew Jones a great debt of gratitude for producing a speaker that sounds so good at a price anyone can afford. Mr. Jones did an amazing job of designing an excellent sounding speaker within a very tight budget. The little 4” woofer is an amazing driver that produces surprising bass for such a small driver. The curved cabinet is also excellent quality, especially in this price range. To use a popular metaphor, these two elements allow the SP-BS22-LR speakers to punch way above their class. The SP-BS22-LR speakers also have a better, more complex, crossover network than most other speakers in this price range. Of course, when working within a very tight budget, compromises must be made. The stock tweeter is decent, but not great. I’m sure it’s the best Mr. Jones could do and still stay within his allocated budget. In any design, there are cost/performance trade-offs. Andrew Jones did an amazing job within his budget and made the right trade-offs to get the best possible sound for the least amount of money. The popularity of these speakers and the countless positive reviews are a testimony to the outstanding work Mr. Jones did designing these speakers.• Configuration........................2-way
• Frequency Range......................55Hz-20kHz
• Nominal Impedance....................6 Ohms
• Sensitivity (2.83V)..................85dB
• Maximum Input Power..................80W
• Cross-Over Frequency.................3kHz
• Magnetically Shielded................No
• Dimensions(WxHxD)....................7-1/8”x12-9/16”x8-7/16”
• Weight(each).........................9lbs 2oz
• Woofer...............................4”
• Tweeter..............................1”
• UPC..................................012562906119
However, because cost/performance trade-offs were necessary to get these speakers to market at a very affordable price, it leaves the door open for improvements. Enter Dennis Murphy of Philharmonic Audio. Dennis is another highly talented designer who has always been a big supporter of the DIY community. Dennis replaced the stock tweeter of the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR speakers with a much nicer Vifa 1” silk dome tweeter from Parts Express and then designed a new crossover to match this improved tweeter to the stock 4” woofer. Dennis offers speakers with these modifications installed and tested. He sells them, in limited production quantities, as his Affordable Accuracy Monitors at the bargain price of $165.00/pair.
Dennis graciously shared his design with me. Due to the complexity, and risk of damage, he was reluctant to share these modifications with the general public. In an effort to make these mods more accessible to those with the necessary skills and tools, I further refined the implementation of Dennis’ design. The mods can be accomplished by an experienced Do-It-Yourselfer, but there is some risk of irreparable damage. So, if you are not 100% confident in your abilities, do not attempt these mods. If you do decide to proceed, you do so at you own risk. As soon as you open up your speakers, you void the manufacturer’s warranty. If you screw up and ruin your speakers, no one else is responsible for your actions.
Of course, these improvements are not free. As you will see below, with a BOM cost of over $82, the cost of materials alone doubled my investment in these speakers. Since Dennis sells these speakers professionally modified and tested at only $165.00, it only makes sense to attempt these mods if:
• You already have these speakers and are a competent, experienced DIYer
or
• You get lucky and snag a pair at $65.00, are a competent, experienced DIYer and place little or no value on your time
or
• Dennis stops selling his modified speakers
or
• You get lucky and snag a pair at $65.00, are a competent, experienced DIYer and place little or no value on your time
or
• Dennis stops selling his modified speakers
The Details:
You will need the following materials to perform these modifications to your stock Pioneer SP-BS2-LR speakers:
Bill of Materials: Dennis Murphy Modifications for Pioneer SP-BS22-LR
Photo 1. The BOM Components
As shown in the table, most of the parts are available from Parts Express. The prices shown are current as of July, 2014 and are subject to change. These are single quantity pricing and do not represent any discounts (in other words, the most you will pay at the time of this article). I actually paid less as I bought my items when Parts Express was having a 20% off sale, and I also purchased enough materials to modify four speakers. So, I got additional quantity discounts on some items. The cost of the Jantzen 0.5mH air core inductor has also gone up since I made my purchase. One sheet of Sonic Barrier was enough for four speakers and the 100 pack of #6x3/4” pan head screws is enough to modify eight speakers. So, after all discounts and free shipping my total materials cost came out to $115.97 for the parts required to modify four speakers. That’s $57.99 per pair. Since I paid $79.99 and $65.00 for my two pair of speakers, that makes my total net cost $260.96 for four speakers, or $130.48 per pair after modifications. That’s only $0.49/pair more than the $129.99 MSRP for the stock speakers.
Tools:
• 2.5mm Hex Key
• #2 Phillips Screw Driver
• Electric Drill or Drill Press
• 1/8” Drill Bit
• 7/64” Drill Bit
• Wire Stripper/Cutter
• Solder Iron
• Desoldering Wick/Braid
• Glue Gun
• Scissors
• Dremel Tool with small sanding drum (optional: could also use a file or small handsaw)
Miscellaneous Supplies:• #2 Phillips Screw Driver
• Electric Drill or Drill Press
• 1/8” Drill Bit
• 7/64” Drill Bit
• Wire Stripper/Cutter
• Solder Iron
• Desoldering Wick/Braid
• Glue Gun
• Scissors
• Dremel Tool with small sanding drum (optional: could also use a file or small handsaw)
• Solder
• Hot Glue Sticks
• 22 AWG Hook Up Wire
• Small Zip Ties
• Hot Glue Sticks
• 22 AWG Hook Up Wire
• Small Zip Ties
Last edited: