Pioneer HPM 100's...up and running! HIGH END...low cost!

S

SixCats!

Super Member
Hi all,

I finally bought a used tweeter (from Oaktree) for my beloved PIONEER HPM 100's (which have been out of service for the last several months). Finding replacement drivers for these speakers is becoming VERY difficult (and expensive). However...upon re-testing the BAD driver I was about to replace...it WORKED! I have no explaination as to why (I thought) it didn't work. Anyway...I am KEEPING the replacement tweeter as a back up. Also...I (while feeling lucky)...I somehow managed to repair a bad SUPER TWEETER (I had in storage) for the HPM 100's. I now have TWO super tweeters as back up. Anyway...my back hurts (for real) after moving THREE sets of heavy speakers but...it was well worth it!
I set up the HPM 100's in my main listening room (Living Room)
and I oiled them up nice. I hooked them up for the FIRST time with my recently acquired ACCUPHASE E-202 INTERGRATED AMP
(100 Watts per channel) and the HPM 100's sound EXCELLENT!
I have been lucky to put together a VINTAGE system that sounds FANTASTIC. Cost...PIONEER HPM 100's $100
ACCUPHASE E-202 $150
HK HD 7300 CD $ 10
Technics SL D3 TT $ 10
Dynaco FM 3 Tube $ .99

Total cost of $270.99 (less spear drivers)
Not too shabby!
SixCats!
 
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Hi Pete,

Thanks for you comments. I am REALLY JAZZED!
Now...if I could only find a nice (not too expensive) car!

SixCats!
 
CONCERNED

Six-Cats as a friend l give this advice; you are getting older and have to take care of yourself.;)

"My back hurts" hmmm could be a message there. Perhaps it's time to get rid of those old heavy HPM 100'S. Move them on to a more "younger" ( In back) man. :p:

I'm here for you buddy, Bigmacc to the rescue. I would even replace them with a lighter RS mini system.:rolleyes:

Reaching out accross nations to help; hee l'm on to a slogan here.:)

Serious note great vintage system buddy, enjoy.:D
 
Sixcats!

Great story :)

I think the wires might have gotten loose inside the speaker. So when you popped the hood you might have tightened them again.

You have a KICK ASS system there at a price that people pay for a minisystyem.

What is your budget for a car?

Chris
 
Hey hey Bigmacc and ckelly,

Thanks guys...I am so happy to have this set up as it truly sounds wonderful. Bigmacc...lol...you had me laughing bud.
Yea...my lower back is in rough shape...degenerative disks makes it VERY hard to do what I used to be able to do. Tis a shame...I really wanted to study Ju jitsu (for real) but...NO WAY JOSE!
No can do! If I don't see my Chriopractor every six weeks or so...I can't function too well. Damn...I am not even 48 years old yet. I am 6' 3" tall and presently weight 255 lbs. I used to be able to grap a 50 lb. bag of...well...errrr...Kitty litter (six Cats after all) like it was almost weightless. Now...damn...moving stuff like that (or 50-60 pound speakers) will RUIN me for a long time and send my back in KAOS (also the name of one of my six Cats lol).Oh well. Enough complaining. Ckelly...good to hear from you bud. How's the BBQ going? Ahhh...car budget...well...I am looking to get into a bigger car as opposed to my Sentra.
Depending if I can get the Credit Union to lend me a bit more money...I have my eye on a BEAUTIFUL one owner LOADED
Toyota AVALON with 70K for around $11,500.00
Wow...what a nice Car! I was surprised that I had trouble fitting in a Nissan Maxima and I am guessing the Camery isn't much better. My Sentra is O-L-D old and I think it has more room. The Avalon is WAY bigger and just beautiful inside. Heated leather seats,moon roof,primo sound system with FM/CD and Cassette...etc.etc.etc. My dad thinks I am crazy to consider spending this much money. I don't know. He thinks I should buy a Buick LaSabre he saw...a very clean 1999 with 70K for $7,500.00 asking price. I don't know. It might be a nice car but...
I love the reliability of the Japan Cars. I am however also looking at Honda Accords, Ford Crown Vics./Mercury Grand Marquis
Buick Park Ave. and tonight, I read about a Olds LSS...this is a car that I never knew existed. It looks to be a pretty nice car.
Any thoughts? See ya later. SixCats!
 
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Dang, Sixcats,
HPM 100s have been on my 'must try' list for a long time now!
I've been waiting to hear about your HPM's for a while, so, now that you've had a chance to give them a fair amount of mileage, how do they stack up compared to other speakers you've used?

Just color me green with envy! :D
 
Hi Jay,


Well...I have been interested in Audio gear before I called it VINTAGE gear lol. My first system was in the mid 70's. I owned a BRAND NEW Marantz 2250 Reciever, a new pair of KLIPSCH HERESY'S and a TECHNICS SL 1300 Turntable. Not too bad a first system for a 17/18 year old kid! I very much enjoyed my Klipsch's.
I moved to Los Angeles in 1978 and it was there that my knowledge of Audio gear became greater. Not from a technical stand point mind you but...my knowledge of what was considered HIGHER END gear. Speaker wise...I think I have listened to most well known Speaker systems. One of my earliest first (being impressed) by speakers were the ESS AMT-1B's with the HEIL tweeter! WOW! I now understand why there are folks out there that make CUSTOM speakers using the HEIL driver. I then later heard the KEF (I think it was the) 105's...BIG KEF's at any rate. Wonderful! I also feel in love with the little KEF 101's with a AUDIO PRO subwoofer as this system made wonderful music as well. My audio world was turned upside down when I listened to my first pair of MAGNEPAN's. There is NOTHING like Maggies...I love them! However...due to many reasons...(and owning Cats)...I have never owned them (but hope to someday own at least a pair of MMG's) for small Jazz music. In my time in Los Angeles, I have owned a pair of DCM TIME WINDOWS (which sounded great in the shop) but I could never get them to perform for me the way I first heard them. I later bought a used pair of THIEL 03A's from Gene Rubin Audio which I STILL own and moved from California to Nashville,TN to Rhode Island to MAINE! While in Nashville, I took the THIELS to KY to the Thiel factory and the folks at Thiel put new Woofer's and Tweeters in the ol' 3A's and tested them out for me all at ZERO cost. THIEL is without a doubt THE most customer support friendly company that I have EVER delt with. I enjoyed my Thiels but continued to listen to as much as possible (to train my ear if you will). I have listened to ACOUSTAT,B+W,KEF,MAGNEPAN,MARTIN LOGAN,QUAD,INFINITY,KLIPSCH,SPENDOR,DALQUIST,THIEL,
ENERGY,DCM, and so many others that I can not remember.
Somehow...I had NEVER listend to the PIONEERS. Perhaps because they maybe were not considered a HIGH END speaker?
I don't know. Anyway...to TRY to answer your question...
I can discribe it this way....the THIEL 03A's is the speaker that I have most lived with and the 03A's are a VERY NICE speaker...they are CLEAR,CLEAN,SMOOTH,ACCURATE,etc. however...(perhaps because I have owned them so long) I do not find them EXCITING! This is where the PIONEER HPM 100's really shine! I have blown several tweeters on my Thiel's playing them MUCH TOO LOUD (my thinking) was that playing them louder would make them more exciting! Not so. Don't get me wrong...the THIELS are a wonderful speaker but...not for all material. The HPM 100's just seem to work well with all types of music and there is just SOMETHING about them that makes them
EXCITING to listen to. They have VERY GOOD Bass due in part to the 12 inch Woofer, and the HIGHS are there as well. They just seem to have a PRESENCE and DYNAMIC IMPACT that many speakers seem to lack (save good HORN speakers). I own three pairs of vintage Pioneer speakers...the CS 88's the CS 911's (four way w/15 inch woofers) and the HPM 100's. I have been enjoying the CS 911's as well but...the HPM 100's are my MAIN speaker now. I know that there are more accurate speakers, speakers that have a better imaging, play deeper, go higher,more accurate mids, etc. etc. bla bla bla. I have had wonderful performance from my CS 88's (playing rather loud) the WILLIAM TELL overture and I was blown away! However...unlike the HPM 100's (or the CS 911's for that matter) the CS 88's do not sound as good on some type of music like the HPM 100's do. Who knows...maybe after several years of living with the HPM 100's...I might grow tired of them and look for something different. There is no doubt in my mind that your ears (read Brain) ADJUST's to your system with time.
I mean...I think of it like this...I love a good Steak but...I don't want to eat Steak every night...might want to have Sushi! Both are good (at least to me...LOVE good Sushi). Point being...I think it natural to want to listen/change the SOUND of ones system every so often. IMHO...this is not a bad thing. I hope I didn't confuse you too much with my ramblings. Bottom line...I LOVE MY HPM 100's. I am going to keep them for some time to come!

SixCats!
 
I'm also a 47 year old man. I weigh only 135 lbs and am 5'5" short but never felt the back pain when lifting 50 lbs. I guess I don't have the disadvantage of the cantilever effect that tall and big people unfortunately have :o

Anyway, I love Pioneer speakers. . Overall they don't have a pin- point accuracy and clear imaging like my smaller and expensive speakers but they indeed sound ... very good. If not for the looks and size I'd put the Pioneer CS99A's in my main systems. They look kind of old you know and do not match other black/gold audio furnitures that well.
 
Hi Hotgas,

I know what you mean about expensive smaller monitors having more pinpoint accuracy. My KEF 102's Reference Monitors are very good at that. I still however find the HPM 100's to be very clear sounding in addition to their being dynamic.
I am glad to hear that you have no back problems...years of heavy lifting and a fair amount of Martial Arts in my younger days took it's toll on me. Sucks but...what can I do? Ah...well...I am going to buy a NICE roomier auto! Yea...I think that will help!

SixCats!
 
I love Japanese cars too for their reliability and detailed attentions in design. I've never tuned up my cars and they are 15 to 20 years old and still run very well . I've owned only Toyota's (Camry, Tercel and Corolla) and I doubt if the Avalon has room for your "disadvantegeous" size :p: .
 
Hotgas,

Surely you jest! (and don't call me Shirly! lol).
The Avalon was WAY bigger than a Nissan Max. and I suspect the Camry as well. Much to my surprise, I had trouble getting in and out of the Max. In fact...I was surprised to learn that the Avalon has more leg and head room than the big INFINITY Q 45 . Pehaps the Avalon doesn't have the room of a TOWN CAR or a CROWN VIC/GRAND MONKEY but...Man...what a nice car. The Avalon is comfortable for my 6'3" frame. I really think I am going to buy this Avalon unless something in the way of a nice,clean,one owner Q45 (at a good price comes along) however...I kind of doubt it.
SixCats!
 
Hi Night Wolf,

Thanks for your suggestion. I drive 100 miles per day to work and back. I have more Faith in the Japan cars for overall performance. My Dad has two Caddys and likes them a lot.
Perhaps someday, I will go back to a Caddy. SixCats!
 
Sixcats,

Thanks for the highly detailed review of the Hpm 100's! They were always somewhere on my list, but now I think you've just moved them up to the top spot! LOL

About cars, in the late 80's I drove a 77 Celica, and while it was a snug fit, it wore well, even at my 6'1" and 284 lbs!!
If we get to vote, mine goes to the Avalon. :)

Hotgas, give your cars a break and give them a 'tune'! Sheesh!:eek:
 
Thanks Jay,

I am glad that you found my thoughts on the HPM 100's useful. Keep in mind however that not everyone would agree with me but...that being said...check out the reviews of the HPM 100's at Audioreview.com

I for sure am not alone in my thinking. Oh...I really am leaning towards the Avalon! SixCats!
 
Hey SixCats you can't go wrong with the Toyota. Not only will it run reliably longer than any domestic car it'll hold it's resale value better as well. I hope your back is feeling better too.


Mike
 
Hey Pro,

Thanks for your comments. I am very impressed with the Avalon and I am pretty sure I am going to go for it.
My back...man...it hasn't hurt this bad since my lifting accident over two years ago! I have got to get to the Chriopractor SOON!
Thanks Pro. SixCats!
 
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