So Pioneer Elite SP-EC73, while being a pricier option, tends to get more favorable ⭐ reviews than the $100 Edifier R1280T, as seen on the chart below. Even the pioneer rep stated that the warranty and “quality control” are the differences. Pioneer Elite SP-EC73 were released in 2014. This driver handles treble and midrange for the main speaker and the Atmos speaker. The other films on Atmos right now include Transformers: Age of Extinction, The Expendables 3, Step Up: All In, and TMNT. I also expected that once I reviewed a few movies, I’d want to take them down and go back to my regular speakers, but I didn’t. The build quality of the speakers also shows how they manage to make them so affordable. Pioneer Elite's Dolby Atmos home theater. The first is that it allows the Atmos drivers to have better sound than other companies using a single driver. However, given the form factor and price point, Pioneer’s Elite sub should be a capable, if not awe inspiring competitor. Between this, the bottom model of the elite line, and the vsx-934 which is the “regular” line, i can only find one difference other than the label and price… the elite version claims an ir input and the 934 doesn’t, but that may even be a mistake. Going over a waterfall you move from the waterfall being below you and to the side to it being all around you. I will probably take your recommendation on the SVS PB1000. Moving cables around a couple times got us the correct channels, but there are a lot of cables in a 5.1.4 channel setup. This contributes to having a completely enveloping soundstage all around you. Test Bench. When Andrew Jones arrived and hooked these up, I expected them to be good for Atmos movies at home. It might not be the exciting demo we all want to show our friends, but it is an impressive one. The answer to that question is now upon us with the announcement of a Pioneer Elite branded line of speakers. 5.1.4 Atmos system diagram using Pioneer's Atmos-enabled speakers. Beginning inside a rain forest, the sounds from the Atmos soundtrack are all around. In fact, Steve’s day job is network administration and accounting. Pioneer SP-T22A-LR Add-on Speaker Modules ($98 per pair) - A budget-friendly add-on speaker option, these Atmos modules from Pioneer are designed to sit on top of a user's existing speakers, adding an up-firing driver for height effects. It is on kind loan from a member and costs US $399 on Amazon including Prime shipping. At this point, the only questions we have are a. whether other finishes will eventually be offered, and b. if we'll see non-Atmos versions of these speakers for those who opt not to upgrade to Atmos or choose to go with in-ceiling speakers. I spent almost all my time listening to them in Pure Direct mode without a sub or room correction and find them to be superb. Instead I left them there and kept listening for months, far longer than Pioneer wishes I did. Atmos was the break-out technology of the 2014 CEDIA Expo. At $600 you can spend $100 less for the SVS PB-1000 ported sub and get deeper bass, or spend $200 more and get the SVS PB-2000 sub like I would. No, this isn’t Pioneer’s attempt at an omnipolar speaker. This receiver can deliver than in two main configurations: 5.1.4 or 7.1.2. Completing the package, the SW-E10 subwoofer features a 10” long throw woofer with a 2" voice coil motivated by a 300W RMS amplifier in a compact sealed enclosure. Pioneer is an organization that has for quite some time been inseparable from reasonable and excellent sound gear, and these vehicle speakers offer all that you’ve generally expected from them. It is a competent 10” box, but is the weak point of the system. While the new Pioneer Elite lineup probably won't win any awards from interior decorators, for the home theater buff on a budget, they're worth a close look. However, since Pioneer's announcement we've learned that there's more to Atmos-enabled speakers than meets the eye. In terms of stereo receivers, the Pioneer Elite SX-S30 veers from what traditional stereo receivers offer. That may seem high for a bookshelf speaker but you are getting two speakers … Over a dozen companies were showcasing it in some manner with two distinct approaches. Show newer Speakers In terms of basic performance, Pioneer’s new Elite line looks to have quite a bit of potential. Ever since Andrew Jones stunned the audiophile world with his budget speaker line, we’ve been waiting for the encore. In addition to bringing a high tech concentric driver to the table, these speakers feature an integrated Atmos Elevation module, allowing for a 5.1.4 Atmos setup that looks like a standard 5.1 system, while forgoing the complexities of adding in-ceiling speakers. For example in using pioneers mcacc pro, There is no 5.1.4 option. If you just want a tremendous sounding two channel system, these do that with the ability to upgrade later to an Atmos home theater system. Steve Munz is a “different” addition to Audioholics’ stable of contributors in that he is neither an engineer like Gene, nor has he worked in the industry like Cliff. There are two things that will probably stick out to folks shopping in this price class. Having lived with the Pioneer Elite Atmos system in my listening room for a couple of months, I can say they are not just a good Atmos speaker. HTP-076 (Refurbished) Home Theater System Pioneer A TS-A6996R Review ... A6996R earned a B+ in the low range and a B in the mids, which means its accuracy was good in these frequencies but not elite. The SP-EBS73LR bookshelf boasts a frequency response of 50Hz-20kHz, where the SP-EC73 extends the response down to 45Hz (numbers are TBA on the tower). There are a lot of newer speakers on the market. Pros: Very good two channel performance, Atmos effects are immersive when the content allows it, clear and detailed, compact size allows easy placement: Cons: Pioneer SP-PK52FS 5.1 Floorstanding Speaker System Review, Pioneer Selling Its Home A/V Electronics Subsidiary, Patent WO2014107714A1 - Virtual height filter for reflected sound rendering using upward firing drivers - Google Patents, Pioneer Elite Dolby Atmos Speakers Preview and Demo Results, Dimensions (with Grille): 7” x 15” x 10” (W x H x D inch), Dimensions (With grille): 7” x 40” x 10”(W x H x D inch), Maximum Output Power: 600 Watt Peak, 300 RMS, Crossover Frequency: 40 Hz – 150 Hz continuously adjustable, Dimensions: 13 “ x 13” x 13” (W x H x D inch). As the SC-85 was designed before Atmos shipped, the labels on the back don’t account for Atmos. Read honest and unbiased product reviews from our users. … Compared to my Definitive Technology Mythos STS towers, the only area in which the Pioneers come up short is the deep bass. With the Elite Atmos speakers it provides two major benefits. Compare View Product. Moving to the SW-E10, frequency response is rated from 30Hz-150Hz, which isn’t surprising for a sealed subwoofer living in a pint sized 13” cubed enclosure. The amplifiers are each rated at 100W into eight ohms across the ful… It is the matching speaker to Pioneer SP-EBS73-LR bookshelf Atmos which I just reviewed. Listening to Tori Amos, Natalie Merchant, or the ubiquitous Diana Krall their voices are fantastic using the CST. In terms of electrical specifications, it should be noted that both the bookshelf and center speakers are rated to be 4 ohm nominal, and they both feature a below average sensitivity of 85dB w/ 2.83V at 1m (or 82dB w/ 1W as they are 4 ohm speakers). That releases two of the amplifiers to, say, help bi-amplify the front speakers or drive speakers in a second zone. This driver places a 1” tweeter in the center of the 4” midrange driver so the major frequencies all originate at the same location. If you want a film to watch instead of a documentary, John Wick is the best that Atmos has to offer right now. If you are building a home theater now and want to be future-proof, going with Atmos speakers is a good way to do that. We also left the speaker grills off since, as Andrew Jones told me, they are always a compromise to offer protection for the speaker over the best sound. However, both should dig deep enough to integrate properly with a subwoofer. There are many films in the theaters in Atmos but not at home, since Atmos wasn’t available in the home yet. They are good speakers period. While we had some questions about the effectiveness of the Atmos Elevation speaker concept, a demo of Pioneer's full Elite theater system at CEDIA has allayed many of our concerns. If you own Sonos speakers, get a compatible Pioneer amplifier. The second is that the tweeter and midrange of the Atmos driver and the other speakers can be identical. If you want to stick with a sealed box the $700 SVS SB-2000 will also provide a bit more kick than the Pioneer for only $100 more. Kanto TUK Powered Bookshelf Speakers. You hear the leaves rustle above you, animals calling from every channel, and the narrator anchored in the center channel. All three loudspeakers are true three way designs boasting a concentric driver array featuring a 1” soft dome tweeter and 4” aluminum midrange driver. When Andrew Jones was here, he told me he didn’t want people to think of these speakers at Atmos speakers. The Dolby demo clips with thunder and falling leaves sound great. SP-EFS73; SP-EBS73-LR; SP-EC73; View All > Featured from ELITE. The film itself is violent, but an enjoyable time and one your friends will want to watch when you show off Atmos. The Pioneer N-50 network audio player shows that, while the company has been watching carefully from the sidelines while rivals have launched their streamers, its engineers have clearly been taking note – the N-50 pulls no punches.. everything else that is playing along with it stays at the same level. We've also been told that the midrange unit's first breakup mode is up at 8kHz. Nor did they want a speaker system that would blend into Ethan Allen surroundings. Pioneer Elite Atmos Speakers Review. When Pioneer commissioned Allen Boothroyd, a British industrial designer best known for his work with Meridian Audio, to come up with a unique appearance for its new surround-sound speaker system, they apparently knew what they didn't want: another boring set of square boxes. The big question is: how well does it actually work? All Rights Reserved. These feature both high-tech drive-units and a novel (if not entirely new) method of minimizing enclosure vibrations. This will improve soon as Gravity, The Hunger Games: Mockingjay Part 1, and Unbroken all come out in Atmos next month. They cost US $749 for a pair. To use the reflective speakers like the Pioneer Elite models, you can’t have an angled ceiling or one covered with absorptive material. Designed by Pioneer’s Chief Speaker Engineer, globally eminent Andrew Jones, this speaker comes with a remarkable pedigree of over 70 years of Pioneer audio heritage and industry firsts. On the opening to Dark Side of the Moon, the Pioneer cannot reproduce the deep thump of the heartbeat as well as the DefTech’s can, but that is where the disadvantages stop. Given the 10” driver size and linear excursion rating of 1” peak to peak, it’s fair to say that the SW-E10 isn’t going to be a low end monster, or even a really mean little gremlin like the JL E110 (which is notably more than twice the price). The Elite Center Channel Speaker employs the very same CST and bass driver… $ 149.00. Design of the Pioneer Elite N-50 Network Audio Player. Yet how many people do you know that are eager to drill and install four more speakers into the ceiling of their AV rooms? Pioneer Speakers; Hi-Fi Components. We’ve included models to suit a scope of financial plans and establishment needs. 2 Channel Components; Turntables; Shop ELITE. Across the rest of the frequency spectrum the Pioneer speakers are Elite with clear, detailed midrange and treble that never hurt your ears. In these situations you need to use in-ceiling speakers instead since the sound will not reflect. Unfortunately no tolerance was provided for these specifications, which decreases their value. Sounds from these drivers then arrive at your ears at the same time. The Pioneer speaker does work individually as would be expected and I can activate my other devises through the app but when I try to control the volume through Alexa the only devise volume that is changed is the Pioneer. Many companies were using in-ceiling speakers, which being a custom install show should not be a surprise. They sound much better than they look, and the recent SVS Prime Towers that were reviewed have these beat on build quality for the price. A subwoofer can fix Deep bass while mediocre treble and midrange will always remain mediocre, so I’ll take the trade-off that Pioneer offers. ELITE. Taken together, those numbers indicate buyers would be well advised to pair these speakers with solid amplification, especially if you plan to use them in larger rooms and/or at higher listening levels. 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