LOUDSPEAKERS

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go to: Contents | Features | Bookshelf, Stand-Mount and Desktop | Floorstanding | Editors' Choice Awards EQUIPMENT REVIEW - Pioneer SP-BS22 LR bundle. To be clear, my point is not that the BS22 somehow dethrones every loudspeaker below, say, five grand, but that Jones has hit the bull’seye (it figures he’s an archery buff) in the nature and proportion of the speaker’s many inevitable compromises. The BS22 has an honest tonal signature that doesn’t pander to the “let’s move ’em” sensibilities of big-box-store salesmen. It is remarkably free of sonic hype. From the outset I noted how quiet the cabinet was. There was little sense of a veil or cloud hanging over the soundstage, smudging images and restricting acoustic boundaries. The choristers of the Turtle Creek Chorale were firmly rooted in position during Rutter’s “A Gaelic Blessing” from his Requiem [Reference Recordings], and there was a well-defined, dimensional soundstage, albeit one that was somewhat abbreviated in depth and size. However, the essence of the BS22’s performance is found in the quality of its midrange. Jones has fashioned a smooth, tonally ripe midband with just enough heft and weight behind vocal and instrumental images to provide reasonable dynamic and harmonic scale. The treble is surprisingly open, which lends overtones a fullness and dimensionality that are often lacking in blue-plate loudspeakers. The BS22 does roll off the top treble to some degree, giving sonics a darker and somewhat more forgiving character, but credit the waveguide tweeter for limiting dispersion at the lower end of the tweeter's passband so its dispersion more closely matches that of the upper end of the woofer's passband. As a result, vocals of either gender are tonally authentic rather than helium-breathing, Munchkin-like caricatures. On a track like Linda Ronstadt’s “Poor Poor Pitiful Me” from Simple Dreams [Asylum] the BS22 demonstrated canny balance, articulating low-level niceties while producing the weight and dynamic energy of the tracks’ rhythm section. Similarly Don Henley’s high harmony during Jackson Browne’s “Colors of The Sun” was fully realized with that distinctive smoky character soon to be made famous when he formed the mega-band, the Eagles, a couple years later. And again during Jennifer Warnes’ “If It Be Your Will” on Famous Blue Raincoat [Impex] the speaker managed to steer clear of peaky treble behavior and again artfully straddle the line between articulate reproduction of the graceful 12-string and the deep colors of the bass guitar. The take-away here is that the BS22 is agile enough not to bury musical delicacies beneath a slurry of low-frequency cabinet resonances. At first I thought it might be foolish to cue up “Prof” Keith Johnson’s latest from Reference Recordings, Horns for the Holidays [RR-126, review this issue], but, beyond the obvious SPL limitations, the BS22 supplied a rich sensation of bloom from these spirited wind and brass sections with discernable contrasts in energy. The SP-BS22 doesn’t go especially deep beyond the upper bass, but it remains composed at higher outputs. There’s bit of port/cabinet noise at its dynamic limits, but on Norah Jones’ “Sinkin Soon” from Not Too Late [Bluenote], acoustic bass was both tuneful and tight. For the most part, the BS22 avoids the midbass boom that makes potential subwoofer-matching such a nightmare. Although not sonically cringe-worthy, there was a bit too much sibilance for my taste. When Holly Cole sings “Take me home/ You silly boy” from Temptation, there was just a small helping more “sss” than I prefer. There was also a general diminution of top-end transparency the higher the speaker went. Cymbals, for example, lacked the widerimmed splash and decay of the real things. And, lastly, beyond the absence of true low bass, the most noticeable subtraction was a diminution of macro-dynamics. The BS22 compresses gently but firmly, and flattens out the larger swings as if carefully measuring its own physical limitations, self-censoring if you will. I would never have guessed at the outset that I’d be taking the BS22 so seriously when it came time to write this review, but in the right room this game little compact has in many areas turned in a performance worthy of speakers well beyond its almost laughably low price point. All courtesy of the man behind that tiny back-panel signature. The BS22 is simply one of the great buys out there, without reservation. SPECS & PRICING Type: Two-way, bass-reflex Drivers: 1" tweeter, 4" mid/bass Frequency response: 55Hz—20kHz Sensitivity: 85dB Impendence: 6 ohms Dimensions: 12.6" x 7.2" x 8.5" Weight: 9.1 lbs. Price: $129/pr. Pioneer Electronics P.O. Box 1540 Long Beach, CA 90810 (800) 421-1404 pioneerelectronics.com CLICK HERE TO COMMENT at www.theabsolutesound.COM 36 Guide to High-Performance Loudspeakers www.theabsolutesound.com previous page NEXT page
go to: Contents | Features | Bookshelf, Stand-Mount and Desktop | Floorstanding | Editors' Choice Awards Paradigm Shift A2 Problem Solver Neil Gader The dilemma: My wife and I recently added a small room to our house in order to create a much-needed workspace for her. She stores her music and other audio materials on an iPod and on her Mac, but the idea of cluttering a freshly finished room with electronics was at best unappealing. The solution called for good sound at entertaining levels while maintaining the smallest possible footprint. This was about the time that Paradigm announced its latest loudspeaker series, the irresistibly named Shift. The appearance of the $559-per-pair model A2 represents something more than just another speaker. It heralds a seismic shift in the way many of us are accessing and experiencing our music today. Already new-fangled music sources are everywhere—smart phones, MP3 players, wireless computer-generated audio, even that little headphone jack on the side of a flat panel can no longer be ignored. Tasked with keeping up with new-gen music delivery, Shift is based on Paradigm’s resident mighty-mite twoway, the Atom. However, the Shift A2 scuttles the rearfiring port, sealing the enclosure and packing it with fifty cool-running watts of bi-amplification linked up with a digital crossover and DSP (all incoming signals are converted to digital with a 48kHz sampling rate). Did someone say powered loudspeakers In some segments of the tweakier high end that’s still a big yuck—like eating broccoli. But if ever a newly born segment of the speaker marketplace cried out for internal power (and open minds), this one is it. Standing a mere eleven inches tall, the MDF cabinet of the A2 is finished in a brilliant polar-white gloss that screams Apple (five finishes are available). The plastic back panel is fitted with an on/off rocker (it automatically cycles into standby mode after a few minutes sans signal); independent volume controls and an AC outlet stand ready for wireless streaming audio devices like an AirPort Express. The 3.5mm mini-jack and set of analog inputs mean that any model in the Shift line can be driven straight out of the Mac headphone mini-jack or from a preamp. All the appropriate wiring is provided. Additionally a single A2 can be purchased on its own ($279). A handy slider-switch on the A2s back panel is selectable for mono or left/ right or multiple speakers. In sum, no preamp or amp is necessary—just locate a couple of AC outlets and you’re good to go. An alternative to an AirPort is Paradigm’s optional Bluetooth BD 1 dongle. About the size of Zippo lighter, it operates within a range of approximately thirty feet, and is battery-powered and rechargeable. A charge lasts about 12 hours and over 200 hours in standby. It comes with an AC recharger which conveniently plugs into the back of an A2. It synched with my MacBook without issue. The satin-anodized aluminum drivers are derived from Paradigm’s Reference line. The mid/bass diaphragm features a high stiffness-to-mass ratio and foam-rubber elastomer surround. Although it appears an exact match to the Atom driver, it has a larger magnet and a longer voice coil for increased excursion—crucial in a less efficient sealed enclosure. The wire-mesh-protected dome tweeter uses a powerful ceramic magnet and ferro-fluid cooling for increased power handling, as well as waveguide technology for smoother response and dispersion. Keep in mind, the Shift is not a pro-monitor, so if you were expecting balanced inputs, a digital input, or IEC fittings for audiophile-grade power cords, forget it. On the other hand, at under $300 each the Paradigm Shift A2s deserve some slack. One item that could use an easy fix is the volume control wheel on the rear panel. Why not include a center notch so that users can adjust by feel where the volume is at any one moment I evaluated the A2 in a variety of settings, determined 37 Guide to High-Performance Loudspeakers www.theabsolutesound.com previous page NEXT page
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