Pioneer's new speaker line?

[nogaro]

True, even used as standard bookshelf speakers, they could be really good for $750... but they'd be equally good for that purpose and cheaper than $750 without the extra concentric driver and additional cabinet expenses needed for it....

So for anyone not interested in shelling out the money for an Atmos capable AVR for the foreseeable future... it's money put into something that won't be used... Of course, not everyone will see it that way (I do recognize that some people actually keep speakers for long periods of time, unlike myself), and I'm sure Pioneer is counting on that...

I'm also curious how they sound... but I'm with a few others here... I'd be more interested in a non-Atmos model without the top driver.

Sure, if they were to offer a non-Atmos version for cheaper, that would be more interesting to me too, for my audio only needs (and maybe by HT needs, I have no idea how Atmos will play out). I don't think they have any plans to do that, though. So, really, the options are not the Atmos model vs the non-Atmos model, but the Atmos model vs speakers made by somebody else. If Pioneer's option is better-sounding than (non-Atmos) speakers of comparable price ($625-$900), I wouldn't care that they decided to put in an extra driver that I may never use. However, if the speaker is only as good as, say, speakers in the $500 range, then I wouldn't be inclined to buy it just because it has the Atmos driver. I guess what I'm saying is the concept of "wasting money on a driver you aren't using" only applies if there's an option in the market that offers the same (non-Atmos) performance for cheaper. I should add that by "performance", I mean a combination of SQ and aesthetics in the ratio that they are relevant to the buyer.

 

[TheHills44060]

To me, these just went from "exciting" to "meh"
They need to release a model without the top-firing driver

I would think that these would ONLY be useful with Atmos material. They killed any thoughts of using these as 2 channel (for me at least)

Slippery these have a top firing driver just like the Castle Acoustics Howards I've had since 2001. I use them in a 2 channel system and love the affect the top woofer has on music. Now granted I have no idea how Pioneer is choosing to cross that woofer over or if there is anything else strange that would deem it as just for the Atmos stuff only, but it may be nice for 2 channel stuff too.

EDIT: As I'm reading more comments in the thread...does that top woofer only activate when fed an "Atmos" signal? If that's the case forget what I said above.

 

[rojo]

The bookshelfs and towers have two pairs of banana plugs -- one for the front, and one for the top. They aren't bi-wireable in the traditional sense. They're two separate channels within the same enclosure.

And the top driver looks to be the full range dealio with the tweet in the center.

 

[crossedover]

I'm sure they can be run as front height in avr that has the option. Dosent have to be atmos. The initial reports are they are really good theater experience. Website should be updated shortly with specs and the pricing.

 

[slipperybidness]

The bookshelfs and towers have two pairs of banana plugs -- one for the front, and one for the top. They aren't bi-wireable in the traditional sense. They're two separate channels within the same enclosure.

And the top driver looks to be the full range dealio with the tweet in the center.

Buuuuuut:

If you look at the AH article on the new Denon and Marantz with the Atmos processing, it shows the extra Atmos speakers mounted ON THE CEILING. These speakers have the extra driver POINTED AT THE CEILING. Even calling these "Atmos Speakers" might be kind of shady IMO.

Like I said before, I will pass. Pio killed any interest in this line for me when they put in the top-mounted driver.

 

[TheHills44060]

The bookshelfs and towers have two pairs of banana plugs -- one for the front, and one for the top. They aren't bi-wireable in the traditional sense. They're two separate channels within the same enclosure.

And the top driver looks to be the full range dealio with the tweet in the center.

Thanks for the info rojo. Yeah that's an interesting setup given it's a whole separate channel. Not optimized for standard stereo listening then.

 

[TLS Guy]

No pricing yet - however these are the new speakers - seems to be made
for their Dolby Atmos surround sound.
Elite Speakers | Pioneer Electronics USA

What a mess!

 

[gene]

What a mess!

They still have 3 more surfaces to work with for the next Atmos spec

We just wrote up a little preview here:
Pioneer Atmos Speakers (SP-EFS73/SP-EBS73L/SP-EC73 and SW-E10) Preview | Audioholics

 

[gene]

Buuuuuut:

If you look at the AH article on the new Denon and Marantz with the Atmos processing, it shows the extra Atmos speakers mounted ON THE CEILING. These speakers have the extra driver POINTED AT THE CEILING. Even calling these "Atmos Speakers" might be kind of shady IMO.

Like I said before, I will pass. Pio killed any interest in this line for me when they put in the top-mounted driver.

Yes they are relying on the sound to shoot up to the ceiling and bounce back down and still be intelligible enough to provide a convincing height effect. Their diagram shows a perfect flashlight beaming up to the ceiling

 

[nogaro]

Yes they are relying on the sound to shoot up to the ceiling and bounce back down and still be intelligible enough to provide a convincing height effect. Their diagram shows a perfect flashlight beaming up to the ceiling

Sound, light...it's all waves This is what Mr. Jones had to say on another forum "For Atmos, there is a prescribed directivity that is required for the top driver in order to get the best result, along with some processing to compensate for any leakage of the upwards driver into the forward direct field. My new driver achieve the required directivity. A lot of the speakers you will see will utilize a single full range speaker for the top driver. I chose instead to use the identical driver as I use for the front. This way, I maintain identical phase responses between the drivers, which I believe will give a more seamless soundfield and more accurate placement of sounds in the object oriented approach that Atmos uses."

 

[gene]

Sound, light...it's all waves This is what Mr. Jones had to say on another forum "For Atmos, there is a prescribed directivity that is required for the top driver in order to get the best result, along with some processing to compensate for any leakage of the upwards driver into the forward direct field. My new driver achieve the required directivity. A lot of the speakers you will see will utilize a single full range speaker for the top driver. I chose instead to use the identical driver as I use for the front. This way, I maintain identical phase responses between the drivers, which I believe will give a more seamless soundfield and more accurate placement of sounds in the object oriented approach that Atmos uses."

Yep I saw that and I don't buy it. No amount of "processing" is going to stop the leakage. The sound bouncing from the ceiling to the listening area is going to be a jumbled mess no matter how good the directivity of the driver is. In any event I look forward to the non Atmos offering of this product in about one year's time

 

[nogaro]

Yep I saw that and I don't buy it. No amount of "processing" is going to stop the leakage. The sound bouncing from the ceiling to the listening area is going to be a jumbled mess no matter how good the directivity of the driver is. In any event I look forward to the non Atmos offering of this product in about 1 year's time

I didn't think he was saying the processing is going to stop the leakage, but try and compensate for it. Regardless, it will have an impact. Yeah, using the reflected concept is strange, for sure.

 

[gene]

I didn't think he was saying the processing is going to stop the leakage, but try and compensate for it. Regardless, it will have an impact. Yeah, using the reflected concept is strange, for sure.

It raises the question will receiver manufacturers have different settings for the Atmos channels depending on if the speaker is firing up at the ceiling or down from the ceiling? I haven't heard this being the case but it's all still very preliminary. It's still unclear if the Atmos soundtrack will be compatible with existing Blu-ray players or if we need a whole new player altogether.

 

[nogaro]

It raises the question will receiver manufacturers have different settings for the Atmos channels depending on if the speaker is firing up at the ceiling or down from the ceiling? I haven't heard this being the case but it's all still very preliminary. It's still unclear if the Atmos soundtrack will be compatible with existing Blu-ray players or if we need a whole new player altogether.

Good question. Perhaps, they would've been better served bringing out then non-Atmos versions this year and then the Atmos versions sometime later when things got more concrete. I wonder if it was a joint effort with Dolby - didn't see that anywhere though.