Pioneer SP-PK21BS Video
Pioneer SP-PK21BS Video Transcript
-Hey, I'm Matthew Moskovciak at cnet.com and this is the Pioneer SPPK21BS. This is a 5.1 speaker system and it's available direct from Pioneer for $400. The two things you need to know about these speakers is that they sound incredible. And as you can see, they're huge. There are 4 satellite speakers for the front and surrounds and they come in at a little over a foot tall. The center channel is one of the largest we've seen at nearly 20 inches wide and it's not gonna fit under your TV, so you need either a separate cabinet or a shelf to put it on. You'll also see that it has a curved bottom, so it doesn't quite sit level, but it doesn't really affect its sound quality. The 100-watt subwoofer is actually average sized for this system and it has just a simple cube shape. All the speakers have a faux wood finish, which isn't quite nice as the high gloss finishes available on some competitors. Around back, you'll find sturdy metal speaker connections that can accept banana plug, spades, or bare wire. Now, if you're Now, if you're willing to put up with the size of these speakers, the pay-off is that you get the best sound quality we've heard from a budget system like this. The Pioneer has no problem getting loud without distortion and it delivers the kind of powerful sound that you just can't get on smaller systems. Even more impressive is that it sounds great with two channel music too, which most budget systems can't handle. When we put it head-to-head with the editor's choice award winning Excellent Take Classic System, the Pioneer definitely had the edge at higher volumes, although to be fair, it is a much larger system. So altogether, if you care more about sound quality than style and you're on a budget, the SPPK21BS is the hands down best pick and an outstanding value overall. But if you're looking at the speakers and you're realizing they're just too big for your room, check out the smaller but still Excellent Take Classic System. I'm Matthew Moskovciak and this is the Pioneer SPPK21BS.
Related Videos
Pioneer SP-PK52FS, quality sound at a budget price
If you've got the space for it, the Pioneer SP-PK52FS is simply the best-sounding, budget-price home theater speaker package you can buy.
Altec Lansing inMotion Air IMW725
Though it's neither the best-sounding nor the cheapest Bluetooth speaker we've heard, the Altec Lansing InMotion Air IMW725 wins points for its attractive design, portability, and plug-and-play setup with any PC.
Bose's entry-level Companion 2 Series II speakers offer good bass and dual inputs--but they're not the best-sounding PC speakers in their price class.
The Razer Carcharias is by far the most comfortable, best-sounding PC gaming headset we've tested in a while.
Harman/Kardon Go + Play iPod boom box
The Harman/Kardon Go + Play is one of the best-sounding portable iPod speaker systems you can buy, but its high price and lack of compatibility with recent iPod models make it a limited recommendation.
The Sony MDR-DS4000s are simply the quietest and best-sounding wireless headphones we've tested to date.
Though it's fairly pricey, the Monitor Audio i-Deck is one of the best-sounding and most attractive stereo speaker systems for the iPod.
Looking for a completely wireless speaker that sounds great and can go anywhere? Here are your five best options.
Among the best-sounding audiophile headphones
Sennheiser's HD 700 isn't just one of the best-sounding headphone models we've tested, it's also remarkably comfortable to wear for hours at a time.
Excellent sound without the wires
While its design may not be for everyone, the Harman Kardon BT is one of the best-sounding Bluetooth headphones available.