We also used the S-A4SPT-PMs in our home theater when we watched our favorite scary movie, the Saw DVD. Thanks to the two speakers' big sound, we never missed the other three speakers of our surround system. Dialogue was clear and precise, and the little Pioneers proved themselves gutsy enough to fill moderately large rooms with sound. We can't fault the bass power of the speakers' 4-inch woofers, but when we added a PSB SubSeries 5i subwoofer (available as part of the $1,026 Alpha Studio Theater System, or separately for $499), the sound was even scarier. Alas, Pioneer doesn't offer a matching whiskey-barrel wood subwoofer or surround speakers for use with the S-A4SPT-PMs.
We finished up comparing the S-A4SPT-PMs with a set of NHT SB-1 speakers, which are a little larger overall and have a larger (5.25-inch) woofer than the Pioneers'. The SB-1s are terrific little speakers (now discontinued), but we were wowed by the S-A4SPT-PMs' greater clarity and superior bass definition. The SB-1s produce a bit more, though less well-defined bass, which might tilt the balance for some buyers for whom more bass might be more important than "better" bass.
The Pioneer S-A4SPT-PMs are special speakers. They sound wonderful on music and movies, and the whiskey-barrel wood finish is comparable with that of speakers selling for double or even triple the Pioneers' very reasonable price. We recommend them enthusiastically for discriminating listeners.
What You'll Pay
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