Would you buy a pair of "giant killer" bookshelf speakers from Pioneer?

I've been listening to the FS51's for nearly four months. On balance, and to my ears, these are terrific speakers at 5x the price, and a jaw-on-the-floor bargain at their usual price of 200/pair, let alone 150/pair. The center channel speaker is also quite good--but it's the FS51's that have me listening to all my music again and again. Very highly recommended.

 

I am having trouble getting the CS21 to sound clear with vocals. I've tried different placements, channel balancing (and unbalancing), and Audyssey, but cannot get vocals to sound clear at low-med volumes. Maybe I'm just not used to the dynamic range of movies using surround sound setups at home. I also tried dynamic compression, but it makes the bass overbearing. The only free thing I haven't tried yet is manual equalizer.

I read somewhere that some receivers allow for two center channel speakers. If my receiver had that option, then I would run four FS51s in the front (L, 2xC, R). I am using a Marantz SR6005 by the way. I also read that unintelligible voices could also be due to clipping, and since I was running 7 speakers I thought maybe that could be a possibility so I disconnected the extra rear channel speakers to help ease the burden on the Marantz. I didn't think it helped, though thats not to say it didn't make any difference. I also don't know what clipping is supposed to sound like anyway.

I will try using an FS51 for the center instead of the CS21 to see if that clears things up. I read somewhere that you can lose up to 20% of information by not using a center. I am not sure what exactly was meant or if it were true, but right now I am more concerned with being able to hear the dialogue. At the moment I've turned the center option off, and now voices are clear to hear in the mix.

 

Clipping sounds like distortion. Low-level clipping can be hard to hear as clipping, though--it may just sound grainy, or muddled, or otherwise smeared.

That said, I've used the CS21 in a 5.1 system and I found it to be extraordinarily clear at all volumes. Some things to check that may already have occurred to you:

1. is the CS21 in phase with your other speakers?
2. Have you balanced the levels across all the speakers with an SPL meter? It's hard to do this very well by ear.
3. Do you notice this on all movies, or just on some?
4. When you set up your surround levels, etc., you should have a setting that says "yes" or "no" to the presence of a center channel speaker. If you say "no," then all the center channel information is routed to your left and right speakers. There's no loss of information at all.

Hope this helps.....

 

1. Yes.
2. Yes. I've tried turning up the center a few DB too, but it sounded bleh with the other speakers so much lower.
3. I find that cartoons/animated films are pretty good with voices. Action movies tend to be the worst.
4. Understood.

For most movies dialogue just doesn't sound prominent enough. I turn it up to hear the voices, but then other sounds become way too loud.

With the center turned off, I kind of like the way it gives everything a more FULL and ambient sound. Before it was usually obvious that voices were coming directly from the center speaker. It was a bit distracting. I was watching Equilibrium (action/sci-fi flick) the other day, and thats when I decided to try listening without the center channel speaker. Relief!

Anyway, Sam Cooke sounds good on the FS51s.

 

I broke down and ordered a pair of the FS51s.

 

Report back!

 

They will be in a temporary 2.0 stereo setup since I am in the process of moving.

I already have the CS21 center channel speaker and a pair of the BS41 bookshelf speakers, and all of them will eventually be incorporated into a surround sound system with the FS51 once the move is ultimately completed.

 

So did I, got in last night before the sale ended. Couldn't pass up that deal for $150 plus free shipping.
Now I need to find a good receiver that's 5.1 and has an lp input - not seeing too many around in my price range <$200-$400>....

 

Are you going with the matching Pioneer subwoofer to complete the set? I'm thinking about getting it when I go 5.1 myself, along with the CS21 center and either 2 more of the FS51's OR a pair of the BS41's.

 

Yeah, me too....I waited and waited until I had less than a minute to make up my mind about whether to get the FS51. Already have to many speakers and I may have to let some of them go (yeah, right).

You want a receiver with 5.1 decoding or 5.1 analog inputs?

 

I'm such a novice I'm not sure what that means exactly. I won't be playing much vinyl, but dvd's, and mainly cd/sacd/dvd-a's. I recently bought a Pioneer Elite Universal DVD Player DV-79AVi here on the forum that is 5.1 capable for when I decide to go there. Right now I need the receiver to get me going in 2 channel for starters, but haven't found the right one for me yet.

http://audaud.com/2006/08/pioneer-elite-universal-dvd-player-dv-79avi/

 

If you find a receiver you like without phono input, just get an amp for your turntable and run it to the aux rca input. I do this from my Yamaha amp to my older Sony 5.1 receiver to use my two mains.

 

Thanks, that IS an alternative to be sure, but I didn't want to have to buy an amp for the tt when I buy one, if at all possible.

 

Since the Pioneer can not pass SACD's native DSD bitstream via HDMI, you will need a HT receiver that has analog multi-channel inputs in order to get access to the multi-channel DSD mix on a SACD. Receivers with analog multi-channel inputs are going away, so you may want to look fast.

 

Anyone found floor stands that will handle the FS51's? I'd like to get them off the ground if I can.

 

Boy I wish I could have snagged a couple when they were 100/pair.

 

According to the avsforum.com thread, these Wood Technology WC-10.5 stands are recommended (8.5" X 8.5" top plate dimension vs. 7 7/8"W X 8 11/16" footprint of the FS51).

 

Those are nice but not tall enough. I want the speakers to be approx eye level <the top of the speakers> or a bit higher, so I need some around 24-31" or so high.

 

The 31.5" inch height of the FS51 + the 10" height of the Wood Technology stands should be higher than "normal" ear level.

 

Is that wooden plate on the bottom of the FS51 removable? The speaker + stand would look a lot better without it.

I know "thin is in" but I think Pioneer otta just redesign this model to use an 8" woofer so a conventional rectangular cabinet could be used.....

 

According to the owner's manual, the "base" needs to be attached to the speaker....so I guess it's removable as well.

Or just design the 8" woofer as side-firing. If Infinity can do a side-firing woofer (powered, no less) with a bookshelf model (I forget what was it....did Andrew Jones designed it as well?), Pioneer can certainly pull it off.

 

I went ahead and ordered a set of 24" stands for the FS51's :

http://www.amazon.com/gp/product/B00006JQ5N/ref=oh_o00_s00_i00_details

 

Newegg has all the Pioneer speakers on sale right now.

FS51 $119.99
BS21 $49.99
SW8 sub $79.99
C21 center $49.99

 

As of this post.....

Pioneer SP-FS51 are $120.00/pair with coupon code of EMCNGNH26

Pioneer SP-CS are $50.00/each with coupon code of EMCNGNH25

Pioneer SP-BS21-LR are $50.00/pair with coupon code of EMCNGNH24

Pioneer SW-8 powered sub is $80.00/each with coupon code of EMCNGNH23

 

Insane prices! Crazy good deals.

dan c