Short answer: the Boston Acoustics A25 for better sound quality, the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR (Philharmonic AAM Mod) for the lower price. The Boston Acoustics A25 ranks #22 of 56 bookshelf speakers at $299.98. The Pioneer SP-BS22-LR (Philharmonic AAM Mod) ranks #33 at $168, $131.98 cheaper.
On the Boston Acoustics A25 side: CEA2034 spinorama is decent once you ignore a peak around 900Hz and a dip around 3kHz - directivity is good enough that the response can be EQed and won’t be too room-dependent. Set against that: A crazy port resonance and a tweeter with a steeper rolloff than the woofer both show up in the near-field driver measurements, creating the 900Hz peak and the crossover-region dip.
What the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR (Philharmonic AAM Mod) gets right: This is Dennis Murphy’s “Affordable Accuracy Monitor” (AAM) mod of the discontinued. The catch: Some directivity error appears near the crossover frequency.
Buy the Boston Acoustics A25 if sound quality matters more than the price. Buy the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR (Philharmonic AAM Mod) if the price matters more than sound quality.
Specifications Side By Side
| Boston Acoustics A25 | Pioneer SP-BS22-LR (Philharmonic AAM Mod) | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $299.98 Discontinued | $168 |
| Ranked | #22 of 56 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers | #33 of 56 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 90Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 78Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 55Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 60Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Drivers | 1" Kortec soft dome tweeter, 5.25" ceramic/glass-fiber polymer mid/woofer | 1x 4" curvilinear-cone woofer (stock Pioneer), 1x Peerless BC25TG15 1" silk dome tweeter (replacement) |
| Discontinued | Yes | - |
| Dimensions | 10.7H x 7.25W x 8.9D in | 12.6"H x 7.1"W x 8.5"D (320.0 x 180.0 x 215.0 mm) |
| Weight | 10.1 lbs / 4.58 kg each | 9 lbs / 4.1 kg |
| Frequency Response | 55Hz - 25kHz (Manufacturer specified) | - |
| Sensitivity | 85dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) | 83dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Audio Science Review) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal | 8 ohms nominal (approx. 5 ohms minimum, measured by Audio Science Review) |
| Power Handling | 10-150W recommended | - |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported, rear |
| Crossover Frequency | - | 3000Hz |
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The Two Speakers In Full
Boston Acoustics A25: $299.98 Discontinued
Pros: CEA2034 spinorama is decent once you ignore a peak around 900Hz and a dip around 3kHz - directivity is good enough that the response can be EQed and won’t be too room-dependent. Cabinet fit and finish is well above its price class, and dynamics were strong with no distortion audible even at high volume on well-recorded material. Discontinued, but the reviewer suggests hunting for clearance pricing on remaining stock.
Cons: A crazy port resonance and a tweeter with a steeper rolloff than the woofer both show up in the near-field driver measurements, creating the 900Hz peak and the crossover-region dip. The rear port itself measured audibly distorted up close, though it wasn’t noticeable from normal listening distance in the reviewer’s room. Discontinued.
Full Boston Acoustics A25 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 55Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 90Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Dimensions | 10.7H x 7.25W x 8.9D in |
| Discontinued | Yes |
| Drivers | 1" Kortec soft dome tweeter, 5.25" ceramic/glass-fiber polymer mid/woofer |
| Frequency Response | 55Hz - 25kHz (Manufacturer specified) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal |
| Power Handling | 10-150W recommended |
| Sensitivity | 85dB (2.83V/1m, measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Weight | 10.1 lbs / 4.58 kg each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
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Pioneer SP-BS22-LR (Philharmonic AAM Mod): $168
Pros: This is Dennis Murphy’s “Affordable Accuracy Monitor” (AAM) mod of the discontinued, budget Pioneer SP-BS22-LR: the stock tweeter is swapped for a Peerless BC25TG15 dome and a redesigned 3rd-order crossover is built to match it to the stock 4” woofer. CEA2034 spinorama shows only small variations from a flat on-axis response with some directivity error near the crossover, a marked improvement over the unmodified Pioneer, which the reviewer notes shows much more variation from flat. Distortion at 86dB SPL/1m is reasonably controlled above 200Hz, and tweeter distortion barely rises even at 96dB SPL/1m.
Cons: Some directivity error appears near the crossover frequency. Distortion climbs in the woofer’s range (below 200Hz) at both 86dB and 96dB SPL/1m. Minimum impedance dips to about 5 ohms with a couple of resonance peaks. This is a DIY project, not a finished retail product: Murphy sold ~$168 pre-built pairs for a while but no longer does, so it now requires sourcing a used/discontinued Pioneer SP-BS22-LR pair plus building the crossover and swapping the tweeter yourself. The mod itself is public domain, but there is no current turnkey way to buy this speaker.
Full Pioneer SP-BS22-LR (Philharmonic AAM Mod) review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 60Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 78Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) |
| Crossover Frequency | 3000Hz |
| Dimensions | 12.6"H x 7.1"W x 8.5"D (320.0 x 180.0 x 215.0 mm) |
| Drivers | 1x 4" curvilinear-cone woofer (stock Pioneer), 1x Peerless BC25TG15 1" silk dome tweeter (replacement) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (approx. 5 ohms minimum, measured by Audio Science Review) |
| Sensitivity | 83dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Audio Science Review) |
| Weight | 9 lbs / 4.1 kg |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
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