Short answer: the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR in Philharmonic AAM form, though neither ranks well in its class. The JBL Stage A120’s pronounced “Batman” response, boosted bass, scooped midrange, and treble about 3-4dB above the mids, traces partly to confirmed cabinet panel resonance around 800Hz-1.7kHz; the port bung lets you try sealed operation, which only somewhat helped. The AAM mod by Dennis Murphy keeps its flaws to some directivity error near the crossover. Both are rated below 3.0/5 among the 90 bookshelf speakers, so if sound quality matters, consider the Ascend Acoustics HTM-200SE2 instead, ranked #7 at $368.
Buy the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR (Philharmonic AAM Mod) only if you find one used in good condition; both are discontinued, and it is the better rated of the two. For a new speaker, start with the Ascend Acoustics HTM-200SE2 instead.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Passive Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Pioneer SP-BS22-LR (Philharmonic AAM Mod) | JBL Stage A120 | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $168 per pair Discontinued | $299 per pair Discontinued |
| Ranked | #63 of 90 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers | #69 of 90 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 78Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 71Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 60Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 53Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | 1x 4” curvilinear-cone woofer (stock Pioneer), 1x Peerless BC25TG15 1” silk dome tweeter (replacement) | 0.75” tweeter + 5” woofer |
| Weight | 9 lbs (4.1 kg) | 10.6 lbs (4.8 kg) |
| Sensitivity | 83dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Audio Science Review) | 83dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (approx. 5 ohms minimum, measured by Audio Science Review) | 6 ohms |
| Crossover Frequency | 3000Hz | - |
| Dimensions | 12.6”H x 7.1”W x 8.5”D (320.0 x 180.0 x 215.0 mm) | 11.3”H x 6.8”W x 7.4”D (285.8 x 171.5 x 188.9 mm) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.07 | 3.50 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.82 | 6.24 |
| DIY Kit | Yes | No |
Related Speaker Comparisons
How Pioneer SP-BS22-LR (Philharmonic AAM Mod) compares with other leading options:
- Pioneer SP-BS22-LR (Philharmonic AAM Mod) vs Ascend Sierra 1 v2
- KEF LS50 Meta vs Pioneer SP-BS22-LR (Philharmonic AAM Mod)
- Pioneer SP-BS22-LR (Philharmonic AAM Mod) vs Arendal 1961 Monitor
- Pioneer SP-BS22-LR (Philharmonic AAM Mod) vs Revel M105
- Pioneer SP-BS22-LR (Philharmonic AAM Mod) vs Klipsch RP-500M II
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The Two Speakers In Full
Pioneer SP-BS22-LR (Philharmonic AAM Mod): $168 per pair Discontinued eBay
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. Measured bass extension of 78Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 83dB.
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 |
| DIY Kit | Yes |
| 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) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.07 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.82 |
| Weight | 9 lbs (4.1 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear |
- Links
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- Pioneer SP-BS22-LR (Philharmonic AAM Mod) vs Dynaudio X14
- Pioneer SP-BS22-LR (Philharmonic AAM Mod) vs MartinLogan Motion 4i
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- Pioneer SP-BS22-LR (Philharmonic AAM Mod) vs JBL L52 Classic
- Pioneer SP-BS22-LR (Philharmonic AAM Mod) vs Dynaudio Emit M10
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JBL Stage A120: $299 per pair Discontinued eBay
Newer model: the JBL Stage 2 240B. It’s likely to perform similarly, though we don’t have measurements to confirm that yet.
Pros: Comes with a port bung, letting you experiment between ported and sealed configurations: the reviewer found the sound improved somewhat with the port sealed. Distortion at 96dB is broadly comparable to competitors in this price range outside of some elevated low-end THD. Wide horizontal radiation pattern for a compact bookshelf speaker in the low-to-midrange. Measured bass extension of 71Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 83dB.
Cons: A pronounced “Batman”-shaped frequency response: boosted bass, a scooped midrange, and elevated treble (about 3-4dB above the midrange), driven partly by confirmed cabinet panel resonance around 800Hz-1.7kHz. Directivity shows significant back-to-back peaks and dips, making the speaker harder to correct with EQ since the off-axis sound doesn’t track the direct sound cleanly. Elevated treble that some might call “detailed” reads as an unwelcome boost to the reviewer rather than genuine resolution. Compression testing shows the low end degrading substantially at high output (102dB). Overall considered one of the weaker speakers the reviewer has tested in this class, with a competing model (Emotiva Airmotiv B1+) recommended instead at a similar price. Discontinued.
Full JBL Stage A120 review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 53Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 71Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 11.3”H x 6.8”W x 7.4”D (285.8 x 171.5 x 188.9 mm) |
| Drivers | 0.75” tweeter + 5” woofer |
| Impedance | 6 ohms |
| Sensitivity | 83dB (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 3.50 |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 6.24 |
| Weight | 10.6 lbs (4.8 kg) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
- Reviews, Comparisons and Sound Samples
- Head-to-Head Comparisons
- JBL Stage A120 vs Parts Express Copperhead Desktop Kit
- JBL Stage A120 vs ELAC Uni-Fi 2.0 UB52
- JBL Stage A120 vs KEF Q100
- JBL Stage A120 vs JBL L52 Classic
- JBL Stage A120 vs Q Acoustics 3020i
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- JBL Stage A120 vs Dynaudio X14
- JBL Stage A120 vs Q Acoustics 5020
- See all 36 comparisons