Short answer: the Wharfedale Super Denton. It ranks #28 of 160 bookshelf speakers by sound quality (rated 4.0/5) at $1,499 and is still sold new; the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR (Philharmonic AAM Mod) ranks #111 (rated 2.8/5) and is discontinued, so it is only an option used.
What the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR (Philharmonic AAM Mod) does well: 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. The catch: Some directivity error appears near the crossover frequency.
The Wharfedale Super Denton is the more accurate, deeper-bass pick. A 3-way design with a 1” soft dome tweeter, a 2” soft dome midrange offset to the side of a centered 6.5” woven Kevlar woofer: a more compact alternative to the Wharfedale Linton 85 with a similar overall character. Its measured preference score, a predictor of how neutral it sounds, is 5.90 against 5.07 for the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR (Philharmonic AAM Mod). Its bass reaches about 61Hz before falling 3dB, against 78Hz for the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR (Philharmonic AAM Mod). The tradeoff: A mid-range scoop from about 200-800Hz and a separate upper-midrange scoop were both audible in direct ABX comparison against a reference-neutral speaker, giving aggressive-sounding material a more subdued character.
Buy the Wharfedale Super Denton. It is rated higher for sound quality and still sold new, while the Pioneer SP-BS22-LR (Philharmonic AAM Mod) is discontinued.
Looking for alternatives? See the complete Passive Home rankings.
Specifications Side By Side
| Pioneer SP-BS22-LR (Philharmonic AAM Mod) | Wharfedale Super Denton | |
|---|---|---|
| Price | $168 per pair Discontinued | $1499 per pair |
| Ranked | #111 of 160 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers | #28 of 160 in Medium Size Bookshelf Speakers |
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 78Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 61Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 60Hz (measured, Audio Science Review) | 41Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Drivers | 1x 4” curvilinear-cone woofer (stock Pioneer), 1x Peerless BC25TG15 1” silk dome tweeter (replacement) | 1” soft dome tweeter, 2” soft dome midrange, 6.5” woven Kevlar woofer |
| Weight | 9 lbs (4.1 kg) | 20.3 lbs (9.2 kg) each |
| Sensitivity | 83dB (2.83V/1m, measured by Audio Science Review) | 86.6dB (measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Impedance | 8 ohms nominal (approx. 5 ohms minimum, measured by Audio Science Review) | 6 ohms nominal, 3 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Crossover Frequency | 3000Hz | 940Hz, 4.6kHz |
| Dimensions | 12.6”H x 7.1”W x 8.5”D (320.0 x 180.0 x 215.0 mm) | 14.2”H x 9.7”W x 10.8”D (360 x 246 x 275 mm) |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported, rear | ported |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.07 | 5.9 (Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score with Perfect Sub | 7.82 | - |
| DIY Kit | Yes | No |
| Frequency Response | - | 52Hz - 20kHz (±3dB, manufacturer specified); -6dB to 40Hz |
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Prices on this page were last checked October 9, 2026 at 8:01 AM UTC. Product prices and availability are accurate as of that date/time and are subject to change; the price and availability shown on Amazon at the time of purchase will apply to the purchase of this product.
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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 |
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Wharfedale Super Denton: $1499 per pair Crutchfield eBay
Same family: the Wharfedale Denton 80th Anniversary (smaller bookshelf, ranked lower, rated 3.2/5), the Wharfedale Linton 85 (larger bookshelf, rated 4.3/5) and the Wharfedale Super Linton (larger bookshelf, rated 4.4/5).
Pros: A 3-way design with a 1” soft dome tweeter, a 2” soft dome midrange offset to the side of a centered 6.5” woven Kevlar woofer: a more compact alternative to the Wharfedale Linton 85 with a similar overall character. Measured sensitivity around 86.6-87dB with on-axis linearity within about ±3dB. No cabinet or box resonances turned up in impedance testing, and there are no spike feet to install. Harmonic distortion looks good at both 86dB and 96dB, with about 20dB of usable dynamic range up to 96dB before compression starts to affect the midrange more noticeably near 102dB. Because bass rolls off starting around 60Hz, placing it closer to a wall (about 1-2 feet) than usual boosts low-end punch without the midbass bloat a deeper-extending speaker would get from the same placement. In the reviewer’s own comparison, its estimated in-room response actually measured more linear than the pricier Wharfedale Linton 85’s, despite being a bit less linear on-axis. Measured bass extension of 61Hz (-3dB), with a measured sensitivity of 86.6dB.
Cons: A mid-range scoop from about 200-800Hz and a separate upper-midrange scoop were both audible in direct ABX comparison against a reference-neutral speaker, giving aggressive-sounding material a more subdued character. A resonance around 660-700Hz shows up in measurement, though the reviewer couldn’t reliably hear it with real music in his own blind-ish A/B testing. The offset tweeter-and-midrange layout makes horizontal off-axis response noticeably asymmetric (response drops as much as 8dB more to one side than the other at wider angles) so the reviewer recommends aiming the speakers directly at the listener (not toed out, which loses upper treble) and suggests sidewall absorption to control uneven reflections. Must be listened to with the grille on: measurements are noticeably worse with it off (wider 2-4kHz dip, extra treble bump). Horizontal soundstage width felt a bit narrower than the reviewer personally prefers, likely related to the same offset driver layout. Multitone distortion gets high in the midrange at 96dB/1m, a concern mainly in larger rooms where you’d need to play louder.
Full Wharfedale Super Denton review and specifications →
| Bass Extension (-10dB) | 41Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
|---|---|
| Bass Extension (-3dB) | 61Hz (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Crossover Frequency | 940Hz, 4.6kHz |
| DIY Kit | No |
| Dimensions | 14.2”H x 9.7”W x 10.8”D (360 x 246 x 275 mm) |
| Drivers | 1” soft dome tweeter, 2” soft dome midrange, 6.5” woven Kevlar woofer |
| Frequency Response | 52Hz - 20kHz (±3dB, manufacturer specified); -6dB to 40Hz |
| Impedance | 6 ohms nominal, 3 ohms minimum (measured, Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Sensitivity | 86.6dB (measured by Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Spinorama Preference Score | 5.9 (Erin’s Audio Corner) |
| Weight | 20.3 lbs (9.2 kg) each |
| Woofer Cabinet | ported |
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